Plainfield Cardinals Basketball

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Newark Central vs Plainfield

A Fanatic Summation of the Central vs. Plainfield Game
Plainfield - 61
Newark Central - 56

Plainfield came up big when they needed.  Connecting on their free throws and controlling the glass was the difference in this game.

Rebounds – Plainfield grabbed 36 rebounds compared to Central’s 28.  This is an 8-possession advantage for Plainfield

3-Point Shooting – Plainfield converted 6 3-point attempts and was very efficient as a team by shooting 50%. 

Free Throw Shooting – This was the key as Plainfield shot a respectable 79%.  What was even more impressive was that the Cards shot 88% in the final period as a team with Steve Jones and Jordan Sears shooting 12 of 12.


The Cardinal Fanatic Efficiency Players of the game


1)      Plainfield - Junior Jachai Simmons 6’7” – {ER-32}
Mr. Dunketeer shot an efficient 64% from below the arc to score 15 points.  Jachai completed the double double by grabbing a game high 16 rebounds of which 7 were offensive rebounds. Simmons completed his Efficiency player of the game performance by picking up 2 steals, dropping a team high 3 assists and rejecting a game high 4 shot attempts. Mr. Dunketeer 180’ double pump Dominique Wilkins like between the legs Slam Dunk had the opponent fans rise out of their seats!

2)      Central – Junior Yasim Smith 6’3” – {ER-18}
Yasim displayed his argument as one of the best point guards in the Brick City.  Yasim shot 55% from below the arc, grabbed 5 rebounds, picked up 2 steals, dropped a game high 5 assists and rejected 1 shot attempt.  Y Smith finished the game with a 5:2 assist to turnover ratio.

3)      Plainfield – Senior Clarence Hoover 6’2” – {ER-17}
The Hoover name is known in the Queen City in the football arena but the Cardinal Fanatic see the Hoover name will be in the basketball forum this season.  Hoover shot 63% below the arc and shot an efficient 67% from behind the arc to score a game high tying 17 points (Plainfield’s Jordan Sears also with 17 points).  Clarence also grabbed 2 rebounds, picked up a game high tying 3 steals (Central’s Tamir Barnes also with 3 steals), dropped 2 assists and rejected 1 shot attempt.

4)      Plainfield – Senior Jordan Sears 6’6” – {ER-16}
Sears shot a Mercury hot 100% from behind the arc and 78% from the free throw line to score a game high tying 17 points.  Sears just missed a double double performance by grabbing 9 rebounds.  Sears added to his stat line by picking up 2 steals and dropping 2 assists.

5)      Central – Senior Tamir Barnes 6’6” – {ER-15}
Tamir shot 42% from the field to score 10 points.  Barnes also grabbed 5 rebounds, picked up a game high tying 3 steals and dropped 3 assists.

6)      Central – Junior JaQuan Hanson 5’10” – {ER-13}
Quan shot a hot 80% from below the arc, 40% from beyond the arc and shot 100% from the free throw line to score a team high 16 points.  Hanson also grabbed 1 rebound and dropped off 2 assists.

7)      Central – Junior Elijah Sealey 6’7” – {ER-12}
Eli gave an efficient night by grabbing 5 boards, picking up a steal, dropping an assist and rejecting a team high 3 shot attempts.  Sealey gave an impressive efficiency performance by not committing a single turnover.


The efficiency rating is base on points scored, shooting accuracy, foul shooting accuracy, rebounds, assists, steals, defensive intensity, and assist – turnover ratio.

2013-2014 Pre-Season Write up...

Hurricane Sandy put a damper into the Cardinal Fanatic updates.  Many updates were put on hold as the Cardinal Fanatic had to attend to his little Red Birds.

Hope to post the following:

The Top Efficiency Performances in a Plainfield Game during the 2012-2013 season
The Cardinal Fanatic Top Plainfield Performances
The Top 50 All-Time Performance update and where are they now

For now the season has started.  The pre-season on a scale of 1 - 10, I will give the Cards a 7.5.  The Cardinals was able to take the advantage of all scrimmages.  Improvements were made in all categories.  Most fans wanted to see the Cards battle the more mature CJEOTO.  This usually gave many a perspective of how the season will go but that scrimmage never came to attrition. But even without the CJEOTO scrimmage the Cardinals are an improved team from last season.

Seniors:
Clarence "Jo Jo" Hoover
 The guard position has one of the top 100 basketball players in the state leading the way in 6'1" senior Clarence "Jo-Jo" Hoover.  If the name sounds familiar it is.  Hoover is the nephew of the late Plainfield Football standout Terrance Hoover, who led the nation in yards per carry as only a sophomore in college.  Although not a football player, the toughness of a football player is displayed in Clarence.  This will be needed in the Union County Conference which is no doubt the toughest conference in the tri-state area.

Steven "The Hammer" Jones Jr.
We have another top 100 player but he is in the top 100 in football.  The 6'0" senior Steve Jones is fresh off of being named in the football honor roll of top players in the state.  This football toughness will be needed.  Jones is arguably the most improve player from last years team and one of the Cardinals best defensive player.

Jordan "And 1" Sears
Jordan Sears will be looking to come out of the shadows of his older sibling.  At nearly 6'6", with ball handling ability, improve outside touch and leaping ability that will challenge anyone in the state, Jordan will surprise many with his improvement. His finishes around the basket will be a must for the Cardinals to regain the state championship chip. His versatility will be a tough out for opponents as Sears can score from anywhere on the floor.

Christan"The" Cook
Christan when on is light's out. When the Christan is Cook"ing" it will be hot in the Kitchen!  His range will bring flash back's of Anthony "Bombs Away" Baskerville. His outside shooting will be key if Plainfield wants to overcome the top teams in Union County.

Mike "The Body" Kirkland
Mike The Body Ventura is another strong body defender with good outside touch.  Kirkland's role in big games will be key.

Mike "Zone Buster" Maynard is another outside shooter who can nail the outside shot.  He will be called upon to stretch defensive efforts trying to shutdown our big guys.

Juniors
6'7" Jachai "Watch out Below" Simmons
6'6" Kenny "The Mad Hacker" Carter
6'8" Ahmad "The Rejectonator" Baker
6'3" JaQue "Above the Rim" Wilson

Sophomores
5'10" Jonathan "Curly Neal" Stevens
6'4" Jaleel "The Penetrator" Simmons
6'4" Cesar "The Window Cleaner" Cordoba

Let's support our Cardinals!!!!

Note:
Its with a heavy heart that the Cardinal Fanatic will be attending games this season. We lost a former Cardinal athletic stud in Dawud Hicks.  We also just lost one of the Cardinal faithful's that came to Plainfield games giving his full support.  Arthur "Bird" Brown passed away over the weekend.  The Cardinal Fanatic will reserve his seat behind the Cardinal Bench because in spirit he will be there.

Let's go Cardinals!!!




Give up the Funk (Tear the roof off the sucker) -  Plainfield's own Parliment-Funkadelic