Tag: boys' basketball

by Mike Pavlichko

Roselle Catholic’s early spurt keeps Aquinas behind the eight ball all night, ends Trojans’ season in sectional semis

St. Thomas Aquinas brought its A game against Roselle Catholic. Or at least its A effort..

But it still wasn’t enough as the fourth-seeded Rams – the No. 1 team in New Jersey – proved why it deserved that ranking with a 90-72 win over top-seed St. Thomas Aquinas – ranked No. 5 in New Jersey – in the Non-Public North B Semifinals in North Edison Monday night, as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

The Rams – with several high-level Division 1 college recruits – jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first couple of minutes before Aquinas head coach Bob Turco called a timeout to stop the bleeding. It worked, if only momentarily, as the Trojans got the next two buckets to cut it to 10-4.

But Roselle Catholic went on a 15-9 run from there to close the half with a 25-15 lead, and built their lead by five more points at halftime, taking a 47-32 lead into the break that they could not overcome.

The loss ends the season for Aquinas at 25-4, and ends the scholastic careers of three senior starters, Kamal Lee, Terrell Pitts and Jalen Pichardo. Bench players Chris Santner and Sherief Guinyard also will graduate.

The game had all the hype leading up to it, and it wasn’t even a title game. It was just a semifinal, with the Rams seeded fourth and Aquinas first based on power points, not human rankings, which bore themselves out in the game.

North-Carolina bound Simeon Wilcher led all scorers with 27 for Roselle Catholic, and Mackenzie Mgbako – in his first action since late January, added 13. Michael “Deuce” Jones led the Trojans with 19 in defeat.

Roselle Catholic (20-5) now goes on to the Non-Public North B title game Wednesday night at 5 pm at Franklin, against the winner of second-seed Gill St. Bernard’s and 6th-seed Montclair-Immaculate.

Follow Sportsplex at Metuchen on Instagram for the latest on open gym sessions on their courts and turf!

COMING SOON! Postgame reaction from CJSR’s Justin Sontupe with Aquinas head coach Bob Turco, presented by SportsPlex at Metuchen.

by Mike Pavlichko

Statewide Top 5 battle on tap in Non-Public North B semis, as St. Thomas Aquinas squares off with Roselle Catholic

It’s a game that’s more befitting a sectional final, a group final, or maybe even a Tournament of Champions final – if they still played it.

But it’s only going to be a trip to a title game on the line Monday night when top-seed St. Thomas Aquinas (25-3) welcomes fourth-seed Roselle Catholic (19-5) into the Trojans’ tiny, sweaty gym in the a Non-Public North B semifinal game at 6 pm, that can be heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Justin Sontupe and Chris Tsakonas will call all the play-by-play of what is a marquee state matchup, with pregame beginning at 5:45 pm. Click here to listen to the fill broadcast live on Monday night.

Aquinas is the three-time defending Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament Champion, and has gone 84-15 over the past four seasons. They’ve got some great players who are household names in the GMC, including Jaden Kelly, Jalen Pichardo, Terrell Pitts, and seamlessly added Trenton Catholic transfer Michael “Deuce” Jones to the mix this year.

Follow Sportsplex at Metuchen on Instagram for the latest on open gym sessions on their courts and turf!

That’s all well and good, but Roselle Catholic – last year’s last-ever TOC winner – is stacked with major D-1 talent. Senior guard Simeon Wilcher is going to the ACC to play for North Carolina. Akil Watson is committed to Arizona State. Mackenzie Mgbako will face Wilcher in the ACC at Duke. Tarik Watson, Akil’s younger brother also is a physical presence.

And even though Mgbako – the transfer from Gill St. Bernard’s – is injured, and hasn’t played since late January, there’s plenty of talent at the ready for the Rams, who count three losses to teams ranked No. 1 nationally – Duncanville (TX), Paul VI (VA) and Montverde (FL) – among their five losses.

In fact, Roselle Catholic hasn’t lost to a New Jersey opponent since dropping its opener last year to Camden, the team it beat to win the Tournament of Champions.

