Thirst For Knowledge, LLC/Plainfield Alumni Association Top 25 Plainfield Basketball Players Nomination by the Cardinal Fanatic

Thirst for Knowledge, LLC/Plainfield Alumni Association has started the hot topic of the top 25 basketball players of all time out of Plainfield High School.  The list is deep and arguments leading to fisticuffs will probably happen.  The Cardinal Fanatic will interject into this discussion on this argument.  And this is only the Cardinal Fanatic opinion with the final rankings determined by Thirst For Knowledge, LLC/Plainfield Alumni Association.  This will be broken down into era’s first and from there a top 25 will be develop for Thirst for Knowledge, LLC/Plainfield Alumni to digest.

Some will say he does not belong, and some will say others should have been included but the bottom line, Basketball rules in Plainfield….

The first there has to be Jazzy McDaniel’s and Rico Parenti from the pre-70 era.  The Cardinal Fanatic was not around during these guy’s playing days but their resumes are deserving of being in the argument of the greatest.

The 70’s arguably brought on the best basketball talent the City of Plainfield has ever seen.  There are probably players that did not even make the team that should be discussed.  The Cardinal Fanatic knows personally from playing with some of these studs on the black tops in various towns in the area.  There was no AAU, just hard nose ballers during this period.  Interesting enough, many of these ballers are now parents of the resurgence of Plainfield Basketball Players of today. A street baller from the early to mid 70’s once told the Cardinal Fanatic a story. “I moved here from Newark.  We rule basketball in NJ so I knew there would be no contest of me making the team.  But when I enter the gym for the first day of try outs, there was nearly 400 guys there trying to make the team!”

Here are some of the 70’s greatest.

Leon Kearny

Reggie Vitalli

Lionel McGill

Rodney Tucker Sr.

Nokey Johnson

Sam Curry

Henry Forster Jr.

Herb Billups

The 80’s saw a slight decline in the amount of talent but the guy’s that did play could play with anyone.

Kenny Fields

William Johnson

Randy Young

Bernard Blake

Tim Harvey

Eric Felder

Raymond Lee

Robert Vaughn

Del Harrison

Raymond Gregory – transferred to Piscataway Vo-Tech

Ronald Gregory – transferred to Piscataway Vo-Tech

The 90’s were a blur for the Cardinal Fanatic.  Attending to my chiclets was the priority and basketball observance took a hit.  Although arguably one of the best teams that no one knows about came out of this era (class of 1990). The starting 5 of that class all went on to play college ball with 2 of them going division 1.  All were impact players for their collegiate team.   Many of the players in this list were on that team.

Derrick Johnson

Jabar Jones

Mendal Foreman

Chris Jordan

Jason Williams – transferred to St. Joseph of Metuchen during his freshman year

The 21’st century saw a resurgence of talent.  Many of these players brought back the lime light of the 70’s.

Jihad Muhammad

Andre Dabney

Mike Gordon Jr.

Jerrel Thompson

Anthony Nelson

Isaiah Epps

Anthony Baskerville

Tyrone Johnson – transferred to Montrose Christian entering his senior year

Sekou Harris

Jahmal Lane

Dii’Jon Allen-Jordan

Justin Sears

Earl Clark – transferred to Rahway H.S. prior to entering Plainfield High

Derrick Gordon – enrolled at St. Patrick H.S.

Chase Plummer – enrolled at St. Patrick H.S.

 

Lets break it down by positions….

My top Centers

Justin Sears

Randy Young

Reggie Vitelli

Rodney Tucker

Jabar Jones

Tim Harvey

 

My top forwards

Leon Kearny

Herb Billups

Jazzy McDaniels

Eric Felder

Dii’Jon Allen-Jordan

Henry Forster

Raymond Gregory

Ronald Gregory

 

My top guards

Tyrone Johnson

Derrick Johnson

Nokey Johnson

Mike Gordon Jr.

Sekou Harris

Lionel McGill

Jahmal Lane

Raymond Lee

Andre Dabney
Jihad Muhammad

Anthony Nelson

Jerrel Thompson

Jason Williams

 

We will start with the 5^th Team All Plainfield Greatest
 

#21 – Dii’Jon Allen-Jordan “2012”

Only Kenny Fields could create a better hi-light film – 2-time Tournament of Champions Runner Up - 2-time Group State Champion – 3 time Sectional State Champion – Union County Champion

#22 – Rodney Tucker Sr. “1977”

Played against the Star Ledger’s greatest ever player from New Jersey, Kelly Tripuka.  Plainfield won and went on to win their first State Championship.

#23 – Isaiah Epps “2009”

The lefty was one of the best ball handlers in Plainfield history.  One of the greatest assist leaders in Plainfield history of Basketball.  Earned a basketball scholarship to University of Pittsburgh.

#24 – Reggie Vitelli “1976”

The big man of the most talented Plainfield team “1975” as a junior. A member of the 1976 State Championship team.

#25 – Jabar Jones “1991”

The big man of the 90’s – Went on to Rider University and led them to back to back Conference Titles and back to back NCAA Tournament bids.

#25 – Tim Harvey “1982”

At 6’11” Tim was the biggest player in Plainfield basketball history – Earned a basketball scholarship to Georgia Tech and later transferred to the University of Miami.
Next up on this topic - 4th team All-Time Plainfield