South Plainfield visits Millburn in a North 2, Group 3 quarterfinal in the state tournament on March 2, 2026. (Source: Hudl)
It was a 6-4 Monday night for the ten boys’ basketball teams fromthe Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area in action in the NJSIAA high school basketball tournament.
Colonia and South Plainfield both moved on to sectional semifinal play in separate sides of the bracket in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3, while Manville overcame a big second-half deficit to surge past stunned Middlesex in Central Jersey Group 1.
Meanwhile, the parochials went 3-2, as St. Joe’s won, Gill cruised, and Rutgers Prep hung on, while St. Thomas Aquinas and Timothy Christian were sent packing.
Read through for recaps on all the games involving CJSR-area teams, then scorll down further for all results and the upcoming schedule for sectional semifinal play Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3
Top-seed Colonia continued its tremendous rebound from a rough start to the season with a 68-28 win over visiting ninth-seed Somerville Monday night. The Patriots – who jumped out to a 23-7 lead after one quarter, then pulled away even further after halftime to leave no doubt, got 21 points from Jayce Rodriguez – including three triples – while Desmond Rudanovic added 11 points and 14 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Dylan Chiera scored seven points and added ten assists. Messiah Bradley led the Pioneers (16-12) with seven points. Colonia (18-10) now will host fifth-seed Mendham – a team they’ve knocked out of the states in four of the last five playoff seasons, including last year’s title game – Wednesday in the semifinals. The Minutemen (20-8) knocked off fourth-seed Warren Hills, 42-36, on the road Monday evening.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the bracket, it was sixth-seed South Plainfield holding on late to win at third-seed Millburn, 59-57. The Tigers (18-10) got 17 points from Aiden Noblecilla, 16 from Justin Vaca, and 12 from Trayvon Smith, while Boresa Juwala added ten rebounds, and survived a ten-trey onslaught from the Millers, which nearly won them the game late.
South Plainfield will go on the road to face a familiar foe in Wednesday’s semifinals, a second-seeded Chatham team the lost to less than a month ago, 59-57 on Senior Night, back on Groundhog Day. Justin Vaca had 18 in that game, including three triples. The Cougars (23-5) were 72-53 winners over seven-seed Cranford Monday.
- (1) Colonia def. (9) Somerville, 68-28
- (5) Mendham def. (4) Warren Hills, 42-36
- (6) South Plainfield def. (3) Millburn, 59-57
- (2) Chatham def. (7) Cranford, 72-53
Central Jersey Group 1
In what may have been the most thrilling game of the night, sixth-seed Manville overcame a 14-point third-quarter deficit to beat third-seed Middlesex on the road, 47-44. The Mustangs (19-8) ended the third quarter on an 11-2 run, and never looked back, ending the Blue Jays’ season at 19-9. Josh D’Ambrosio led the way with 22 points, while Jonathan Gosk added ten. Jax Robel finished with 19 for Middlesex in the loss. Middlesex now draws second-seed Pt. Pleasant Beach (20-7) on the road in Wednesday’s sectional semifinals.
- (1) Thrive Charter 80, (8) Henry Hudson 44
- (4) Shore def. (12) New Providence, 51-45
- (6) Manville def. (3) Middlesex, 47-44
- (2) Pt. Pleasant Beach def. (10) Dayton, 70-57
Non-Public South A
The two GMC teams split here, with fourth-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen beating 5th-seed Red Bank Catholic at home, 65-46. Junior Andrew Kretkowski logged his sixth double-double of the season with an 18-point, 12-rebound night, while Aidan Carter scored 17 and just missed a double-double with nine boards. The Falcons (28-1) will go on the road for the first time this postseason – including the GMC Tournament, which they won going away – to play a semifinal game Thursday night at top-seed Paul VI (25-4), which was a 79-71 winner over nine-seed Union Catholic Monday night.
