Tag: boys' basketball

by Alec Crouthamel

Jose Rodriguez wins CJSR’s GMC Boys’ Basketball Coach of the Year after yet another breakthrough year at Colonia

Jose Rodriguez’ accomplishments at Colonia could fill a book in his eight years at the helm.

Six sectional championships – including the Patriots’ current run of five straight – back-to-back GMC Tournament titles, multiple Division I talents, and a whole lot of wins.

And yet, the only thing missing was an appearance in the state final.

Colonia did just that this season, a remarkable feat after losing four starters from last year’s sectional and GMC Tournament champions. Even after a 2-6 start, the Patriots improved and developed every day, responding with a 17-4 stretch with a ten-game win streak in the middle of it. They made it to the GMC Tournament semifinals before falling to Piscataway, and then worked through the North 2, Group 3 bracket to finish off the five-peat.

After losing to Ramapo in the previous four state semifinal appearances, Colonia finally broke through and made it to the Group 3 final for the first time with a win over Montville. Though the Patriots’ season ultimately ended in a loss to Ocean City in the state final, their response to adversity and youth development earned Rodriguez CJSR’s GMC Boys Basketball Coach of the Year.

The Rodriguez family did plenty with the ball in their hands as well. Son Jayce broke out as a sophomore after playing key depth minutes off the bench as a freshman, earning All-GMC honors, averaging 20 points per game, while scoring in double-figures in every game this season.

New to the rotation were underclassmen forwards, freshman Desmond Rudanovic and sophomore Teagan Amponsah. Rudanovic led the team in rebounds at 6-foot-7, while Amponsah improved drastically in front of the Patriots’ very eyes, including a dynamite defensive game in the sectional final win over Chatham. Guards Jayden Johnson and Tyron Holloway — a junior and sophomore, respectively — played big minutes as well, relied on to handle the ball and play solid defense whenever they came into the game.

While the Patriots were a primarily young team, they did have some key experience leading the way. Rodriguez has raved about senior point guard Dylan Chiera — headed to the University of Charleston in West Virginia to play quarterback — at every opportunity. Fellow senior forward Nfa Clyne saw a leap of his own in playing time and responsibilities as one of the team’s top wing defenders and rebounders. Senior wing Tyler Herman also found himself in the starting lineup after his time as a reserve last season, but served as a key defender and leader on the floor.

Not many people could have imagined that Colonia would work itself to Jersey Mike’s Arena for a state title after a 2-6 start on January 6th.

But those in the Patriots locker room never lost faith. And that faith was rewarded with yet another hurdle leapt over in the small-but-raucous confines of the Colonia High School gym.

Click below to hear Colonia boys basketball coach Jose Rodriguez talk about the Patriots’ 2025-26 season, their postseason run, and the program’s future with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel:

by Alec Crouthamel

Mergin Sina named CJSR’s Somerset County Boys Coach of the Year after Knights’ first state crown

Mergin Sina has coached plenty of great teams at Gill St. Bernard’s, with talented players that went on to achieve great things at the collegiate level.

But there’s one thing he hadn’t done as the head coach of the Knights’ boys’ team, one thing the program as a whole had not done before.

Hold up the state championship trophy.

This year’s Gill team did just that, rattling off 24 consecutive wins to end the year, winning the Skyland Conference Delaware Division, the Somerset County Tournament, the Non-Public North B sectional crown, and finally, the Non-Public B title at Rutgers last week.

For the team’s efforts, Sina earned CJSR’s Somerset County boys Coach of the Year.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Knights early on. They dealt with some tough tests amid a rugged schedule in and out of conference play, with losses to St. Peter’s Prep and Linden before the new year.

But all of a sudden, Gill turned it around. It started with a New Year’s Day victory over St. Mary’s (Ruth.) — who the Knights later defeated in the sectional semifinals. One win turned into three, which turned into five, which turned into ten, which turned into… well, you get the point.

Some wins came easily, taking a big lead from the jump and cruising to the finish line. Others were true grinders, including the sectional final win over Roselle Catholic, avenging last year’s loss on the same stage.

No matter the style, Gill ran the table in the 2026 calendar year, and relied on a battle-tested core of major contributors. Seniors Dorsett Mulcahy, Declan Corrigan, and Prosper Sonkoua went out on top to end their high school careers, while juniors Jahmal Dixon and Niko West, and sophomore Connor Junker set another building block to work from as the Knights will defend their title next season.

But for now, the Gill St. Bernard’s boys stand at the final mountaintop, for the first time in Sina’s illustrious career.