Click below to hear Justin Sontupe talk about the matchup with St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Bob Turco:

by Mike Pavlichko

Colonia boys’ seek back-to-back sectional titles when Patriots host Snyder in North 2, Group 3 final

Every year is a different team, but sometimes it’s the same result.

Fans of the Colonia boys’ basketball team hope that’s very much the case this year, as their fourth-seeded Patriots (21-8) will play for a second straight North 2, Group 3 title Monday night at 6:00 when they take on sixth-seed Snyder (17-11) out of Jersey City.

Colonia got there with a semifinal win over top-seed South Plainfield, an upset by seed, but really could have gone either way between two of the top teams in the GMC all year. The Patriots took control of after the Tigers got off to a hot start. Read more on Colonia’s semifinal win here, including postgame interviews by Chris Tsakonas with junior point guard Jaeden Jones and head coach Jose Rodriguez.

And so, here they are, back in the sectional finals for a fourth straight time, having never missed a sectional title tilt under head coach Jose Rodriguez, now in his fifth season.

Follow Sportsplex at Metuchen on Instagram for the latest on open gym sessions on their courts and turf!

The stretch began in 2019 when the blue-and-gold made the finals in Rodriguez’ first season, losing to Irvington. The next year, they came back and beat West Morris 57-33 on the road. Unfortunately, Colonia wouldn’t get a chance at a title the next year during the COVID-shortened season, but won the next-best-thing: the Jay Williams-Karl Anthony Towns GMC pod, a four-game “postseason” allowed by the NJSIAA in lieu of county and state tournaments.

But once the NJSIAA tournament came back last season, Colonia picked up right where it left off: winning a title, beating South Plainfield 56-52 in a double-overtime instant classic.

READ MORE ON THE 2022 CHAMPIONSHIP: Colonia needs double-OT to stave off South Plainfield as Pats take North 2, Group 3 title

So, here are the Patriots, looking for a third straight title in North 2, Group 3. Not to look past, but they hope to take it a step further this year, as the last two times they have been knocked out in the group semifinals, last year by Ramapo, and in 2020 by Irvington.

Junior point guard Jaeden Jones makes it all go, averaging 15 points per game but perhaps more importantly six assists in three state tournament games so far, wins over North Hunterdon, Chatham and South Plainfield. Senior Noah Taylor had a double-double in the quarterfinals against Chatham – 16 points and 10 boards – and though he was held scoreless against the Tigers, he grabbed another ten rebounds, critical in the victory as the Patriots had a 27-19 rebounding edge in the game.

Click below to hear them talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

The Patriots will be playing for their eighth sectional title in program history. And a win against Snyder would give them three in the last four NJSIAA state tournaments. In addition to the 2019 and 2022 wins, they also won North 2, Group 3 in 2015.

Chris Chiera was the head coach of that 2015 title team, which beat Chatham in a raucus game in Colonia’s gym, 45-43. Colonia had to rally in the fourth quarter, down 35-29 heading into the final eight minutes. The place was rocking that night, and even alum Eric LeGrand was in attendance. One of Chiera’s assistants on that team was Joe LaSala, LeGrand’s childhood friend and football teammate at Colonia, who now is the head football coach at Woodbridge.

That team then lost to Bergenfield in the Group 3 semifinals up at East Orange Campus High School.

Other titles also included a win in North 2, Group 3 in 2007, Central Jersey Group 3 titles in 1994 and 1985, and a Central Jersey Group 4 crown in 1972.

Colonia has never made it to a group final.

As for Snyder, the Tigers got knocked out of the Hudson County Tournament in the quarterfinals, 59-56 by Union City. They’ve not won more than four games in a row this season, and that only happened once: in their first four games, with wins over Lincoln, Columbia, Bayonne and Dickinson.

They have been led all year long senior point guard Ahmad Robertson, averaging 12.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He also averages just over four assists per game to lead the team, and has a Snyder-best 61 steals on the year.

