State Semifinals Tuesday Standouts

Joe Esquivel-Murphy March 11, 2026 @ 09:32 AM

<p>The state semifinals kicked off on Tuesday with four teams advancing to the state finals. Prospects in Groups 2 and 4 put up big performances as they looked to take their teams to the title game. Here are the standouts from Tuesday's state semifinals.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Michael Simborski, 6'4 SG Montgomery 2028</strong></h2>   <p>Simborski drove the Cougars' offense against Cherry Hill East as he poured in a game-high 28 points. The 6'4 guard attacked the basket with a purpose as he finished strong around the rim and was unafraid of drawing contact. Simborski used his size to see over his defender and shot the ball with confidence on the perimeter. He worked for rebounds on both ends of the floor and showed the ability to defend multiple positions on the floor. Simborski's stock has been on the rise throughout the course of the season and should rise even more during the state final.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3544197' first='Johnny' last='Chamane'], 5'10 CG Lyndhurst 2026</strong></h2>   <p>Chamane had a monster performance as he put up a game-high 38 points. The 5'10 guard drilled five triples as he wasted little motion in his release and set his feet before he shot. Chamane was unafraid of taking big shots in the clutch and found his open teammates in the half court. He got to the rim off the bounce and showed the ability to play off the ball as well. Chamane ended his varsity career with a program record 1,431 points as he helped lead Lyndhurst to its first sectional title in over 40 years.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2344534' first='James' last='Roberts'], 6'2 CG/PG East Orange 2027</strong></h2>   <p>Roberts did everything he could against Plainfield as he put up a game-high 30 points,11 rebounds and seven assists. The 6'2 guard played with poise on the ball as he was able to get to his spot on the floor and made smart decisions with the ball in his hands. Roberts knocked down four triples as he shot the ball with confidence from behind the arc and drew contact in the half court throughout the game. He ripped down rebounds on both ends of the floor and blocked a pair of shots on defense. Roberts' versatility is something that will help his game take another step forward in his senior season in 2026-27.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2344521' first='Micah' last='Gordon'], 6'0 PG Plainfield 2027</strong></h2>   <p>Gordon put up 27 points and seven assists as he helped push the Cardinals back to the Group 4 title game. The 6'0 guard used his tight handle to blow by his defender off the bounce and finished in a variety of ways around the rim. Gordon also hit shots in the mid-range and made a pair of triples from behind the arc. He found his open teammates in the half court and used his quick hands to get steals on defense. Gordon is the top ranked prospect in the 2027 class, who is looking to win his second straight Group 4 title on Saturday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2205839' first='Luke' last='Cruz'], 6'9 PF Rumson Fair-Haven 2026</strong></h2>   <p>Cruz continued his dominant play in the state tournament as he had 23 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks. The 6'9 forward used his body well to get position in the post and showed a nice touch around the rim. Cruz also put the ball on the floor and showed a high release on his free throws. He skied for rebounds on both ends of the floor and swatted almost everything in the paint. Cruz is averaging 24.6 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks per game during the state tournament, which are numbers RFH hopes he puts up in the state final against Ramsey.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Other Prospects to Know:</strong></h2>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2462998' first='Alexander' last='Daniel'], 6'2 CG Middle Township 2026: 26 points</strong></p>   <p><strong>Julien Quinerly, PG Ramsey 2026: 24 points and 8 rebounds</strong></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3544138' first='Charlie' last='Taylor'], SG Ramsey 2027: 23 points and 5 rebounds</strong></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3040515' first='Shriyans' last='Mallavarapu'], 6'9 C/PF 2028 Montgomery: 23 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks</strong></p>   <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2342647' first='Rashawn' last='Williams'], 6'3 SF Plainfield 2026: 19 points and 12 rebounds</strong></p>

The state semifinals kicked off on Tuesday with four teams advancing to the state finals. Prospects in Groups 2 and 4 put up big performances as they looked to take their teams to the title game. Here are the standouts from Tuesday's state semifinals.