ECT Championship: Seton Hall Prep 68, St. Benedict's 63

The Essex County tournament championship returned yet again for another year to West Orange High School in West Orange, NJ— this year featuring a third matchup on the season between two of Essex County's best teams this year in Seton Hall Prep and St. Benedict's Prep. With Seton Hall Prep capturing back to back Essex County titles in yet another intense battle against St. Benedict's alongside a unique crop of prospects headlining this championship matchup, let's dive into those who delivered standout performances over the courses of yesterday afternoon's action.    Earning ECT MVP honors behind an impressive 22 point performance, the extremely skilled and dynamic [player_tooltip player_id='2504780' first='Infinite' last='Sincere-AmenRa'] delivered as impressive a shooting performance to date, one that ultimately highlighted his confident and versatile shot making profile. Turning in a phenomenal shooting performance that demonstrated the dangerous intangibles he possesses as an outside shot maker, Sincere-AmenRa showcased his entire shot making arsenal— movement shooting with deep range accuracy coming off different types of screens, spot up shooting with long distance precision off the catch, off the dribble shooting creating separation off the bounce, and even mixing in some mid range area shot making off the bounce.     [player_tooltip player_id='2508723' first='Michael' last='Postell Jr']. is a compelling long term guard prospect, combining advanced ball skills with true positional size. Although not the best statistical scoring performance, Postell Jr. still flashed the potential that makes him such an intriguing prospect as a dynamic scoring guard, showing glimpses of the skillset he could develop with consistent growth— catch and shoot ability featuring a confident and compact shooting release, shot creation for turn around fade aways in the mid post, off ball cutting for open looks at the basket, showcasing his athleticism in the open floor for above the rim finishes, all while also generating ample trips to the free throw line.     Operating with poise, control and a tight and confident handle, [player_tooltip player_id='2201947' first='Anthony' last='Gonzalez'] anchored the offense as a true floor general demonstrating his ability to be an instinctive decision maker and willing playmaker. Consistently organizing actions and reading the floor with confidence while also remaining a threat to score, Gonzalez generating effective and efficient offense pushing the tempo in transition— converting on swift finishes at the basket while also hitting live dribble passes to guys ahead of the defense and hitting dump offs. Gonzalez also excelled navigating a number of different PnR actions— rejecting ball screens for strong finishes at the rim, hitting pocket passes to rollers, and even knocking down perimeter shots off the bounce when defenders went under screens.     Continuing his hot stretch throughout this year's Essex County tournament, [player_tooltip player_id='2391282' first='Avery' last='George'] picked up right where he left off from last weekend's semifinals, proving once again to be a significant outside weapon for Seton Hall Prep's offense, showcasing the value he brings as a perimeter sharpshooter. George found his rhythm early and never really looked back, demonstrating his versatility as a perimeter shooter— showcasing his spot up shooting and floor spacing ability knocking down shots off the catch coupled with his movement shooting ability coming off different types of screens and pin downs.     [player_tooltip player_id='3270158' first='Jack' last='Martinez'] operated with remarkable poise under pressure, combining a tight and confident handle with the ability to balance steady scoring with consistent playmaking of a legitimate floor general who holds strong commands of the offense. Martinez posed as a consistent scoring threat— attacking driving angles with pace to convert on tough soft touch floaters, off ball movement for soft touch runners, tough and physical drives through bumps for strong two foot finishes at the rim, all while also flashing his deep range catch and shoot ability. At the same time, his court awareness and playmaking instincts allowed him to collapse defenses and set up teammates for high quality scoring opportunities.     [player_tooltip player_id='3434708' first='Malik' last='Sonko'] serves as an important interior presence for St. Benedict's, using his nonstop activity around the rim to influence the game on both ends. In the minutes he was provided, Sonko established himself as a force in the paint, finishing effectively down low through contact. Sonko also created extra possessions with his work on the offensive glass, showcasing soft touch and solid footwork around the basket. Defensively, Sonko made a strong impact on the boards, battling for rebounds and securing possessions with physicality and effort while also flashing his rim protection ability, walling up against shot attempts without fouling.     A consistent interior paint presence on the offensive end, [player_tooltip player_id='2716491' first='Alex' last='Ante'] once again underscored his value to Seton Hall Prep's front court as a reliable finisher around the rim. Possessing a strong frame, polished footwork and soft touch to finish at a high rate around the rim, Ante routinely converted on high percentage looks— particularly as a roll man in different PnR actions, making an impact on the offensive glass to generate second chance possessions, while also displaying the strength to absorb contact on dump offs around the basket and get to the free throw line.

The Essex County tournament championship returned yet again for another year to West Orange High School in West Orange, NJ— this year featuring a third matchup on the season between two of Essex County's best teams this year in Seton Hall Prep and St. Benedict's Prep. With Seton Hall Prep capturing back to back Essex County titles in yet another intense battle against St. Benedict's alongside a unique crop of prospects headlining this championship matchup, let's dive into those who delivered standout performances over the courses of yesterday afternoon's action.