But the key late in the year has been Senior Samir Jordan – a transfer from North Star Academy – who didn’t play until February second. And since then, all he’s done is pour in points. Specifically, he scored 23 against Payne Tech in the semifinals, had a career high 28 against Mendham in the semis, and has averaged 21.2 points in the ten games he’s played since becoming eligible.

by Mike Pavlichko

Bound Brook-South River rematch on tap in states as four boys’ teams advance in NJSIAA sectional quarterfinals Thursday night

They met January 7th as part of the GMC-Skyland Challenge. They’ll meet again Saturday for a trip to the Central Jersey Group 2 semifinals.

Fourth-seed Bound Brook (22-4) avenged last year’s sectional title game blowout loss at Rumson-Fair Haven by rallying late to beat the 5th-seeded Bulldogs, 46-45, in one quarterfinal game, as Jordan Summers notched a double-double with 18 points and 11 boards, while Jackson Morrison added 13 points.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Bound Brook head coach Anthony Melesurgo:

In the other half of that side of the bracket, top-seed South River (25-3) built an early lead – 22-8 at the end of one quarter – and cruised past 9th-seedPoint Pleasant Boro, winning 83-56 at home. Brothers Jeremy and Alex Grospe each had 19 points and combined for eight treys; Jeremy had five.

It sets up a rematch of a January battle between the teams, which were both unbeaten at the time, and which saw the Rams win 66-61 in a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Saturday’s CJ2 title game will tip off at 1 pm.

The other semifinal will be 3rd-seed Raritan at 2-seed Manasquan.

In other action, in Central Jersey Group 4, just one team advanced: that was 6th-seed South Brunswick (19-6) pulling the seed upset over 3rd-seed North Brunswick (21-7) on the road, 72-46. The Vikings jumped out to a 22-5 lead over the first eight minutes and never looked back, led by Kalani Antoine’s monster game of 31 points.

South Brunswick will get to host another game now, as 7th-seed Marlboro knocked off 2nd-seed Freehold Township on the road, 55-42. Saturday’s CJ4 semifinal is set for 1 pm. The other semifinal will be 5-eed Middletown South at top-seed Trenton.

And over in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4, third-seed Hillsborough advanced, while top-seed Ridge was upset and seventh-seed Franklin was eliminated.

The Raiders (19-7) were 48-41 home winners over 6th-seed Columbia out of Maplewood-South Orange, behind 16 points from St. Thomas Aquinas transfer Phillip Unangst, and 14 from Jayden Green. They’ll play in the sectional semis Saturday at Linden; the 2nd-seeded Tigers eliminated 7th-seed Franklin 49-43.

The other semifinal will be 8th-seed Newark East Side at 5th-seed Westfield. East Side knocked off top-seed Ridge 49-43.

In North 2, Group 2, 11th-seed Bernards was eliminated by 14th-seed Newark West Side 69-46.

Below are Thursday night’s results in sections involving area teams, with full scores where teams remain alive. Scroll further down for the upcoming schedule.

Central Group 4
#1 Trenton def. #8 West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 60-47
#5 Middletown North def. #4 Jackson Memorial, 63-58
#6 South Brunswick def. #3 North Brunswick, 72-46
#7 Marlboro def. #2 Freehold Twp., 55-42

Central Group 2
#1 South River def. #9 Point Pleasant Boro, 83-56
#4 Bound Brook def. #5 Rumson-Fair Haven, 46-45
#3 Raritan def. #6 Delaware Valley, 47-33
#2 Manasquan def. #7 Roselle, 76-41

North 2, Group 4
#8 Newark East Side def. #1 Ridge, 49-43
#5 Westfield def. #13 Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 59-56
#3 Hillsborough def. #6 Columbia, 48-41
#2 Linden def. #7 Franklin, 49-43

North 2, Group 2
#14 Newark West Side def. #11 Bernards, 69-46

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

FRIDAY

North 2 Group 3 Semifinals
#4 Colonia at #1 South Plainfield
#7 Payne Tech at #6 Snyder

Non-Public South A Quarterfinals
#8 Red Bank Catholic at #1 Camden Catholic
#5 Union Catholic at #4 Paul VI
#6 St. Joseph-Metuchen at #3 Immaculata
#7 Rutgers Prep at #2 St. Augustine

