Ashley and Tiffany Fischer are sisters with a close relationship.
Close actually doesn’t even do it justice.
Ashley Fischer, a junior at South River High School, and Tiffany Fischer, a freshman at the school, do literally everything together. They have a lot of chemistry in life.
So, it makes sense that they also have great chemistry on the girls’ basketball court. Ashley is a center who controls the paint. Tiffany is a point guard who creates offense. They know how to find each other on offense and help each other on defense.
Playing organized basketball together for the first time since middle school, the Fischer sisters have clicked seamlessly. And their teammates have clicked with them.
South River is 7-4. The Rams have beaten six opponents by double digits. They also have done so in different ways.
South River won with defense against Dunellen High School, 35-15, on Dec. 14 and versus Spotswood High School, 30-19, on Jan. 4. It won with offense at Metuchen High School, 58-50, on Dec. 21 and against Piscataway Technical High School, 62-42, on Jan. 5.
The Rams triumphed with offense and defense in their other three victories, over Henry Hudson Regional High School, 59-32, on Dec. 27, South Amboy Middle/High School, 62-25, on Dec. 28 and Highland Park High School, 57-32, on Jan. 9.
It’s a well rounded team led by two versatile, complementary standouts.
“Ashley and Tiffany do a little bit of everything,” said South River coach Mike Feaster.
Tiffany Fischer is averaging 15.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.5 steals per game. Ashley Fischer is recording 12.3 boards, 8.8 points, 2.4 blocks, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals per contest.
But they are not focused on individual statistics. They only care about doing what’s best for the team.
“Ashley and Tiffany are pleasant, fun loving, great girls. Playing with them is easy,” Feaster said. “They make everybody around them better.”
“It’s great that we’re doing big things,” Ashley Fischer said. “Our goal is still to win the (Greater Middlesex Conference’s) Blue Division.”
The sisters are not just South River’s best players. They are also the team leaders. Ashley, the upperclassmen, is the vocal leader, telling teammates what to do and where to go. Tiffany, the point guard, leads the Rams on the court.
“Ashley takes control by talking,” Tiffany Fischer said. “I take control by playing because I make the passes.”
Some freshmen would not have the freedom to take control on the court. But Ashley Fischer and her teammates are well aware of Tiffany’s talent and impact, and they are secure enough to embrace it.
“She has made our team much stronger. She’s a strong presence at practice, which motivates everyone else to work as hard as her,” Ashley Fischer said. “Everyone looks up to her even though she’s a freshman.”
The Fischer sisters’ versatility and leadership has allowed their teammates to play specialized roles. Khayla Smith is Feaster’s defensive stopper. Lauren Schmidt is his shooter. And Tara Beachem is the coach’s off ball scorer.
Beachem is 83 points shy of scoring 1,000 for her career.
South River is more than just the Fischer sisters. The talent and chemistry extend across the roster. That is why the team has some lofty goals.
“We want to beat Middlesex (High School on Jan. 18) and earn a share of the Blue Division title,” Feaster said. “(NJSIAA) Central Jersey, Group 2 is probably the most competitive public section, but we’ll try to go as far as we can there, too.”
With the Fischer sisters, anything is possible for the Rams. Anything is possible for the sisters, too.
“Ashley would be a real solid Division 3 player. Anywhere she wants. She works hard and will only keep getting better,” Feaster said. “If Tiffany grows a couple more inches, she’s probably a full scholarship kid. She has her eyes set on becoming a Division 1 player. I don’t see anything stopping her.”