by Alex Schwartz

Here are some notes from the NJSIAA Public School state finals as well as the semifinals and finals of the Tournament of Champions:

- In all four Public title games (Group I, Group II, Group III, and Group IV) at the RAC on Sunday, March 15, one team had at least a 17-point lead at some point in the affair. In fact, in three of the games, there was a team with at least a 20-point lead. It was a very interesting day, with all four games looking like blowouts at some point, but all ending up as pretty good games, as the teams all kept fighting.

- During the day at the Public finals, I saw coaches from Rutgers, La Salle, NYU (DIII), and Ramapo (DIII) on hand.

- Of the eight teams in the Public title games, there were two from each section (North I, North II, Central, and South), with North II winning two crowns, North I taking one, and Central grabbing one as well. Including Non-Public champions, five came from the North sections, with just one from the South and Central sections.

- Former St. Patrick's (NJ) star Jeff Robinson—the class of 2007 baller transferred from Memphis to Seton Hall this year—was on hand for the Celtics' wins in both the TOC semifinals and finals. In fact, he was at the center of the team's celebration when they won the TOC, as the players really got him involved.

- The Celtics followed the lead of another squad of Celtics, those being the NBA's defending champion Boston Celtics, as they gave a Gatorade bath to Assistant Coach Rae Miller upon defeating Science Park in the TOC title contest.

- For the most part, the state finals and TOC games that I attended had pretty solid crowds, which was certainly good to see.

- During the Group II and Group III state title games, I took down scouting reports on one player from each game. Have a look:

Aaron Walton-Moss '09, Camden (NJ)
The Camden High School floor general has great size for a lead guard. He has a very strong build with a big frame, and an overall college-ready body. Aaron Walton-Moss showed in the team's three-point loss to Science Park (NJ) that he is a very smart player, with outstanding passing ability. A true PG, Walton-Moss looks to pass the rock first and is a solid dribbler, which helps him do a good job of splitting defenders. In addition, Aaron rebounds well for a guard and is a vocal team leader, both of which are pluses. A strong athletic guard, Walton-Moss has the potential to be a nice player at the next level.

Javae King-Gilchrist '09, Teaneck (NJ)
The star for Teaneck High School this season, this was not Javae King-Gilchrist's best day, though he did have some nice moments. A point guard with very long arms, King-Gilchrist definitely needs to add weight and muscle. Right now he has the frame of a long and gangly 6'7 small forward (think Michael Gilchrist '11 of St. Pat's), yet he is about 6'3, which shows why he needs to bulk up. A solid athlete with big hands, he certainly has good size for a one. A good dribbler, King-Gilchrist uses his crossover well, but can be sloppy with the ball at times. He is not a great finisher around the rack, but has a nice touch from outside. At times, he forces sloppy passes around midcourt. Overall, even on a bad day, it was clear why he has been so good this year.

Note- photos are from http://njhoops.rivals.com/default.asp