Intriguing Matchups On Tap
In Essex Fest At Newark Tech

A rematch of last season’s North 1, Group 4 state sectional final plus an attractive showdown between two small-school teams making inroads on the North Jersey scene and separate contests involving both finalists from last winter Essex County Tournament highlight the hoops menu in The Essex Fest on Saturday at Newark Tech.

There are five games on the menu starting with West Caldwell Tech vs. Paterson Kennedy at 11 a.m. and followed by East Orange Campus vs. Ridgewood at 12:30 p.m., Seton Hall Prep vs. St. Mary’s of Rutherford at 2 p.m., Newark Tech vs. Roselle at 3:30 p.m. and Payne Tech vs. College Achieve Asbury Park in the 5 p.m. nightcap.

EOC (3-3) and Ridgewood (5-1) met in last season’s N1G4 title tilt with the Maroons roaring to a 70-52 victory en route to giving eventual Group 4 and No. 1 ranked Plainfield tough opposition before falling, 60-51 in the Group 4 semis.

Coach Gabe Baltimore’s EOC Jaguars feature one of Essex County’s better backcourts with juniors James Roberts and Elijah Caldwell, who provide superb scoring and playmaking. Coach Mike Troy’s Ridgewood Maroons no longer have last year’s state Player of the Year Johnny Jackson, but they are still a solid squad.

The small schools on the rise are a new-look Newark Tech team (6-2), which has some new personnel after graduating the bulk of the talented roster from last season’s Group 1 runner-up to Thrive Charter, and a talented Roselle team (5-2) which is off to its own fine start.

First-year coach Jimmy Salmon has made the move to the Brick City after much success at the now closed Immaculate Conception in Montclair and has one of his former Lions, guard Va’Shaun Harper, helping to lead the way while combining with Ilijah Adams to provide some scoring punch for the Terriers, who had reached the previous three Group 1 state finals.

Newark Tech edged a strong Ramapo squad, 52-49, in Thursday's New Year's Jump Off in Paterson. 

Roselle, guided by Chris Kelly, is led by its talented guard Zaire Hopson, and is looking to have a strong campaign following last winter's 11-14 record. The Rams dropped two games against srong competition in Rumson-Fair Haven and Scotch Plains in the Butch Kowal Holiday Tournament in Rahway.

Last year’s ECT finalists, champion Seton Hall Prep (5-2) and runner-up Payne Tech (2-2) will look for victories in Essex Fest.

Coach Sterling Gibbs’ Pirates have a superb backcourt including the team’s leading scorer, Immaculate transfer Infinite Sincere Amen-Ra, junior Anthony Gonzalez and freshman Bryce McCray.

Payne Tech rides the immense talents of 6-5 senior Gerald Edwell, a Millersville University commit, who is a 4-year standout for coach Brad Howard’s Lions.

In Saturday’s first Essex Fest contest, West Caldwell Tech (3-3), led by coach Robert Cole and standout guard Naquan Copeland, face a struggling Paterson Kennedy squad (1-4) looking to right the ship under the guidance of coach Tommie Patterson.   

The JFK Knights earned their first win of the season with Thursday's 67-63 triumph over Silk city neighbor Paterson Charter.