UCC Watchung Game Recap: Roselle Catholic 68, Plainfield 62

Late last week, two of the Union County Conference's top teams squared off for the second time this regular season for an intense public versus private school matchup, as Roselle Catholic met Plainfield at Plainfield High in Plainfield, NJ. With no shortage of well established prospects on display in this Union county showdown, let's take a closer look at the players who delivered impressive performances in this UCC Watchung Division clash.    Routinely serving as the catalyst for Roselle Catholic's offensive success on a nightly basis, [player_tooltip player_id='1729825' first='Trey' last='Lewis'] once again provided a unique and glaring combination of frenetic tempo, extreme confidence, and scoring flare off the bounce, asserting himself as a consistent scoring presence from all three levels. A dynamic and confident threat to score the basketball, Lewis impressed in which the variety he scored the basketball— creating off the bounce from the perimeter and connecting on outside shots while also showcasing his mid range shot making, knocking down tough turn around fade aways and smooth mid range pull ups. Beyond his scoring and expanded ball handling responsibilities, Lewis showcased developing playmaking instincts—particularly making smart reads to find teammates in the dunker spot(s) and creating drive and kick threes for open shooters out on the perimeter.     A cerebral and extremely savvy guard who operates with impressive poise and pace off the dribble, four star point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2344521' first='Micah' last='Gordon'] did a terrific job of scoring with creativity and craftiness at all three levels while also continuing to shine as a willing and instinctive facilitator, routinely delivering the ball to teammates in spots where they can be most effective. Typically and equally effective as a scorer creating for himself as he is as a distributor, Gordon impacted the game in a variety of ways both on and off the ball— piecing together strong stretches of attacking driving angles with strength and physicality, deep range outside shot making off the bounce and as a spot up shooter, and creating off the bounce and getting to his spots in the mid range area for smooth and fluid pull ups.     At his best as an effective complimentary scoring piece and under control off the bounce, [player_tooltip player_id='1963393' first='Tyrease' last='Hunter'] put together an efficient performance that highlighted his ability to score from different areas on the floor. Poised and confident in this matchup against Plainfield, Hunter showcased his ability to not only thrive as a spot up shooter from the perimeter but also finish strong at the rim in transition. Hunter also flashed his shot creation ability, creating separation off the bounce and get to the mid range area, hitting a tough turn around fadeaway with soft touch and solid footwork. Hunter also wasn't afraid to be active on the interior and contribute on the glass, crashing the boards and coming down with impactful rebounds.     A physically imposing forward with a strong and well built frame, [player_tooltip player_id='2342647' first='Rashawn' last='Williams'] played with an aggressive downhill attacking mindset, consistently using his physical tools to impact the game offensively. Williams established himself as a reliable scoring presence for Plainfield by embracing contact and using his strong frame to create space in the paint, attacking driving angles with physicality. Williams thrives through physicality, as he routinely powered through defenders to generate clean scoring opportunities. On the glass, he proved to be a relentless rebounder, pairing toughness with a quick second jump to secure rebounds on both ends of the floor.     A vital and dependable piece of Plainfield's offensive execution and success, [player_tooltip player_id='3273627' first='Devin' last='Thomas'] looked every bit like himself throughout last Thursday night's action. Featuring compact and fluid shooting mechanics paired with an aggressive shot hunting mentality, Thomas consistently proved to be a confident and in rhythm threat playing off the ball, applying constant pressure to the defense. Beyond his lethal touch from the perimeter, Thomas also took advantage of open driving lanes, converting several crafty finishes in the mid-range and in-between areas.     A valuable piece to Roselle Catholic's frontcourt, [player_tooltip player_id='2932320' first='Caleb' last='Jones'] brings intriguing length paired with a high motor, leveraging both of those physical tools to consistently impact the game through effort and activity on the interior. Jones was particularly highly effective as a finisher— sprinting the lanes in transition, and converting dump offs from the dunker spot while also being impactful in the rebounding department.

Late last week, two of the Union County Conference's top teams squared off for the second time this regular season for an intense public versus private school matchup, as Roselle Catholic met Plainfield at Plainfield High in Plainfield, NJ. With no shortage of well established prospects on display in this Union county showdown, let's take a closer look at the players who delivered impressive performances in this UCC Watchung Division clash.