Opening Night Group 2 Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The opening night of the state tournament started off on Thursday night with Groups 2, 4 and Non-Public A. Group 2 saw some high level performances as they helped send their team on to the next round of the tournament. Here are the standouts from Group 2 on opening night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2428329' first='Tommy' last='Denvir'], 6'3 SG/PG Delaware Valley 2027</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Denvir had the highest point total on the night as he poured in 36 points against Spotswood. The 6'3 guard used his handle to get to his spot on the floor and finished nicely around the rim. Denvir shot the ball with confidence from behind the arc and wasted little motion. He moved well without the ball in his hands and moved his feet on the defensive end. Denvir has put up at least 30 points in each of his last two games and will need another game like that against Manasquan in the quarterfinals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2205839' first='Luke' last='Cruz'], 6'9 PF Rumson Fair-Haven 2026</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cruz was dominant for the Bulldogs against Point Pleasant Boro as he put up 34 points and 17 rebounds. The 6'9 forward showed off a good face-up game as he put the ball on the floor nicely and was able to make shots through contact. Cruz had a high release on his jumper and set his feet before he shoots. He ripped down rebounds on both ends of the floor and influenced a ton of shots around the rim. Cruz has been a force throughout the season for the Rumson Fair-Haven, which he should continue to do against Metuchen in the quarterfinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2342686' first='Troy' last='Strelec'], 6'5 PF Hackettstown 2026</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Strelec was a force for the Tigers against Hanover Park as he had 32 points and 15 rebounds. The 6'5 forward used his strong frame to get position down low and has a nice touch around the rim. Strelec was unafraid of drawing contact in the paint and showed the ability to knock down jumpers on the perimeter. He skied for boards on both ends of the floor and held his ground on the defensive end. Strelec had his fifth 30-10 game on opening night and will look to have another performance like that against Madison in the quarterfinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2786680' first='Muwahid' last='Williams'], 5'8 PG Hillside 2028</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams was exceptional for the Comets against Voorhees as he poured in 32 points in the upset win. The 5'8 guard used his handle to blow by his defender off the bounce and finished nicely around the rim. Williams was on fire from deep as he knocked down four triples and played with confidence throughout the night. He showed the ability to play on and off the ball and used his quick hands to get steals on defense. Williams is capable of putting up points in bunches, which he will have to do if Hillside wants to continue in the state tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2628194' first='Robert' last='Lopez'], 5'11 PG Glen Rock 2026</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lopez put up 30 points for the Panthers against Lakeland in the opening night of the state tournament. The 5'11 guard showed a clean shooting stroke and made the Lancers pay for giving him space on the perimeter. Lopez did more than just shoot as he also got to the rim off the bounce and scored in the mid-range. He moved well without the ball in his hands and played with composure on the ball. Lopez is looking to lead Glen Rock back to the sectional final as the Panthers look to repeat as North 1 Group 2 champions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->