Non-Public North B Quarterfinals
#8 Timothy Christian at #1 St. Thomas Aquinas
#5 Morris Catholic at #4 Roselle Catholic
@6 Montclair-Immaculata at #3 St. Mary-Rutherford
#7 Saddle River Day at #2 Gill St. Bernard’s

SATURDAY

Central Group 4 Semifinals
#4 Jackson Memorial at #1 Trenton
#7 Marlboro at #6 South Brunswick

Central Group 2 Semifinals
#4 Bound Brook at #1 South River
#3 Raritan at #2 Manasquan

North 2, Group 4 Semifinals
#8 Newark East Side at #5 Westfield
#3 Hillsborough at #2 Linden


by Mike Pavlichko

Good night for local boys’ squads in the NJSIAA state tournament, as five of seven advance

It was a good night generally for teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area, as five advanced Wednesday night in the NJSIAA boys’ state basketball tournament, including two GMC schools that will meet for the first time this season with a sectional semifinal on the line.

In North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3, top-seed South Plainfield and 4th-seed Colonia both advanced, and will play for a trip to the title game Friday at 5:30 pm in South Plainfield. Click here for more detailed coverage of the game, including postgame interviews with Tigers’ head coach John Greco and Colonia head coach Jose Rodriguez.

In Non-Public South A, two area teams moved on to quarterfinal action. Sixth-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen got a game-high 27 points from senior Anthony Williams and led most of the way in a 75-61 victory over 11th-seed Pingry, while 7th-seed Rutgers Prep also led most of the way in knocking out 10th-seed Christian Brothers of Lincroft, 74-58. Senior Cameron Piggee, the hero of the Somerset County Tournament title game, scored 24 points, while fellow senior Jadin Collins added 22.

In Non-Public North B, eighth-seed Timothy Christian got past 9th-seed Eastern Christian 82-59 in Piscataway behind a career-high 33 points from sophomore Myles Dickerson.

The only teams to get knocked out Wednesday night were 6th-seed Manville in Central Jersey Group 1 – losing 58-46 at third-seed Point Pleasant Beach – while 5th-seed Calvary Christian of Old Bridge was bounced by 12th-seed Doane Academy of Burlington County, 63-36, in Non-Public South B play.

Below are results for all area teams, including full results in sections with area teams remaining. Scroll further down for the upcoming schedule, including games resulting from Wedensday night’s wins.

Central Group 1 Quarterfinals
#3 Pt. Pleasant Beach def. #6 Manville, 58-46

North 2 Group 3 Quarterfinals
#1 South Plainfield def. #8 Summit, 55-51
#4 Colonia def. #5 Chatham, 60-51
#6 Snyder def #3 Mendham, 56-53
#7 Payne Tech def. #2 West Morris, 69-59

Non-Public South A First Round
#8 Red Bank Catholic def. #9 Notre Dame, 65-51
#5 Union Catholic def. #12 St. John Vianney, 69-51
#4 Paul VI def #13 Donovan Catholic, 90-32
#6 St. Joseph-Metuchen def. #11 Pingry, 74-61
#7 Rutgers Prep def. #10 Christian Brothers, 74-58
Byes: #1 Camden Catholic, #2 St. Augustine, #3 Immaculata

Non-Public North B First Round
#8 Timothy Christian def. #8 Eastern Christian, 82-59
#5 Morris Catholic def #12 Morristown-Beard, 82-41
#4 Roselle Catholic def. #13 Koinonia, 101-25
#6 Montclair-Immaculata def. #11 Pioneer Academy, 79-43
#10 Hawthorne Christian at #7 Saddle River Day (score unavailable)
Byes #1 St. Thomas Aquinas, #2 Gill St. bernard’s, #3 St. Mary-Rutherford

Non-Public South B First Round
#12 Doane Academy def. #5 Calvary Christian (Old Bridge), 63-36

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

THURSDAY

Central Group 4 Quarterfinals
#8 West Windsor-Plainsboro South at #1 Trenton
#5 Middletown South at #4 Jackson Memorial
#6 South Brunswick at #3 North Brunswick
#7 Marlboro at #2 Freehold Twp.

