Hargrave Military Academy Power Forward by way of Teaneck Highschool Neville Fincher has committed to Kansas State! The 6’9 Fincher who played his Aau ball with the Playaz Basketball Club chose K State over Marshall, Seton Hall, Houston and Tulsa! “The Coaches like me. I like their style of play. It’s in a city where there is no pro team so the Kansas State basketball team is important to everyone in the area” Fincher said!Neville will give Coach Weber an athletic player who is not afraid to put in the work and get his nose dirty,who is improving offensively!Hoop Journal would like to congratulate Neville, his mom Adrea, father Jihad Abdul-Karim, brothers Nigel and Will and sisters Aminah and Sade’ on his decision and hope for nothing but the best in the future! 

Hackensack H.S. Hackensack, NJ……. In the 7th Annual Playaz  New Years Jumpoff Hackensack, St. Anthony, Hudson Catholic and  St. Benedicts came away winners!!

                                                                      HACKENSACK  77        MEDFORD TECH  57

Senior Jamik Moore had a game for the ages in Hackensack’s 77-57 win over Medford Tech! The 6’4 forward scored 35 points on 15 of 19 shooting, grabbed 16 rebounds, 3 dimes and 2 blocked shots! Hackensack opened the game up in the 2nd half after going into the half up by one 32-31! They outscored Medford Tech 45-26 in the 3rd and 4th quarters and never looked back! The Comets did a great job sharing the rock and hitting the open man and more times than not Moore was the open man! Senior Gene Marshall scored 17 points and pulled down 6 boards, while Senior Chris Myers finished with 15 points and 7 dimes! Top scorer for Hackensack Junior Rashard Figures did not shoot the ball well. but was involved as he had 8 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocked shots in the game! Medford Tech was led by Sophomore Myles Powell with 21 points and Junior Elijah Cain with 20 points ! (Moore on left and Powell pictured with New York Knick and past Playaz Basketball Club  player J.R.Smith)

                                                    ST. ANTHONY   35                           NEWARK EASTSIDE  15

      Defense, Defense, Defense! That says it when you talk about St. Anthony! By far the best Highschool defensive team in the area the Friars held a talented Newark Eastside team to 14% shooting in the game as they shot 5 for 36 from the field! Temple commit Josh Brown scored 7 points,  pulled down 9 rebounds and 6 steals while Oregon St. commit Hallice Cooke had 7 points and 4 dimes! Junior Tarin Smith added 9 points for St. Anthony! Newark Eastside which is a much better team than they showed were led by Junior Ismael Sanogo with 6 points and 7 rebounds! (Brown pictured right and Sanogo are pictured with New York Giants and past Playaz Basketball Club player Victor Cruz)

                                                HUDSON CATHOLIC  69      POPE JOHN (SPARTA) 53

      Georgetown commit Reggie Cameron, playing in his hometown for the last time scored 30 points, pulled down 12 rebounds,dished 4 dimes and blocked 3 shots and Robert Morris commit Kavon Stewart finished the damage by scoring 16 of his 18 points in the 2nd half to go with 6 dimes in Hudson Catholic’s 69-53 win over Pope John! Cameron scored 18 of his points in the 1st half as the Hawks took a 34-24 lead into intermission! Pope John is a young talented team that’s playing without their star player Jermaine Lawrence! Right now they are led by Freshman sensation point guard Bryce Aiken who led them with 18 points and 6 dimes and 6’9 Sophomore specimen Moustapha Diagne with a double double 13 points and 11 rebounds! Hudson Catholic Junior Safee Sabur grabbed 8 rebounds and Junior Med Fofana came off the bench to help neutralize Aiken when Stewart was in foul trouble! Sophomore Matt Zignorski chipped in 11 points for Pope John! (Aiken on left pictured with former Playaz Basketball players J.R. Smith and Reggie Cameron)

                                             ST. BENEDICTS  86             TEANECK  64

  When it comes to loaded, St. Benedicts is loaded! Pittsburgh commit Mike Young scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Syracuse commit Tyler Ennis scored 20 points with 8 rebounds and Super Soph Isaiah Briscoe scored 18 points and pulled down 8 rebounds as they beat Teaneck 86-64! This is not a slight on the Highwayman as they are still one of the best if not the best Public School in the State so to ask them to play against this team would not be an easy task for anyone! Plus the fact that Young, Briscoe and Ennis might be the best trio in the State, Teaneck gave a formidable effort! Benedicts took a 21-4 lead in the 1st quarter and never looked back. although Seniors Joel Hernandez who scored 24 points with 7 rebounds and Shakir Lindsey who scored 18 points never stopped bringing it! Sophomore Ceasar DeJesus added 12 points for Teaneck!( The legendary Howie Garfinkel in between  former Playaz Basketball Club players Hernandez and Young)