Under the Radar Teams To Watch

<p>The preseason hype surrounding New Jersey basketball is palpable with two high-level teams.The Patrick School is a top-five team with a roster loaded with Division I talent, while Roselle Catholic high-end talent to compete with the Celtics this season. Bergen Catholic made the Tournament of Champions final last season and is looking to do it again this season. While those three teams are elite, there are many teams across the state that are flying under the radar. Here are some of the top teams that are getting slept on in the preseason.</p> <p><strong>Non-Public B: Rutgers Prep</strong></p> <p>The Argonauts have one of the nation's top players in <strong>Trey Patterson</strong>, but they are not a one-man show. Sacred Heart commit <strong>Nico Galette </strong>provides head coach Matt Bloom with a tough interior presence, but can also space out the floor with his shooting. Junior point guard <strong>Noah Harris</strong> is one of the top shooters in the state and will be the key to a deep state run.</p> <p>Sophomore <strong>Otega Oweh </strong>is in line for a big sophomore season after coming off the bench as a freshman. Rutgers Prep needs production from freshmen <strong>Cameron Piggee </strong>and <strong>Jordan Atkins</strong> along with sophomore <strong>Ryan Petit</strong>. The Argonauts are a loaded team that has the potential to win Non-Public B South in 2019-20.</p> <p><strong>Non-Public A: St. Thomas Aquinas</strong></p> <p>Non-Public A is loaded with under the radar options, but St. Thomas Aquinas sticks out the most. Wake Forest commit <strong>Quadry Adams</strong> is a terrific point guard with the ability to take over a game. Sophomore <strong>Jaquan Harris </strong>is starting to pick up high major offers and that should only rise during his second varsity season.</p> <p>Junior <strong>Kyree Henry </strong>is an elite shooter who will open up the floor for Adams and Harris. The Trojans lack some size on the inside, so <strong>Mehki Johnson </strong>needs to have a big season. St. Thomas Aquinas has the potential to make a deep run in Non-Public A behind its terrific guard play.</p> <p><strong>Group 1: University</strong></p> <p>The Phoenix had a good 2018-19 season, but should have a monster year in 2019-20. American History transfer <strong>Janaie Coates </strong>is a physical presence down low who never takes a play off. Junior guard <strong>Bakir Cleveland</strong> is one of the most underrated guards in New Jersey and should explode onto the scene.</p> <p>Guards <strong>Noah Mack </strong>and <strong>Tye Artis</strong> provide head coach Prophet Kates with a steady presence in the backcourt. Freshman <strong>Spencer Joyner </strong>might be the Phoenix's most talented player with his ability to impact the game on both ends. University has not made the Tournament of Champions since 2016, but has the potential to do so this season.</p> <p><strong>Group 2: Manasquan</strong></p> <p>The Warriors are one of the top teams in Group 2, but they are under the radar due to Camden's hype. Power forward <strong>Alex Galvan </strong>returns for his senior season and should average a double-double again this season. Senior <strong>Kieren Flanagan</strong> will be called upon to hit big shots with the graduation of Brad McCabe.</p> <p>Sophomore point guard <strong>Ben Roy </strong>is one of the top point guards in the Shore Conference and should average over 13 points and five assists per game. The Warriors won the Central Jersey Group 2 title last season and should repeat in 2019-20. Manasquan could struggle with Camden's athleticism, but the Warriors should challenge the Panthers in the Group 2 playoffs.</p> <p><strong>Group 3: Matawan</strong></p> <p>The Huskies only won 14 games last season, which is why they are getting slept on in 2019-20. Senior <strong>John Buekers </strong>has been on the varsity team for the past three seasons and is one of the top rebounders in the Shore Conference. <strong>Niles Haliburton </strong>and <strong>Ethan Okello</strong> are a quality guard duo that can get to the basket at any time.</p> <p><strong>Elijah Mckenzie </strong>is set to explode onto the Jersey basketball scene after a strong showing in the fall. His ability to impact the game on both ends gives the Huskies a scary interior duo. Central Jersey Group 3 is a tough group, but Matawan has the talent to push for a title.</p> <p><strong>Group 4: Hackensack</strong></p> <p>The Comets made a deep run in North 1 Group 4 last year with an appearance in the final. A repeat appearance would not be a surprise as <strong>Seth Sharif-Brown </strong>is a gritty forward who gets after it on both ends. It would not be a surprise to see him average around 20 points per game as a senior.</p> <p>Point guard <strong>Kevin Mateo </strong>is a speedy guard that runs the show for Hackensack. His ability to get everyone involved is the key for the Comets. Hackensack only won 17 games last season and should easily eclipse that number in 2019-20.</p>