Which Public Teams have the Best Chance of Winning the TOC
The New Jersey basketball scene has been dominated by Non-Public B squads in the last decade. St. Joseph (Metuchen) is the last team outside of Non-Public B to take home the Tournament of Champions. The drought for public school teams…
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Continue ReadingThe New Jersey basketball scene has been dominated by Non-Public B squads in the last decade. St. Joseph (Metuchen) is the last team outside of Non-Public B to take home the Tournament of Champions. The drought for public school teams has been longer as 2020 is the 20th anniversary of Camden’s TOC winning team. Roselle Catholic and the Patrick School are two of the favorites this season, but this could be the season where the 20-year drought ends. Here are the top public school teams that could win the Tournament of Champions.
Camden
The Panthers are the hottest team in New Jersey after victories over Rancho Christian and Roselle Catholic. Kentucky commit Lance Ware has been dominating on both ends of the floor, while junior Ta’Quan Woodley provides the Panthers with another physical presence down low. Freshman DJ Wagner has been the team’s top scorer and has shown that the varsity game is not too big for him. Junior Jerome Brewer has been a consistent wing scorer for Camden, while freshman Cian Medley seems to get better with each game. The Panthers are rolling and should be one of the favorites to win in 2020.
Elizabeth
The Minutemen lost their only game on the season to Roselle Catholic on the road and are playing great basketball. New Haven commit Jordan Price recently had a triple-double in a game where he scored 40 points. Classmate D.J. Watkins has been explosive on the perimeter and is capable of scoring 20 points on anyone on any given night. Sophomore Jayden Pierre runs the offense to perfection, while Zy’ree Beverly is solid big guy off the bench. Elizabeth has been in the top five all season and will be a tough out in the state tournament.
Manasquan
The Warriors are the top team in the Shore Conference this season and are looking for their first ever appearance in the Tournament of Champions. Sophomore Ben Roy has been a rock all season and has guided Manasquan through Alex Galvan‘s injury. Junior Connor Walsh has elevated his game in Galvan’s absence and is one of the more underrated small forwards in New Jersey. The Warriors will have trouble getting past Camden, but they are without a doubt one of the top teams in the state.
Timber Creek
The Chargers are in the middle of their best season in program history as they are currently 14-1. Senior guards Justin Bladen and Eric Benjamin are one of the best duos in South Jersey with their ability to knock down three-pointers. Demetrius Paynter has been a force down low and is one of the better power forwards in the Olympic Conference. Jalen Berger has been a lock-down defender on the perimeter, while providing Timber Creek with a reliable floor general. The Chargers will have competition from reigning Group 3 champion Moorestown, but they are one of the top teams in South Jersey in 2019-20.
Paterson Kennedy
The Knights are one of the two remaining undefeated teams in New Jersey and have not played a close game yet this season. They have won every game by double-digits this season and have shown no signs of slowing down. Seniors Mark Heber and Deishon Harrison have been the key players on the offensive end, while Jalen Hargrove battles down low for Patterson Kennedy. Yassen Crawford may only be a sophomore, but he is the X-Factor for the Knights. Paterson Kennedy have tough games against Don Bosco Prep and West Morris on its schedule, but the Knights are definitely one of the teams to beat in Group 4.