LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NJ -- In a championship atmosphere that filled the Linden High School gymnasium to capacity, Plainfield used a fast start to claim the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 sectional title, defeating Linden 68–44 Friday night (March 6).

Behind a disruptive zone defense and a transition attack led by Micah Gordon, fourth-seeded and sixth-ranked Plainfield Cardinals opened the game with 16 straight points and maintained control throughout the night against second-seeded and eighth-ranked Linden.

The Cardinals led 23–10 after the first quarter and extended the margin to 37–17 at halftime. Plainfield continued to build its advantage in the second half, pushing the lead to 54–31 after three quarters before closing out the victory.

Linden head coach Mike Rice said the opening minutes proved decisive.

“We were on our heels,” Rice said. “They made some tremendous shots early. And when that happens, you’ve got to make a couple baskets just to stem the tide. We missed three or four layups. Instead of slowing the snowball down, it just ran over us the first five minutes of the game.”

The highly anticipated championship game drew such a large crowd that officials briefly halted play for about 30-minute between the first and second quarters while Linden officials worked to move overflow fans ringed around the court into the already packed bleachers.

Rice said the unusual pause did little to change the momentum.

“To be honest with you, I liked the break,” Rice said. “Maybe it slows them down. But we came out and did the same things. We were frantic instead of poised and purposeful.”

Plainfield was powered by Gordon, who finished with 33 points, connecting on three three-pointers and converting 14 of 16 free throws while adding seven assists and three steals.

Despite Linden’s size advantage, Plainfield controlled the boards, out-rebounding the Tigers 31–26.

The sectional final marked the third meeting of the season between the Union County Conference rivals. The first two games were tightly contested — Plainfield edged Linden 64–61 in Linden on Gordon’s buzzer-beating jumper, while Linden answered with a 58–55 victory in Plainfield, when Gordon’s potential game-tying three-pointer narrowly missed at the buzzer.

Even in defeat, Linden’s senior leadership remained evident. Jaren Barnett and Jekhi Burnam each scored 11 points, while 6-foot-10 senior Deng Deng added eight points and six rebounds, continuing the steady presence he has provided throughout the season.

Rice praised the commitment of his team, particularly the seniors who helped lead Linden through another strong campaign.

“They’ve been amazing,” Rice said. “We started lifting and conditioning ten days after last season ended. They worked on their own. My seniors represented Linden incredibly well. My heart breaks for them because this isn’t the fight they’ve shown all year.”

The veteran trio helped guide Linden through a memorable season that included a Top-10 state ranking for much of the year and a run to the sectional championship game, reinforcing the program’s continued presence among New Jersey’s elite teams.

“Credit Plainfield,” Rice added. “They had a mental toughness tonight that we didn’t answer very well.”