Eastside boys basketball beats Ridgewood, collects first sectional title since 2015
PATERSON − Eastside coach Marquis Webb said one of the best things about his basketball team is that they know every game is different.
In ‘trophy games’ this season, the Ghosts are now 2-0.
Eastside pulled away late against Ridgewood on Tuesday night, earning a 64-43 win and the school’s first sectional title since 2015. That trophy now accompanies their Passaic County title.
The Ghosts have now won 15 games in a row. They never trailed, beating Ridgewood for the second time this season. Bryce Stokes led Eastside with 25 points.
“We knew this was coming,” said Eastside senior Treyvon Watson, who scored seven points. “We have been here since freshman year, and every year the goal is the same, but this year, we just had to get it.”
“I coached Bryce and Treyvon and Preston [Brown] as freshmen and they played varsity right away,” Webb said. “We went through some growing pains over the years, but they continued to trust the process. They put in the work. Us winning just now is a testament to what they did in the off-season.”
What it means
Eastside will meet Linden, which beat Newark East Side by one point in the North 2, Group 4 title game, in the Group 4 semifinals on Thursday.
“We have one day to prepare,” Webb said. “We will celebrate this tonight, but tomorrow we will go back to the drawing board.”
“The key is staying the course,” Watson said. “When things get tough we have to stay together and play defense. Defense is what is winning games for us.”
Ridgewood got 22 points from Johnny Jackson, but missed chances to keep it close early. The Maroons finish the season 15-13.
The start and the run
Stokes came out on fire for the Ghosts, drilling a pair of long 3-pointers to give Eastside an 8-2 lead just two minutes into the game.
“He’s just a gym rat,” Webb said of Stokes. “He always wants to get better. He also has a great understanding of what we are looking for on offense and when he needs to step up.”
Eastside owned a 30-17 lead at halftime, but Ridgewood never let the Ghosts get away. The Maroons cut the lead to nine on back-to-back baskets by Jackson to start the second half, but the Ghosts answered with a 7-2 run to push the lead back to double digits. It stayed that way through the remainder of the contest. Ridgewood senior Jordan Rogers fouled out early in the fourth quarter, hurting any chance of a comeback.
In December, Ridgewood gave the Ghosts a battle before falling 46-40.
“Coach [Mike] Troy is phenomenal,” Webb said. “He gets the most out of his kids. He’s really developed them. I really admire that.”
Players of the game
Preston Brown, Eastside: We already talked about how Stokes got the Ghosts off to a good start, but Brown was consistent the whole way, pumping in 14 points and was part of the game-clinching 7-2 run.
Johnny Jackson, Ridgewood: Jackson started cold from the floor, but heated up in the second half, scoring 17 of his team high 22. He was fearless attacking the basket and kept the Maroons in it.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson Eastside NJ boys basketball collects sectional title
