Elizabeth vs Plainfield

A Fanatic Summation of the Elizabeth vs. Plainfield Game

Plainfield – 48

Elizabeth - 45

With Elizabeth looking like a sure shot winner, Plainfield would pull a magic act rip a victory out of looming defeat.

Where did Plainfield win this game: Sharing the ball and interior defense

Assists – Plainfield dropped 5 more assists as team than Elizabeth.  Jachai Simmons led the game with 5 assists.

Block Shots – The interior defense was the difference in this game.  Plainfield would reject 9 shot attempts as a team.  Jaleel Simmons would reject a game high 3 shot attempts to lead 6 Cardinals with at least one blocked shot.

The Cardinal Fanatic Efficiency Players of the game

1)      Plainfield - Senior Clarence Hoover 6’1” – {ER-18}

Hoover dropped a game high 20-points on 57% shooting below the arc and 50% shooting from beyond the arc.  Clarence also grabbed 3 rebounds, picked up 2 steals and rejected 2 shot attempts.

2)      Elizabeth – Junior Tyree Gutierrez 6’0” – {ER-15}

T.G. shot a hot 67% from trey point land to score a team high 19-points. Gutierrez also grabbed 4 rebounds and picked up 2 steals.

3)      Elizabeth – Senior Kamil Brown 6’5” – {ER-14}

Brown shot 57% from below the arc, grabbed a game high 10 rebounds and rejected a team high 2 shot attempts.

4)      Plainfield – Senior Christan Cook 6’2” – {ER-12}

Christan shot 60% from the floor below the arc, grabbed 5 rebounds, picked up a steal and dropped 2 assists.  Cook completed an Efficient night by only committing 1 turnover for the entire game.

5)      Elizabeth – Junior Josh Gordon 6’3” – {ER-11}

Gordon shot 50% from below the arc, grabbed 6 rebounds, picked up a steal and rejected 1 shot attempt.

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

Plainfield vs Linden

A Fanatic Summation of the Plainfield vs. Linden

Linden - 52

Plainfield – 33

Linden’s defensive tenacity proved to be the difference in a repeat performance from earlier this season.  If you break it down, Linden won each scoring category by no whopping margin but when you add it up in totality you can see how Linden was able win comfortably.

Where did Plainfield lose this game:

Perimeter shooting – Plainfield shot a Polar Vortex 12% from beyond the arc.  Linden shot a hot 57% from beyond the arc and outscored Plainfield by 6 points in this statistical category.  Some will say it’s only six points but Linden was efficient shooting 10 less treys than Plainfield.

Charity Line – Linden was not lights out from the foul line but Plainfield was lights off as the Cardinals shot a dismal 46% from the free throw line.  Linden was able to outscore Plainfield by 5-points in this statistical category.

In the Paint – It looks like an unwanted visitor crashed our usual block party.  Linden rejected 7 shot attempts denying Plainfield a potential 14 points.  On the offensive side of the ball in the paint Linden was more efficient.  Linden outscored Plainfield by 8-points in this statistical category.

The Cardinal Fanatic Efficiency Players of the game

1)      Linden - Senior Quadri Moore 6’9” – {ER-22}

Moore shot 54% from below the arc and was perfect from beyond the arc to score a game high 21 points.  Quad missed a double-double performance by 1 rebound.  Moore grabbed a game high 9-rebounds, dropped off 1 assist and rejected a game high 5 shot attempts.

2)      Linden – Junior James Julius 6’3” – {ER-15}

Julius was perfect shooting the rock.  JJ shot 100% from below the arc, 100% from beyond the arc and perfect from the foul line.  James also picked up 1 steal, grabbed 1 rebound, dropped 1 assist and reject 1 shot attempt.  Julius only committed 1 turnover for the entire game to complete a very efficient night.

3)      Linden – Junior Otis Livingston 5’11” – {ER-10}

Little “O” seems to be another strong talented point guard Coach Colichio has inherited.  O has pushed this team as a contender for a Tournament of Champion bid.  Livingston was perfect from the foul line, grabbed 4 rebounds, picked up 2 steals and dropped a game high tying 3 assists (Linden’s Joshua Carter also with 3 assists). 

4)      Plainfield – Sophomore Jaleel Simmons 6’4” – {ER-9}

Simmons grabbed a team high 8 rebounds, picked up 1 steal and rejected 1 shot attempt.  Jaleel had an Efficient night by only committing 1 turnover for the entire game.

