ROSELLE PARK, NJ — The ability to anticipate everyone’s role and embrace it has continued for the Roselle Park High School girls basketball team.
Following a highly successful 2024-2025 campaign that saw the Panthers win a state tournament game and conclude with a winning record of 16-6 – Roselle Park began 12-0 last year – the defending Union County Conference–Valley Division champions are off to another lofty start.
Fresh off winning their own holiday tournament, the Panthers began the January portion of their schedule with an overall record of 5-1 and a Valley Division mark of 2-1.
Following the lone Valley Division loss at David Brearley High School, 51-39, on Dec. 20, Roselle Park took a four-game winning streak into its scheduled Tuesday, Jan. 6, matchup at 5-0 Arthur L. Johnson High School. The Crusaders of Clark, guided by longtime head coach Joe Marino, began the week leading the UCC’s Mountain Division at 3-0.
“We expected to pick off where we left from last season,” Roselle Park head coach Staci Hartzler said.
The Panthers are sparked by returning senior starters Sidney Smith, Hannah Djokic and Madison Wilkes.
Smith, who has scored more than 1,500 points and is on pace to become one of only a handful of players in Union County to reach 2,000, is again among the state’s leading scorers with a 34.7 average so far this season.
Smith will continue playing in college at Division 1 Elon University in Elon, N.C.
“Sidney brings out the best in all of our players,” Hartzler said.
Smith, Djokic and Wilkes are also Roselle Park’s captains. Smith played her first two years at Roselle Catholic High School.
“Sidney is taking on more of a leadership role for us this year,” Hartzler said. “She wants the team to reach higher levels and the other girls are eager to learn from her. They watch Sidney when she’s locked in and they then want to be the best they can be.”
What makes Smith so special in Hartzler’s eyes?
“In addition to her outside shot, it’s her ball-handling,” Hartzler said. “She’s very quick. It’s her quickness and use of both hands that speeds up what she does.
“Her hand-eye coordination is top of the line. When she steals the ball in the open floor no one can catch her.”
Hartzler cites Djokic and Wilkes for their ability to rebound and block shots. Wilkes leads the team in rebounds with 77 and blocks with 13. Djokic has 39 rebounds and 10 blocks.
“They’re both multi-dimensional players,” Hartzler said.
Rounding out the starting five is sophomore Emma Gregoire, second in rebounds with 71 and steals with 12, and Otilia Dobre, who is also a sophomore.
As a freshman last year, Gregoire was second in rebounds with 177 and blocked shots with 38.
“Emma was our first girl off the bench last year and this off-season I told her, ‘you’re it,’” Hartzler said. “Now she’s a sophomore and she’s an incredible athlete. We have high hopes for her.”
Dobre, a first-year varsity player, leads the team in assists with 20.
“She has a lot of potential and can shoot the ball,” Hartzler said.
One of Roselle Park’s goals this year is to advance further in the states. Last year, the Panthers beat David Brearley, 58-44, at home in the first round and then lost at Bound Brook High School, 58-47, in the quarterfinal round in Central Jersey, Group 1.
Roselle Park is situated in Central Jersey, Group 1 again this season, with defending champion New Providence High School the favorite to capture it once more.
Roselle Park is scheduled to play at Bernards High School on Saturday, Jan. 17, and at Hasbrouck Heights High School on Friday, Feb. 6. Bernards began this week at 6-0 and Hasbrouck Heights is coming off an 18-12 season.
Bernards handed Roselle Park its first loss last year, a 50-35 decision at Roselle Park.
“The kids are not afraid of competition,” Hartzler said.
Roselle Park Panthers Girls Basketball
2025-2026
4-Otilia Dobre, sophomore guard (5-2)
10-Emma Martinez-Tiburcio, freshman guard (5-2)
11-Jayda Boyd, freshman guard (5-4)
15-Sidney Smith, senior guard (5-3)
20-Melanie Gonzalez, sophomore forward (5-5)
21-Madison Wilkes, senior forward-center (5-11)
23-Hanna Djokic, senior guard-forward (5-7)
33-Ava Banks, sophomore guard (5-4)
34-Emmy Gregoire, sophomore forward (5-6)
Starters: Dobre, Djokic, Smith, Gregoire, Wilkes.
Captains: Djokic, Smith, Wilkes.
Roselle Park Panthers Girls Basketball
2025-2026 results–schedule
Thursday, Dec. 18 (H) Roselle Park 67, Rahway 34 – Valley Division
Saturday, Dec. 20 (A) David Brearley 51, Roselle Park 39 – Valley Division
Monday, Dec. 22 (H) Roselle Park 55, Whippany Park 17
Tuesday, Dec. 23 (H) Roselle Park 64, Union 57 – Valley Division
Monday, Dec. 29 (H) Roselle Park 69, Perth Amboy 36 – Roselle Park Holiday Tournament
Tuesday, Dec. 30 (H) Roselle Park 45, Linden 40 – Roselle Park Holiday Tournament
Tuesday, Jan. 6, at Arthur L. Johnson
Wednesday, Jan. 14, at Koinonia Academy, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 15, at Abraham Clark, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 17, at Bernards, 11:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Rahway, 4 p.m. – Valley Division
Thursday, Jan. 22, David Brearley, 4 p.m. – Valley Division
Saturday, Jan 24, Hillside, 11 a.m. – Valley Division
Monday, Jan. 26, Kent Place, 4 p.m. – Valley Division
Tuesday, Jan. 27, at Union, 4 p.m. – Valley Division
Thursday, Jan. 29, at Kent Place, 4:15 p.m. – Valley Division
Saturday, Jan. 31, Roselle Catholic, 11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3, at Hillside, 4 p.m. – Valley Division
Friday, Feb. 6, at Hasbrouck Heights, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10, Jonathan Dayton, 4 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13, Newark Central, 4 p.m.
Photos Courtesy of Staci Hartzler
