LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NJ — On a night steeped in program history, Linden delivered a performance worthy of the moment.

𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸, the No. 7–ranked Linden High School boys varsity basketball team rolled past perennial rival Elizabeth, 58–35, in a Union County Conference–Watchung Division battle Tuesday night (Feb. 3). The win lifted Linden to 13–7 on the season while dropping the Minutemen to 11–8.

Fittingly, the Tigers’ vintage effort came moments after the program honored one of its legends — retiring the No. 21 jersey of Jamaal Tate, the two-time All-State standout and 2000 graduate whose teams helped define toughness, balance, and defensive pride in Linden basketball.

𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥

After an even 12–12 opening quarter, Linden seized control by doing what Linden basketball has long done best: defend.

The Tigers clamped down in the second quarter, limiting Elizabeth to just five points, then suffocated the Minutemen again after halftime, allowing only six points in the third quarter to blow the game open.

“We just locked in — all 32 minutes,” said junior guard Abraham Desrosiers. “We can’t pick and choose when to do it. Defense wins games.”

𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝗲

Desrosiers embodied Linden’s defensive identity. The 6-foot junior guarded everyone from 6-7 forwards to Elizabeth’s 6-1 junior standout Jayden Johnson, setting the tone with constant pressure, communication, and physicality.

He backed it up on the offensive end with a season-high 13 points, scoring within the flow of the offense and capitalizing on open looks created by ball movement.

𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲

Senior wing Jekhi Burnam added 11 points, while senior point guard Jaren Barnett finished with 10, as Linden’s balanced attack mirrored its defensive discipline. The Tigers shared the ball, remained patient in their shot selection, and never allowed Elizabeth to dictate tempo.

Jayden Holman spearheaded the pressure at the point of attack, while Linden’s bigs seamlessly switched onto guards — a hallmark of the Tigers’ defensive system.

Linden held Elizabeth to just 22 percent shooting in the first half, forced turnovers, and disrupted nearly every possession with active hands and constant movement.

𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡’𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥

Head coach Mike Rice called it one of the most complete defensive performances his team has delivered this season.

“They were in their jerseys all night long,” Rice said. “The discipline, the attention to detail — I was blown away. Rarely do I have nothing bad to say at halftime, but tonight I told them, ‘Do this for four more minutes and we’re going to win.’ I never say that.”

𝐀 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

The meaning of the night wasn’t lost on anyone in the building.

Tate, whose No. 21 now hangs permanently among Linden’s retired jerseys, was the star of a gritty, defensive-minded Linden team that captured the program’s first of six Group 4 state championships. That championship run came under then-head coach Phil Colicchio — now in his eighth season at Elizabeth, standing on the opposite sideline Tuesday night.

“It’s meat and potatoes for us,” Rice said. “Defense travels. Some nights shots don’t fall — defense always shows up if you choose it.”

On this night, Linden chose it — for Tate, for the program’s past, and for what the Tigers believe they can become moving forward.

“This game’s already over,” Desrosiers said afterward. “We want the next one.”

Up Next

Linden returns home Thursday, Feb. 5, to face Union Catholic. The Tigers defeated Union Catholic earlier this season, 51–48, on Jan. 13.

𝙒𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙚𝙡 𝘼. 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙠𝙞𝙨

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