5)      Linden – Junior Juwan Dolbrice 6’0” – {ER-8}

The football star running back shot an Efficient 50% from below the arc and 100% from beyond the arc. Dolbrice also grabbed a rebound, picked up a game high 3 steals and dropped 1 assist.

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

Cordoba Helps Plainfield Hold Off Westfield

Plainfield vs. Westfield

Location:  Plainfield H.S., Plainfield, NJ

Westfield – 39

Plainfield - 52

Westfield featured athletic 6’9” Chris Wright in the middle and Plainfield was missing two of their interior players 6’7” Jachai Simmons and 6’4” Jaleel Simmons.  It seemed the road to an upset victory was planted for Westfield.  To add to the upset alert feeling in the air, 6’8” Ahmad Baker was sent to the bench early in the 1^st with foul trouble.  Plainfield responded with sophomore Cesar Cordoba board work, timely defense and clutch shooting to help Plainfield pull out the 52-39 victory over Westfield. "Chris Wright was hard to cover. Coach Lubreski, Coach Gordon, and Coach Clint instructed me to front him in the post which helped me a lot in this game", Cordoba expressed after the game.

The upset alert feeling was hitting the Plainfield fans before the game started with the noticeable absence of the Simmons brothers and the early athletic display of Westfield’s Chris Wright over the rim acrobatic throw downs (without touching the rim).  The start of the game did not give Plainfield fans any confidence as Westfield would score the first 4-points and Plainfield’s starting center Ahmad Baker had to go to the bench with foul trouble.  Plainfield resilient play would be needed and the Cardinals responded by closing out the first period on a 11-2 run to grab a lead they would not give back for the remainder of the game.

Over the next two periods, Plainfield opened up the game on a 2^nd period 14-2 run and a 3^rd period 7-0 run to open the lead up to 19-points (35-16).   Westfield sharp shooting sophomore Parker Hess would connect on 2 3^rd period treys to spark a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to 11 in a blink of an eye.  A Steve Jones buzzer trey gave Plainfield the 40-26 advantage going into the final period.

Westfield opened the final 8 minutes with a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 8-points forcing Plainfield into a time out to attempt to stymie the ever shifting fragile momentum.  Out of the time out sophomore Cesar Cordoba would connect on a midrange put back help Plainfield score 5 consecutive points to open the lead back up to double digits (13).  Westfield’s Dylan Elliot connected on a top of the key trey to highlight a 7-2 run to get the deficit back down to 8 (47-39).  With the clock playing 6^th man for Plainfield, Westfield was forced to foul.  Plainfield connected on 5 of 6 free throws to thwart a Westfield comeback.

Game High Stats

Plainfield – Clarence Hoover – 22-points

Plainfield – Cesar Cordoba – 7-rebounds

Westfield – Chris Wright – 7-rebounds

Plainfield – Mike Kirkland – 3-assists

Plainfield – Christan Cook – 3-assists

Westfield – Dylan Elliot – 3-assists

Plainfield – Mike Kirkland – 3-steals

Westfield – Chris Wright – 3-steals

Westfield – Chris Wright – 3 blocks

Patrick School holds off Plainfield

Plainfield vs. Patrick School

Location:  Plainfield H.S., Plainfield, NJ

Patrick School – 53

Plainfield - 45

Plainfield was looking to shake up the upcoming Union County Tournament seeding with their 2^nd upset in as many attempts.  The Patrick School would ride Seton Hall University commit 6’9” Angel Delgado.  Delgado would battled against a game 6’8” Ahmad Baker but the Patrick School would fight off every Plainfield run to hold on to the 53-45 victory. 

The two teams battle back and forth for the entire first 8 minutes with 6 lead changes and 3 ties.  The Patrick School’s Danny Knight would keep his team in the game with 3 of 3 shooting from the field.  Clarence Hoover and Jordan Sears would counter Knight’s offensive production with a combine 8 first period points to help Plainfield hold on to a slim 12-11 lead after the 1^st period.

The Patrick School opened the 2^nd period with an 8-2 run highlighted by a trey from 6’4” freshman standout Marcus McLeary.  Plainfield responded with a Steve Jones stiff arm driving lay-up and a deep three by Clarence Hoover to knot the game up midway through the period.  But trey’s by another freshman standout, Jamir Harris and sophomore stud Bryce Aikens would help the Patrick School open up a 6-point lead, 29-23 going into the halftime intermission.

