What We Learned After The Dan Finn Classic
The 16th Annual Dan Finn Classic on Saturday featured highly touted matchups in Jersey City showcasing high level talent across the programs in attendance. Prep Hoops breaks down what this event showed us. Manasquan proves why they’re a top…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe 16th Annual Dan Finn Classic on Saturday featured highly touted matchups in Jersey City showcasing high level talent across the programs in attendance. Prep Hoops breaks down what this event showed us.
Manasquan proves why they’re a top team in New Jersey
In what was supposed to be a powerhouse matchup against St. Peters Prep, Manasquan dominated the game from tip to finish even without Louisville Baseball commit Alex Galvan. Lead by New Jersey’s #12 ranked 2022 prospect, guard Ben Roy controlled the tempo of the game, breaking the press and setting up his teammates for open looks. On an upperclassmen laden team, he is the engine that makes the train go. Manasquan beat St. Peter’s Prep 59-38 with Junior guard Casey Mulligan bringing home the game’s MVP award. This team has size, depth and tremendous guard play showing why they’re a top team in New Jersey.
Wildwood Catholic can make a deep run come tournament time
Lead by their two senior standouts, Wildwood Catholic dunked their way to a massive victory over upset minded Marist 63-39. Temple commit Jahlil White and West Virginia commit Taj Tweatt wowed the crowd trading dunks all game. While those plays were the highlights, this is a multifaceted team who has the size, length, athleticism and shooting ability, showcased by guards Martin Anguelov and Jacob Hopping, to play with any team they matchup against. Combine that with excellent coaching, who demands excellence, and they will be tough to beat come tournament time.
Zion Cruz is the real deal
The #1 ranked 2022 New Jersey prospect has a ton of buzz surrounding him as he’s a consensus top 20 player in the country for his class. The Hudson Catholic guard didn’t play up to his standards Saturday against Linden High School, but he still showcased his immense talent. His ball handling is the strongest part of his game getting anywhere he wants to on the court. He goes by people with an array of moves and counters making him almost impossible to guard one on one. His jump shot wasn’t falling, but he has a great shooting stroke combined with a relentless attack on the basket. Zion Cruz has loads of talent and as the season goes on, he’ll continue to prove why Prep Hoops has him as the top 2022 prospect in New Jersey.
The 2022 class is loaded
Headlined by the aforementioned Zion Cruz, the 2022 class was on full display Saturday. The #4 ranked prospect Mark Armstrong from St. Peters Prep showed why Prep Hoops has him so highly ranked. Winning MVP for his team, the 6’3 sophomore guard showed the ability to score at the rim and from deep. He is extremely athletic finishing over people and elevating on his jump shots to avoid contesting defenders. Continuing to polish his game and add strength will make him a high-level Division 1 prospect. Manasquan’s 2022 point guard Ben Roy was very impressive against St. Peter’s Prep. His best attribute is always playing under control no matter what is thrown at him. He continuously broke the press and made excellent decisions finding his open teammates. Roy is a classic pass first point guard, but also possesses a great shooting stroke that makes teams have to honor his scoring ability. To take the next step he has to be more assertive on offense looking to score, but the #12 ranked 2022 player in New Jersey can continue to raise his stock into the top 10. Isaiah Griffin is a raw talent from Hudson Catholic that led the team in scoring on Saturday. He is New Jersey’s #15 ranked 2022 prospect and possesses the quickness to be a good on ball defender and a pure shooting stroke. He did the majority of his damage from the line but flashed moments that showed his potential and why he is a highly rated prospect.