Here is the story by Mike Kinney of NJ.com
Senior guard Simeon Wilcher scored a game-high 17 points and also was the ringleader of that defensive effort with three steals and three blocks, and Akil Watson, Tarik’s senior brother, scored 12 points along with junior forward Rich Brisco to direct top-ranked and top-seeded Roselle Catholic to a 64-55 victory over third-seeded Linden in the 86th Union County Tournament championship Sunday afternoon at Kean University in Union.
That was the second straight UCT title and fourth since 2018 for Roselle Catholic (17-5) while Linden (20-6) sought its first championship since a victory over the Lions in 2015.
The young Tigers – with two juniors and a freshman in the starting lineup – fell behind by as many as 21 points midway in the fourth quarter, though never stopped searching for answers with it scrap. Senior guard Jaylan Hodge paced Linden with 16 points, seven in the fourth quarter, and junior forward Elijah Butler had 11 points and nine rebounds.
Tarik Watson scored six points and had five rebounds in limited action, but seemed to lift the level of play – particularly that of his brother’s – when he checked in 4:04 left in the first quarter and RC ahead, 10-4. Akil would drop in nine of his 12 points over the next 12 minutes to help his club establish a 32-25 lead.
“It was amazing. I love playing with my brother. We have a special connection and we brought it back today for the county tournament,” said Akil, a 6-8 commit to Arizona State.
“We’re just happy to have him out here again. The whole situation was kind of scary for all of us. We’re happy to have him back out there fighting with us on the floor,” Wilcher said.
What a different feeling than the one that hit RC like a giant anvil when Tarik fell to the floor in the second quarter of a game against Long Island Lutheran. He was taken to Long Island Community Hospital for a battery of tests which showed no specific cause for concern. Duke-bound senior forward Mackenzie Mgbako left earlier that game with a high ankle sprain that has since kept the 2022 All-Stater on the bench. His return is uncertain.
“I just wanted to win this so bad. It was like whatever I had to do to win, I just had to get out there and do it,” he said. “Regardless if it was me playing defense, facilitating or scoring.”
Wilcher’s steady leadership in various departments helped Roselle Catholic turn in a 7-1 mark since that game against L.I. Lutheran (which was suspended), with the only loss coming against national powerhouse Montverde of Florida
“He controlled the entire tempo of the game. Defensively he was locked in. The pace of the game was in our control the majority of the time and that was because he was pushing that pace for us,” Roselle Catholic head coach Dave Boff said. “I thought he really had the game under control for us from the opening tip.”
Wilcher struck for eight points in the first quarter, including four in an 8-2 run to open the game, and a short jumper off a pass from Sebastian Robinson for a 12-9 lead after Linden had strung together seven straight points,
Wilcher scored four more points in the second quarter, through Akil Watson was the go-to force that period with nine points and also two of his six rebounds.
“I was kind of slow in the first quarter, but but brought it back in the second. He (Tarik) said slow yourself and just let the game come to you,” Akil said.
But letting the game come to them has been only a small potion of the Lions’ overall goal this season. They want to take away sections of an opponent’s game with smart, stingy defense. They did Sunday, forcing 19 turnovers and limiting Linden to 39 points after three quarters.
“We came a long way with that. In the beginning we were kind of struggling, and I feel like now our defense is the main point of our whole game,” Wilcher said. “I feel like now that we’ve been able to work together longer and build chemistry together, we’ve been able to do good.
Chemistry is going to be developed when one of the best guards in New Jersey is exerting himself on the non-glamorous end of the court for 32 minutes and making hustle plays such as the one Wilcher made in the third quarter with his team in front, 38-30.
Elijah Motley came up with a steal for Linden and passed it downcourt to a teammate for what seemed like an easy breakaway bucket. Wilcher raced down the floor to block the shot, which was rebounded by Linden’s Nas Robinson and converted for a basket. Still, Wilcher’s effort in that situation had a lasting effect on his squad.
“I thought his effort plays today were as good as anything else he did,” Boff said. “It would have been very easy to not sprint back on that play. But he had three or four blocks today. It’s an unsung part of his game that he meets people at the rim and blocks shots.”