Click below to hear Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mergin Sina talk about the Knights’ 2025-26 season, the state final, and the long winning streak to end the year with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel

Plainfield guard Micah Gordon (5) skies for a dunk.
by Alec Crouthamel

Top-seeded Piscataway falls to Plainfield in North 2 Group 4 semifinals

You could feel it walking into the building. Playoff basketball intensity.

Or, to be more specific, before walking into the building, in a line that stretched nearly the entire length of Piscataway High School ahead of the North 2 Group 4 semifinal between the top-seeded Chiefs (23-8) and fourth-seeded Plainfield.

In the end, though, the Cardinals’ (22-5) top-end talent and pressure on both sides of the floor propelled Plainfield to a 73-56 road victory, continuing its quest to defend its Group 4 state title from last year.

The Cardinals took the “basketball is a game of runs” adage to the extreme, working three different “Killshots” — a run of 10-0 or more, coined by college basketball data scientist Evan Miyakawa — to pull ahead for good and keep the game out of reach.

Plainfield star guard Micah Gordon led all scorers with 23 points, as part of a quartet of Cardinals in double-figures. Forward Rashawn Williams added 18 points as a force at the basket, while Devin Thomas added 11 and Tylor Hunter scored ten points.

Senior forward Isaiah Fowler led Piscataway’s offense in one of his top scoring performances of the year, scoring a team-high 22 points with four three-pointers. Guards Josh Lima and Landon Pernell also added 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Both teams came out of the gate throwing haymakers, with a combined five three-pointers in the first quarter. The Chiefs caught fire near the midway point of the frame, building up a 17-10 lead with an 11-3 run.

That was when Plainfield woke back up.

The Cardinals worked an extended 18-0 run to take a double-digit lead for the first time, as their backcourt pressure and uptempo offense took Piscataway completely out of its rhythm. It felt like an avalanche falling on the Chiefs with multiple backcourt steals in a row, as Gordon electrified the always-raucous Plainfield faithful with a dazzling array of finishes at the basket.

Piscataway managed to slow it down on offense and worked its way back into the game towards the end of the first half, knocking down two straight treys to cut the deficit to five points. But just when it seemed like the Chiefs were landing their counterpunch — with an equally frenzied home crowd of their own — the Cardinals landed another blow with an 11-0 run to end the first half, going into the locker room with a commanding 41-25 lead.

Plainfield kept the foot on the gas to open the third quarter, as well. Piscataway senior forward Donald Nwaigwe drew an and-one in the post, but Thomas and Gordon each knocked down deep three-pointers to stretch the Cardinals’ lead to 20 points in the half’s opening minutes.

Even with the big-time deficit, the Chiefs had one final burst left in them, working a 13-2 run to cut the deficit to nine points. Plainfield kept up the trend and responded accordingly, ripping off another 10-0 run, ending the third quarter with an 18-point lead and all of the momentum.

The Cardinals slowed the pace down with the big lead in the fourth quarter and worked some timely buckets, including six points from Williams.

In a battle of teams of similar size and uptempo style, Plainfield came away victorious thanks to its devastating spurt-ability and took control for good.

The Cardinals will face off against second-seeded Linden — who defeated the three-seed Union in the opposite semifinal — for a chance at a second straight sectional title in their third straight appearance. Piscataway’s season comes to a close in Bob Turco’s second year at the helm, moving a round further than a season ago.

Click below to hear postgame reactions from Piscataway head coach Bob Turco with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel, presented by the Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Alec Crouthamel

Metro Classic Whiparound: Somerset & Middlesex Counties shine at Stockton University

The Metro Classic returned for its 13th season, this time down at the Sports Center at Stockton University.

Three different teams from Somerset and Middlesex counties — making up the top three of the latest Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Top Ten — participated in the Thursday-to-Saturday showcase, and headed back up the Garden State Parkway with a sparkling 4-0 record. Some former standouts from the area also got to return home for one final time before they head off to their respective high-major college destinations.

Here’s a full look on how each team did over the weekend.

No. 1 Gill St. Bernard’s sweeps competition, extends win streak

The Knights (18-2, 5-0) were the lone CJSR area team to play twice, and made the most of their chances with two victories over out-of-area foes to extend their winning streak to 14 consecutive games.

They started on Friday with a matchup against fellow Non-Public Paramus Catholic, coached by former Paterson Catholic and Villanova star Tim Thomas, without the services of leading scorer Dorsett Mulcahy. He returned in the second game of the weekend.