The third period saw a polar opposite of strategy as Plainfield would continue to attack the basket while the Patrick School would counter with the long ball.  Jachai Simmons and Hoover would attack the basket relentlessly and gain several charity stripe attempts.  Both players were perfect from the free throw line but the Patrick Schools Jamir Harris and Paramus Catholic transfer Jalen Hungauz would hold off any Plainfield run with their 67% shooting from beyond the arc.  The Patrick School would extend the lead to 44-35 heading into the final 8 minutes of play.

Plainfield continued to attack the basket.  Jordan Sears grabbed 5 rebounds to help Plainfield out rebound the Patrick School in the final stanza 13-10 but 9 of the 10 rebounds were by the man-child Angel Delgado who grabbed 9 of the Patrick School rebounds.  Jalen Hungauz again connected on a daggering trey to crush any Plainfield come back as the Patrick School held off a stubborn Cardinal team.

Game High Stats

Plainfield – Clarence Hoover – 16-points

Patrick School – Angel Delgado – 13-rebounds

Plainfield – Clarence Hoover – 5 assists

Patrick School – Danny Knight – 3 steals

Patrick School – Angel Delgado – 2 blocks

Plainfield Wins Defensive Battle over Union

Union vs. Plainfield

Location:  Union H.S., Union, NJ

                        1^st            2^nd            3^rd            4^th            FINAL

Plainfield          6               8              11             12              37

Union              10               6                4             16              36

In a game that wrote “TRAP” game, the Plainfield Cardinals would travel down 22 East to battle the Farmers of Union.  Plainfield was able to win the 1^st game against Union by 9-points but the game was never in control by the Cardinals.  The Farmers made many runs and a couple of bounces of the ball the outcome could have been different. Plainfield historically has one of the poorest shooting statistical numbers at the Lou Retino Gymnasium and a case of over confidence would definitely give Union the edge.

With Plainfield having the game in control, Union made a 4^th period run to take the lead and have victory in their clutch but a resilient Cardinal team was able to overcome a tough Union team for the 37-36 victory. 

The game started off with both teams looking to build a new gymnasium with the amount of bricks being thrown at the rim.  Plainfield would shoot 33% from the field while Union would connect at 29%.  The defensive effort of both teams caused a combined 9 turnovers for the first 8 minutes of play to give the game a lack of fluidity.  Emanuel Kema and T.J. McNair would both connect from deep to give Union the early momentum and the 10-6 lead after 1.

The dismal shooting from the field continued for both teams during the 2^nd period.  The defensive effort of both teams showed in the shooting percentage.  Both teams combined for 5 of 25 shooting from the field.  Plainfield would gain the slight advantage during the period on a trey by Clarence Hoover to help Plainfield narrow the game to two points with Union holding the advantage at the half, 16-14.

The momentum started to shift to Plainfield as Clarence Hoover would spark an 11-2 3^rd period closing run to give Plainfield the 25-20 lead heading into the final 8 minutes of the game.

Plainfield would open the lead to 10-points (33-23) at the 6:10 mark of the game on a Hoover trey.  Union would re-group and make the largest run of the game with a 13-1 run over a three-minute time frame.  Jordan Roberson would connect at the 1:58 mark of the game to give Union the 36-34 lead. 

Union’s Diego Rios would foul Plainfield’s Steve Jones putting Plainfield in the double-bonus.  Jones would connect on 1 of 2 free throws giving Union the 36-35 lead with 1:19 remaining.  Union would miss a field goal attempt with 0:35 remaining. Jachai Simmons grabs the rebound for Plainfield and outlet to Clarence Hoover.  Hoover slashes down the middle of the lane connecting on runner giving Plainfield the 37-36 lead with 0:13 remaining in the contest.  Union would call the immediate time out to regroup. Plainfield’s Jachai Simmons steals the ball for the open lay-up but a hustling Diego Rios would foul Simmons before completing the field goal.  With 0:06 remaining Simmons misses both free throws.  Union would grab the rebound and slash up court but Steven Jones steals the ball for Plainfield to secure the victory.

Game High Stats

Plainfield – Clarence Hoover – 21-points

Union – T.J. McNair – 10-rebounds

Union – Diego Rios – 3 assists

Plainfield – Jachai Simmons – 4 steals

Union – Diego Rios – 4 steals

Plainfield – Steve Jones – 2 blocks

Plainfield – Jaleel Simmons – 2 blocks