PASSAIC COUNTY TOURNAMENT: KENNEDY AND EASTSIDE TO MEET IN “CHIP”!

Kennedy H.S. Paterson,N.J…The Semifinals of the Passaic County Tournament took place with two tough games! In the end it will be a Kennedy- Eastside Final!

                                                                                       KENNEDY  61    WAYNE HILLS  59  OT

Kennedy’s defense showed up late and a offensive tip-in in overtime by Junior Jamir Lattimore(far right) proved to be just enough to get by Wayne Hills 61-59! Hills led the entire second half and at one point stretch the lead to twelve 44-32 in the 3rd quarter! The defensive pressure led by Lattimore, Junior Jaylen Colon and Senior Damaar Hernandez finally tired Wayne Hills backcourt and a Kennedy layup by Senior Joseph Shoulars late in the 4th finally gave Kennedy a 57-55 lead! Hills answered with a “triple” by Junior Justin Wills to put Hills up again 58-57, but Freshman Deishon Harrison sent the game into overtime with a free throw! The only points of the overtime came when Lattimore made a tremendous tip-in off a Kennedy miss to make it 60-58! Senior Justin Hodge made 1 of 2 from the line to cut the lead to 60-59, but a free throw from Harrison iced it for Kennedy! Senior Tamir Williams(near right) who was a problem on the glass the entire game led the Knights with 15 points and 12 rebounds! Colon added 13 points while Shoulars and Harrison chipped in 9 points apiece! Hodge and Wills each led Wayne Hills with 11 points, while Junior Joey Belli added 10 points and 7 dimes! Junior Jason Modak finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds for Hills!

 

 

                                                                                      PATERSON EASTSIDE  61     DEPAUL 59

Senior Junior Santiago(far right) scored 23 points and added 9 rebounds, Junior Lamar Johnson scored 17 points and Senior Al -Jumu Johnson(right) scored 10 points, dished out 5 assists with 3 steals to lead Eastside to a 61-51 win over DePaul! Eastside led throughout, but had to withstand a late Spartans run that cut the lead to four! But buckets from Santiago, Lamar Johnson and free throws from Al-Jumu helped the Ghosts withstand the comeback! Freshman Zion Bethea led DePaul with 15 points and 7 rebounds and fellow Freshman Elijah Hutchins-Everett added 11 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocked shots! Sophomore Eddie Davis chipped in 9 points and 5 assists for DePaul! Eastside and Kennedy will meet Saturday February 25th at Wayne Valley Highschool at noon!!