Meanwhile, 11th-seed St. Thomas Aquinas saw its season come to an end with a 69-33 loss at third-seed St. Peter’s Prep. Senior Dan Jennings scored 14 to lead the Trojans (12-15) in defeat, in his final high school game. Down eleven at the half, the third quarter eventually did in STA, which was outscored 22-8 in the period. Albion Ahmetaj added ten points and five assists in the loss.
- (1) Paul VI def. (9) Union Catholic, 79-71
- (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen def. (5) Red Bank Catholic, 65-46
- (3) St. Peter’s P{rep def. (11) St. Thomas Aquinas, 69-33
- (2) CBA def. (7) Camden Catholic, 81-47
Non-Public North B
Top-seed Gill St. Bernard’s didn’t have much trouble getting past eight-seed Pioneer Academy after getting a first-round bye, wining 85-42 at home Monday night. Prosper Sonkoua logged his seventh double-double of the season, scoring 20 points and grabbing eleven boards, Jason Geltzeiler added 15, including three treys, while Connor Junker scored 14 and had four triples. The Knights will host Thursday’s semifinal against fourth-seed St. Mary-Rutherford (25-4), a 60-51 winner at home over fifth-seed Morristown-Beard Monday night.
On the other side of the bracket, seventh-seed Timothy Christian fell to second-seed and defending champion Roselle Catholic, 83-31, getting a team-high 16 points from Adian Badger in defeat.
- (1) Gill St. Bernard’s def. (8) Pioneer Academy, 85-42
- (4) St. Mary-Rutherford def. (5) Morristown-Beard, 60-51
- (3) Morris Catholic def. (6) Montclair-Kimberley, 78-58
- (2) Roselle Catholic def. (7) Timothy Christian, 83-31
Non-Public South B
Top-seed Rutgers Prep survived a scare from eighth-seed St. Rose (7-21), winning 68-61 at home in Somerset Monday night. The Argonauts trailed by seven after one quarter, and 25-24 at halftime, before winning the third quarter by eight, and playing a 15-15 fourth. While Rocco Loomis led the way with a 22-point night in which he was a perfect 12-of-12 from the foul line, William Brunson had a 21-and-21 double-double, a career-high rebounding night. Next up, the Argonauts (18-9) host fifth-seed Bishop Eustace (21-8) in Thursday night’s sectional semis. They were a 74-53 winner at fourth-seed Doane Academy Monday night.
- (1) Rutgers Prep def. (8) St. Rose, 68-61
- (5) Bishop Eustace def. (4) Doane Academy, 74-53
- (3) Holy Spirit def. (6) Ranney, 74-54
- (2) Holy Cross Prep def. (10) Wildwood Catholic, 78-41
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Note: Not all game times have been announced. This schedule will be updated as game times are set.
TUESDAY, MARCH 3 (SEMIFINALS)
Central Jersey Group 4
- (5) Jackson Twp. at (1) Hillsborough, 5:30 pm
- (3) Montgomery at (2) Marlboro, 5:30 pm
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4
- (4) Plainfield at (1) Piscataway, 5 pm
- (3) Union vs. (2) Linden, 7 pm
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 (SEMIFINALS)
North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3
- (5) Mendham at (1) Colonia
- (6) South Plainfield at (2) Chatham
Central Jersey Group 1
- (4) Shore at (5) Thrive Charter
- (6) Manville at Pt. Pleasant Beach, 5:30 pm
THURSDAY, MARCH 5 (SEMIFINALS)
Non-Public South A
- (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen at (1) Paul VI, 7 pm
- (3) St. Peter’s Prep at CBA, 6 pm
Non-Public North B
- (4) St. Mary-Rutherford at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
- (3) Morris Catholic at (2) Roselle Catholic
Non-Public South B
- (5) Bishop Eustace at (1) Rutgers Prep, 7 pm
- (3) Holy Spirit at (2) Holy Cross Prep, 6 pm
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