1st Team All-Efficiency

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 2^nd 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 2^nd Team All-Efficiency, as a junior he was named to the 1^st 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 3^rd 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 1^st 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 4^th 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 6^th 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, 1^st Team Union County, and 1^st 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