"The Battle New Jersey" Standouts

"GREAT ONES ADJUST!"

But, as great ones do, The Battle staff quickly adjusted! They were able to find an amazing facility on a Sunday evening that was willing to accommodate the event. We all rushed over to setup at Peak Sports Academy and not only were we able to bring the teams/event to a new location, the atmosphere and energy came along as well. The Monsignor Scanlan vs. Archbishop Stepinac game was removed from the lineup but we were blessed with two high level games with full of elite prospects.

ROSELLE CATHOLIC (NJ) DEFEATED SOUTH SHORE (NY) 99-83

Roselle Catholic is better than advertised! They featured a balanced attack which had 6 players finish in double figures. ESPN #12 ranked 2023 prospect Simeon Wilcher was dominant in victory. He was in control of the game from start to finish and showed why he was a priority for Hubert Davis' at University of North Carolina. Once he got two feet in the paint, it was over! He finished around, at and above the rim with 17 points, facilitated and ran the offense to the tune of 9 assists and was a more than capable defender. He grabbed 7 rebounds and was able to get downhill in a hurry and find teammates in transition for wide open 3's that resembled warm-ups. Speaking of warm-ups... I like to get to the gym early to watch teams warm-up and go through their routines. The staff of Roselle Catholic had their guys working on game shots that translated to success in the game. A lot of times you see players doing 3-8 dribble combos that they never utilize in the game, that wasn't the case for Roselle the things they worked on they utilized and did so at an ELITE level. I call that, "Transfer of Trainedness." Braxton Jones was one of those players who stood out in pre-game with his shooting abilities. I saw him hit 10 three pointers in a row from the same spot. He is a strong shooter with a high basketball I.Q. For a shooter with his capability I was impressed with his unselfishness and willingness to pass up good shots for himself to create great shots for teammates. He finished with 14 points. Nebraska signee Jamarques Lawrence joined Isaiah Briscoe, Jameel Warney and others on the esteemed 1,000 point scorer list for Roselle Catholic. He finished with 16 points (3-5 from three). 2024 Forward Tarik Watson was impressively dominant in the paint. At 6'8 with great length & agility, he was dominant on the glass. South Shore had no answer for his post presence as he scored 25 points. Akil Watson  was a player who stood out as well. The 6'9 2023 Forward had his full game on display. He knocked down the 3 ball, mid-range jumpers, finished at the rim and found open teammates. He finished with 15 points & 3 assists. Davin Francis (23 points) used his sharp shooting ability to try to will South Shore into a win. Kyrone Alexander (16 points) and Max Ragusa (15 points) we solid as well. When it come down to it, the cold shooting stretch of the second quarter created too much of a deficit for South Shore to come back from.

keystone academy (pa) DEFEATED vertical academy (Nc) 95-91 in overtime!

Keystone Academy came into this game with a chip on their shoulder. Much of the conversation and hype pre-game surrounded the Vertical Academy squad and they wanted to make sure the post-game conversation had a different tone. Keystone featured a 4 headed attack of Yann Farell, Brian Blanchet, Prince Masengo & Dellquan Warren. Coming into the game I expected big things from Yann Farell and he didn't disappoint. I've been able to track his growth and development over the past 3 years and his game is coming together nicely. He is a relentless defender, a more than capable perimeter shooter (3-5) in the contest and the 6'7 Small Forward is an elite athlete as well. He has great touch on his shots and can score at all three levels. He finished the game with 25 points (7-13 FG's). Brian Blanchet has a neon green light for Keystone Academy (5-11) from deep. He showcased his range, confidence and shot making ability in route to a 25 point night. Prince Mosengo  is an intriguing prospect. He was stout in the post and a constant force on the glass but he also displayed the ability to knock down the outside shot (2-3 from three.) He finished with 21 points & 6 rebounds and was the difference maker on the interior. Dellquan Warren is the heart and soul of the Keystone Academy Kings. When the ball is in his hands, great things happen. He gets in the lane effortlessly, scores through contact and converted from beyond the arc at an efficient level (4-6). He finished the game with 20 points. Vertical Academy struggled to make shots and that hurt them. They were 2-17 from 3 and both of those made perimeter shots came from Tremayne Parker. Before fouling out early in the 4th Quarter Parker had 19 points and had electrified the crowd and reignited the fight in his Vertical Academy squad. Mikey Williams willed them back into the game with a strong 4th Quarter en route to 20 points alongside Tim Hall Jr. & DJ Dudley who had 18 points a piece.

Despite the broken backboard, chance of venue, etc. This was an amazing event that provided an elite atmosphere for those who enjoy the game of basketball. The competition was fierce, the talent on the floor was high level and both games were must watch basketball. If The Battle is coming to a city near you, I strongly suggest you get your tickets early because you don't want to miss the show!