NJIC Prospects Set To Break Out in 2022-2023

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the summer basketball circuit behind us, we now start thinking about the season ahead. We may be a spell away from more in-depth team reviews as the season nears, but it is high time to begin looking at players across the state who will break out in the coming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today we look at some of the top NJIC prospects to watch this coming winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1401560' first='Damir' last='Stone']</strong> | 5'10” | G | Saint Mary Rutherford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A two sport athlete who also is a starter on the Gaels football team as the QB and at CB on defense. His trademark contribution is on the defensive side—He uses that football toughness to his advantage, leading the team in rebounds and steals. He had steady performances on offense but started peaking at playoff time. Football is likely his future, but he could be a valuable “lock down defender” for a D3 college somewhere in the Northeast or Rust Belt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cole Thomas</strong> | 5'10” | Becton Regional 2024</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In spite of Becton finishing the season 6-19, Thomas had a banner sophomore year. He can shoot it from deep and is a cagey lefty guard. His stat line kept improving as the year went on, a good sign of his advancing maturity for a youngster. He burst for 42 against Wallington and had double digit performances in 10 of his last 11 games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1400500' first='Tarik' last='Bicic']</strong> | 6'5” | G | Rutherford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The unquestionable best player in the entirety of the NJIC this coming season. He was the backbone of a 22 win Rutherford team last winter. He can do it all well. Solid ballhandler who breaks down defenders and gets at the basket well, but can also be lethal beyond the arc, making him a matchup nightmare. He's a crafty finisher at the rim and is starting to receive interest from scholarship programs. He had a wild stat line as a junior: over 400 pts, 200 boards and 200 assists. If you subtract the Big North Catholic division, Bicic could easily fit in as a First Team All Bergen County player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1466414' first='Adrian' last='Mouzone']</strong> | 5'11” | G | Paterson Charter</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mouzone was a two sport athlete last year and earned all-county recognition in football over at Paterson Kennedy. He was a key bench player last year for an electric Paterson Charter team. He'll be one of the few seniors on the squad coming back with experience and will be tasked with holding the standard high. He had 14 vs Hackensack last winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1466431' first='Josh' last='Rodriguez']</strong> | 6'1” | G | Hasbrouck Heights 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rodriguez exploded on the scene as a freshman as one of the premier players in the NJIC. He's a physical guard who can shoot the ball well and hits the boards like he's a grizzled veteran. He hit Becton for 28&amp;12 and Wood Ridge for 23&amp;15. He's got a college basketball future if he continues at this trajectory, but the only question is what level—We'll know more in May 2024</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->