Gill started hot with a double-digit lead after one quarter, led by eight points from junior forward Chase Wieder, as part of a 17-point day, one off his career high. The Paladins fought back with a much-improved second quarter, though, as the Knights’ offense ground to a halt.

Then the third quarter came around.

Gill found its proper footing with its up-tempo, in-your-face defensive and transition styles, outscoring PC 31-14 in the third quarter to open up a 20-point lead after 24 minutes. With the game mostly in hand, the two teams played relatively even in the fourth quarter, finishing off a 65-46 Knights win. Senior forward Prosper Highlander added 17 points and nine rebounds — after ending the first half with just three points — while junior guard Jahmal Dixon added 14 points and five rebounds of his own.

“It was a tough situation,” head coach Mergin Sina said after the game. “It’s a middle-of-the-day game. Kids just got out of school at 11 o’clock. No excuses, but I was worried about this game. Playing at 3 o’clock, driving down from North Jersey at 11 o’clock, kids get out of school, real flat. The kids were sleeping, but we woke up in the third quarter, and we played a little more aggressive, and obviously got the win.”

They went back in action on Saturday, taking on SPIRE Academy’s International team, with Mulcahy back in the fold. Gill got going right away, taking a commanding lead from the start and never looking back, leading by 14 at halftime and eventually cruising to a 67-53 victory. Mulcahy scored 21 points in his return, one of three Knights in double-figures. Highlander scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while sophomore guard Connor Junker added 17 points and five boards.

“I think we got some mismatch issues on one end, but they had to guard us on the other,” said Sina after the win. “So there’s some big kids out there, but they had a little issue guarding us on the perimeter. I thought we did a good job, especially in the first half, of limiting them to one shot.”

No. 2 St. Joseph (Met.) fends off international foe

The Falcons (19-1, 7-0) shook off their first loss of the season against South Plainfield on Tuesday and have now won three straight games, the second coming on Friday at Stockton.

St. Joseph faced off against Crestwood Prep from Ontario, Canada, in a battle that appeared to be in control, but got tight late.

Crestwood used a hot-shooting first quarter to take an early lead, but neither team gained much of an edge in the first half, as both teams went into the locker room tied at 21 apiece.

Even in the third quarter, the two teams played within two possessions, though the Falcons found their stride and methodically built up a solid lead. Junior wing Andrew Kretkowski scored ten points in the quarter, and got seven from sophomore guard Aidan Carter.

Carter and Kretkowski both executed at a high level early in the fourth quarter, as the lead stretched to eight points, and a talented but young Crestwood team fell into an offensive slump. Saint Joseph looked to be in the driver’s seat, but relentless defensive pressure from Crestwood caused some leaks and eventually it turned back to a one-score game in the final minute.

Sophomore center Joel Patrick proved to be the late-game X-factor, getting switched onto the perimeter twice, but holding Crestwood’s guards to desperation shots that Patrick affected both times. The Falcons came away with a 58-52 victory where they certainly faced some adversity late.

“I thought our D was really good the entire night for the most part,” head coach Mark Taylor said after the game. “Made a couple bad rotations, but overall really shut down Isaiah Hamilton. Wasn’t that much of an effect. The other kid surprised us. Number 10 [Sami Uraz] made some shots, so he kept them in it early, but then we kind of cleaned that up. Second half, I thought we did a pretty good job.”

Kretkowski led the way with 22 points and ten rebounds, while also helping limit Hamilton, a top-ten prospect in the 2028 class, on the defensive side. Carter added 21 points — including 17 in the second half and ten in the fourth quarter — and comfortably knocked down some crunchtime free throws. Junior guard Imaad Johnson added ten points while recording four steals.

“Aidan’s special. He can get where he needs to get, which is important. And Andrew’s got a motor and good size,” Taylor added on his star duo. “Those two both played good. They’re our motor, so when they go well, we go well. And let’s hope they keep rolling.”

Kretkowski finished the game with 998 career points and quickly reached 1,000 on Sunday in a win over New York Military Academy.

No. 3 Rutgers Prep pulls away late from last-second opponent

The Argonauts (13-6, 3-1) notched their second straight victory with a big week ahead, including a Thursday matchup against Gill St. Bernard’s and a showdown with Bridgewater-Raritan in the Somerset County Tournament. They faced off against a team that didn’t even know they’d be participating in the showcase 48 hours beforehand in the Metro Classic, and handled business.

Rutgers Prep was originally slated to face off against Seton Hall Prep, but a late schedule change pitted the Argonauts against Salem, coached by former Rutgers guard Anthony Farmer.

