Top Efficiency Performance of the 2011 – 2012 Season in a
Plainfield Game –
1st Team All Efficiency 2011-2012
1) Plainfield – Senior Justin Sears 6’8” {ER-44} vs.
Elizabeth
Dr. Double-Double filled up the stat sheet. Justin is only one of two players to get an
Efficiency Rating of 40 or higher (Cleveland Cavaliers Kyrie Irving is the
other). Sears scored a game and career
high 32 points on 79% shooting from the field and 80% shooting from the foul
line. Dr. Double-Double reconfirmed his
doctorate title with a game high 11-rebound performance to go along with a game
high 3 steals, 3 assists, and you guessed it – a game high 2 rejections.
-Mr. Chairman of the Boards - Sears will be playing for
the Bulldogs of Yale University next season.
Justin had an impressive number of top academic universities after
him. Penn, Princeton, Columbia, Brown,
Lafayette, Lehigh, Boston University and Stanford were just a few schools that
were interested in Sears. Sears leaves
Plainfield as arguably the most dominant big man in Plainfield High School
history. Only the 2nd player
in Plainfield’s history to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds. Sears also became the number 1 rebounder of
all time at Plainfield. There is not
enough data but Sears as well may be the number 1 block shot artist in
Plainfield history. The incredible
thing about Justin his potential has only been tapped. Expect big things in the IVY League from Mr.
Sears. Sears holds the highest
Efficiency Rating ever with an ER-47 against Mendham in the Sectional State
Championship as a junior. Sears scored
24 points, grabbed 26 rebounds and rejected 7 shots in what was the most
impressive all-around statistical game the Cardinal Fanatic has seen. Sears also became the first Plainfield
non-guard to be named First Team All-State.
Sears was also named to First Team All-Central Jersey. Justin as a sophomore was named to the 2nd
Team All-Efficiency, as a junior he was named to the 1st Team
All-Efficiency and Mr. Efficiency Performance of the Year. Sears repeats this year as Mr. Efficiency
Performance of the Year. Sears is also the only performer to have a game time
Efficiency Rating of +40 on more than one occasion.
2) St. Anthony’s – Senior Jerome Frink 6’6” {ER-41} vs.
Plainfield
Can some on say VCU (Virginia Common Wealth
University)? With no official
D-1offers, Jerome benefited the most than any other player in this game in
respect to recruiting potential. The
most notable recruiter in the building was 2011 Cinderella Final Four Coach of
VCU, Shaka Smart. Jerome gave a
performance of the ages by giving a remarkable double-double performance by
dropping a game high 28 points on 58% shooting from the field and grabbing a
game high 13 rebounds. Frink added to
his stat line by grabbing 3 steals, dropping 2 assists and rejecting a game
high 3 shot attempts. Frink, who also
became only the 3rd player in Cardinal Fanatic Efficiency Rating
recording history to score an ER over 40 (Kyrie Irving and Justin Sears are the
other two to score over 40), showed why he was the TOC Efficiency Player of the
game by committing only 1 turnover for the entire game.
-The Cardinal Fanatic has Jerome as the most
under-recruited star in New Jersey.
Frink was named First Team All-State.
NEWS FLASH – WWW.ZAGSBLOG.COM announced the Frink is near a
decision. Here are a list of schools
with offers and/or interest in the TOC outstanding Efficiency Player of the
Game: FIU, IONA, Quinnipiac, Central Connecticut, Drexel, Hofstra, Radford, Robert
Morris, Saint Peters and Towson.
3) Plainfield – Senior Dii’Jon Allen-Jordan 6’6” {ER-35} vs.
Teaneck
Dr. Dunkadelic was at it again. The Cardinal Fanatic has not seen such throw downs in over 30
years (Kenny Fields “80”). Dii’Jon gave
his best Efficiency Performance in the unofficial public school championship
game. Dunkadelic shot 69% from the
floor and was perfect from the foul line to score a team high tying 24 points
(Sekou Harris also with 24 points). Mr.
Mustard just missed a double-double by 1 rebound by grabbing 9 boards. Dii’Jon also picked up 2 steals, dropped off
2 assists and re-fortified the Block Party with 2 rejections. Dii’Jon had a superb night taking care of
the rock, as he did not commit a single turnover for the entire game.
-One of Plainfield’s greatest highlight film. Dii’Jon continues to increase his vertical
jumping ability. Western Oklahoma St.
JC will have the seats packed after a couple of Allen-Jordan above the rim
antics. After his thunderous contested
dunk in a pre-season game as a sophomore against CJEOTO Prep, the Cardinal
Fanatic knew he was in for a ride for the next 3 years. Dr. Dunkadelic did not disappoint the paid
admission attendee’s. Other colleges that were interested in the 2-sport star
were Mt. Saint Mary’s, Robert Morris, UMES, Monmouth, St. Peters, Manhattan,
and Wagner. The starting quarterback of
the football team also drew football interest from Boston College. The Cardinal Fanatic predicts if
Allen-Jordan develops his mid-range game, we may see him on the big screen
playing for a major conference team after his JUCO stint is complete.
