Colonia sophomore Aiden Derkack had a monster game Thursday against St. Thomas Aquinas, moving the Patriots up to third in the Week 5 rankings. (Photo: Alec Crouthamel)
For the second week in a row, Rutgers Prep took the top spot in the Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball Top Ten, while Colonia flip-flopped with St. Thomas Aquinas after a Thursday win over the Trojans.
On the other end, Gill St. Bernard’s dropped out for the first time in the poll’s three-year-and-change history. They had been in the rankings for 32 straight weeks. The Knights were 0-3 this week and have lost five straight for the first time under head coach Mergin Sina, and overall since the 2007-08 season, in which Gill went 8-14, their last losing season.
Rutgers Prep (7-4) went 1-1 this past week, claiming a division win over Franklin Thursday, then falling to St. Benedict’s by ten Saturday in the Dennis Gregory Memorial Showcase at Caldwell University.
St. Joseph-Metuchen (9-3) stayed in the second slot after a 2-1 week themselves. They beat East Brunswick and Monroe on Wednesday and Thursday, then lost Sunday to St. Benedict’s at the same showcase as Prep.
Colonia (7-4) bumped up to third after a win over previous No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas – which falls to fourth this week. That was the Trojans; lone game of the week, while Colonia fell to Elizabeth Sunday in the Investors Savings Bank Scholarship Games.
There are two big games this week in the GMC involving those three teams. St. Joseph visits St. Thomas Aquinas on Tuesday night, while the Falcons host Colonia on Thursday.
Holding at No. 5 is Hillsborough (8-2). The Raiders beat Gill St. Bernards for the second time this season on Thursday, then lost to Caldwell Sunday, 52-51.
In sixth is Montgomery (9-1), which was the only Top Ten team this past week to go without a loss. The Cougars beat Pingry on Thursday, then edged Scotch Plains-Fanwood by five at the Investors’ Games.
Up two spots to seventh is Ridge (8-2), which went 1-1 with a victory over Hunterdon Central Thursday, but a loss to Phillipsburg on Saturday.
Monroe (9-2) falls from seventh to eighth after a 1-1 week. They lost to No. 2 St. Joe’s 53-46 on Thursday, but rebounded with a Saturday rout of South Brunswick.
At No. 9 is South Plainfield. The Tigers are 9-4 after a 2-1 week, with wins at New Brunswick and home over North Brunswick, before a defeat at Westfield Sunday.
And back in the rankings after a week out is Watchung Hills (9-2) at No. 10. The Warriors won their only game last week, beating Immaculata out of the Skyland Delaware Division.
Below is the complete Bellamy & Son Paving Week 5 Boys’ Basketball Top Ten:
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