Local players contribute at all-star games; Holden, McCracken honored

Quite a few Cape May County players were featured in the Al Carino Basketball Club of South Jersey’s senior all-star games over the weekend.

In the girls game Saturday at Paul VI, Wildwood’s Maddie McCracken scored a game-high 20 points and Ocean City’s Danielle Donoghue added nine points to lead the South Team to a 104-78 victory over the North Team. It was the first time a team had eclipsed 100 points in the girls all-star game, according to officials from the Carino Club.

McCracken was then honored at the club’s girls awards banquet on Sunday. She was announced as the winner of the club’s Markia Harley Memorial Scholarship, good for $1,000. McCracken is set to play college basketball at Widener University.

Also at the awards banquet, Lower Cape May Regional graduate Lauren Holden was announced as the Carino Club’s College Player of the Year. Holden’s college career came to a close Saturday after a 70-49 loss to Syracuse in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Holden, Fordham’s all-time leader in minutes played and a career 1,000-point scorer, helped the Rams win the Atlantic 10 Tournament title earlier this month.

Three Cape May County players participated in the Carino Club’s boys senior all-star game on Sunday. Cape May Tech’s Josh Wright, Wildwood’s Tyler Tomlin and Wildwood Catholic’s Jake McGonigle were part of the East squad, which posted a 123-114 victory over the West in the contest played at Rutgers-Camden University.