Metro Classic: New Jersey Friday Notables

One of New Jersey high school basketball's most anticipated weekends tipped off once again with the return of the Metro Classic—a marquee multi-day invitational that annually brings together elite national talent and the region's very best. With the spotlight shining on Stockton University in Galloway, NJ, here's a look at several standout Garden State prospects who delivered eye-catching performances as the action got underway this past Friday night.    An aggressive downhill attacking forward who attacks any open driving angle he sniffs, four star [player_tooltip player_id='2201945' first='Andrew' last='Kretkowski'] got going benefiting from Crestwood Prep's defense being forced into rotations, attacking closeouts to get in the lane and convert on a number of crafty and tough finishes in the lane. A part of his skillset that has continued to become more and more consistent thus far this season, Kretkowski countered his downhill aggression with his evolving soft shooting touch— stepping into a pair of in rhythm open looks from three point range while also flashing his ability to create a little bit of separation off the dribble and knock down outside shots off the bounce. Living up to his reputation as a high motor gritty prospect who doesn't mind doing some of the dirty work, Kretkowski was also extremely impactful on the boards, crashing the glass and securing rebounds.     Possessing the on court potential and physical tools to be a physically dominant interior big man , [player_tooltip player_id='2909264' first='Joel' last='Patrick'] often puts together moments where he can legitimately control the game on the defensive end of the floor, and very much showed flashes of that potential in St. Joe's matchup against Crestwood Prep Friday night. HIs length and activity around the rim allowed to him block shot attempts with technically sound timing, wall up with discipline at the basket, secure rebounds on the defensive glass, and use active and quick hands to get his hands on passes and disrupt ball handlers in the lane.     [player_tooltip player_id='1581755' first='Al'Tariq' last='Reevey'] is a dependable and highly productive interior presence for this College Achieve group and strung together bright moments of his impact in College Achieve's matchup against Spire Academy (OH)— consistently leveraging his physical tools in the paint with a rare blend of size, length, athleticism, and fluid movement. Reevey supplied value as a defensive anchor, showing flashes of his ability to contest and block shot attempts at the rim while crashing the glass to secure rebounds. Offensively, Reevey excelled through effort and activity—sprinting the floor in transition for explosive above the rim finishes, finishing plays around the basket.     A smooth and crafty jumbo guard who plays at an impressive pace and with tremendous poise, four star point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2202021' first='Aidan' last='Carter'] strung together some bright moments that were reflective of his long term upside as a true lead guard. Struggling early on and adjusting the physicality and defensive pressure of Crestwood Prep, Carter later on found his rhythm in the second half— getting to his spots in the in between area, creating separation off the bounce and knocking down smooth mid range pull ups, stepping into in rhythm catch and shoot threes, and using his change of pace off the bounce to attack driving angles to get in the lane and finish in traffic.     Consensus five star point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1595679' first='Deron' last='Rippey Jr.'] continues to validate his status among the nation's elite. Nowhere is that more evident than in the control and composure he brings while orchestrating the offense for this Blair Academy squad. Rippey Jr. thrived when attacking downhill, leveraging his athleticism to apply constant pressure at the rim and forcing the defense to react, displaying a natural feel for the game and improved decision making. RIppey Jr. was ultra effective operating as a true table setter— navigating different PnR actions to create cleaning scoring opportunities not only for himself with explosive finishes at the basket and for others in a variety of ways while also making it an emphasis to find open shooters out on the perimeter in the right spots in different half court actions that Blair runs.     [player_tooltip player_id='1865348' first='Jaen' last='Chatman'] is a dependable and reliably productive combo guard who consistently stands out as a seamless offensive fit as a highly complementary piece who brings a lot to the table offensively for this Blair group. Showcasing much of his usual self being effective on and off the ball, Chatman put together an impressive performance that highlighted his ability to be a legitimately impactful at either guard spot— knocking down in rhythm looks from three point range as a movement shooter, creating real impact with his movement without the ball, finding open shooters and generating quality perimeter looks in different PnR actions and creating drive and kick threes, and even showcasing his athleticism on a number of strong finishes in transition.     A legitimate two way floor leader who combines confident ball handling and a commitment to getting his teammates involved paired with intensity and physicality as an on ball defender, [player_tooltip player_id='2344528' first='Jahmal' last='Dixon']<a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jamal-dixon/"></a> provided immense value particularly with his ability to impact the game on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. While remaining a threat to score, especially attacking the basket, Dixon also created a number of opportunistic scoring chances for his teammates— handling ball pressure while getting into the lane off the dribble with his head up, creating drive and kicks threes to deliver precise and timely passes to perimeter shooters and teammates in the short corner. Dixon also pushed the tempo in transition, advancing the ball quickly to attempt early scoring opportunities to his teammates up ahead. Defensively, he showed a strong commitment at the point of attack— displaying toughness and physicality pressuring the ball and turning opposing ball handlers over to turn intense defense into easy offense on the other end.     One of the most impactful and valuable additions to Blair Academy this season, [player_tooltip player_id='2431506' first='Coleman' last='Elkins'] has continued to firmly establish himself as a productive and versatile front court piece. He once again showcased the added dimension he brings to Blair's offense, leveraging a unique skill set for his size and position. A true inside out threat, Elkins stood out Friday night for his reliability in a variety of pick and roll actions— stretching the floor and confidently knocking down outside shots as a pick and pop option, while also countering his soft outside shooting touch showing the ability to be potent interior finisher— finishing through contact and in traffic, converting in the paint with power and strength around the rim.     [player_tooltip player_id='2884567' first='Dominic' last='Mauro'] once again proved to be a seamless offensive fit, pairing poise and confidence with the ability to consistently impact the game as a perimeter scoring threat and dependable ball handler. He made his presence felt through a variety of scoring plays and sound decision making. As a perimeter shooter, Mauro demonstrated impressive versatility, comfortably knocking down catch and shoot threes in rhythm while also converting open looks with deep range accuracy. He was particularly effective as a transition finisher as well, frequently getting out in front of the defense and capitalizing on easy scoring opportunities at the rim. In addition to his shooting, Mauro proved capable as a secondary ball handler, stepping into playmaking responsibilities, initiating the offense when needed, and delivering smart and decisive reads in both transition and half court situations.

One of New Jersey high school basketball's most anticipated weekends tipped off once again with the return of the Metro Classic—a marquee multi-day invitational that annually brings together elite national talent and the region's very best. With the spotlight shining on Stockton University in Galloway, NJ, here's a look at several standout Garden State prospects who delivered eye-catching performances as the action got underway this past Friday night.