Matchups to Watch This Weekend

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first weekend of January is here, concluding the opening week of 2024. The weekend is full of intriguing matchups with teams looking boost their resumes for tournament play. Here are the matchups to watch this weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>St. Benedict's vs. St. Rose: [player_tooltip player_id='1595669' first='Chidi' last='Nwigwe']-[player_tooltip player_id='1580578' first='Jayden' last='Hodge']</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nwigwe and Hodge is the matchup of the weekend as two of the top 2026 prospects in the state go head-to-head. Nwigwe can score at all three levels as he is very confident with the ball in his hands and can finish through contact. He rises up over smaller defenders on his jumpers and pushes the ball well in transition. Hodge has a smooth offensive game as he rarely gets rattled by on-ball pressure and makes smart decisions with the ball in his hands. Nwigwe and Hodge are talented guard prospects who should get after it throughout the course of their game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Lawrenceville vs. Life Center: [player_tooltip player_id='1206525' first='Vaughn' last='Foster']-[player_tooltip player_id='1581755' first='Al'Tariq' last='Reevey']</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Foster and Reevey is an intriguing matchup as it features a pair of posts who impact the game in different ways. The latter is a lanky, rim-protector who swats almost everything around the rim and plays with good timing on defense. Reevey skies for rebounds at both ends of the floor and is able to draw contact around the basket. Foster has a good face-up game as he can get to the rim off the bounce and can knock down open jumpers on the perimeter. His ability to control the paint will be key as Foster looks to neutralize Reevey in the post.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Immaculate Conception vs. Roselle Catholic: [player_tooltip player_id='1788751' first='Kole' last='Grandison']-[player_tooltip player_id='1595666' first='Ethan' last='Mgbako']</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grandison and Mgbako have started off the season strong, making their matchup more entertaining to watch. Grandison attacks the basket with a purpose, but can also make opponents pay for giving him space behind the arc. Mgbako uses his body to finish through contact and has a nice handle. They are both good on-ball defenders as they make it hard for their man to get to their spot on the floor. Grandison and Mgbako are skilled wing prospects who should battle each other throughout the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>St. Joseph (Met.) vs. Payne Tech: [player_tooltip player_id='1050407' first='Owen' last='Griffin']-[player_tooltip player_id='1413224' first='Robert' last='Foster']</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They might not matchup against each other during the whole game, but Griffin and Foster will have an impact on the final score. Foster uses his handle to get to the rim off the bounce and can finish through contact. The 6'4 wing is also good at pushing the pace in transition and rises up for rebounds at both ends of the floor. Griffin is a hard-working forward prospect who has a nice tough around the basket and is a tough defender. He fights for rebounds on both ends of the floor, which will be key for him against Foster and Payne Tech.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Rumson Fair-Haven vs. Marlboro: [player_tooltip player_id='2205839' first='Luke' last='Cruz']-[player_tooltip player_id='1476266' first='Brave' last='Haugh']</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This matchup is key for both teams as they look to add to their resumes for the Shore Conference Tournament. Cruz has a solid faceup game as he can put the ball on the floor and hit open jumpers on the perimeter. Haugh has a good touch around the basket, but can also step outside and knock down a jumper. They both work for rebounds on both ends of the floor and influence shots around the rim. Cruz and Haugh have the potential to have big games as they look to control the paint for their teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->