PASSAIC COUNTY TOURNAMENT: EASTSIDE DEFEATS KENNEDY 59-49 TO WIN “CHIP”!

Wayne Valley HS,NJ……. Size, Size and Size proved to be the difference in Eastside’s 59-49 win over Kennedy to capture the Passaic County Tournament title! 6’7 Junior Shakur Juiston and 6’5 Junior Asem Johnson were their usual tough selves, but the key to the game was the play of Senior Quency Jones! With Senior Ahmad Dadua joining the Ghosts this season it caused Jones, who had started last year to lose minutes and not see the floor as much this season! But Dadua is away from the team due to family matters and Jones(right) stepped in and didn’t miss a beat! His 12 points and 11 rebounds along with Juiston’s(top left) 14 point, 15 rebound, 5 blocked shots, 4 assist effort and Johnson’s(bottom left) 18 points was too much for the smaller Knights to handle! Eastside led by as much as 17 points but Kennedy would not go away though it never seemed Eastside would lose the lead! The Ghosts held Kennedy’s Star Sophomore guard Alphonso Gee for most of the game as after hitting a”triple in the 1st quarter he did not score again until their was 6:19 left in the 4th! To his credit he did score 13 points in the 4th to finish with 16 but it was too little too late! Junior Jalaini Morris scored 11 points and Junior Jevon Rawls added 8 points! Eastside has now beaten Kennedy three times this season and if everything plays out in the State Tournament there my be a fourth matchup! Eastside has now won two out of the last three titles and if not for a desperation shot from DePaul last year could have been looking at three in a row!