After a bit of a slow start offensively, the Argonauts got going quickly and often, turning an eight-point first-quarter lead into a 36-14 advantage at the half.

The Rams were able to battle back and play even in the third quarter, led by the heroics of guard Tymear Lecator — who finished with a game-high 31 points and six three-pointers — but by that point, Rutgers Prep had controlled the tempo and had the game mostly in hand.

“I think it was honestly energy,” head coach Matt Bloom said of the third-quarter swing. “It’s a big gym, a little bit more quiet than we expected, and I think they kind of swung the energy in their favor, and we handled it. And again, we just have to get better. We’ve got to learn from it and get better.”

Sophomore wing Will Brunson and junior guard Rocco Loomis led the way with 18 points apiece — the duo scored all 16 fourth-quarter points for the Argonauts — as Brunson added five rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Senior guard Nicolas Nsenkyire stuffed the stat sheet as well, with six points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and four steals.

“Honestly, I like that we’re frustrated when we don’t play the way that we think that we can play,” added Bloom. “We have a standard now. The kids are about winning. They want to get better. Any win’s a good win obviously. This is a 12-win team from South Jersey that’s playing us on 24 hours’ notice. So we appreciate that. We love the effort they gave us. They made us better today. But again, coming to the Metro Classic, figuring out a way to win in a game that didn’t completely go our way, especially in the second half, it’s a big deal for our young group.”

Middlesex County natives show out in the Garden State one last time

Not only did three teams from the area have their own respective success, but a few players out of state returned towards the end of their senior campaigns.

Former Colonia star Aiden Derkack played in his home state for the second and final time this season with Ohio’s SPIRE Academy — led by Elizabeth native and high-school coaching legend Kevin Boyle — facing a three-game gauntlet that saw SPIRE go 3-0 on the weekend.

On the first night, SPIRE faced a test from North Jersey power Bergen Catholic, and came away with a hard-fought 69-59 victory. Derkack finished with 18 points and ten rebounds — both team-highs — along with three assists, while also helping contain Crusaders forward Julius Avent — currently committed to Tom Izzo and Michigan State — to nine points on the night.

Friday saw SPIRE battle against College Achieve Public Charter School from Asbury Park, and found easier success with a cruising 78-49 win. Derkack scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds, while also recording four steals in the process.

SPIRE closed out its Metro Classic slate on Saturday with a battle against Mike Rice and Linden, in a battle of former Patrick School head coaches. That game turned into a grind-it-out battle, as the Tigers slowed the game down and played with physicality on both ends of the floor, led by its fiery coach.

The visitors from Ohio eventually pulled away with a 59-43 victory, as SPIRE’s top-end talent eventually took over. Derkack scored six points on the night but played a big part in helping SPIRE pull away late. The 6-foot-7 guard will head to Providence to play Big East basketball for the Friars after his season at SPIRE.

On the girls’ side, Edison native and former Rutgers Prep star GiGi Battle made her return to New Jersey, as well. Now at DME Academy in Florida, Battle played in one game, a 52-44 loss to St. James of Virginia for DME’s first loss of the year after starting 18-0. Battle scored nine points in the game. DME was originally set to play two games, with the first coming in a nationally-ranked showdown against Pennsylvania’s Westtown School, but that game was canceled.

Battle will head to Indiana to play for Teri Moren in the Big Ten after her season comes to a close, and joins Red Bank Catholic’s Addy Nyemchek as incoming Hoosiers from the Garden State.

by Mike Pavlichko

Defending Somerset County Tournament champion Gill St. Bernard’s boys get top-seed, with Rutgers Prep, Montgomery and Pingry also getting double-byes and top four seeds

Defending champion Gill St. Bernard’s was awarded the top-seed in the boys’ basketball Somerset County Tournament in a vote by the coaches Monday night.

The Knights are 15-2 overall, and the Skyland Conference Delaware Division champs, 5-0 in division play with wins over two other teams seeded in the top four, Rutgers Prep and Montgomery.

The rest of the top four seeds go to Rutgers Prep (11-6) at No. 2, followed by Montgomery (14-3) third, and Pingry (11-4) in fourth. All of the top four seeds get double-byes to the quarterfinals, which are scheduled for Saturday, February 7 at the higher seeded schools.

First round byes go to seeds five through nine, who will jump ahead to the second round this Saturday’s. Immaculata was awarded the fifth seed, followed by Hillsborough, Bridgewater-Raritan, Ridge and Franklin.

The last six seeds in the 15-team field went to Somerville at ten, followed by Watchung Hills, Manville, Bernards, Bound Brook and College Achieve Central.

