ESPN High School Sports

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – La Verne Lutheran (La Verne, Calif.) forward Grant Jerrett had to make an adjustment.

In the first half of the Trojans’ game against St. Patrick, Jerrett couldn’t find a way through their zone double team designed to eliminate his effectiveness.

“They did a really good job,” said Jerrett, a senior who is signed to Arizona. “I knew that I had to step through better, and once I did that I was able to get it going.”

Jerrett scored 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Trojans past the Celtics, 68-66, in overtime Saturday at the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

Eric Cooper Jr. added 17 points and five rebounds and Elijah Davis led St. Patrick with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

“It was a great win for our team,” said La Verne Lutheran coach Eric Cooper Sr. “Just to come out here at a quality event like this and get a win really separates us and keeps us moving toward where we want to be.”

Neither team could separate itself in the first half, but the Celtics rode the hot hand of Jared Nickens to who knocked down three 3-pointers in route to 11 first half points to give St. Patrick a 29-25 lead, despite committing 10 turnovers.

“It’s just two great teams playing,” Jerrett said. “Sometimes it’s hard to shake people. We knew that it would come down to the wire just by the way the game was going.”

Late in the fourth quarter, Cameron Osorno drained a corner 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down to give Lutheran a two-point lead. The Trojans could only increase that lead to three down the stretch and with 7.1 seconds left in the game, DeAndre Bembry drained a 3-pointer from the left corner to send the game to overtime.

Both teams traded baskets for most of the overtime period, but in the last minute Jerrett threw down a monster dunk, sent Davis’ layup flying, secured a key rebound and knocked down two free throws to secure the win.

“I knew I’d have to come up big if we were gonna get the win,” Jerrett said. “I’m just glad that I was able to make big plays down the stretch. It’s a great win.”

Jason Jordan is the basketball editor for ESPNHS. He can be reached at jason.x.jordan.-ND@espn.com. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @JayJayESPN.

Results as of Saturday, Oct. 8

As I said on Twitter this weekend, if you're the No. 6 team in the POWERADE FAB 50, it's best to avoid Don Bosco Prep. Before it was Mission Viejo (Calif.) that fell 35-7 to the top-ranked Ironmen. This past weekend, it was St. Edward (Ohio) that lost 38-7 to Don Bosco Prep in surprising fashion.

Granted, even though the Ironmen have proven to be on another level, they weren't the only Jersey teams who found success this past week. Bergen Catholic showed its resolve in a 48-26 comeback victory against a solid Friendship (Washington, D.C.) team. Likewise, Wayne Hills and East Orange put together shutout victories (again).

Here are this week's rankings (last week's rankings in parentheses):

1. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) 5-0 (1)
The Ironmen flexed their muscles as the nation's top-ranked team, easily beating St. Edward (Ohio), 38-7. With their out-of-state slate behind them, the Ironmen will finish out the season with Jersey squads. Following a much-needed bye week, they will face Passaic Tech on Oct. 21.

2. Wayne Hills 4-0 (2)
Another week, another shutout for the Patriots. This time around, they blanked Paramus 38-0 behind three touchdowns by Kevin Olsen. Next up: Ridgewood.

3. Bergen Catholic (Oradell) 3-2 (3)
The Crusaders beat their second out-of-state squad of the year, downing Friendship (Washington D.C.) 48-26 behind Jon Germano's five touchdowns. The schedule doesn't get any easier, as a matchup with No. 6 St. Joseph (Mont.) is next.

Click here for the full POWERADE weekly New Jersey football rankings.

With Jesuit (Calif.) boasting a 67-game win streak, it seemed as if St. Benedict's Prep would be stuck at No. 2 in the national rankings all season. But a not-so lucky draw for Jesuit and dominant play by the Gray Bees has allowed them to inherit the top spot in the latest POWERADE FAB 50.

Want to know how good the nation's new No. 1 squad is? Look no further than this stat: In 10 games, the Gray Bees have scored 47 goals and allowed only 20 shots on goal to their opponents.

In other soccer news around the state, Scotch Plains-Fanwood coach Tom Breznitsky notched his 600th career win last Tuesday. He's the fourth coach in the Garden State to reach this mark. Read more in this Star-Ledger report.

Also, check back here tomorrow to find out who made our annual All-State soccer team.

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

Each week, we'll take a deeper look into our All-State football team to see whose stock is rising and falling based on recent performance and news. I know some of you are wondering, how can you have a stock watch when football hasn't officially started? Easy. Every football fan knows that the season never truly ends.

UP — Quanzell Lambert, LB, Timber Creek
Between an impressive showing at Gridiron Kings this past summer and the relative silence concerning his hot recruitment, Lambert has shifted many eyes toward his upcoming senior season. The linebacker has a nose for the ball, racking up 188 tackles and eight sacks as a junior through aggressive play. Expect more big play from Lambert in the future.

DOWN — Sean Maguire, QB, Seton Hall Prep
Through no fault of his own, Maguire sees his stock take a dip. In June, the Pirates quarterback committed to Florida State, joining what's become one of the nation's top recruiting class. Yet, earlier this month, Hueytown's (Ala.) Jameis Winston, the Elite 11 co-MVP and nation's No. 1 QB in the ESPNU 150, also pledged to the Seminoles. As a result, the pressure is on for Maguire to show his worth this season. Fortunately for him, with record-setting tailback Kevin Monangai graduated, Maguire has the green light to put up big numbers in the Pirates' offense.

UP — Leonte Carroo, WR, Don Bosco Prep
Earlier this month, Carroo pledged to Rutgers, bringing great joy to those across the Garden State. Now with his college commitment out of the way, Carroo can focus on what's expected to be a big season for he and the Ironmen. Granted, the road to a sixth straight championship won't be easy, with the POWERADE FAB 50's fifth-ranked team in Mission Viejo (Calif.) coming to town Sept. 10. But Carroo looks ready to improve upon a junior campaign that included 45 catches for 1,005 yards and 14 scores.

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