Game Recap: Rutgers Prep 89, Montgomery 73

Rutgers Prep defended home court behind a prolific shooting performance, knocking down 19 3s as a team to hold off Skyland Conference rival Montgomery. Star sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2504896' first='William' last='Brunson'] poured in 27 points while junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2202018' first='Rocco' last='Loomis'] and sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='2972049' first='Julian' last='Ceberio'] added 21 apiece on a combined 13 3s. Penn commit [player_tooltip player_id='1790209' first='Ethan' last='Lin'] and sophomore swingman Michael Simborski led Montgomery with 29 and 24 points, respectively.    Continuing to stake a claim as the best long-term prospect in the state regardless of class, Brunson put on a show with a dynamic 27-point effort. A quickly-blossoming big guard, the southpaw controlled the game with his blend of size and perimeter skill. Brunson established himself early as a reliable threat from beyond the arc before shifting focus as the game progressed toward getting to his spots off the bounce. Once in the paint, he showed crafty footwork and dexterity as a finisher with evolving strength and athleticism while also making nice passes out to shooters from the middle of the floor. While he's still learning the breadth of ways he can impact a game coming off a sizable growth spurt, Brunson showed a commitment to crashing the glass while also helping out as a rim protector in undersized lineups. The ceiling is as high as it gets with Brunson, who's starting to turn potential into production at a rapid pace.     Lin has been on a tear to start the season while leading a talented but young rotation alongside him, and the Penn commit certainly did his part on Tuesday while pouring in 29 points on the night. One of the more dynamic shooters in the region, Lin shook loose for 5 3s, using his shifty handle and polished footwork to consistently create space along the perimeter. He plays with an unbridled confidence that allows him to always be a shot or two away from a momentum-shifting scoring binge. He still has to learn the proper times to really apply pressure as opposed to letting things come to him, but Lin should be an impactful presence early on in the Ivy League with a sizable upside to continue tapping into.     One of the fastest-rising sophomores in the state, Simborski continued his ascent despite the loss with a remarkably efficient 24-point outing. A natural scorer with positional versatility across the perimeter, Simborski shows ability to score at each level of the floor from an impressively wide variety of actions whether operating on or off the ball. He's a smart and active off-ball mover as both a cutter and floor-spacer with the ball skills and passing vision that suggest further on-ball upside to tap into over time. He continues to look more and more the part of a future D1 prospect seemingly by the day.     It's usually a simple recipe with Loomis, who's established himself as one of the premier long-range snipers in the state while putting himself on pace for well over 1,000 career points. He shook off an uncharacteristically slow start on Tuesday to knock down 6 3s en route to 21 points, including 4 during a crucial 3rd quarter spurt that helped position the Argonauts in the driver's seat. Loomis also chips in as a secondary ballhandler while playing tough-nosed on-ball defense on the other end. He profiles at least as a likely priority at the academic D3 level with his shooting placing him on the radars of scholarship-level programs as well.     Another quickly-emerging prospect in the sophomore class, Mallavarapu continues to make significant strides in as a full-time starter in his first year at the varsity level. He continued showing signs of growth with an efficient 10 points and at least 4 blocks. His length, effort, and natural awareness make him a consistent deterrent at the rim defensively while he continues adding fluidity as a finisher around the rim and getting more natural with his timing playing off his guards. His biggest hurdle will be adding strength to a narrow frame, but Mallavarapu boasts a clear ceiling for long-term success at the D1 level with continued reps and development.     Size and shooting provides a simple recipe from a prospect standpoint, and Ceberio quite clearly brings both to the table. After making spot contributions as a freshman, the stretch forward has solidified himself as part of the rotation off the bench and had his breakout on Tuesday with 21 points on a whopping 7 3s. Ceberio has a simple and repeatable release with a smart sense for finding open space on the perimeter. He uses his size well on the glass, but will have to grow into more of a rim protector or improve his lateral movement to carve out a clearer role on D. Nonetheless his plug-and-play contributions as a floor-spacer in the frontcourt should draw significant college attention when the time comes.     Nsenkyire wasn't relied upon for significant scoring contributions but was nonetheless a critical piece to the win as a senior leader for an otherwise younger rotation. The high-octane guard set the tone on the defensive end as a relentless pest pressuring the ball with quick hands and feet, swiping four steals and consistently keeping the Cougars from getting into their offense smoothly. He brings dynamic straight-line speed off the bounce along with capable perimeter shooting if left open, while growing into more of a lead guard and facilitator in the halfcourt. Nsenkyire projects as an instant-impact contributor at the D3 level with a chance to grow into a starting role at F&M in time.

Rutgers Prep defended home court behind a prolific shooting performance, knocking down 19 3s as a team to hold off Skyland Conference rival Montgomery. Star sophomore William Brunson William Brunson 6'6" | SF Rutgers Prep | 2028 State NJ poured in 27 points while junior guard Rocco Loomis Rocco Loomis 5'10" | PG Rutgers Prep | 2027 State NJ and sophomore forward Julian Ceberio Julian Ceberio 6'5" | SG/CG Rutgers Prep | 2028 State NJ added 21 apiece on a combined 13 3s. Penn commit Ethan Lin Ethan Lin 6'4" | PG Montgomery | 2026 State NJ and sophomore swingman Michael Simborski led Montgomery with 29 and 24 points, respectively.