Player of the game Myles Mack of Paterson Catholic and NIA Prep's Jameer Hanner flank future Council At Large Benji Wimberley

             The Freedom Fighters Hoop Challenge concluded with Paterson Catholic, the #6 ranked team in the country by U.S.A. Today beating Newark’s N.I.A. Prep, one of the top Prep schools on the east coast 91 – 85. Paterson Catholic started out sluggish as NIA took a 13 point lead and finished the 1st quarter up 26 – 20. The 2nd quarter became the “Myles Mack Show”  as junior guard Mack, went on a personal 13 point run ( 3 treys,a 2 pointer and two fts) and helped give the Cougars a 44 – 40 halftime lead. Paterson Catholic came out the gates in the 3rd quarter ready to open the game up behind Seton Hall recruit Fuquan Edwin, Fordham recruit Jayon James and super sophomore Kyle Anderson. Paterson Catholic outscored NIA 25 – 14 in the 3rd and entered the 4th leading 69-54. The Cougars were lackluster in the 4th as they committed some unforced turnovers that led to NIA cutting the deficit to 84-82. The game was not decided until Jermaine Peart hit two free throws at the end. Mack put on a show with 28 points and 7 assists, while Edwin finished with 25 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Anderson (13 pts., 4rebs., 4asts., 2 blks ) and James (12 pts., 4asts., 2 stls) also contributed as the Cougars are now 11 – 0 for the season. NIA was led by 6’9 Jameer Hanner who finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds.  Devon Gibson and Kelvin Amayo each had 17, while Shaquille Thomas, a former Paterson Catholic player finished with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocked shots for NIA.

Player's of the game, High Tech's Xavier Corporan and Kennedy's Shondel Stewart flank Paterson Councilman Jeffrey Jones

            High Tech overcame a 20 point 1st quarter deficit to over take Kennedy Highschool 69 – 63 in a Freedom Fighters Hoop Challenge contest. Kennedy pulled out to a 25 – 5 lead and seemed to be coasting until the Knights 5’10 guard Daquere Hayes, who is the heart of their squad passed out during the game late in the 1st. While he quickly recovered, he was no longer available for the rest of the game. Kennedy seemed to never quite recover as a balanced attack led by Xavier Corporan, who’s 4 threes were the catalyst to their comeback. Corporan and John Greenwald each finished with 15 points while Dimitri Pearson and Derek Sierra each finished with 14.  Greenwald also added 10 rebounds for Tech. Kennedy was led by Shondel Stewart with 26 points and 6 rebounds. The Knights got an outstanding game from Jaemille Barnes who scored 14 points and pulled down 17 rebounds. Dawon Lighty added 13 points.

Player of the game Kyle Steinbergin of Teaneck and Union H.S. Jon Merceus flank Paterson councilman Anthony Davis

          Senior Kyle Steinbergin scored 21 points, including 5 treys as Teaneck H.S. upended Union H. S. 54 – 44 in a Freedom Fighters Hoop Challenge contest. Union cut the deficit to 2 points at the end of the 3rd quarter 36-34.  Senior Travon King took over in the final stanza scoring 8 of his 10 points and collecting 7 of his 10 rebounds. Union was led by Brandon Mitchem with 14 points and Jon Merceus with 11 points and 6 rebounds.