Central Group 2 Quarterfinals
#9 Point Pleasant Boro at #1 South River
#5 Rumson-Fair Haven at #4 Bound Brook
#6 Delaware Valley at #3 Raritan
#7 Roselle at #2 Manasquan

North 2, Group 4 Quarterfinals
#8 Newark East Side at #1 Ridge
#13 Scotch Plains-Fanwood at #5 Westfield
#6 Columbia at #3 Hillsborough
#7 Franklin at #2 Linden

North 2, Group 2 Quarterfinals
#8 Science Park at #1 Caldwell
#5 McNair at #4 Newark Collegiate
#14 West Side at #11 Bernards
#10 Hanover Park at #2 Madison

FRIDAY

North 2 Group 3 Semifinals
#4 Colonia at #1 South Plainfield
#7 Payne Tech at #6 Snyder

Non-Public South A Quarterfinals
#8 Red Bank Catholic at #1 Camden Catholic
#5 Union Catholic at #4 Paul VI
#6 St. Joseph-Metuchen at #3 Immaculata
#7 Rutgers Prep at #2 St. Augustine

Non-Public North B Quarterfinals
#8 Timothy Christian at #1 St. Thomas Aquinas
#5 Morris Catholic at #4 Roselle Catholic
36 Montclair-Immaculata at #3 St. Mary-Rutherford
Winner of #10 Hawthorne Christian/#7 Saddle River Day at #2 Gill St. Bernard’s

by Mike Pavlichko

Bernards boys’ upset Hackettstown, while seven other higher seeds advance in Group 2 and 4 opening round action

Of the eight Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area teams advancing in the opening round of the state playoffs on Tuesday for Groups 2 and 4, seven were higher seeds – including top-seed South River in Central Jersey Group 2 – while Bernards pulled off an upset in North 2, Group 2..

The 11th-ranked Mountaineers got a team-high 19 points from Ryan Gaglione – and another 14 from Connor Laverty – to get past 6th-seed Hackettstown on the road, 52-49. Bernards trailed 27-22 at the half and cut the deficit to four after three quarters, but rallied on a 17-10 fourth quarter to win.

Below are full first-round results from Tuesday night in all the sections involving CJSR-area teams. Scroll further down for the upcoming schedule, including matchups resulting from tonight’s games.

Central Group 4
#1 Trenton def. #16 Sayreville, 118-47
#8 West Windsor-Plainsboro South def. #9 Montgomery, 56-46
#5 Middletown south def. #12 Manalapan, 92-65
#4 Jackson Memorial def. #13 East Brunswick, 67-59
#3 North Brunswick def. #14 Princeton, 55-54
#6 South Brunswick def. #11 Old Bridge, 61-35
#7 Marlboro def. #10 Hightstown, 56-48
#2 Freehold Twp. def. #15 Howell, 61-48

Central Group 2
#1 South River def. #16 East Brunswick Magnet, 80-33
#9 Pt. Pleasant Boro def. #8 Spotswood, 51-42
#5 Rumson-Fair Haven def. #12 Roselle Park, 90-54
#4 Bound Brook def. #13 Holmdel, 57-43
#3 Raritan def. #14 Johnson, 66-37
#6 Delaware Valley def. #11 Bordentown, 59-39

North 2, Group 4
#1 Ridge def. #16 Woodbridge, 74-53
#8 Newark East Side def. #9 Bayonne, 56-39
#5 Westfield def. #12 Watchung Hills, 56-50
#13 Scotch Plains-Fanwood def. #4 Elizabeth, 65-55
#3 Hillsborough def. #14 JP Stevens, 53-46
#6 Columbia def. #11 Phillipsburg, 65-54
#7 Franklin def. #10 Irvington, 74-65
#2 Linden def. #15 Piscataway, 53-41

North 2, Group 2
#1 Caldwell def. #16 Becton, 67-41
#8 Science Park def. #8 Lyndhurst, 67-41
#5 McNair def. #12 Verona, 61-36
#4 Newark Central def. #13 Dayton, 66-57
#14 West Side def. #3 Rutherford, 76-71
#11 Bernards def. #6 Hackettstown, 52-49
#10 Hanover Park def. #7 New Providence, 51-41
#2 Madison def. #15 Newark Central, 52-42

