Of course Powell isn't worried about any personal milestones. He's just looking for the Chiefs (22-6) to beat a talented 26-3 Plainfield team.

"This will be a tough matchup," Powell said. "They are a very good team with a Big East-caliber player in Tyrone Johnson."

A 6-foot-2 junior guard, Johnson led Plainfield with 18 points in Thursday's 47-37 state Group 4 semifinal win over East Orange. Justin Sears, a 6-6 junior, added 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Cherokee, which opened the season with 11 straight wins but went 4-6 in its next 10 games, has now won seven in a row.

In the playoffs, the Chiefs have used the timely scoring of senior point guard Willis Nicholson and a defense that has stiffened considerably.

Nicholson is averaging 18.7 points per game for the season, and 21.8 ppg. in the Chiefs' five postseason wins. Over that span Cherokee has allowed only 42.4 points per game, and 6-9 Ryan McKeaney, who's headed to Vermont, has been a key defensive enforcer.

Cherokee's second scoring option is senior guard Christian Jordan, who is averaging 9.8 ppg. in the postseason.

The highest point total Cherokee has allowed this postseason came in a 56-50 South Jersey Group 4 semifinal win over defending state champion Lenape.

State Group 3 championship: Kingsway (27-2) vs. Mendham (25-3), 2 p.m. tomorrow at Rutgers. Kingsway, the two-time defending South Jersey Group 3 champion, has won 12 in a row and in eight of those games has held opponents under 50 points.

Junior guard Rondell Gilmore and 6-4 senior forward Elijah Bonsignore have been Kingsway's top scorers, but coach George Passante has received plenty of offensive production from others.

For instance, in the Dragons' 64-50 South Jersey Group 3 title win over Point Pleasant Boro, junior forward Jordan Fagan scored 14 points. During Wednesday's 58-38 state Group 3 semifinal win over Lakewood, 6-2 junior Troy Jenkins and 5-11 junior Kyler Grigsby combined for 26 points.

"The reason we are winning is because of our balance," Passante said. Gilmore is averaging 16.8 ppg. in the postseason and Bonsignore is averaging 13.8 ppg.

Mendham's leading scorers are 6-3 junior Tore Vicarisi and 5-11 senior Caleb DeMoss. Coach Jim Baglin says Vicarisi is averaging around 21 ppg. and DeMoss, 16 ppg.

"We know Kingsway is a very talented and athletic team that is game tested and they have been successful for several years," Baglin said. "We are excited to play them and look forward to going to Rutgers."

State Group 1 championship: Woodbury (25-5) vs. University (26-4), 5 p.m. tomorrow at Rutgers. Woodbury has won 17 in a row, but the Thundering Herd will be facing a team that is ranked No. 9 in the state by the Newark Star-Ledger and is the defending state champion.

"They have great size and quickness and will be a tough opponent," Woodbury coach Kenny Avent said. "But we think our schedule has gotten us ready for opponents like this."

Woodbury is led by 6-2 senior twins Jared and Isaiah Roberts, who are two of the top defensive players in South Jersey. They also can score.

In the five postseason wins, Isaiah is averaging 17.8 ppg. and Jared is averaging 13.2 ppg.

Senior forward Brian Purnell has averaged 15.6 points in the postseason and has been a threat either inside or from the perimeter.

University's leading performer is 6-6 senior Kazembe Abif. Derrick Hunter, a 6-4 senior who had 11 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday's 59-38 state Group 1 semifinal win over Cresskill, is another inside threat.

The key for Woodbury is to limit second-chance shots by the defending Group 1 state champions.

or mnarducci@phillynews.com.