First-round games will be Thursday night, with the following schedule at higher seeds, times TBD:

  • (15) College Achieve Central at (10) Somerville, winner at (7) Bridgewater-Raritan
  • (14) Bound Brook at (11) Watchung Hills, winner at (6) Hillsborough
  • (13) Manville at (12) Bernards, winner at (5) Immaculata

Below is the full 2026 Somerset County Tournament Boys’ Basketball bracket:

Central Jersey Sports Radio will have coverage of the SCT semifinals on Saturday, January 14 at Franklin High School, with games to be broadcast to be determined. We’ll also broadcast live from the finals on Saturday, January 21 at Montgomery High School. The girls’ final will be at 1 pm, the boys’ at 3 pm.

by Mike Pavlichko

Spotswood, Highland Park renew old GMC Blue Division rivalry with Tuesday night crossover

Just about everything about Tuesday night’s Greater Middlesex Conference crossover meeting between Spotswood and Highland Park will have an old-school feel to it.

The two are longtime GMC Blue Division rivals. You know, before teams started going in every different division, moving up or down based on their recent success. But they haven’t played each other in four years.

The Chargers are coached by Steve Mate, who’s just seven wins away from 500 for his career, and his been at Spotswood for 31 of his 35 years as a head coach, the first four coming at Verona.

And the game – which can be heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio – will tip-off at 7 pm. That’s when everyone played “back in the day,” until participation numbers dwindled to the point where some schools don’t even have JV programs.

So, yes, Tuesday night should be a fun one.

You can hear it live from Highland Park with pregame at 6:45, and Mike Pavlichko and Dylan Allen on the call. Click here to listen.

It could also be an intense one. Spotswood comes in at 7-6 with a very young team; the starting lineup consists of one senior – Se’mir Tolbert-Brimage – along with just one junior, a sophomore, and two freshmen. Mate is high on the group, but knows it may take some time before they get close to scratching the surface of their full potential.

And they’ll be looking to make a run and improve their 11th place standing in the Central Jersey Group 2 power point standings.

Highland Park sits at No. 21 in Central Jersey Group 1, but everyone between then and the top 16 – and a few in it – are below .500, so the question becomes, “Why not them?” A few wins strung together could really turn the tide, and catapult them up the standings.

They are more of a senior-laden group, led by Evangelos Kambitsis, scoring 11.7 points a game. Assistant Coach Matt DeCeglie – who’s filling in while head coach Colin Copperthwaite is on leave following the birth of his first child, a daughter named Kennedy – says he’s “as tough as they come.”

Two teams in search of some wins have all the makings of an old-time rivalry, renewed.

Click below for preview interviews with both head coaches:

Highland Park assistant coach Matt DeCeglie wih Dylan Allen
Spotswood head coach Steve Mate
by Mike Pavlichko

As NJSIAA basketball tourney gets underway, here are 14 area teams that could win titles

March can be fickle weather-wise. What’s the saying? Don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes, it’ll change?

Well, March can be fickle for high school basketball teams.

A top-seed could get upset. Someone goes on a run, but then it ends with a thud.

But others will win championships. Some will be favorites, some will be surprises.

Last year, the Montgomery boys were fantastic all year, narrowly lost the Somerset County title game to Rutgers Prep, then went on an won Central Jersey Group 4. The SCT-champion Rutgers Prep girls won yet another South B title in non-public. The Colonia boys won the GMC, then took its third-straight North 2, Group 3 title.

But there was also the wonderful run by Manville’s boys to the Central Jersey Group 1 title game. And Hillsborough’s girls won their first-ever sectional title, taking the North 2, Group 4 crown.

So who’s got a shot to win it this year? In no particular order, here are 14 teams – seven girls’ teams, seven boys’ squads – we think could bring home some hardware in the 2025 NJSIAA state playoffs, which begin Wednesday afternoon and evening for public schools in Groups 1 and 3. Find the Wednesday schedule here.

And, of course, anyone else can make a run. Who knows who the states will playout? Records aren’t always a good indicator. Sometimes, different styles of play don’t mesh, and matchup problems and other issues can help lead to an upset. You’ve got to be in it to win it, but here are some of our favorites.

GIRLS’ CONTENDERS

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3: Somerville
The Pioneers are the two-seed, and look like they have a decent road. At 21-5, they come in on a five-game win streak since getting knocked out of the Somerset County Tournament by eventual runner-up and third-seed Hillsborough in the quarterfinals. Kaylee Lauber and Charlotte Taylor are the top scorers. Should the Pioneers get to the finals, they would most likely be at top-seed Chatham, which is 26-2, but if they get upset anywhere along the way, Ville would end up hosting a final as the two-seed. The ‘Ville opens Wednesday with 15-seed Colonia.

