PASSAIC COUNTY QUARTERFINALS!

Saturday the Passaic County Quarterfinals takes place at the higher seed home court! Four tough games and none are a sure bet!

PREVIEW:  #5 PASSAIC COUNTY TECH  AT  #4 WAYNE VALLEY  NOON

By the seeding this should be a close one, but the reality is it depends on what Passaic County Tech team shows up! Wayne Valley as always is a model of consistency and you pretty much know what you are going to get! A well Coached squad who runs their stuff precise and consistently! Their star player is Senior Nick Goodwin(right) who is a tough guard in the paint! Goodwin also is good at putting it on the floor and bulling his way to the bucket! Senior guard Nick Giuliano is a smooth player with a nice stroke from as far out as the three line! The catalyst for them is Senior point guard Alex Kokos! He makes the Indians go and is a hard nosed defender! Junior Elijah Beard and Senior John Zarka  are also integral parts for Wayne Valley! Tech has the capability of winning this game as they are a veteran squad that is led by one of if not the best player in the County in Eric Johnson-Alford(bottom right)! The 6’5 wing has the game to take it completely over! Senior Yohanly Ortiz has been one of the best point guards in the County for the past three years and his composure and decision making could ultimately be the key to all PCT does! Senior Xavier Hilbert is one of the best deep shooters in the area and Junior Derrick Cuavers is a terrific athlete! Junior Julian Briggs will be key as he’ll have to take advantage of the open looks he is expected to see! 

 

 

#8 PASSAIC  AT #1 WAYNE HILLS   5PM

Passaic will have it’s hands full with a team that all year has been a model of consistency! Wayne Hills is led by their Senior duo of guard Dorian Hodge(right) who has played Player Of the Year type ball all season and Joey Kenny the Rhode Island football recruit who incorporates his tough football background into a monster in the paint and on the boards! Sophomore Joey Belli has become a solid point guard and Sophomore Jason Modak gives Hills another interior presence! Junior Justin Hodge may be the key to Hills’ run to a County “Chip”! His versatility on both ends of the floor has been a mainstay for Hills! Junior Jamir Thomas(bottom right) has D-1 type talent and is the main man for Passaic! Junior Quasim Wilson is a rebounding demon and can go get it with the best in the area! Senior guards Jabar De los Santos, Tyshaun Bunting, Jordan Hernandez and Isaiah Pannell share the backcourt, while Jordan Hernandez and Jeremy Green helps Passaic bring quality depth to the game!

 

 

#7 MANCHESTER  AT  #2 PATERSON EASTSIDE  2PM

This is a very interesting matchup as Manchester has been one of the better County teams over the last few years, but has never made strong runs in the Counties! Paterson Eastside, meanwhile has been the perennial County Champ or runner up the past four years! They are not as strong as in the past and at times may seemed prime for an upset! But Junior guard Nhaz Smith(right) has established himself as one of the best players in the area and Eastside still is a well coached team that can play different type ways! Senior Terra Gatling is their best interior player and is a very good finisher! Junior Al-Jumu Johnson is a tough defender who can knock down the long range shot, while Sophomore Lamar Johnson is the key emergence for the Ghosts! Manchester is led by Senior forward Alex Morales(bottom right)! He is a do it all type player who will have to be on his game for Manchester to have a chance at the upset! Senior forward Akiel Murray is Robin to his Batman and Senior point guard Keshon Pearson must be strong with the ball! Senior Terell Griffin is a sharp shooter who was an ex-Eastside player with something to prove! Sophomore Terol Wright has gotten better and better as the season has progressed!

 

#6 PASSAIC VALLEY   AT   #3  PATERSON KENNEDY   2:30pm

This is a revenge game, as Kennedy is looking to avenge an earlier lost to Passaic Valley on a buzzer beater shot! Kennedy is one of the deeper teams in the area, but it will be a matter of whether the right combination is in the game at the right time! Kennedy just like the last three years is led by Senior Alphonso “Chop” Gee(right) who is less than 80 points from reaching the 2,000 career point mark! Jordan Rodriguez, Brian Patterson and Raekwon Alexander  are the other key Senior’s! The young Sophomore crew of guards Jamir Lattimore and Jaylen Colon bring energy to the floor! Junior Bigmen Joseph Shoulars and Tamir Williams are the shot blockers and rebounders for the Knights and Junior Yhony Ramirez is a change of pace guard,while Senior Tymere Mcmillan is Kennedy’s defensive stopper! Passaic Valley is led by Senior guard Jihad Wright(bottom right) who like Gee has been a constant force for the Hornets for the last four years! Junior guard Tito Ramirez is an All-County  type player who compliments Wright perfectly! Senior Tymeir Belton is their best rebounder and defender who has improved offensively! Senior Spencer Perzely and Senior Bilal Abbassi who made the game winner against Kennedy are solid role players, while Sophomore Dylan Mulrooney is a dead eye shooter who can open up a game if he gets hot! This should be a good one!