Opening Night NJSIAA roundup: Top-seeded Colonia boys win, Dunellen wins all-GMC Silver matchup over Highland Park

On the opening night of the NJSIAA state basketball tournament, the top-seeded Colonia boys were winners, along with nine other teams, five on the girls’ side, five on the boys.

One of the highlights was a 61-58 win for fifth-seed Dunellen over 12th-seed Highland Park in an all-GMC Silver Division state tourney matchup in Central Jersey Group 1. It was the Destroyer’s third win this season over the Owls, the other two coming early in the season.

Jamael Davis led Dunellen (16-9) with 21 points, while Ryan Hutchins added 16 and Danny Watts scored 10. Now, the Destroyers move to Saturday’s sectional quarterfinal round against fourth-seed Manville (18-8), a team they lost to 62-61 in the championship game of their own Mike Shello Holiday Tournament back on December 28th. The Mustangs – CJ1 finalists last year – were 60-53 winners over 13-seed Shore Regional Wednesday night, behind 32 points from Edryn Morales. It was his third game of the season topping 30 points, and he’s now done it in back-to-back games after scoring 31 last Thursday in a 72-71 loss to Spotswood.

Click below to hear Dunellen coach Matt Cianfrone talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko about the Destroyers’ opening-round playoff win, and their quarterfinal matchup against Manville:

Dunellen’s win also was its first in the playoffs since they went to the Central Jersey Group 1 final in 2020, where they lost to University out of Newark.

Here are all the results from Wednesday night’s first round action in Groups 1 and 3, in sections involving CJSR-area teams. Check back later for scores of games not yet reported.

BOYS’ RESULTS

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3
(1) Colonia def. (16) Cranford, 61-42
(9) Cliffside Park def. (8) Warren Hills, 52-47
(12) Millburn def. (5) Somerville, 61-54
(4) Chatham def. (13) Lincoln, 59-48
(3) Payne Tech def. (14) Nutley, 91-48
(11) Orange def. (6) South Plainfield, 69-63
(10 Summit) def. (7) Rahway, 63-49
(2) Mendham def. (15) Randolph, 50-22

Central Jersey Group 1
(1) Thrive Charter def. (16) College Achieve Central, 79-32
(8) Bound Brook def. (9) Piscataway Magnet, 68-63
(5) Dunellen def. (12) Highland Park, 61-58
(4) Manville def. (13) Shore, 60-53
(3) Pt. Pleasant Beach def. (14) South Hunterdon, 63-34
(6) Henry Hudson def. (11) Florence, 63-49
(10 New Providence def. (7) Keyport, 66-58
(2) Middlesex def. (15) Perth Amboy Magnet, 58-51

GIRLS’ RESULTS

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3
(1) Chatham def. (16) Orange, 71-29
(9) South Plainfield def. (8) Payne Tech, 57-48
(5) Randolph def. (12) North Plainfield, 66-49
(4) Mendham def. (13) North Hunterdon, 59-28
(6) Cranford def. (11) Millburn, 52-33
(7) Carteret def. (10) Nutley, 40-33
(2) Somerville def. (15) Colonia, 52-30

Central Jersey Group 1
(1) New Providence def. (16) STEMCivics, 85-33
(9) Pt. Pleasant Beach at (8) Keansburg, 48-34
(5) Shore Regional def. (12) Highland Park, 78-32
(4) Middlesex def. (13) South Amboy, 39-8
(3) Bound Brook def. (14) Florence, 53-24
(6) Roselle Park def. (11) Brearley, 58-44
(7) Dayton def. (10) Manville, 65-41
(2) Thrive Charter def. (15) Woodbridge Magnet, 75-14

Here are matchups for the next round, which will be played on Saturday:

BOYS

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3
(9) Cliffside Park at (1) Colonia
(12) Millburn at (4) Chatham
(11) Orange at (3) Payne Tech
(10) Summit at (2) Mendham

Central Jersey Group 1
(8) Bound Brook at (1) Thrive Charter
(5) Dunellen at (4) Manville
(6) Henry Hudson at (3) Point Pleasant Beach
(10) New Providence at (2) Middlesex

GIRLS

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3
(9) South Plainfield at (1) Chatham
(5) Randolph at (4) Mendham
(6) Cranford at (3) Summit
(7) Carteret at (2) Somerville

Central Jersey Group 3
(9) Pt. Pleasant Beach at (1) New Providence
(5) Shore Regional at (4) Middlesex
(6) Roselle Park at (3) Bound Brook
(7) Dayton at (2) Thrive Charter