Non-Public A South Jersey Sectional Semifinal Prospect Preview

The NJSIAA Sectional Tournament is in full swing with the South Jersey Non-Public A approaching the sectional semifinal rounds later this evening. With the winner of both matchups set to claim their spots in the sectional final the stakes are real. With two seed St. Peter's Prep taking the trip down to Lincroft, NJ to take on Christian Brothers Academy and St. Joseph Metuchen taking the trip down to Haddonfield, NJ to take Paul VI, let's dive into the unique crop of prospects set to headline the semifinal rounds tonight.   [player_tooltip player_id='1609109' first='Richie' last='Rosa'] | 6'0" PG 2026 St. Peter's Prep   There are few if any guards in the 2026 class in the state of New Jersey who have delivered the type of performances that [player_tooltip player_id='1609109' first='Richie' last='Rosa'] has put on so far this season along with the impact he's had on this St. Peter's group. An experienced high octane floor general who plays with a chip on his shoulder, Rosa has been the catalyst behind much of St. Peter's Prep's success this season, often times controlling the tempo effectively and showing a clear command of the offense. A habitual paint toucher who is quick off the bounce and has demonstrated sound feel in the heavy amount of pick and roll actions that St. Peter's runs, Rosa has continuously established and maintained a healthy balance between creating for himself and scoring the basketball and making a conscious effort to get his teammates the ball in the right spots as facilitator. Throughout the first two rounds of the state tournament, St. Peter's has coasted to victories against Notre Dame and St. Thomas Aquinas but will be looking to lead guard [player_tooltip player_id='1609109' first='Richie' last='Rosa'] to will the Marauders to victory in a tough matchup against Christian Brothers Academy.   [player_tooltip player_id='1595680' first='Mason' last='Santiago'] | 6'3" G 2026 St. Peter's Prep   Part of a seasoned and experienced St. Peter's Prep backcourt, [player_tooltip player_id='1595680' first='Mason' last='Santiago'] has night in and night out embodied the definition of a true versatile, plug and play guard who brings toughness and a team first mentality, consistently elevating those around him. The experienced guard routinely makes his presence felt on both ends of the floor with timely and momentum shifting plays that impact winning at a highly effective rate. Comfortable adjusting to whatever the moment demands, Santiago handles the ball with composure and makes smart and decisive reads with his playmaking while also providing a steady scoring punch whenever the offense calls for it. That offensive poise often times carries over defensively, where his physicality and strength stand out, ultimately demonstrating the ability to defend multiple positions, compete across the floor, and secure rebounds, once again highlighting the all around value he brings. With a tough matchup on the horizon this evening against Christian Brothers Academy, look for Santiago to continue to showcase how is overall skillset translates to making high impact plays on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='2202020' first='Avery' last='Lynch'] 6'6" W 2027 Christian Brothers Academy   A fundamentally sound basketball player with ideal positional size and a high level feel for the game, [player_tooltip player_id='2202020' first='Avery' last='Lynch'] has continued to be a intriguing prospect that often times showcases the parts of his offensive skill set that demonstrate him being a legitimate seamless offensive fit— reliable perimeter shooting, excellent movement off the ball as a cutter, being an unselfish connective passer, playing off jump stops and utilizing pump fakes in the paint, contributing on the glass all while also playing with tremendous effort and energy on both ends of the floor. An intricate part of the different things Christian Brothers Academy does both offensively and defensively with a matchup against one of the state's best teams in St. Peter's Prep on the horizon, look for Lynch to continue to display how his high impact versatility across multiple positions and tremendous feel for the game directly correlate to the success Christian Brothers Academy endures as a unit on the court.   [player_tooltip player_id='2504904' first='Izayah' last='Cooper'] 6'0" PG 2028 Christian Brothers Academy   The floor general for this Christian Brothers Academy offense who consistently exemplifies what it means to be an unselfish playmaker, [player_tooltip player_id='2504904' first='Izayah' last='Cooper'] combines a strong feel for the game with impressive court vision and poise off the bounce against defensive pressure. Cooper consistently generates quality scoring opportunities for teammates through smart reads and quick decisions. Shifty and smooth with the ball in his hands, Cooper frequently breaks down defenses— finding cutters backdoor and in open space and spot up shooters with well timed passes for in rhythm looks. Although facilitating is his greatest strength, Cooper also has proven capable of scoring when necessary— finishing effectively around the rim with great touch and craftiness and knocking down open three pointers to keep defenses from collapsing. With a matchup against a tough St. Peter's Prep backcourt who figures to throw intense ball pressure and heavy defensive coverage at him, look for Cooper to continue to demonstrate his reliability as a point guard who can initiate offense and handle the ball against pressure while also remaining a threat to score.   [player_tooltip player_id='2858267' first='Oscar' last='Martinez'] 6'4" W 2027 St. Peter's Prep   In the midst of true breakout junior season that is witnessing him blossom into a role that requires a much larger workload, [player_tooltip player_id='2858267' first='Oscar' last='Martinez'] has thus far demonstrated a keen ability to be a versatile two way impact wing— showing a natural instinct for scoring efficiently within the offense while also bringing versatility on defense, with the ability to effectively guard multiple positions. Physical and tough in the paint while possessing the skill set to be effective on the perimeter as well, Martinez is a natural offensive fit for the Marauders, as he consistently stays within the flow of the offense rather than forcing plays—confidently knocking down catch and shoot threes in rhythm, moving effectively without the ball to find open lanes for easy finishes, and attacking closeouts with a strong feel for the game, all while also contributing on the boards with excellent effort and energy. Defensively, Martinez brings the length and evident physical toughness needed to make an impact on the glass while also contributing as a versatile defender. In a matchup that should call for him to be much of the high impact and versatile wing that he's developed into thus far, look for Martinez to make plays that are reflective of just that.   [player_tooltip player_id='2202021' first='Aidan' last='Carter'] 6'6" G 2028 St. Joe's Metuchen   Possessing a rare and compelling combination of positional size, polished ball skills, and a strong natural feel for the game, four star guard [player_tooltip player_id='2202021' first='Aidan' last='Carter'] continues to establish himself as a dynamic lead guard in his first season since transferring to St. Joe's Metuchen. Carter has made noticeable strides in his development as a smooth and crafty jumbo point guard who confidently runs the offense and dictates the tempo of play. So far, he has shown all the traits of a true lead guard—blending unselfish playmaking with efficient and versatile scoring. Carter regularly fills the stat sheet and has produced a number of standout offensive sequences— creating separation off the dribble by bumping defenders into tough mid range pull ups, attacking driving lanes for soft touch floaters, and finishing strong at the rim. He also uses his size effectively on the glass, rebounding at a high level for his position, and consistently collapsing the defense to generate quality scoring opportunities for teammates, showcasing his excellent court vision and passing instincts. Expect for Carter to spearhead a St. Joe's Metuchen attack that'll look to leverage his skillset into dynamic offensive production in a multitude of ways against a tough and scrappy Paul VI squad.   [player_tooltip player_id='2201945' first='Andrew' last='Kretkowski'] 6'8" W 2027 St. Joe's Metuchen   An aggressive downhill oriented forward who attacks any driving lane he identifies, four star forward [player_tooltip player_id='2201945' first='Andrew' last='Kretkowski'] finds his rhythm by putting pressure on the rim attacking closeouts to get in the lane and convert on a number of crafty and tough finishes in the lane. A part of his game that has become increasingly more and more reliable this season, Kretkowski has balanced that downhill pressure with his improving shooting touch in more ways than one— stepping confidently into in rhythm three point looks and also showcasing the ability to create separation off the dribble in the mid range area with smooth and balanced footwork and a soft touch. Staying true to his reputation as a high motor and gritty prospect willing to do the dirty work, Kretkowski also makes a strong impact on the glass—crashing the boards with energy and securing key rebounds. With how hard he consistently plays on both ends of the floor and how infectious his effort and energy is, Kretkowski often times finds himself being the engine that ignites large runs and explosive plays for this St. Joe's Metuchen group and looks to do much of that in their matchup against Paul VI later this evening.   [player_tooltip player_id='1788762' first='Will' last='Spross'] 6'2" G 2026 Paul VI   A fearless competitor who thrives in big moments, [player_tooltip player_id='1788762' first='Will' last='Spross'] has demonstrated his versatility and danger as a dangerous perimeter scorer who can catch fire from beyond the arc. Equally effective as a spot up threat and off the dribble, Spross primarily attacks from the outside, using his elite shooting to create space and additional scoring opportunities. His accuracy from the perimeter allows him to drive into the paint off the bounce and finish creatively around the basket. Capable of putting together loud and dangerous shooting performances, look for Spross to display much of that dynamic perimeter scoring ability against the multiple bodies that St. Joe's Metuchen can through at him defensively.   [player_tooltip player_id='2405359' first='Toussaint' last='Malukila'] 7'0" C 2028 Paul VI   A legitimate 7 footer with intriguing upside and raw potential, [player_tooltip player_id='2405359' first='Toussaint' last='Malukila'] has taken legitimate strides in his development throughout the course of his sophomore season, blossoming into a two way presence in the paint— demonstrating his ability to be capable of scoring in the post as a threat to catch, turn and finish or acting as a reliable dump off threat offensively while also display strong intangibles defensively as an anchor with strong timing as a rim protector and putting together strong moments of switchability out on the perimeter. What should be a good test against some of the size and length that St. Joe's Metuchen possesses in their front court, look for Malikula to garner how he fairs against some of similar length and stature.   [player_tooltip player_id='2884564' first='Seth' last='Dozier'] 6'1" G 2029 Paul VI   A strong and confident ball handler with a sharp feel for the game and a potent instinct for manipulating angles as both a driver and facilitator, [player_tooltip player_id='2884564' first='Seth' last='Dozier'] is poised to deliver steady offensive production as both a scorer and playmaker. He attacks the basket with purpose, whether facing up from the perimeter or taking advantage of closeouts off the ball, finishing creatively from multiple angles. With a compact shooting release, Dozier is also a legitimate three point threat. Skilled in reading different coverages and navigating pick and roll actions, he consistently makes the right play and finds teammates in optimal scoring positions. As a key part of Paul VI's guard rotation, look for Dozier to continue to capitalize off the ample opportunities he's been provided to showcase both his scoring and playmaking abilities in what should be a tough matchup against a tough St. Joe's Metuchen group that thrives off defensive ball pressure.

The NJSIAA Sectional Tournament is in full swing with the South Jersey Non-Public A approaching the sectional semifinal rounds later this evening. With the winner of both matchups set to claim their spots in the sectional final the stakes are real. With two seed St. Peter's Prep taking the trip down to Lincroft, NJ to take on Christian Brothers Academy and St. Joseph Metuchen taking the trip down to Haddonfield, NJ to take Paul VI, let's dive into the unique crop of prospects set to headline the semifinal rounds tonight.