ESPN High School Sports

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Whether you’re putting together a grouping of best quarterbacks or worst albums, or you’re making that special list for Santa, there’s nothing quite like a good list. So in honor of the holiday season we’re bringing you lists all week long — Merry List-Mas!

Today: The best mascots in New Jersey high school sports

Any school can be a mascot like the Hawks or the Bulldogs. It takes a creative school to come up with something that is a little more exciting. And some of the New Jersey schools have some awfully creative mascots. But which schools made our top five? Read below, and let us know if you think your school should have made the cut.
5. Neptune Scarlet Fliers

4. Fair Lawn Cutters

3. Florence Township Memorial Flashers

2. Verona Hillbillies

1. Belvidere County Seaters

Honorable Mention: Bordentown Scotties, Millville Thunder Bolts, Nutley Maroon Raiders, Pompton Lakes Garnet Gulls, Teaneck Highwaymen, West Side Roughriders

Brandon Parker covers New Jersey for ESPNHS magazine and ESPNHS.com. Follow him on Twitter@brandoncparker or email him at brandon.c.parker@espn.com.

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

Whether you’re putting together a grouping of best quarterbacks or worst albums, or you’re making that special list for Santa, there’s nothing quite like a good list. So in honor of the holiday season we’re bringing you lists all week long — Merry List-Mas!

Today: The five best NBA players ever to come out of New Jersey.

Kyle Anderson and Mike Tobey are standout basketball recruits who are headed to D-I colleges — and possibly beyond. New Jersey has a long history of sending top high school players to the NBA. But who's been the best? Here's our list of the five best players from the Garden State to play in the NBA.

5. Joakim Noah
Credentials: Noah went to The Lawrenceville School before moving on to Florida, where he won two NCAA titles. He was picked ninth overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2007 NBA Draft while wearing this. His presence has helped turn the Bulls back into a contender, as he averages 8.5 points and 8.4 rebounds.


4. Andrew Bynum
Credentials: Right now, the most memorable images we have of Bynum are him knocking J.J. Barea out of the air in last season's playoffs, taking his shirt off after being ejected and crumbling to the floor after another knee injury. But let's forget all that and focus on the good stuff. Bynum went straight from St. Joseph (Met.) to the NBA, where the McDonald's All-American was drafted 10th overall by the Lakers in 2005. Despite battling injuries, Bynum has become a valued player when healthy, averaging 10.5 points and 7.1 boards and winning two NBA titles.

3. Luol Deng
Credentials: This Sudan native attended Blair Academy before enrolling at Duke University for one season. After averaging 15.1 points and 6.9 boards as a freshman, Deng was chosen seventh overall by the Bulls in the 2004 NBA Draft. In Chicago, he's been a regular starter and put up 17.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game alongside MVP Derrick Rose.

2. Tom Heinsohn
Credentials: Whether or not you like him as a Celtics broadcaster, Heinsohn is a legend and Hall of Famer. Hailing from St. Michael's went on to play at Holy Cross, averaging 27.4 points and 21.1 rebounds as a senior. The Celtics drafted him in 1956 and he went on to win Rookie of the Year and eight championships in his nine seasons.

1. Rick Barry
Credentials: One of the NBA's top 50 greatest players began his ascent into excellence at Roselle Park. After dominating at Miami, (he averaged 37.4 points and 18.3 boards as a senior) Barry took his talents to the San Francisco Warriors, who drafted him second overall in the 1965 NBA Draft. Barry continued his great play in the NBA and ABA, putting up 24.8 points per game and leading the Warriors to the 1965 NBA title. His genes spread into sons Jon, Brent and Drew, who all played in the NBA.

Tomorrow: Wild Card! Check back tomorrow to find out what our list is.

Brandon Parker covers New Jersey for ESPNHS magazine and ESPNHS.com. Follow him on Twitter @brandoncparker or email him at brandon.c.parker@espn.com.

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

Whether you’re putting together a grouping of best quarterbacks or worst albums, or you’re making that special list for Santa, there’s nothing quite like a good list. So in honor of the holiday season we’re bringing you lists all week long — Merry List-Mas!

Today: The top underclassmen in high school football.

The state championships are over and the Class of 2012 had their run, but it’s never too early to start looking at the impressive players in the Class of 2013 and beyond. Who’s going to rule the gridiron in New Jersey next season? We give you the early rundown of who to watch for.

5. Alquadin Muhammad (JR), Don Bosco Prep, DL
Credentials: Led Ironmen to national title and sixth straight Non-Public Group 4 crown, offers from Notre Dame and Oklahoma

4. Nadir Barnwell (JR), Piscataway, QB/DB
Credentials: Led team to second straight North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 title, offers from Florida and Rutgers

3. Kevin Olsen (JR), Wayne Hills, QB
Credentials: 1,686 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, Led Patriots to second straight North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 crown, has 15 offers including Georgia, Stanford and Florida State

2. Jamauri Bogan (SO), Union, RB
Credentials: 2,260 rushing yards, 25 touchdowns, 2011 Gatorade State Player of the Year

1. Jabrill Peppers (SO), Don Bosco Prep, DB/RB
Credentials: Led Ironmen to national title and sixth straight Non-Public Group 4 crown, ESPNHS All-American

Click here to check out some of the other states in our Five Days of List-Mas

Tomorrow: POWERADE state hoops rankings

Brandon Parker covers New Jersey for ESPNHS magazine and ESPNHS.com. Follow him on Twitter @brandoncparker or email him at brandon.c.parker@espn.com.

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

Whether you’re putting together a grouping of best quarterbacks or worst albums, or you’re making that special list for Santa, there’s nothing quite like a good list. So in honor of the holiday season we’re bringing you lists all week long — Merry List-Mas!

Today: A-Listers.

In the NFL, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are A-Listers. In the NBA, it’s LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. But who are the A-Listers in New Jersey? That’s where today’s list comes in. Regardless of sport, here’s our list of the top five A-List athletes in the state. Can you think of an A-Lister we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments.

5. Edward Cheserek (JR), St. Benedict's, Cross Country/Track
Credentials: Set course records in seven of eight races in 2011, won 2011 Foot Locker Nationals, course-record holder at Holmdel Park, 2010 NXN runner-up

4. Jabrill Peppers (SO), Don Bosco Prep, Football
Credentials: Team's top rusher, led Ironmen to 2011 national title and state titles in 2010 and 2011, two-way starter

3. Devin Fuller (SR), Old Tappan, Football
Credentials: No. 39 in ESPNU 150, U.S. Army All-American, surpassed 10,000 total career yards, state's top-ranked recruit

2. Darius Hamilton (SR), Don Bosco Prep, Football
Credentials: No. 66 in ESPNU 150, led Ironmen to 2011 national title and state titles in 2010 and 2011, U.S. Army All-American, son of former New York Giant Keith Hamilton

1. Kyle Anderson (SR), St. Anthony, Basketball
Credentials: No. 5 in ESPNU 100, led Friars to 2011 state and national titles, 2011 Elite 24 participant, UCLA recruit

Click here to check out some of the other states in our Five Days of List-Mas.

Brandon Parker covers New Jersey for ESPNHS magazine and ESPNHS.com. Follow him on Twitter @brandoncparker or email him at brandon.c.parker@espn.com.