Who were the Stars of the Non-Public Finals?

Joe Esquivel-Murphy March 4, 2023 @ 07:11 AM

<p>The 2022-23 Garden State basketball season is coming to a close as the Non-Public Finals took place on Friday. Union Catholic and Roselle Catholic took home the Non-Public A and Non-Public B titles, respectively, as stars emerged for them on both end of the floor. Here are the stars from the Non-Public finals.</p>   <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='850753' first='Akil' last='Watson'], 6'8 W Roselle Catholic 2023</strong></h2>   <p>Watson had a fantastic game for the Lions as he finished with a game-high 23 points in the Non-Public B final. The Arizona State commit used his size advantage to get position in the paint and finished strong around the basket. Watson was aggressive attacking the basket and rose up nicely on his jumper. He made an impact on the defensive end as well as he was able to get steals and blocks throughout the game. Watson was the driving force for Roselle Catholic's offense as helped lead the Lions to the Non-Public B title.</p>   <h2><strong>Chima Okeoma, 5'9 PG Union Catholic 2023</strong></h2>   <p>Okeoma had a strong game for the Vikings as he led them with 13 points. The 5'9 guard was explosive off the bounce as he was able to beat his man and finish around the rim. Okeoma rose up with confidence on his jumper and showed a quick release. He moved well without the ball in his hands and was able to get deflections on defense. Okeoma was a sparkplug for Union Catholic as he helped them take home the Non-Public A title.</p>   <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1580579' first='Matt' last='Hodge'], 6'8 F St. Rose 2024</strong></h2>   <p>Hodge had a solid all-around game for the Purple Roses as he finished with a team-high 19 points and eight rebounds. The 6'8 forward was comfortable playing on the perimeter as he brought the ball up the floor at times and knocked down a pair of jumpers from behind the arc. Hodge showed a nice touch around the basket and rose up with authority for a powerful two-handed poster dunk. He ripped down rebounds on both ends of the floor and used his length to make an impact on defense. Hodge is a versatile forward prospect who will be one to watch in the Garden State in 2023-24.</p>   <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1206534' first='Jackson' last='Tindall'], 6'7 F St. Peter's Prep 2023</strong></h2>   <p>Tindall paced the Marauders with 10 points and 10 rebounds as he did everything he could to help them win. The 6'7 forward was tough to box out on both ends of the floor as he cleaned up the defensive glass and secured extra possessions on offense. Tindall finished nicely through contact and showed off his range by knocking down a triple in the second half. He played strong defense throughout the game as he used his length to create problems for Union Catholic. Tindall had a strong senior season for St. Peter's Prep as he helped them to take home the Non-Public A North title this season.</p>   <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='902732' first='Mackenzie' last='Mgbako'], 6'8 SF Roselle Catholic 2023</strong></h2>   <p>Mgbako battled foul trouble, but was still able to finish with 13 points and nine rebounds for the Lions. The Duke commit hit a big triple to start off the fourth quarter as he rose up with confidence on his jumper. Mgbako was able to get position down low and was not afraid of drawing contact in the paint. He ripped down rebounds and helped start the break with either his outlet passes or handle. Mgbako has been one of the top players in the Garden State throughout his varsity career and capped it off against Garden State competition with a Non-Public B title.</p>   <h2><strong>Other Prospects to Know:</strong></h2>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1456836' first='Terrance' last='Wood'], 6'6 PF Union Catholic 2024</strong></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1411624' first='Peter' last='Mauro'], 5'10 PG St. Rose 2025</strong></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1595680' first='Mason' last='Santiago'], 6'2 W St. Peter's Prep 2026</strong></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1013067' first='Sebastian' last='Robinson'], 6'2 CG Roselle Catholic 2023</strong></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1553776' first='Farouk' last='Muntari'], 6'8 PF Union Catholic 2025</strong></p>

The 2022-23 Garden State basketball season is coming to a close as the Non-Public Finals took place on Friday. Union Catholic and Roselle Catholic took home the Non-Public A and Non-Public B titles, respectively, as stars emerged for them on both end of the floor. Here are the stars from the Non-Public finals.