NJIC Liberty 2023’s to Watch

<p>Our tour through the NJIC continues today in the Liberty division, which is powered by one of the most respected academic high schools in the country, Dwight Englewood. The Bulldogs will lose quite a bit to graduation but will return several players who saw time and will work in underclassmen as well. Eastern Christian also has a player included today--They’re not in the division and are a bit of a hybrid member in the NJIC basketball scene.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Jack Sauma</strong> | 6’0” | G | Dwight Englewood</p> <p>With three high scoring seniors, including [player_tooltip player_id="901956" first="David" last="Mager"], leading the way, Sauma’s job was to pick points when called upon, grab boards and do the little things as a junior. He’s going to be in the spotlight as a senior. Very active on defense, especially on the glass. He facilitated outlet passes on fast breaks and runs the floor very well. Can stick it from deep. He was under the radar with the talent in the 2022 Class at Dwight, but he’ll certainly be seen as a senior. Had a double-double vs New Milford. His classmates <strong>Nick Balakian </strong>and <strong>Myles Bland</strong> will also see expanded roles as seniors—A host of underclassmen that saw some time will also step into bigger roles for Dwight, and we’ll provide that evaluation come NovemberDecember on the team during preview time.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Makhi Williams</strong> | 6’0” | G | Leonia</p> <p>Williams had a strong junior year for Leonia, averaging 13PPG and went over 20 on several occasions. Gets after it defensively, runs the floor well and finishes well at the rim. He’s also got range beyond the arc and can hit it from the wings with accuracy.  </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Edward Burgos</strong> | 6’0” | G | Harrison</p> <p>Harrison struggled in the 2021-2022 season, but Burgos had a solid season individually. He led Harrison in scoring, averaging 15 PPG. Good from beyond the arc and is a high percentage shooter if he gets a good look off. He had a season high of 33 agaisnt McNair.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Lucas Genuario</strong> | 6’2” | G | Eastern Christian 2024</p> <p>Genuario made a bit of a name for himself as a sophomore for EC. He averaged nearly 15&amp;10. He went over 20 nearly half a dozen times and hit for 25 against Passaic Valley. He had 14 against Sinai in states. He hits the boards with confidence and should be a player to watch over the next two seasons as his offensive game continues to expand. His teammate <strong>Jean Italien</strong>(2023) had a solid junior year and those two will be tasked with carrying the bulk of the pressure next year.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>