Central Jersey Group 1: Bound Brook
Top-seed New Providence has been outstanding all year long. At 24-2, they’re Union County Tournament champs. But the Lady Crusaders wouldn’t have to play them until the finals, if they get there. After an opening round game against Florence at home Wednesday, they would face either 6-seed Roselle Park or 11-seed Brearley in the quarters, before most likely getting second-seed Thrive Charter in the semis. The former Trenton Catholic, they’re now a charter and in the public grouping – with many criticizing that, more specifically on the boys’ side, in the same section College Achieve Asbury Park dominated last year before dropping out of the NJSIAA altogether. The girls, though, are 15-5 – physical, but not as dominating as the boys. Get through the first two rounds, then Thrive, they would get New Providence, unless the Pioneers get upset themselves.

Central Jersey Group 4: Hillsborough, Monroe, Franklin
This might not be a wide-open section, but you’d have to figure the top two seeds are favorites. North 2, Group 4 is a very strong section, but the Raiders won it last year. This year, CJ4 seems a bit more wide open. After the Raiders, you have Monroe, which got some good news since its defeat in the GMC Tournament championship game: Evangelina Francisco, who had been ejected, was cleared by the NJSIAA to play in the state tournament, after reviewing game footage, according to Monroe head coach Brian Hinz. (The NJSIAA did not return a request for comment.) The Raiders open Thursday against 16-seed Long Branch, while Monroe faces GMC foe North Brunswick. Besides them, throw Franklin in this list. They play in what might be one of the toughest divisions in the CJSR coverage area. While they’re 9-15, two of those losses came to Rutgers Prep, three to Gill St. Bernard’s (including one in the SCT semifinals) and one to Hillsborough – by just four, but they won the rematch by three. Take out those six losses and they’re 15-9. Take ’em out or not, they’re a legit contender as a five-seed. They’re on the Hillsborough side of the bracket, and how good would a semifinal matchup be between those two?? Count on at least one of those three teams being in the final, with a chance to take it all. Franklin entertains 12-seed Old Bridge in the opening round Thursday.

Non-Public South B: Rutgers Prep:
The Argonauts are going through a bit of a transition season. The last several years, a couple of key players would graduate, and some new ones would come in. This year, Mary Klinger’s squad had to replace four starters, and with two transfers, it’s been an adjustment. Still, they’re 18-6 and the two-seed in South B with a first-round bye. So they’ll only need to win two games to get to the finals, and they’re as good a bet as any. They open Monday against the winner of Friday’s first-round game between 7-seed Holy Cross Prep and 10-seed Moorestown Friends. They’re likely semifinal opponent would be third-seed Wildwood Catholic – no picnic at 22-5 – and they would likely get top-seed Gloucester Catholic (23-4) in the title game on March 10 down at Jackson Liberty HS. One note to keep in mind: should they win a sectional title, they won’t face Morris Catholic again, after falling to them two straight years in the Non-Public Group B state final. That’s because they moved up to the larger-school Group A this season.

Non-Public North B: Gill St. Bernard’s:
The Knights beat Rutgers Prep this season for the first time in ages, and then topped Hillsborough for their first Somerset County Tournament championship in eleven years. And with so few teams – just seven! – in this section, they only need to win two games to be champions. They open next Thursday, March 6, against the winner of 5-seed Roselle Catholic and 4-seed Hudson Catholic, with the winner there going to the finals. Head coach Mark Gnapp may not position it to his team this way, but we will: this has been Gill’s best team in years, and it’s theirs for the taking. But don’t count out potential finalist Montclair-Immaculate on the other side of the bracket. At 17-8, they’re the two-seed, but probably also a little inspired by the fact the school will be closing after this year. And you never know how that back-to-the-wall inspiration might manifest itself on the hardwood.

BOYS’ CONTENDERS

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3: Colonia
Even if you didn’t look at this year’s team, having won three straight automatically puts them in the category of a favorite. Couple that another wonderful season at 23-4, a second straight GMC Tournament title, and wins over powerhouses like St. Peter’s Prep and La Lumiere (IN), and this is the Patriots’ jam. This may be their best team of the past four seasons, with Aiden Derkack continuing to improve, and a great supporting cast of R.J. Wortman and Julien Jones, Zach Smith and Dylan Chiera, all of whom know they want Aiden with the ball, but can score when called upon. Oh, and they play great defense. The Patriots host Cranford Wednesday in the opening round.