Here is the upcoming schedule for all sections in which area teams remain:

WEDNESDAY

Central Group 1 Quarterfinals
#9 South Hunterdon at #1 Eagle Academy
#12 Brearley at #4 Keyport
#6 Manville at #3 Pt. Pleasant Beach
#7 Florence at #2 Shore

North 2 Group 3 Quarterfinals
#8 Summit at #1 South Plainfield
#5 Chatham at #4 Colonia
#6 Snyder at #3 Mendham
#7 Payne Tech at #2 West Morris

Non-Public South A First Round
#11 Pingry at #6 St. Joseph-Metuchen
#10 Christian Brothers at #7 Rutgers Prep

Non-Public North B First Round
#9 Eastern Christian at #8 Timothy Christian

Non-Public South B First Round
#12 Doane Academy at #5 Calvary Christian

THURSDAY

Central Group 4 Quarterfinals
#8 West Windsor-Plainsboro South at #1 Trenton
#5 Middletown South at #4 Jackson Memorial
#6 South Brunswick at #3 North Brunswick
#7 Marlboro at #2 Freehold Twp.

Central Group 2 Quarterfinals
#9 Point Pleasant Boro at #1 South River
#5 Rumson-Fair Haven at #4 Bound Brook
#6 Delaware Valley at #3 Raritan
#7 Roselle at #2 Manasquan

North 2, Group 4 Quarterfinals
#8 Newark East Side at #1 Ridge
#13 Scotch Plains-Fanwood at #5 Westfield
#6 Columbia at #3 Hillsborough
#7 Franklin at #2 Linden

North 2, Group 2 Quarterfinals
#8 Science Park at #1 Caldwell
#5 McNair at #4 Newark Collegiate
#14 West Side at #11 Bernards
#10 Hanover Park at #2 Madison

FRIDAY

Non-Public South A Quarterfinals
Winner of #11 Pingry/#6 St. Joseph-Metuchen at #3 Immaculata

Non-Public North B Quarterfinals
Winner of #9 Eastern Christian/#8 Timothy Christian at #1 St. Thomas Aquinas
Winner of #10 Hawthorne Christian/#7 Saddle River Day at #2 Gill St. Bernard’s

by Mike Pavlichko

With County finals behind us, here’s a quick look at the NJSIAA state tournament

GMC and Somerset County Tournament champions have been crowned, regular season games are done for teams that were knocked out of their county tournaments early, and now it’s a one-and-done for every team that qualified for the NJSIAA State Tournament.

For the first time, the Tournament of Champions – which began play in 1989 with the St. Anthony boys’ from Jersey City and the Hoffman girls from South Amboy winning the inaugural titles – will not be played. It was eliminated last year by the NJSIAA when it shortened seasons in order to leave more time off between seasons for student-athletes who play multiple sports. (More on that some other time.)

A total of 74 teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area are in the playoffs, 38 on the girls’ side, 36 for the boys. Groups 1 and 3 begin play Monday, while Groups 2 and 4 start Tuesday. Non-public sections begin Wednesday.

A number of area teams on the boys’ side are top seeds in their respective sections, and several have a good shot at a sectional title. Sectional finals take place next week, with Group Championships taking place next weekend, March 3rd through the 5th at Rutgers’ Jersey Mike’s Arena and Toms River’s RWJBarnabas Arena.

Who’s got a good shot at a title?

Let’s start on the boys’ side, where there are some really good teams in Central Group 4, but if we had to pick a team to make a deep run, we’d go with 6th-seed South Brunswick. The Vikings played top-seed and now three-time defending champion St. Thomas Aquinas to within a single possession in Friday night’s GMC Final, and senior forward Harmehar Chhabra impressed. He’s a heady player, and makes those around him better. Don’t sleep on South Brunswick, which will face 11th-seed Old Bridge in a GMC Red Division opening round matchup tomorrow night.

