Group 3 Top Players to Watch

<p>Group 3 was one of the more intriguing groups throughout the season. It contained four of the top 20 teams in the state and an overtime sectional final. West Morris and Moorestown were upset in the sectional quarterfinals, while seventh seeded Neptune made it all the way to the Central Jersey Group 3 final. The group is filled with talented players who will end up playing high level college basketball. Here are the top players to watch in Group 3.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="900333" first="Rafael" last="Castro"], 6’9 PF Dover 2021</strong></p> <p>No one player in the 2021 class has seen his stock rise more than Castro with 13 offers since February 24. The 6’9 combo forward has a good post game down low and can handle the ball on the perimeter. Castro led the state in rebounding and is an elite shot-blocker due to his combination of athleticism, length and timing. He knows how to draw contact around the basket and is an underrated passer. Dover was upset in the sectional quarterfinals, which could fuel Castro to a big senior season.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="900292" first="Sam" last="Fagan"], 5’10 PG Neptune 2021</strong></p> <p>The Scarlet Fliers had an up and down 2019-20 campaign, but they ended on a high note with an appearance in the Central Jersey Group 3 final. Fagan had a great state tournament as he dropped 40 points at Somerville to pull off the upset. The Monmouth commit has a good handle and has deep range. Fagan shoots the ball with confidence and has a quick release on his shot. His ability to get hot from deep could help lead Neptune to a sectional title.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="900309" first="Christian" last="Cevis"], 6’0 PG West Morris 2021</strong></p> <p>The Wolfpack have been one of the top teams in Group 3 over the past two seasons, but they have not won a sectional title. Cevis has been one of the top point guards in New Jersey for the past two seasons and led the state in assists in 2019-20. The 6’0 guard always plays with his head up and is a play-maker with the ball in his hands. Cevis plays with great instincts on the defensive end and is one of the top on-ball defenders in the 2021 class. West Morris is hungry for the elusive sectional title in Cevis’ final season.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="929515" first="Logan" last="Jagodzinski"], 6’6 SF Moorestown 2021</strong></p> <p>The Quakers were looking to repeat as Group 3 champions, but were upset by Cherry Hill West in the South Jersey Group 3 semifinals. Jagodzinski is the team’s top returning scorer and is ready to take control of the team after several big performances against some of the state’s top teams. The 6’6 forward can beat his defender off the bounce and finish above the rim. Jagodzinski has a nice mid-range game and can knock down shots from behind the arc. Moorestown has gone 54-9 over the last two seasons and Jagodzinski will look to continue the winning tradition in 2020-21.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="900316" first="Ernest" last="Carter"], 6’0 PG Rahway 2021</strong></p> <p>Rahway may have been upset in the opening round of the state tournament, but it still contains one of the group’s top guards. Carter is a bucket waiting to happen as he is hard to contain off the bounce. He can hit tough shots in traffic and has a solid mid-range game. Carter makes plays with the ball in his hands and is unafraid of going after rebounds. Rahway will be looking for a deep run in the state tournament in 2020-21 with Carter back to run the offense.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Other Players to Know:</strong></span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="901991" first="Dante" last="Weise"], 5’9 PG Allentown 2022</strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="929529" first="Daniel" last="Thomas"], 5’10 PG Burlington Township 2021</strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="933710" first="Shy’heed" last="Jenkins-Floyd"], PG Snyder 2022</strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="933644" first="Samir" last="Padilla"], PG Lakewood 2023</strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="900360" first="Pat" last="Lacey"], 6’1 SG Wall 2021</strong></p>