Seton Hall’s return to the county final overshadowed a truly spectacular performance from St. Benedict’s freshman Michai White, who scored 28 of his game-high 34 points in the second half to pace a frenzied Grey Bees comeback.

Seton Hall jumped out to an early 15-5 lead and maintained a double-digit advantage into the third quarter. Guards Guzzardo and Primo Delgado (5 assists) orchestrated the offense with terrific ball-movement and excellent decision making. Perhaps the most telling stat Saturday was the Pirates’ gaudy assist total: 15 on 20 made field goals.

Midway through the third, a mini-run capped by White’s old fashioned three-point play pulled Benedict’s within 32-28. But the Pirates closed the period strong behind some key buckets from Guzzardo and junior forward Alex Ante (12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals). Ante delivered an outstanding all-around performance, dominating the boards and contributing on both ends of the floor. Just before the third quarter buzzer, he finished a pretty give-and-go from Guzzardo, extending the Prep’s lead to 45-33.

“Alex is just a big boy,” Gibbs said. “He battles down there, he plays physical, and he plays with a lot of heart. That’s what separates him.”

White continued his explosive scoring in the fourth quarter, while Benedict’s coach Mark Taylor turned up the pressure with a full-court press that rattled the Pirates at times. But Guzzardo and Delgado kept answering the call, with Delgado converting an electrifying and-one layup with 2:35 left to push Seton Hall’s lead back to nine, 60-51.

St. Benedict’s refused to go away, though. Marcel Carra drilled a 3, and White followed with an audacious stepback triple of his own to cut the deficit to 64-60 with 49 seconds to play.
However, Guzzardo and Anthony Gonzalez sealed the win by sinking all six of their free throw attempts in the final minute to cancel out a pair of 3s from St. Benedict’s freshman Chase Bray (11 points, 3-for-6 from 3).

Westry’s second-quarter blitz lifts Payne Tech

Saturday’s early semifinal was a much more straightforward affair. Both Payne Tech and Arts struggled to find their rhythm in the first quarter, which ended with the Lions ahead, 11-10, while the teams shot a combined 8-for-33 from the field. But beginning in the second quarter, the Lions took full control behind a virtuoso performance from Westry, the 5-10 dynamo, and Edwell, the rebounding monster who can also play on the perimeter if needed.

Westry has a variety of ways he can score and he used them to full effect. He scored 16 points on 5-for-6 shooting (plus 4-for-5 from the line) in the second, including a pair of threes, a smooth baseline jumper, and an acrobatic layup after rebounding his own miss. His offensive burst propelled Payne Tech to a 32-24 halftime lead.

“Jamir is just an absolutely wonderful kid to coach, and the fact that one of these colleges hasn’t tried to sign him is crazy to me,” Howard said. “His athleticism, his skill level, man, they’re off the charts. He jumps out of the gym. He defends. He’s a guy who you want to have the ball in crunch time. He’s an elite player, and he’s got a GPA to match.”

Arts (13-11), aiming to reach its second straight ECT final, fought to stay within shouting distance throughout the entire second half. Skilled junior guard Kareem Anthony (15 points, 5 steals, 3 rebounds) came up with important buckets, while senior forward Bryson Lopez (4 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) provided key contributions.

But Westry and Edwell were just too good on this day. As Payne Tech’s offense sputtered in the third quarter, Edwell kept them afloat with a crucial pair of layups and 6 rebounds (including 3 offensive) that prevented the Jaguars from closing the gap. Then, in the fourth quarter, with Arts pulling within 46-39 at the six-minute mark, Westry sank a tough layup in traffic. On the Lions’ next offensive trip, Edwell delivered a perfect pass to Robert Foster for a backbreaking 3-pointer, stretching the lead to 12 and effectively putting the game out of reach.

78TH ESSEX COUNTY BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
Quarterfinals (Feb. 8)
[1] Seton Hall def. [9] Caldwell, 70-47
[4] St. Benedict’s def. [5] Immaculate, 67-51
[2] Arts def. [10] Montclair, 72-42
[3] Payne Tech def. [6] East Orange, 86-68

Semifinals (Feb. 15)
[1] Seton Hall def. [4] St. Benedict’s, 70-66
[3] Payne Tech def. [2] Arts, 55-43

Final (Feb. 22, 1 p.m.)
[1] Seton Hall vs. [3] Payne Tech
at Essex County College, Newark

[3] Payne Tech 55, [2] Arts 43
Arts 10 14 10 9 - 43
Payne Tech 11 21 10 13 - 55

ARTS (13-11)
Kareem Anthony 5-1-2-15, Samaj Long 3-1-0-9, Mekhi Jean-Pierre 1-0-3-5, Shelton Colwell 2-0-0-4, Bryson Lopez 2-0-0-4, Tyshaun Boyd 2-0-0-4, Kevin Freeman 0-0-2-2.
Rebounds: Lopez 9, Colwell 7, Freeman 5, Jean-Pierre 4, Boyd 4, Long 4, Anthony 3.
Steals: Anthony 5, Lopez 2.
Assists: Lopez 2.
Team shooting: 33.3% FG (17-51), 14.2% 3PT (2-14), 41.1% FT (7-17)

PAYNE TECH (17-5)
Jamir Westry 5-2-10-26, Gerald Edwell 6-0-1-13, Robert Foster 0-1-5-8, Malcolm Lucas 2-0-1-5, De’an Armstrong 0-1-0-3.
Rebounds: Edwell 16, Foster 6, Westry 6, Armstrong 4.
Steals: Edwell 3, Lucas 3.
Assists: Edwell 3, Foster 3, Westry 2.
Team shooting: 32.0% FG (17-53), 22.2% 3PT (4-18), 70.8% FT (17-24)