South River got the No. 1 seed in Central Group 2, and the Rams should be a good bet to get at least to the finals, where they would likely face a very tough Manasquan club. But they would have to come to South River’s band box gym, and any visiting fans better get there early, lest they get shut out. And don’t look past a looming third battle this season with 8-seed Spotswood, which hung tough against the Rams in the first week of the season; they played South River tighter than almost anyone else this year. Fourth-seed Bound Brook also has to be a threat. The Crusaders and Rams played a fun one back in January at The Brook that saw South River come out on top.

Ridge also got a top seed, in North 2 Group 4, but those are tough matchups to predict in that section. The No. 2 seed is Linden, coming off a nine-point loss to the No. 1 team in the state, Roselle Catholic, in the Union County Tournament title game. Franklin could make some noise, too, as the 7-seed, but would run into Linden in the second round assuming they get past 10-seed Irvington in their opener tomorrow night.

South Plainfield is also another very good ballclub, and the Tigers open with 16-seed Voorhees at home. They could also have to get past another solid team in 4-seed Colonia in the semifinals, if it came down to it.

And Non-Public North B is intriguing, with St. Thomas Aquinas getting the top seed (No. 5 ranking statewide) and Roselle Catholic (No. 1) getting the fourth seed. That’s the way power points go. Point is, the Trojans have a bye, and if both teams get there, a potential RC-STA semifinal awaits in North Edison between two heavyweights next Monday night. Roselle Catholic would have to beet 14th-sedd Koinonia, then either 5th-sedd Morris Catholic or 12th-seed Morristown-Beard, while Aquinas would have to dispatch of either 9-seed Eastern Christian or 8-seed Timothy Christian. Gill St. Bernard’s – the two-seed – awaits on the other side of the bracket.

On the girls’ side, despite an up-and-down season, fifth-seed Colonia in North 2, Group 3 can make a run, and has to have some confidence even though they lost by seven to St. Thomas Aquinas in the GMC final Friday night. That’s because just 15 days prior, they had lost to the same Trojans by 50. Have Sandi Chiera give them a game plan, execute it, and they’re dangerous with the duo of senior Matti Chiera and junior Taylor Derkack.

Dunellen was good enough this season to get a three-seed in Central 1, but they could meet two-seed Middlesex in the sectional semifinals; whoever potentially comes out of that game – if they indeed meet – would most likely face a very tough Shore Regional team.

In the non-publics, yhe path is tough for GMC Girls’ champ St. Thomas Aquinas, as they’re in the same section (Non-Public South A) as St. John Vianney, which is the top-seed and gets a bye, but the Trojans can play. And you always have to love Rutgers Prep, the three-seed and defending champion in Non-Public South B. Their biggest challenge should be in the semifinals, a potential matchup with 2-seed St. Rose of Belmar, which got knocked out of the Shore Conference Tournament in the semifinals by the Lady Lancers.

Here’s the schedule of opening state tournament games for all area teams. All games are first round games except where noted.

BOYS’ TOURNAMENT

MONDAY

Central Group 3
#14 Somerville at #3 Hamilton West
#10 Carteret at #7 Matawan

Central Group 1
#12 Brearley at #5 Highland Park
#14 Somerset Tech at #3 Point Pleasant Beach
#11 South Amboy at #6 Manville
#15 Dunellen at #2 Shore

North 2 Group 3
#16 Voorhees at #1 South Plainfield
#13 North Hunterdon at #4 Colonia

TUESDAY

Central Group 4
#16 Sayreville at #1 Trenton
#9 Montgomery at #8 West Windsor-Plainsboro South
#13 East Brunswick at #4 Jackson Memorial
#14 Princeton at #3 North Brunswick
#11 Old Bridge at #6 South Brunswick

Central Group 2
#16 East Brunswick Magnet at #1 South River
#9 Point Pleasant Boro at #8 Spotswood
#13 Holmdel at #4 Bound Brook
#10 Middlesex at #7 Roselle

North 2, Group 4
#16 Woodbridge at #1 Ridge
#12 Watchung Hills at #5 Westfield
#14 JP Stevens at #3 Hillsborough
#10 Irvington at #7 Frannklin
#15 Piscataway at #2 Linden

