Payne Tech (18-6), which was included in the latest nj.com statewide Top 20 for the first time, had won 14 in a row before an independent setback at a strong Morris Catholic on Tuesday (Feb. 18) and the Lions have roared through much of the second half of the regular season or since electrifying senior guard Jamir Westry, who returned to Payne Tech after a year at College Achieve Asbury Park, b became eligible in January.

‘Double-double’ machine Gerald Edwell, an ultra-strong 6-5 junior, is a force inside, and even in his team’s setback at Morris Catholic he shined along with Westry as he had another double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds to complement the 36 points poured in by Westry, who has emerged as perhaps Essex County’s best backcourt performer.

The third-seeded Lions could have a couple of formidable road tests with a possible N2G3 sectional semifinal at second-seeded Mendham with its standout Kevin King, and then probably top-seeded and defending sectional champion Colonia with its star junior guard Aiden Derkack in the sectional final on Friday, March 7.

Group 4 on a North Jersey basis is led by the powerhouse teams in N2G4 led by Plainfield and Elizabeth, but N1G4 has had its share of surprise winners through the years and even upset winners for the North 2 representative.

Like Arts and Immaculate (11-14), which might be a contender in Non-Public, North B, East Orange Campus (14-11) shares the fact with those two fellow SEC-American Division members that they all have double-figure loss totals; but, don’t take much credence in that number.

Coach Gabe Baltimore’s second-seeded EOC Jaguars are a threat in N1G4 led by sophomore guard James Robert and senior swingman Carlyle Adams. Top-seeded Ridgewood, with inspirational guard Johnny Jackson, who has overcome cancer, is the favorite in the section.

One possible threat for EOC in a sectional quarterfinal could be its neighboring rival Montclair (13-10), which has been playing well lately sparked by the return of high-scoring guard Jahi Whitney who missed more than a month with a fractured toe absorbed in early January.

The seventh-seeded Mounties have received a solid and consistent season from senior football player Martin Quiroz, who does a great job off the boards despite being only 6-2 and facing many taller forwards.

Montclair has to avoid a letdown in its N1G4 opener vs. 10th-seeded Union City, but it has such noteworthy wins this season as a 68-65 win at Newark Collegiate in the first round of the ECT.
Seton Hall Prep, the fourth seed in a loaded Non-Public, North A, could face a dangerous fifth-seeded St. Joe’s of Montvale in the sectional quarters with the likelihood – should it advance – of having to travel to take on top-seeded and No. 1 ranked Bergen Catholic in the sectional semifinals.

Immaculate, which reached a sectional final last season, is the sixth seed in Non-Public, North B, and will have a very tough sectional quarterfinal to deal with at third-seeded Morris Catholic.