UCC Duos to Track this Winter

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The fall sports season is coming to a close, meaning winter sports is right around the corner. The Union County Conference is full of teams that has the potential to make deep runs in the state, especially with talented duos who should make noise throughout the year. Here are the UCC duos to track this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1547474' first='Yaw' last='Ansong'] &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='1553776' first='Farouk' last='Muntari'], Union Catholic</strong> </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1411630' first='AJ' last='Altobelli']</strong> powers the Vikings' offense, but the presence of Ansong and Muntari inside will determine how far they will go this season. The former is one of the top rim-protectors in the class as he uses his combination of length and timing to swat shots around the basket. Muntari has a high release on his jumper and his range extends out to the three-point line. They both run the floor hard and sky for rebounds on both ends of the floor. Union Catholic has won Non-Public A and the Union County tournament since Ansong and Muntari over the past two seasons and are looking to add more titles this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1557544' first='Jordan' last='Torres'] &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='1557545' first='Cameron' last='McRae'], Elizabeth</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2201953' first='Jayden' last='Johnson'] </strong>is poised to have a big sophomore season, but Torres and McRae are the top returning scores for the reigning Group 4 champion. Torres is a sharpshooter from distance as he has a smooth release on his jumper and can knock down triples in bunches. McRae has a tight handle, which he uses to blow by his defender and can finish in a number of ways around the basket. They can both get deflections on the defensive end and play well off each other. Torres and McRae both had big games down the stretch for Elizabeth and will be counted on to make plays in crunch time for the Minutemen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2344521' first='Micah' last='Gordon'] &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='1889492' first='Najai' last='Hines'], Plainfield</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gordon and Hines will be an intriguing duo to track this season as the Cardinals look to make it back to the sectional title game. Hines uses his strong frame to get position down low and has a nice touch around the basket. Gordon is dynamic with the ball in his hands, as defenders struggle to keep him out of the lane and is a crafty finisher around the basket. He can also find his open teammates in the halfcourt and rarely gets sped up by on-ball pressure. Hines provides Plainfield with a big body on the interior, which could help the Cardinals make another deep run in the postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1595685' first='Jehki' last='Burnam'] &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='1595682' first='Jayden' last='Holman'], Linden</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Burnam has been a key part of the Tigers' offense for the past two seasons and should get a big boost with the addition of Holman. The Arts transfer has a quick first step, which he uses to blow by his defender off the bounce and finishes nicely around the rim. Burnam has a good shooting stroke and can get hot from distance in a hurry. They both have the length to defend multiple positions on the floor and move well without the ball in their hands. Burnam and Holman have the potential to put up big numbers this season as they look to lead Linden to a deep postseason run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1943560' first='Zach' last='Epp'] &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='1859529' first='Tyshawn' last='Pearson'], Westfield</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Epp and Pearson have played big roles in the Blue Devils' backcourt the past two seasons and will do so again in 2024-25. The latter is one of the top on-ball defenders in the state as he makes it tough for his man to get to his spot on the floor and uses his quick hands to get deflections on defense. Epp has a good first step, which he uses to get into the lane and is unafraid of drawing contact. They both move well without the ball in their hands and rarely force the issue in the halfcourt. Epp and Pearson are gritty guard prospects who are slated to have big 2024-25 seasons for Westfield.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->