ROOKIE OF THE YEAR- Kasim Chandler, freshman, Newark East Side: The diminutive (5-foot-6) cousin of former Red Raider and current Rutgers’ Scarlet Knight Corey Chandler helped engineer two big upsets of the 2009 Essex County Tournament when he played superbly in quarterfinal and semifinal victories over top-seeded and defending champion Science and Seton Hall Prep, respectively. Kasim scored 18 points in the ECT quarterfinal win over Science and showed good court sense during the season t
o portend a bright future for an up-and-coming team.
Third Team All Essex County:
Andre Flanigan, 6-0 junior, Newark East Side
Honorable Mention:
East Side : Kasim Chandler, 5-6 freshman
Final Sideline Chatter Essex County Top 10:
1- Science Park (30-2)
2--University (24-4)
3--Seton Hall Prep (23-6)
4--Shabazz (20-9)
5-- Newark East Side (16-13)
Players To Watch in 2009-2010:
Aaron Bodie, 6-6 freshman, Newark East Side
Kasim Chandler, 5-6 freshman, Newark East Side
Andre Flanigan, 6-0 junior, Newark East Side
A Few Of The Top Games Involving Essex Teams This Past Season:
Newark East Side 52 Science Park 51 
Superb sixth-man Demetrius Smith free throw after time expired lifted the eighth-seeded Red Raiders over the top-seeded Chargers, handing Science its only regular-season loss. Freshman point guard Kasim Chandler’s 3-pointer with 4:20 left opened up a 45-40 lead.
Newark East Side 41 Seton Hall Prep 34
The Red Raiders displayed strong defense to stun the fourth-seeded Pirates, a perennial ECT title contender and displayed a typically balanced attack behind junior guard Andre Flanigan (10 points), Chandler (nine points) and 6-5 senior center Eddie Brown (eight points, 10 rebounds). East Side also held the Pirates’ All-Essex guard Sterling Gibbs to just eight points.
University 59 Newark East Side 48
Displaying depth and more overall speed and strength, the Phoenix outscored the Red Raiders, 18-6, in the fourth quarter, to finish strong in winning their first-ever ECT title as an 11 th seed. Devon Gibson had a game-high 18 points and Kazembe Abif added 17 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Junior forward Derrick Hunter added 14.