Central Jersey Group 4: Montgomery
Ironically, the Cougars open first round play with the same team they faced in last year’s title game, Monroe. Except this time, the Falcons are the 16-seed. Once they get past that, it’s the winner of the 8/9 game between Hightstown and East Brunswick, and they could also get a CJSR team in the semis: Hillsborough, North Brunswick or Old Bridge. Monty has been excellent, getting Ethan Lin back has been huge, and he’s set numerous career highs this year, continually upping the ante. Dark horse? Hard to say it as a two-seed, and maybe it’s just because Montgomery has “been there, done that” and is a clear No. 1, but don’t count out Sayreville. It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see them in the finals making the long trip out to Skillman next weekend.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4: Piscataway, Ridge
Yeah, we know Plainfield is really good. The top-seeded Cardinals are 23-3 and third in the statewide rankings. Does Piscataway have a shot? Not sure. But why not? They play great defense, can score, have bought into Bob Turco’s game plan in his first year as coach, and are phenomenally in sync as a group. But they gave Colonia a ride in the GMC title tilt, and could do the same against the Cardinals, though it would have to be in the semifinals, and yes, it would be a mammoth upset. Piscataway might be one of a few teams who could pull that off. They just got what is one of their biggest wins of the year Saturday, the day after the GMC finals. The Chiefs open Thursday against Bridgewater-Raritan. Ridge is also very good, and the third-seeded Blue Devils have 14-seed Union at home Thursday to open with. They’d have to get by 2-seed Elizabeth potentially in the second round.

Non-Public North B: Gill St. Bernard’s
The Knights are the top-seed and the Somerset County Tournament champs. Probably their biggest challenged would be if they got to the finals, and most likely play two-seed Roselle Catholic. But guess what? They played the Lions to a one-point loss this season, 43-42 on January 12th. So, they’ve got as good a shot as anyone else to win it. That’s about as close to 50-50 as you could get.

Non-Public South B: Rutgers Prep
The Somerset County Tournament runner up, the Argonauts are the No. 2 seed, and lost by 17 back in December to St. Rose, the top-seed. But if they can get to the finals, they’ll have another crack at them. With a double-bye, Prep only needs a couple of wins to get there.

by Mike Pavlichko

How are GMC basketball division races shaping up less than two weeks from the seeding meeting? We take a look

The Somerset County Tournament already has been seeded – a little earlier this year with the return to a Saturday schedule after the opening round – and the Greater Middlesex Conference will do the same a week from this Friday, on February seventh.

So how do the divisional races shape up on the girls’ and boys’ side?

While the SCT seeding is an overall vote by coaches, the GMC committee works a little differently, with reps from all the divisions and two coach representatives.

And with a change on the boys’ side to five divisions, all the division winners are guaranteed a top 12 seed, while the girls – with four divisions – guarantee a top eight seed to the four division champions.

Let’s dive in…

GREATER MIDDLESEX CONFERENCE BOYS

GMC Red Division: Defending champion Colonia already has clinched the division, and they should be the No. 1 seed in the tournament. The Patriots are 8-0 in the Red with two more to play, but even if they dropped them, they would – at worst – be tied with Piscataway (6-2), which they beat twice already. It’s likely that at least the top three Red teams will come out first before the White Division champ gets seeded. That would likely be Piscataway, then St. Thomas Aquinas (5-4), and the Chiefs have the tiebreaker since they beat the Trojans twice this season.

GMC White Division: Sayreville is 9-1 in the division with two games left, and South Plainfield is 6-3, with three to go. The Bombers beat the Tigers 73-56 in their first meeting on January 16th, so if they can win out, including winning their rematch next Tuesday, they’ll lock it up. If the Tigers win that game, they still would need Sayreville to drop another game.

GMC Blue Division: This one is neck-and-neck, with Edison in first at 6-1 and Timothy Christian second at 5-1. Should both keep winning, it could come down to a Thursday night matchup the evening before the seeding meeting in Edison between the Eagles and Tigers. (It’s also a good possibility we’ll be there on our final week “flex” broadcast schedule!) While only a Top 12 is guaranteed, it will be interesting to see how high the Blue Champion will go; a top eight seed gets a double-bye to the first round, while seeds 9 through 12 open play in the preliminary round.