[1] Seton Hall Prep 70, [3] St. Benedict’s 66
St. Benedict’s 10 9 14 33 - 66
Seton Hall 21 9 15 25 - 70
ST. BENEDICT’S (12-13)
Michai White 10-2-8-34, Chase Bray 1-3-0-11, Terrance Jamison 2-0-3-7, Gilbert Baez 1-1-0-5, Marcel Carra 0-1-1-4, Judah Anderson 1-0-1-3, Josh Okoduka 1-0-0-2.
Rebounds: White 8, Jamison 8.
Steals: Jamison 2.
Assists: Will Dyer 3, Bray 2, Okoduka 2.
Team shooting: 46.0% FG (23-50), 38.9% 3PT (7-18), 54.2% FT (13-24)

SETON HALL PREP (18-5)
Dylan Guzzardo 4-2-8-22, Primo Delgado 3-0-7-13, Alex Ante 3-0-6-12, Anthony Gonzalez 1-1-4-9, Michael Klimas 2-1-1-8, Daniel Beazer 2-0-0-4, Avery George 1-0-0-2.
Rebounds: Ante 8, Delgado 4, Gonzalez 3, Klimas 3, George 3.
Steals: Ante 3, Delgado 2.
Assists: Delgado 5, Gonzalez 4, Guzzardo 2, Ante 2.
Team shooting: 48.8% FG (20-41), 30.8% 3PT (4-13), 72.2% FT (26-36)

The 77 ECT Boys Finals:
2024: St. Benedict’s 57 Immaculate 34
2023: Seton Hall Prep 46 Arts 32
2022: Seton Hall Prep 60 Central 55
2021: no tourney due to covid-19
2020: Immaculate 63 Seton Hall Prep 51
2019: East Side 69 Immaculate 66
2018: East Side 58 Immaculate 54
2017: East Side 43 West Side 38
2016: Seton Hall Prep 50 East Side 44
2015: Seton Hall Prep 70 East Orange Campus 62
2014: East Side 60 Seton Hall Prep 42
2013: Seton Hall Prep 58 East Side 47
2012: Seton Hall Prep 67 University 47
2011: Seton Hall Prep 61 Irvington 49
2010: University 67 Seton Hall Prep 57
2009: University 59 East Side 48
2008: Science Park 54 Seton Hall Prep 43
2007: Seton Hall Prep 56 Bloomfield Tech 49
2006: Bloomfield Tech 79 Columbia 43
2005: Seton Hall Prep 56 Bloomfield Tech 31
2004: Seton Hall Prep 84 Bloomfield Tech 59
2003: East Side 53 Seton Hall Prep 47
2002: East Side 61 Seton Hall Prep 50
2001: Shabazz 49 Seton Hall Prep 44
2000: Seton Hall Prep 61 West Side 39
1999: Seton Hall Prep 91 Barringer 46
1998: Seton Hall Prep 56 Clifford Scott 36
1997: Seton Hall Prep 57 Shabazz 53
1996: Seton Hall Prep 56 Montclair 49
1995: Irvington 62 Montclair 58
1994: Irvington 70 Clifford Scott 69
1993: Irvington 66 Clifford Scott 62
1992: Irvington 67 Essex Catholic 53
1991: Seton Hall Prep 75 Clifford Scott 55
1990: Shabazz 59 Clifford Scott 57
1989: Clifford Scott 72 Shabazz 62
1988: Shabazz 61 Orange 56
1987: East Orange 73 Orange 60
1986: East Orange 59 Bloomfield 47
1985: Montclair 50 Seton Hall Prep 48
1984: Clifford Scott 67 Montclair 65
1983: Montclair 66 Seton Hall Prep 64 (2OT)
1982: Montclair 75 Shabazz 46
1981: East Orange 64 Shabazz 50
1980: Weequahic 62 Our Lady of the Valley 48
1979: *Our Lady of the Valley 78 Orange 76
1978: Our Lady of the Valley 61 Shabazz 56
1977: East Orange 76 Bloomfield 72
1976: East Orange 89 Bloomfield 67
1975: East Orange 90 Essex Catholic 85
1974: East Orange 76 Orange 72
1973: Central: 55 East Orange 54
1972: Weequahic 86 East Orange 78
1971: South Side 60 Bloomfield 50
1970: East Orange 54 South Side 53
1969: South Side 53 Vailsburg 38
1968: Orange 65 Central 64
1967: Weequahic 79 Central 55
1966: Weequahic 54 East Orange 36
1965: South Side 68 East Orange 58
1964: South Side 53 Central 41
1963: Central 64 St. Benedict’s 38
1962: Clifford Scott 56 Seton Hall Prep 47
1961: South Side 67 Immaculate 48
1960: Bloomfield 46 Montclair 45
1959: Orange 37 Irvington 35
1958: Bloomfield 57 West Orange 33
1957: Bloomfield 57 St. Benedict’s 55
1956: Seton Hall Prep 51 East Side 48
1955: West Side 33 Orange 31
1954: Montclair 61 South Side 52
1953: Orange 41 Montclair 33
1952: Seton Hall Prep 67 West Orange 44
1951: Seton Hall Prep 41 Belleville 37
1950: Belleville 38 Central 32
1949: Bloomfield 48 Seton Hall Prep 43
1948: Belleville 28 Immaculate 23
1947: Orange 46 Belleville 27
*Valley had to vacate 1979 title
**ECT historical information provided by Jeff Goldberg