by Alex Schwartz

They are the top two teams in New Jersey. Both are ranked amongst the top dozen teams in the nation. There will be 15-20 Division I players in the game, many of whom will play at the high-major level. Six players are already committed to DI schools. The coaches are two of the best in America. Arguably the top sophomore and junior in America will be on display. The programs are proud and powerful. Tomorrow night at 7:30pm, as part of The Hoop Group Showcase Series, the St. Benedict's (NJ) Gray Bees and St. Patrick's (NJ) Celtics will meet at the RAC on the campus of Rutgers University in what should be one of the five biggest high school basketball games of the season nationally.

Although the game will, for some reason, not be nationally televised by any of the ESPN channels, it should draw a packed house and numerous college coaches. St. Benedict's is a consensus top four team in America (#3 ESPN Rise, #3 PrepNation.com, #2 USA Today, and #4 Rivals High), while St. Patrick's is a consensus top 12 team (#5 ESPN Rise, #12 PrepNation.com, #9 USA Today, #6 Rivals High). Last year's 68-62 thriller was the first time the Gray Bees defeated the Celtics, doing so at the same venue as this year's game, the RAC, coming in the 2008 Prime Time Shootout. Many of the players from last year's game will be back for this one.

St. Benedict's is led by Pitt-bound guard Lamar Patterson '09, Rice-signee Tamir "Pop" Jackson '09, Texas-commit Tristan Thompson '10, Texas-pledge Myck Kabongo '11, Aaron Brown '10, and JP Kambola '10. For the Celtics, North Carolina-signee Dexter Strickland '09, George Mason-bound Paris Bennett '09, Kyrie Irving '10, and Michael Gilchrist '11 lead the way. St. Benedict’s will enter this one undefeated with wins over schools such as Lincoln (NY) and Wheeler (GA). The Celtics have two losses, one of which came at the hands of Mater Dei (CA), the consensus number one team in America, while the other was to Life Center Academy (NJ). Irving sat out both games due to transfer rules, and Strickland missed the latter of the two due to injury.

While St. Patrick's, coached by Kevin Boyle, may have more overall firepower in Strickland and Irving—maybe the best backcourt in America—as well as Gilchrist, the Gray Bees are probably the deepest team in the US, and have a definitive size advantage. Bennett and Gilchrist will need to do work in the post defensively, while Strickland and Irving will have to score a lot and play smart ball. On the other end, Danny Hurley will need all of his players to work together and tire down the Celtics so that the Gray Bees' depth becomes a key. If the Celtics are able to run all game, their guard play could really hurt St. Benedict's. The two teams are very even, as both have specific advantages over one another, but also some major disadvantages. As well, all of these guys know each other from playing in the Garden State in addition to AAU ball, making it even more interesting. This will be a fantastic game that any basketball fan should try to go to.

This one can go either way, and both sides have logical reasons for picking one team or the other. At the end of the day though, only one team will leave Rutgers with a win. I see that team being the St. Benedict’s Gray Bees. In the end, the interior play of the team from Newark will be too much for St. Patrick’s to handle, while the guards will, for the most part, hold their own. I’m picking St. Benedict’s to beat St. Patrick’s by five, 76-71.