Top Midweek Performers(1-4-22)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first week of January has brought us some bigtime performances and great games as the season really starts to heat up. Tonight we look at some players who have had big games thusfar around the midweek.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'0" Irvington senior <strong>Sean Agard</strong> is scoring at a pace that could see him get to 1,000 points in two seasons of varsity basketball. He's one of the top scorers in Essex County--a do it all guard who will be a great addition offensively to any college that he attends. Inside, outisde, slashing, pull ups, he can hit them. Agard is averaging nearly 25PPG and had 30 against University last night. Irvington, who struggled last year, is 6-1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'1" Raritan senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1206523' first='Jack' last='O'Leary']</strong> had been off to a great first portion of the season. O'Leary is a confident ballhanlder who can get at the rim off the bounce and finish around the rim. In the last two days, O'Leary had 23 vs Long Branch and 24 in a double OT win over Central. In the Central win, O'Leary hit several big shots down the stretch to keep Raritan in the game. The Rockets are undefeated. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'7" Matawan sophomore forward <strong>Jayden Elijah</strong> is a man among boys. A talented football prospect, Elijah throws his muscle around in the post and is becoming a force at the Bayshore. He exploded in his first game out of the Christmas break by torching Holmdel for 28 points and 22 rebounds. The more the Huskies feed him the ball, the better their chances. Matawan has won 4 in a row. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'4" Timothy Christian sophomore forward<strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1456844' first='Jalen' last='Fleming'] </strong>is one of the more promising small school players in Central Jersey. A tough player who can finish at the rim but also hit shots from spots on the floor, he's becoming a foul-drawing beast. In his first two games of 2023, he had 24 vs Metuchen and 27 in an upset over Spotswood. Against Metuchen, he was 10-16 on the line...He followed it up by going 18 of 23 vs Spotswood. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'7" Freehold Twp senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1013095' first='Jayden' last='Holmes-Cotter']</strong> continues to prove that he's the top big man in the entire Shore Conference. Averaging nearly 25PPG through the first few games of his senior year, Cotter is a dominating post player who has a broad skillset, quick feet and is also a dominant rebounder. He's one of the top players Freehold Twp has ever had--and that's some rarified air, with players like Manny Ubilla having played there. Cotter smoked Howell for 26 on Tuesday. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5'10" Ocean Twp sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1411626' first='Zayier' last='Dean']</strong> is one of the top sophomores at the shore. A quick off the dribble guard who can hit shots from anywhere on the floor and also get at the rim, Dean proved his mettle Tuesday by going shot-for-shot with Jackson Memorial's senior trio of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='933644' first='Samir' last='Padilla']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1013066' first='Respect' last='Tyleek']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1025355' first='Keith' last='Adame']</strong>. Ocean lost 60-50, but Dean hit the Jags for 29. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->