4) Plainfield – Senior Sekou Harris 6’0” {ER-35} vs. Teaneck
Sekou “Trey Swish” Harris gave arguably the best performance
by a point guard in the State of NJ this year.
Sekou shot 50% from below the arc and 100% from beyond the arc (4 for 4
shooting) to score a team high tying 24 points. Sekou also grabbed 6 rebounds, picked up 2 steals and distributed
a game high 9 assists. Sekou gave an
exceptional performance taking care of the rock as he finished the game with a
9:2 assist to turnover ratio. This is
the best assist to turnover ratio by a player or opponent in a Plainfield game
in the last 3-years of Efficiency Record keeping. This is the highest amount of assists in one game since Isaiah
Epps dished out 14 assists in 2009 vs. Lakewood.
-Sekou leaves Plainfield High with the most amount of
championship hardware that any of the past great Plainfield guards (including
the guys that played at private schools).
For the old heads here are some of the great past guards: Nokey Johnson,
Michael Jenkins, Lionel McGill, Sam Curry, Bernard Blake, William Johnson,
Kenny Fields, Raymond Lee, Gene Vaughn, Derek Johnson, Chris Jordan, Jason
Williams, Andre Dabney, Jihad Muhammad, Mike Gordon, Anthony Nelson, Jerrel Thompson, Derrick Gordon, Miles
Davis, Anthony Baskerville, Isaiah Epps, and Tyrone Johnson. All had great careers but Sekou leaves as a
2 time champion and can argue the fact that if not injured may have helped win
3 consecutive group championships.
Sekou had multiple colleges seeking his talents: FIU, Hofstra, UMES,
Monmouth, University of San Francisco, and St. Peters. On www.plainfieldsportsnews.com,
Sekou Harris explained, “I have always been a winner and my goal is to get to the
NCAA Tournament at FDU.” Sekou will be
looking to get Fairleigh Dickinson University back on the winning track. Sekou Harris received the 1st
Nokey Johnson award for outstanding point guard this year. Nokey is considered
by many as one of the best point guards to ever come out of Plainfield. He led his team to Plainfields only
unblemished regular season with a 25-0 record, a Union County Championship and
a still standing 25 consecutive game winning streak. Nokey was the leading scorer for his collegiate team during his
freshman year. Nokey’s life was
tragically cut short during the basketball season. Nokey played at Fairleigh
Dickinson University. The Cardinal
Fanatic is predicting that Sekou will also have an outstanding freshman
campaign.
5) Plainfield – Senior Jahmal Lane 6’4” {ER-32} vs. Mendham
Jahmal gave one of his best Efficiency performances to help
Plainfield get their 4th consecutive Sectional State
Championship. Lane becomes the first
player in Plainfield Basketball History to win 4 Sectional Titles, a record
that will never be broken for 4 years of eligibility. Lane shot 69% from below the arc and was perfect from the free
throw line to score a game and career high 29 points. Lane also grabbed 6 rebounds, picked up a game high 5 steals,
dropped off 1 assist and rejected 1 shot attempt. Lane completed a fantastic night by only committing 1 turnover.
-Jahmal came into high school his freshman year with a bit
of notoriety with multiple experts naming him one of the top incoming high school
ball player. University of Pittsburgh
was already showing interest in Jahmal’s ability. Other schools that showed
interest was Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. Joseph’s, and Villanova. Lane played
varsity as a freshman and demonstrated that he would fit into the Coach
Lubreski system well. As a freshman,
Lane played the 3 and defended against some of the most talented players in the
state. In his first season as a varsity
player, Jahmal had a 7 consecutive game streak of rejecting at least one shot
and was one of the Cardinals leading block shot artist. Lane then hit a sophomore hic-up and his
junior year he played the role of “Vinnie the Microwave” for his 6th
man roll of coming into the game and providing instance offense. His play last year against #2 St. Augustine
was pivotal as he sparked the offense with his variety of penetrating
moves. Lane came into his final season
showing that he must of done some work during the off season. Lane’s body bulked up, his dribbling skills
improved, his 3-point shooting accuracy was one of the best in Union County,
and his defense effort at the 2 was one of the best in the state. His off-season efforts earned him the
unofficial most improve player in the state and team MVP. Jahmal was honored with the Union County Player
of the Year, 1st Team Union County, and 1st Team Central
Jersey. Lane will continue his academic
and basketball career with his fellow team mate, Dii’Jon Allen-Jordan, at
Western Oklahoma St. Junior College.
Look to see Jahmal at the D1 level at a theatre near you in the near
future. Jahmal leaves Plainfield High
School with more hardware and state championships than any other basketball
student athlete before him.
*Photos courtesy of Plummer Photography....plummerphotos.smugmug.com
*Photos courtesy of Plummer Photography....plummerphotos.smugmug.com
