Metro Classic: Day 3 Standouts Part II

On Saturday, February 7th, the Metro Classic returned for a third day of action at Franklin High School in Somerset, NJ. On the last day of action, we saw matchups once again not only between some of the state's best public school programs as of late but also some of New Jersey's better programs compete against national programs. As part of the second half of this article, let's take a look at some of the guys that stood out over the course of the last day of action at this year's Metro Classic.    [player_tooltip player_id='1989267' first='Derek' last='Gomez'] was extremely effective off the ball for St. Peter's. Not only was Gomez able to space the floor and knock down a few open catch and shoot threes but he also excelled as a cutter, constantly moving well without the ball and cutting to open space. Gomez finished the game with 15 points and 6 rebounds for the Marauders.     Na'Jai Hines excelled on the interior for Plainfield, providing both rim protection and a strong presence on the glass. Hines was able to use his size and length to block and alter shots at the rim as well as rebound the basketball at a high rate. Hines finished the game with 12 points, 18 rebounds, and 6 blocks.     Erupting for a 36 point performance against Camden, [player_tooltip player_id='1595674' first='Aiden' last='Derkack']'s finishing ability was on full display. Whether it was attacking the basket on dribble drives or finishing above the rim in transition, Derkack showed the different ways he can finish around the basket. Due in large to his very high motor in combination with his athleticism, Derkack was also extremely active on the offensive glass, as he was able to get a handful of offensive putbacks. Derkack also had 13 rebounds.     [player_tooltip player_id='2344521' first='Micah' last='Gordon'] excelled in his ability to consistently get in the paint and find his in between game. Gordon hit an array of mid range pull ups, had a couple crafty and athletic finishes around the rim, and even showed nice touch on his floater. Gordon finished the game with 12 points and 5 assists.     Playing well within himself, [player_tooltip player_id='2504886' first='Malik' last='Moore'] showcased his ability to score within the flow of Union Catholic's offense. Moore excelled knocking down catch and shoot threes as well as attacking closeouts to finish around the basket. Moore finished the game with 11 points for Union Catholic.     [player_tooltip player_id='1547474' first='Yaw' last='Ansong'] showcased his ability to be a factor on the inside. Ansong thrived finishing around the basket, operating from the dunker spot and being active on the offensive glass. Ansong finished the game with 14 points and 8 rebounds.     Operating as the primary source of offense for St. Rose, [player_tooltip player_id='1580578' first='Jayden' last='Hodge'] excelled at getting to the rim in the halfcourt on dribble drives while also finishing plays at the rim in transition. In a solid all around game, Hodge was also able to contribute in other categories, rebounding the basketball, keep the ball moving and finding open teammates and being active in the passing lanes on defense. Hodge finished the game against La Lumiere (IN) with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.     Throughout the course of this close game against La Lumiere (IN), [player_tooltip player_id='2504904' first='Izayah' last='Cooper'] showcased his ability to get timely buckets. Whether it was attacking on dribble drives and getting to the rim or hitting key shots from three point range, Cooper was able to provide steady offense as an off ball threat for St. Rose. Cooper finished the game with 10 points to go along with 3 assists and 5 rebounds.     Playing well within himself and not doing too much, [player_tooltip player_id='1411642' first='Evan' last='Romano'] showcased his ability to effective without necessarily needing the ball in his hands. Whether it was contributing on the offensive glass, cutting to open space, or even attacking the basket on dribble drives, Romano showed that he was capable of being effective within the flow of St. Rose's offense. Romano finished the game with 14 points and 4 rebounds.

On Saturday, February 7th, the Metro Classic returned for a third day of action at Franklin High School in Somerset, NJ. On the last day of action, we saw matchups once again not only between some of the state's best public school programs as of late but also some of New Jersey's better programs compete against national programs. As part of the second half of this article, let's take a look at some of the guys that stood out over the course of the last day of action at this year's Metro Classic.