SJ Non-Public A Final: St. Peter's Prep 59, St. Joe's Metuchen 46

In a hard-fought back-and-forth contest, St. Peter's Prep staved off an early cold stretch to defeat St. Joe's Metuchen and claim the South Jersey Non-Public A sectional title. The Marauders will advance to take on North Jersey Non-Public A champion Bergen Catholic on Thursday at Rutgers for the state championship. Junior swingman [player_tooltip player_id='2858267' first='Oscar' last='Martinez'] led the way with 17 points while St. Joe's got a game-high 21 from sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2202021' first='Aidan' last='Carter'].    The only junior starter in a tight rotation of primarily experienced seniors, Martinez proved to be the difference, breaking open a razor tight defensive slog with an explosive performance from the perimeter. Martinez shook free for five massive 3's, all coming via the catch and shoot, showcasing smooth and confident mechanics with no fear to let fly in the biggest moments of the game. He scored a team-high 17 points while maintaining consistent activity as an athletic contributor in the floor game. Having earned a D1 offer earlier this winter from Wagner, Martinez appears clearly on track toward the scholarship level with his name now etched in St. Peter's Prep lore from this point forward.     As battle-tested as it gets having started for the Marauders since his freshman year, Santiago showed no signs of nerves with the season on the line. The senior guard scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, getting himself going as a pullup shooter from both the midrange and beyond the arc to help bust open a one-possession game. His twisting layup in the fourth quarter around St. Joe's' shot-blocker seemingly captured the momentum for good. The St. Peter's signee was also key as a primary ballhandler and facilitator throughout the first half with the Marauders' point guard on the bench in foul trouble. It was the type of gritty two-way performance that Santiago has become known for across the state over the past four years.     Despite the loss, Carter still demonstrated his abundance of natural talent as an offensive engine. He played almost the entirety of the game as the Falcons' primary ballhandler, showing impressive skill and poise while handling pressure from smaller Marauder defenders. Carter wasn't able to get going as a jump shooter but found consistent success navigating downhill with a handful of strong and skilled finishes in the paint. He's one of the more natural talents in the state who shows glimpses each game pointing to upside for the highest levels.     Combining with Carter to score nearly three-quarters of the Falcons' points, Kretkowski put up a valiant effort to close out his junior year. The swingman played with his typical high motor while posing a consistent matchup problem for the Marauders with his size, skill, and quickness attacking off the bounce. Kretkowski was consistently able to attack decisively to his spots before either finishing at the rim or elevating smoothly over his defender in the midrange. He wasn't able to get going from the perimeter, which is still the piece of his game that he'll be looking to show the most this spring in front of potential high-major suitors on the EYBL circuit.     Things looked dicey for the Marauders early on after Rosa, their senior leader and a four-year starter, picked up his second foul as they struggled to generate any momentum offensively. The Rider commit was finally reinserted late in the second quarter and immediately provided a steadying presence with his ballhandling, decisionmaking, and ability to get downhill off the dribble. Rosa scored 10 timely points, providing a key two-way spark in a game that lacked much offensive flow. He captures his second sectional title after playing a key role as a freshman for a Marauders team that would go on to lose in the state championship game.     Patrick emerged throughout the season as one of the more imposing defensive presences in the state and only continued to prove himself in that regard despite coming away with the loss. A native of Ghana who arrived in the U.S. last summer, he was a consistent force both on the glass and as a rim protector. Taking an advantage of a Prep lineup that lacks a true post presence, he was repeatedly able to sky above the opposition to haul in high-point rebounds. He was quick off the ground to block shots at the rim and also showed impressive mobility playing out on the floor in pick-and-roll coverage. Patrick's willingness to do all the dirty work without being incorporated much offensively was admirable in an era where most bigs want to flex their muscle on the perimeter at any and every opportunity. His ability to thrive in his role as already attracted attention up to the high-major level.

In a hard-fought back-and-forth contest, St. Peter's Prep staved off an early cold stretch to defeat St. Joe's Metuchen and claim the South Jersey Non-Public A sectional title. The Marauders will advance to take on North Jersey Non-Public A champion Bergen Catholic on Thursday at Rutgers for the state championship. Junior swingman Oscar Martinez Oscar Martinez 6'5" | SF St. Peter’s Prep | 2027 State NJ led the way with 17 points while St. Joe's got a game-high 21 from sophomore guard Aidan Carter Aidan Carter 6'6" | CG St. Joseph | 2028 State NJ .