GMC Gold Division: This one is also a race to the finish. Metuchen and Spotswood are both 6-2 in the division, with Middlesex behind them at 4-2. That’s more intriguing is the Bulldogs and Chargers have played both their matchups this year, splitting a pair. Metuchen won opening night at home, 63-52, an 11-point victory, while the Chargers won at their place last week, 61-43, and 18-point win. If they are co-champs and no head-to-head tiebreaker, the committee will have to break the tie. Margin of victory could come into play (Spotswood won by more) as could games against other teams already “on the board,” meaning teams already seeded.

GMC Silver Division: Another tight division here, as Piscataway Magnet (10-2) is a half-game ahead of Dunellen (9-2). Highland Park (8-4) probably won’t factor in, as the Raiders swept two from the Owls, though Dunellen split. Still, Highland Park would need to make a late run somewhere else. The Destroyers won the first meeting with Piscataway Magnet on January 15th, 54-41, and they meet again this Friday at 5:30 pm.

GREATER MIDDLESEX CONFERENCE GIRLS

GMC Red Division: No race here. St. Thomas Aquinas is a juggernaut, 10-0 in the Red, with the closest teams behind them Monroe and East Brunswick, both at 6-4. Forgetting wins and losses, the Trojans are beating GMC Red opponents by an average of 44.8 points per game. In fact, Monroe is the only team to hold St. Thomas to under 80 in a GMC Red game this year, falling to them 58-29 on January fourth.

GMC White Division: Spotswood and Middlesex – both 10-2 in the White – are tied for first, with Edison (9-3) behind by a game. The Chargers and Blue Jays split this year: Middlesex won by ten at home on December 19th, 47-37, while Spotswood returned the favor by six back on January 14th, but only by six, 38-32. Middlesex has Edison tonight (Tuesday) at 5:30, while the Eagles host Spotswood Thursday night at 5:30, a game that will air live on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Neither the Chargers nor Jays can afford to drop a game; if both do, it’ll get even more interesting! Edison already has lost to Middlesex by six, but beat Spotswood by nine. There are lost of scenarios here, but this week should settle a lot.

GMC Blue Division: Carteret is at the top at 10-1 in the Blue, with Metuchen at 8-1, and Highland Park just two back in the loss column at 7-2. The Ramblers beat Metuchen on January 17th, 44-32, and rematch again in the Brainy Boro next Thursday, they day before the seeding meeting. If Metuchen doesn’t trip up between now and then, that could decide it. They also beat Highland Park in their opener; that rematch is next Wednesday at 5:30.

GMC Gold Division: This one should be just about settled barring a giant collapse from division leader Calvary Christian, which is 13-0, while Mother Seton is 11-4, and Calvary swept them this year, on back-to-back nights in January, 30-25 and 36-25.

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – Boys’ Basketball: Monroe 57, Spotswood 49

The Monroe Falcons got career highs of 20 points from senior Logan Fotiadis and 15 from senior Taran Singh, leading nearly wire-to-wire in a 57-49 win over the Spotswood Chargers in a Greater Middlesex Conference crossover game.

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko call all the play-by-play from Spotswood High School on January 13th, 2025, as heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio:

by Mike Pavlichko

Somerville boys look to keep things rolling in Skyland Valley in Saturday trip to The Brook

It’s been a strong start to the season for Chris Nevolo’s senior-laden Somerville group.

The Pioneers are 6-2 and 2-0 in the Skyland Conference’s Valley Division, but will put their hot start to the test against rival Bound Brook (6-3, 0-2 Skyland – Valley) Saturday afternoon.

You can hear the action on Central Jersey Sports Radio with tip-off at 1 pm, pregame at 12:45. Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe have the call; click here to listen.

Brady Scheier leads the way for Somerville. A four-year starter and 1,000-point scorer, the senior point guard is averaging almost 18 points per game and has scored in double-figures in all eight contests. “The saying is one-in-a-million, but Brady’s one-in-a-billion,” Nevolo said.

Scheier is one of four standout Somerville football players that also play key roles on the hoops team; Brenden Pacheco, Josh Rodriguez, and Spencer Carran are the others. Nevolo believes that coming off of a Central Jersey Group 3 championship run on the turf can only help them on the hardwood. That toughness and multidimensionality can be tracked defensively, where Somerville is only allowing 40 points per game.

But Bound Brook is a tough place to play, and the Crusaders always present a challenge. The Ville last beat The Brook in January 2020, and with this short trip east, the Pioneers not only have a chance to do something that hasn’t been done in a handful of years, but also cement their spot atop the Skyland Valley division.

Click below to hear Somerville head coach Chris Nevolo talk about the Pioneers with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Justin Sontupe: