Three girls’ and two boys’ basketball teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area earned berths in sectional title games in the NJSIAA state tournament with wins Thursday night, with Colonia, Middlesex and Rutgers Prep all advancing, while Gill St. Bernard’s was knocked out. And on the boys’ side, two-time defending sectional champ Colonia gained a sectional title berth, while Manville pulled off a road stunner.
In Central Jersey Group 1 semifinal action heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, top seed Middlesex was a 52-35 winner over 4th-seed Point Pleasant Beach behind 26 points from junior Jess Devine. Read the full story here. The Blue Jays are in the title game for a second straight year and will seek their first championship since 2004 when they face Shore Regional at home at 5 pm Saturday. Last year, Middlesex lost to the Blue Devils 62-31 on the road.
In North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 play, second-seed Colonia was a 52-42 home winner over third-seed Mendham, getting 23 points from Taylor Derkack and 17 from Mya Petino. The Patriots trailed early and at the half but rallied in the strength of a strong third quarter. Colonia will visit top-seed Chatham – which beat 4th-seed Cranford in Thursday’s semis – Saturday at 5 pm. Colonia and Chatham met in the regular season, with the Patriots falling 49-44 at home on January 18th.
And in Non-Public South B action, top-seed Rutgers Prep got a 30 point night from Mikayla Blakes and six from Ava LaMonica in her return from an ankle injury en route to a 65-34 win over 4th-seed Gloucester Catholic. The Argonauts – as they so often do – were in control virtually wire-to-wire. They’ll play 3rd-seed St. Rose of Belmar Monday in the Non-Public South B title game at 4 pm at Jackson Liberty High School. St. Rose beat 7th-seed Ranney in the semis, 46-43. Rutgers Prep has won the last two titles in this section, in 2022 and 2023, after losing to Trenton Catholic in the 2020 final. (There was no state tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.)
Over on the boys’ side, third-seed Colonia won at second-seed South Plainfield in North 2, Group 3 semifinal play, a much closer game than the last time these two met, just a couple of weeks ago in the GMC Tournament semifinals, a 70-37 Patriots’ win. Jaeden Jones (28) and Aiden Derkack (27) combined for 55 of Colonia’s 66 points in a 66-60 victory. The Patriots have won the last two North 2, Group 3 titles, and will play at home Saturday at 1 pm against fourth-seed Millburn, which upset top-seed Cranford Thursday night.
But perhaps the biggest upset of the night was fifth-seed Manville stunning top-seed Henry Hudson on the road in Central Jersey Group 1 semifinal play. The Mustangs pulled out a 50-43 win over Henry Hudson. After an 8-8 first quarter, Manville took a five-point lead into the locker room and hung on for the victory. Edryn Morales and Tyler Kesolitz each had 21 points in the victory, which puts the Mustangs into the CJ1 title game against top-seed College Achieve Asbury Park, which routed second-seed Shore 71-45 Thursday night.
Come back soon for audio with Manville boys’ head coach Bill Rooney
Below are all of Thursday’s results in the state tournament in sections with CJSR-area teams, followed by the upcoming schedule.
THURSDAY’S GIRLS’ RESULTS
Central Jersey Group 1
(1) Middlesex def. (4) Point Pleasant Beach, 52-35
(3) Shore def. (7) New Egypt, 42-20
North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 3
(1) Chatham def. (4) Cranford, 53-35
(2) Colonia def. (3) Mendham, 52-42
Non-Public North B
(2) Montclair-Immaculata def. (3) Gill St. Bernard’s, 64-49
No more CJSR-area teams remain in this section.
Non-Public South B
(1) Rutgers Prep def. (4) Gloucester Catholic, 65-34
(3) St. Rose-Belmar def. (7) Ranney, 46-43
THURSDAY’S BOYS’ RESULTS
Central Jersey Group 1
(5) Manville def. (1) Henry Hudson, 50-43
(3) College Achieve Asbury Part def. (2) Shore, 71-45
North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 3
(4) Millburn def. (1) Cranford, 53-47
(3) Colonia def. (2) South Plainfield, 66-60
Non-Public South A
(2) Union Catholic def. (3) Rutgers Prep, 77-55
No more CJSR-area teams remain in this section.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, MARCH 1
Boys’ Central Jersey Group 4 Final
(2) Monroe at (1) Montgomery, 6 pm
Girls’ Central Jersey Group 4 Final
(5) Elizabeth at (2) Hillsborough, 5 pm
SATURDAY, MARCH 2
Boys’ Central Jersey Group 1 Final
(5) Manville at (3) College Achieve Asbury Park, TBA
Boys’ North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 3 Final
(4) Millburn at (3) Colonia, 1 pm
Girls’ Central Jersey Group 1 Final
(2) Shore at (1) Middlesex, 5 pm
Girls’ North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 3 Final
(2) Colonia at (1) Chatham, 5 pm
MONDAY, MARCH 4
Girls’ Non-Public South B Final
(1) Rutgers Prep vs. (3) St. Rose-Belmar, 4 pm (at Jackson Liberty HS)
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