St. Thomas Aquinas sets on defense as Mackenzie Mgbako holds the ball for Gill St. Bernard’s in a GMC-Skyland crossover game on February 12, 2022. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
A second quarter rally and four-point win over No. 2 Gill St. Bernard’s – and a 2-0 week – keep St. Thomas Aquinas in the top spot in the Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball rankings for Week 8, the final ranking before the county tournaments get underway in earnest this week.
The Trojans – still without Jaquan Harris, coming off October knee surgery, and also without elite defender Terrel Pitts – beat Gill 61-65 Saturday night in the headliner of the Hearts 2 Hands Invitational at Roselle Catholic High School. The Knights were without two key players of their own; Denver Anglin sat with a wrist injury, and sophomore Naasir Cunningham – the top recruit nationally in the Class of 2024 – was a late scratch, not playing, though he was in the official scorebook.
GSB remains second despite the loss, followed by Rutgers Prep in third, and Colonia fourth, neither of whom lost last week.
In fact, the only change saw Franklin – which lost out of conference to Holmdel and to No. 7 Bound Brook – swap places with Watchung Hills, moving down to ninth, while Hills went up to eighth.
Below are the full Bellamy & Son Paving Week 8 Boys’ rankings:
