State Tournament: Underclassmen to watch in Group 4

With regular season and county championships in the books, all eyes have turned to the state tournament brackets, with opening round play set to tip across the state this week. NJ public schools are divided into four groups based on enrollment and compete across four sections (South, Central, North 1, North 2), the four sectional champions ultimately squaring off for the state title in each group. We'll take a look here at a few underclassmen playing key roles for the big schools in Group 4, including a few on teams who figures to factor heavily into the state title picture when eyes shift to Rutgers in a couple weeks.    Already in the running as the top guard in the state as just a sophomore, Gordon is a critical reason many have tabbed Plainfield as the favorites for the Group 4 title and perhaps the top overall team in the state. Coming off a torrid freshman year, he paired with transfer big man [player_tooltip player_id='1889492' first='Najai' last='Hines'] to form the state's top inside-outside tandem. With a pristine skill level with the ball, deep range on his shot, an advanced IQ for the game, and now increasingly routine above-the-rim athleticism, there's simply so many ways for Gordon to beat you already. Expect mid and high majors to be keeping tabs throughout the spring and summer.     After starting as a freshman, Johnson jumped into a leading role this year and shined consistently. Already one of the premier shooters in the state, he's knocked in nearly 70 3's on the year, shooting a gorgeous ball with textbook mechanics and a lightning-quick release. He's more than tripled his assist total from year to year, showing an important level of growth on-ball. Depending on the system, Johnson can be a bit stuck between guard spots at times still, but D1's are sure to value his shotmaking prowess when the time comes no matter how he does or doesn't progress as a lead guard.     Given the notion that bigs develop late, it figures as the only frontcourt player on this list that Jones is less productive at this stage than his backcourt counterparts. His impact though, like his upside, lies beyond the box score as he offers a great degree of lineup flexibility on both ends with his ability to switch across multiple positions and play inside or out offensively. The progression of his shooting and ball skills will go a long way to determine whether or not Jones reaches his ultimate ceiling, but the markers he's shown to this point are sure to catch D1 eyes before long.     No freshman in South Jersey took on a bigger load than Young, and the skilled, tough-nosed guard filled his role to near perfection en route to securing SJ Group 4's top seed. A regular threat for 20+ points, Young has been most lethal from beyond the arc, knocking down over 50 3's on the season with picturesque form and very deep range. He's stronger than expected attacking the cup and finishing through contact as well, with a striking IQ for the game for his age. We'll see where his body shakes out over time, but the skill level, IQ, and production are impossible to ignore.     A bit unheralded among a pretty loaded crop of sophomore guards in the state, Roberts has proven himself as a prolific scorer while leading East Orange to a second seed in its section. Well on his way to surpassing 1,000 points in his junior year, proving himself as a multi-level scoring threat with the ability to beat you with his pullup or getting to the rim. He shows a good degree of polish with the ball and potential to transition over to the lead guard spot over time. We're eager to see how Roberts stacks up with some of the best at his position in the region once we get eyes on him in the grassroots season.     After leading the team in scoring but finishing a disappointing 6-21, Bell increased his output as a sophomore while helping the Eagles creep above .500. A 35-point opener was a sign of things to come, as Bell torched the nets all season with his dynamic multi-level attack. The southpaw knocked down 3's at high volume while showing athleticism and creativity working his way downhill. Still 15 years old until the summertime, a reclass to 2028 could be on the horizon, but expect Bell to be on scholarship radars down the line no matter what.

With regular season and county championships in the books, all eyes have turned to the state tournament brackets, with opening round play set to tip across the state this week. NJ public schools are divided into four groups based on enrollment and compete across four sections (South, Central, North 1, North 2), the four sectional champions ultimately squaring off for the state title in each group. We'll take a look here at a few underclassmen playing key roles for the big schools in Group 4, including a few on teams who figures to factor heavily into the state title picture when eyes shift to Rutgers in a couple weeks.