Saturday Games To Watch

One of the final big weekends of the regular season also overlaps county tournament play and Saturday features a full slate of “win or go home” and showcase games across the state.

Linden vs Gill St Bernards is one of the marquee showcase games today at the Metro Classic. Anthony Drejaj’s Tigers come in at 17-4 and are led by what can only be classified as the mold of “Linden Basketball”–A strong backcourt. 5’10” junior guard Nas Robinson Nas Robinson 5'8" | PG Linden | 2024 State NJ has emerged as an explosive scorer while the rest of the backcourt–fellow junior Elijah Butler Elijah Butler 6'4" | SG Linden | 2024 State NJ and seniors Jaylen Hodge and Elijah Motley Elijah Motley 6'0" | PG Linden | 2023 State NJ , give Linden one of the elite backcourts in the I-95 corridor. Gill is 13-5 and features the combo of senior guards Mario Castro-Sanchez Mario Castro-Sanchez 6'0" | PG Gill St. Bernard's | 2023 State NJ and Nick Losada Nick Losada 6'2" | SG Gill St. Bernard's | 2023 State NJ , as well as East Orange transfer Ebrahim Kaba Ebrahim Kaba 6'7" | SF Peddie | 2024 State NJ battling in the front court.

Newark East Side continues its roller coaster season in the Essex County Quarters against a team that it has already seen three times–Losing twice in the season and then nicking Newark Arts in the NPS final at Christmas. Coach T’s Raiders look to even the score with their second tournament win of the season over their new center city rival. Senior guard Sutan Fitzpatrick Sutan Fitzpatrick 5'10" | PG Newark East Side | 2023 State NJ has been the steady force for East Side and can always be counted on to get buckets and fellow senior Amir Abdullah Amir Abdullah 5'10" | PG Newark East Side | 2024 State NJ has stepped it up offensively in the last two weeks. Arts brings a loaded roster of scholarship talent, led by Boston University commit Spencer Joyner Spencer Joyner 6'4" | PG Arts | 2023 State NJ in the backcourt. He’s joined by D1 prospect Anthony Akande Anthony Akande 6'4" | SG Arts | 2024 State NJ in the backcourt and 6’6″ junior Savod Godwin Savod Godwin 6'5" | SF Arts | 2024 State NJ in the frontcourt.

Every team that wins a county title always has the trap game in the tournament. That game could be today for Seton Hall Prep as the Pirates tangle with Irvington. High scoring Sean Agard Sean Agard 5'10" | PG Irvington | 2023 State NJ has powered Irvington back to the contender level in Essex County and has dropped nearly 500 pts this season. With a good 6-10 games to go, it’s not out of the question for Agard to reach 1,000 points in two seasons of Irvington varsity hoops. They also got a boost when Kordell Philemon Kordell Philemon 6'4" | CG Irvington | 2025 State NJ transferred in. Can those two do enough damage to thwart Jackson Bleecker, Darrius Phillips Darrius Phillips 6'7" | PF Seton Hall Prep | 2023 State NJ –Who recently committed to West Chester and Ethan Maynard Ethan Maynard 6'2" | SG Seton Hall Prep | 2023 State NJ ? We’ll find out today.

Interesting matchup down the shore today as Saint Rose–a program with a storied history of B-Central divisional and Parochial Playoff dominance going back 60+ years and one that has now gone to state power level overnight–travels to Lincroft to take on the once Gold Standard of Shore Conference Basketball, CBA. While the Colts aren’t the feared program that Ed Wicelinski had, Geoff Billett has plenty of talent at his disposal and when they’re playing as a unit, CBA can beat you. It’ll be up to Will Bradley Will Bradley 6'2" | SG CBA | 2023 State NJ , Peter Noble Peter Noble 6'2" | PG CBA | 2024 State NJ and Joe White Joe White 6'2" | SG CBA | 2023 State NJ to be selective with their shots and to play patient to slow down the Hodge brothers, Gio Panzini Gio Panzini 6'5" | SF St. Rose | 2024 State NJ and the rest of the new look Roses.

The marquee game along the Northeast Corridor line(Don’t you just love our hometown references?) brings Ewing and Colonia together. The pair of teams are both thinking that it’s county final or bust in the next two weeks, so expect a high intensity battle today. Senior Noah Taylor Noah Taylor 6'5" | PF Colonia | 2023 State NJ leads the line for the Patriots in the post, junior football prospect Jaeden Jones Jaeden Jones 6'0" | PG Colonia | 2024 State NJ is an athletic guard and freshman Aiden Derkack Aiden Derkack 6'4" | SG Colonia | 2026 State NJ is one to watch. Senior balance leads Ewing, as Kenny Rankin Kenny Rankin 6'1" | SG Ewing | 2023 State NJ , Naire Preston Naire Preston 5'9" | PG Ewing | 2023 State NJ and Darnelle Forrest Darnelle Forrest 6'0" | CG Ewing | 2023 State NJ are top scorers as a unit, with fellow senior Grady Griffin also chipping in when needed. Should be a good one.

While there are a host of others, such as Roselle Catholic vs Montverde, we’ve circled the Immaculata-Bound Brook game as a cross-highway rivalry to watch. There will be talent on display with Jordan Summers Jordan Summers 6'7" | PF Bound Brook | 2023 State NJ leading the Crusaders against Davis Adams Davis Adams 6'4" | SF Immaculata | 2023 State NJ and Sean Givens Sean Givens 6'4" | SG Immaculata | 2023 State NJ of ‘Lata.