Irvington-Seton Hall Prep: Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>County tournaments are in full swing as teams are looking to take home a county title. Seton Hall Prep is looking to repeat as Essex County Tournament champions, winning their quarterfinal game against Irvington 78-44. Here are the standouts from the Irvington-Seton Hall Prep Essex County quarterfinal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='609754' first='Darrius' last='Phillips'], 6'7 PF Seton Hall Prep 2023</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Phillips battled foul trouble in the second half, but that did not stop him from making an impact at both ends of the floor. The West Chester commit fired passes to open teammates in the half court and used his handle to get to the basket. Phillips showed off a good release on his jumper and set good screens in the half court. He used his size and athleticism to influence shots around the rim and fought for rebounds on both ends of the floor. Phillips' ability to impact the game at both ends of the floor is something that will help Seton Hall Prep make a deep run in the postseason tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1773033' first='Ethan' last='Maynard'], 6'2 SG Seton Hall Prep 2023</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maynard had a strong game for the Pirates as he led the Pirates in scoring with 20 points. The 6'2 guard attacked the basket strong as he was able to get to the basket and finished nicely around the basket. Maynard moved well without the ball in his hands and rose up with confidence on his jumper. He showed the ability to run the offense and moved his feet well on the defensive end. Maynard has eight 20-point games this season for Seton Hall Prep and should have more in the county and postseason tournaments.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1773075' first='Sean' last='Agard'], 5'11 PG Irvington 2023</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Agard led the Blue Knights with 20 points as he ran the show for them throughout the game. The 5'11 guard has a smooth shooting stroke and only needed a little bit of space to get his jumper off. Agard did more than just as he used his handle to get into the rim and finished nicely in the paint. He worked hard on the defensive end and showed the ability to play off the ball. Agard can put up points in bunches, which is something that Irvington will need in the postseason tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1013099' first='Jackson' last='Bleeker'], 6'3 SG Seton Hall Prep 2023</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bleeker had a solid all-around game for the Pirates as he finished with 19 points and four assists. The 6'3 guard was constantly moving off the ball as he freed himself for easy layups around the basket. Bleeker has a good release on his jumper and set his feet before he shot. He made good decisions with the ball in his hands and made plays on the defensive end. Bleeker has been a steady presence for the Pirates this season, which will be key for them in the postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1213545' first='Kordell' last='Philemon'], 6'4 SG Irvington 2025</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Philemon ended up with 10 points for the Blue Knights as he worked hard on both ends of the floor. The 6'4 wing was aggressive attacking the basket as he was able to get to the basket and draw contact. Philemon showed a solid handle as he was able to create separation off the bounce and finished around the basket. He worked hard for rebounds and showed the potential to defend multiple positions on the floor. Philemon is an intriguing prospect to watch during the state tournament with his ability to get to the basket and finish.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->