Game Recap: Montgomery 68, Pingry 54

Group 4 state title contender Montgomery defended its home court with a wire-to-wire win over a cross-division foe in Pingry School. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2683649' first='Mike' last='Simborski'] led the way with 27 points while Penn commit [player_tooltip player_id='1790209' first='Ethan' last='Lin'] added 24 of his own. Pingry was led by a double-double from junior big man [player_tooltip player_id='2504903' first='Dylan' last='Cowell'].    Already a breakout star across the state this winter, Simborski continued his standout season with a career-high 27 points to steer the win. He shined with remarkable efficiency, needing just 16 shot attempts and showing an advanced sense for generating his offense within the flow of the game. The sophomore guard showed craft while attacking off the bounce before finishing with a soft touch along with burgeoning strength and athleticism near the rim. He also moved well off the ball to shake loose for a trio of makes from beyond the arc. Simborski is continuously putting himself on the radar as a surefire scholarship-level prospect with a chance to generate high-academic D1 attention down the line with further development.     A returning all-state performer with his college recruitment being joined recently by the school scoring record as both being in the rearview, Lin has the benefit of playing with nothing to prove while focusing solely on team success in a quest for a state title to cap his stellar career. The future Penn Quaker played like a savvy veteran on Wednesday, coming out aggressive at the very start of the game before picking his spots and letting things come to him in a smooth 24-point effort. Known largely for his perimeter shooting, Lin impressed more so with his shiftiness off the dribble in order to attack gaps and make plays from the middle of the lane, finishing effectively and distributing well to both shooters and cutters. There aren't many more potent offensive threats in the state, which Lin manages to show at this point on an almost nightly basis.     One of the bigger revelations of the high school season across the state, Cowell was a bit quiet on Wednesday night while battling early foul trouble but still found his way to a double-double while showcasing an abundance of intriguing tools for the next level. Despite the slow start, the southpaw forward grinded his way to 11 points and nearly 15 boards, controlling the paint with his size, athleticism, and burgeoning strength. Cowell was effective establishing position inside and finishing inside through congestion while showing a great motor and strong hands on the glass to haul in rebounds at the high point. He also flashed some intrigue as a ballhandler while protecting the rim defensively and showing some comfort defending away from the basket in space. Young for his grade with the possibility to move back to the 2028 class, Cowell shows a substantial upside even when not playing at his absolute best.     With Cowell struggling in the early portion of the game, Rust stepped up from the backcourt to score a team-high 17 points and help keep Pingry in the game. The junior guard was aggressive looking to create his own shot, showing smooth pace and a crafty handle while attacking the rim and playing well off two feet from inside the paint. He showed a smooth stop-and-pop game in the midrange before later confidently stepping into a pullup 3 in transition. Rust has solid length and fluidity for his position, and worked hard to keep the ball in front of him defensively. He should be a hot commodity among high-academic D3 programs over the next year with a chance at a scholarship if he can work on his body and show growth as a lead guard.     While Simborski and Lin combined to nearly outscore Pingry on their own, it was Kamara who stepped up as a viable third scorer to help put the Cougars in position for the win. Having moved from the bench into the starting lineup, the southpaw delivered nine points while playing with nice poise in his off-ball role. He was effective as a straight-line slasher to his left hand while also staying moving to put himself in position for easy scrap points. Kamara stands out as a team-friendly decisionmaker, though he's a bit limited in terms of creating his own shot and could stand to get more dangerous as a shooting threat from the perimeter. He's on track to be a valuable plug-and-play piece in college with his ceiling looking like it certainly includes scholarship-level possibilities.

Group 4 state title contender Montgomery defended its home court with a wire-to-wire win over a cross-division foe in Pingry School. Sophomore guard Mike Simborski Mike Simborski 6'2" | SG Montgomery | 2028 State NJ led the way with 27 points while Penn commit Ethan Lin Ethan Lin 6'4" | PG Montgomery | 2026 State NJ added 24 of his own. Pingry was led by a double-double from junior big man Dylan Cowell Dylan Cowell 6'8" | PF The Pingry School | 2027 State NJ .