ROSELLE, NJ — With one year in the books, and a very promising varsity basketball season at that, Jasmin McKay looked up and saw Allison Skrec as her English teacher in her sophomore year at Roselle Catholic High School
“She gave me constant support,” McKay said.
Joe Skrec, Allison’s father, was McKay’s head coach her freshman and sophomore seasons.
“Mr. Skrec was by my side through it all,” McKay said.
McKay, a 5 foot, 4 inch guard at Roselle Catholic, poured in more than 400 points her freshman year. She did the same here sophomore and junior campaigns, with former Piscataway and St. John’s standout Danaejah Grant succeeded Joe Skrec as Roselle Catholic’s head coach last year.
That put McKay in position early this season to pass Allison Skrec as Roselle Catholic’s all-time leading girls basketball scorer. Skrec became Roselle Catholic’s second girl to reach and pass 1,000 career points her senior season of 2009-2010 and finished with 1,338 points to become Roselle Catholic’s all-time girls leader, before graduating in 2010 and then moving on to excel at Manhattan College where she earned co-captain status her senior year. Manhattan College became Manhattan University in 2025.
Schrene Isadora, Class of 1999, was Roselle Catholic’s first girl to reach 1,000 points and finished with 1,267.
After scoring 66 points in her first four games this season, McKay was within seven of tying and eight of passing Allison Skrec when Roselle Catholic faced Elizabeth High School on Monday, Dec. 30, in the Panther Holiday Classic at KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy. McKay finished with 17 to pass Skrec at 1,348.
McKay was honored before Roselle Catholic’s home game on Saturday, Jan. 4, for becoming the school’s all-time leading girls basketball scorer. McKay then quickly scored the game’s first points on a layup en route to pouring in a modest 10 points as the Lions rolled in The Lions Den past 1-5 Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School, 49-30, to improve to 6-0.
“I want to thank all of my teammates and coaches,” McKay said, when asked what she thought of her accomplishment. “I’ve had two coaches who allowed me and my teammates to grow as players.”
In addition to finishing with 1,338 career points, Allison Skrec, a consummate 5-6 guard when she played in high school, was one of the most clutch players in Union County history in any sport. She helped lead the Lions to back-to-back Union County Tournament championships her junior and senior seasons of 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 and, both of those years, was also named Union County Player of the Year.
After splitting Union County Conference-Watchung Division games against Cranford High School last year, Roselle Catholic was edged by the Cougars, 50-48, in the UCT semifinals.
“That’s one of our goals this year; to win the county this time,” McKay said.
In their first division meeting this year on Thursday, Dec. 19, Roselle Catholic defeated Cranford, 51-46, in Roselle, behind a game-high and season-high 31-point performance by McKay.
Roselle Catholic enters the first full week of January with a 3-0 Watchung Division record.
“Needless to say, it was much easier being Jasmin’s English teacher than it is trying to game-plan against her on the court,” Allison Skrec said. “In the classroom, she was respectful, turned in her work on time and was always prepared to do her best. She wanted to do well. You see those characteristics translate onto the court.”
McKay, a North Plainfield resident, considered Morris Catholic High School after her father, Orin, coached her in middle school. “He gave me all the tools,” McKay said.
McKay’s older sister played varsity at Roselle Catholic before graduating in 2021 and is now about to graduate from Seton Hall University. Her older brother, Javon, excelled at basketball at Union Catholic High School.
“Roselle Catholic proved to be a better option for me,” Jasmin McKay said.
Now a three-year captain at Roselle Catholic, Jasmin McKay said there will still be some college visits in her near future, before she decides on where she will play at the next level.
Right now, the focus is on 6-1 Westfield High School as the Lions prepare for a big Watchung Division road game scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 4:30 p.m. at Westfield.
“Trust, communication and chemistry are important,” Jasmin McKay said. “We have a young, small team, but we don’t let our lack of height prevent us from playing hard. We have a bunch of freshmen and sophomores who can ride with the juniors and seniors.”
So how does Jasmin McKay get to the hoop to fill it the way she does?
“I call it defense-plus,” Jasmin McKay said. “I like it when our defense can lead to a play on offense, where we can score a basket in transition. On offense, it’s trying to get my teammates in the right position.
“You also have to have fun playing the game. That’s important as well.”
Jasmin McKay, Roselle Catholic High School Class of 2025
Freshman season 2021-2022: 419 points in 25 games for 16.8 average
Roselle Catholic went 13-12
Sophomore season 2022-2023: 444 points in 26 games for 17.1 average
Roselle Catholic went 12-14
Junior season 2023-2024: 402 points in 23 games for 17.5 average
Roselle Catholic went 15-8
Senior season 2024-2025: 93 points in first 6 games for 15.5 average
Roselle Catholic is 6-0 so far
Totals: 1,358 points in 80 games so far for 17.0 average
Allison Skrec, Roselle Catholic High School Class of 2010
Freshman season 2006-2007: 155 points in 24 games for 6.5 average
Roselle Catholic went 7-17
Sophomore season 2007-2008: 285 points in 24 games for 11.9 average
Roselle Catholic went 14-10
Junior season 2008-2009: 406 points in 26 games for 15,6 average
Roselle Catholic went 22-4 and captured its second UCT title and first since 2003
Senior season 2009-2010: 492 points in 26 games for 18.9 average
Roselle Catholic went 23-3 and repeated as UCT champs for the first time
Totals: 1,338 points in 100 games for 13.4 average
Photo Courtesy of John Ahmuty