SJV's Apo wins Kerwin Award as Shore's top basketball player

Alisa Apo, a senior guard at St., John Vianney High School, Holmdel, has been named the 2007 recipient of the Margaret M. and James J. Kerwin Memorial Award, symbolic of being the best girls basketball player in the Shore.

The award has been given out yearly since 1974. Apo, who lives in Howell, is the fourth Lancer to receive this honor.

Apo, the Lancers' point guard, was the leader behind SJV's resurgence this winter. The Lancers returned to their familiar position, ranking among the top 20 teams in the state. Through last week's action, SJV was 20-5 and had advanced to the semifinals of the NJSIAA Non-Public School A South semifinals. Unfortunately, the Lancers' season ended there with a 70-58 loss to top-seeded Camden Catholic.

Apo was averaging 18.7 points and 3.3 steals a game and she ranked among the Shore's leaders in three-point shooting with 32.

"Alisa is the catalyst of this team," said John Kerwin, spokesperson for the Kerwin family. "She is an outstanding shooter and penetrates, drawing numerous fouls or dishing off for easy baskets. She gets after it on the defense and it shows as Alisa is one of the leaders in steals in the Shore."

Apo received her award before the Lancers' first playoff game last week against Bishop Ahr (a 77-23 Lancer triumph).

Neptune's Michael Ogelsby, a guard/forward, was the male Kerwin Award recipient.