North 2 Group 2
#11 Bernards at #6 Hackettstown

WEDNESDAY

Non-Public South A
#11 Pingry at #6 St. Joseph-Metuchen
#10 Christian Brothers at #7 Rutgers Prep

Non-Public North B
#9 Eastern Christian at #8 Timothy Christian

Non-Public South B
#12 Doane Academy at #5 Calvary Christian

FRIDAY

Non-Public South A Quarterfinals
Winner of #11 Pingry/#6 St. Joseph-Metuchen at #3 Immaculata

Non-Public North B Quarterfinals
Winner of #9 Eastern Christian/#8 Timothy Christian at #1 St. Thomas Aquinas
Winner of #10 Hawthorne Christian/#7 Saddle River Day at #2 Gill St. Bernard’s

GIRLS’ TOURNAMENT

MONDAY

Central Group 3
#12 Jackson Liberty at #5 Somerville
#13 Carteret at #4 Allentown
#10 South Plainfield at #7 Robbinsville
#15 JFK at #2 Ocean Twp.

Central Group 1
#9 Manville at #8 South Hunterdon
#12 Somerset Tech at #5 Point PLeasant Beach
#13 Keyport at #4 Perth Amboy Magnet
#14 Henry Hudson at #3 Dunellen
#11 Woodbridge Magnet at #6 Highland Park
#15 Florence at #2 Middlesex

North 2 Group 3
#9 Governor Livingston at #8 North Plainfield
#12 Nutley at #5 Colonia

TUESDAY

Central Group 4
#16 North Brunswick at #1 Hightstown
#9 Marlboro at #8 Old Bridge
#13 West Windsor-Plainsboro North at #4 East Brunswick
#14 Northern Burlington at #3 Monroe
#15 Freehold Township at #2 South Brunswick

Central Group 2
#11 Bound Brook at #6 Spotswood
#10 South River at #7 Metuchen

North 2 Group 4
#9 Woodbridge at #8 Hillsborough
#12 Union at #5 Edison
#11 Franklin at #6 Watchung Hills
#10 Ridge at #7 Scotch Plains-Fanwood

North 2 Group 2
#13 Bernards at #4 Dayton

WEDNESDAY

Non-Public South A

#9 Our Lady of Mercy at #8 Pingry
#12 Union Catholic at #5 St. Thomas Aquinas
#11 Immaculata at #6 Camden Catholic

Non-Public South B
#14 Moorestown Prep at #3 Rutgers Prep
#11 Timothy Christian at #6 Trenton Catholic
#10 Calvary Christian at #7 Bishop Eustace

FRIDAY

Non-Public North B Quarterfinals
#5 Gill St. Bernard’s at #4 Montclair-Immaculate
#7 Wardlaw-Hartridge at #2 Morris Catholic

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY: SCT Boys’ Final – #1 Rutgers Prep 69, #2 Gill St. Bernard’s 67

Cameron Piggee’s and-one with 2.9 seconds to go gave Rutgers Prep its first lead of the game, and after a half-court heave missed, the top-seeded Argonauts knocked off defending champion and second-seeded Gill St. Bernard’s in the Somerset County Tournament Boys’ Championship Game, to take their second-ever county title.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas call all the action from Montgomery High School on February 18, 2023 on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

by Mike Pavlichko

Piggee’s “and-one” with :02.9 left makes Rutgers Prep boys Somerset County Tournament Champions

Gill St. Bernard’s had double-digit leads in every quarter but the first, and Rutgers Prep led the game for just 2.9 seconds. But that was all they needed.

Senior Cameron Piggee gave the Argonauts their first lead of the game – with 2.9 seconds to go as he slashed through the lane, scored as he drew contact, then coolly hit his free throw, putting Prep up 69-67 in a game Gill led virtually wire-to-wire.

After the inbound, with no timeouts left, Gill’s Mario Castro-Sanchez heaved a 50-footer from the near sideline near mid-court, but it wasn’t close, completing a sweep by the Rutgers Prep girls and boys of the SCT.

Piggee finished with 20, including four three-point baskets. Junior Jadin Collins chipped in 16, and Senior Franklin Jones added 15 for Prep, which will head into the state tournament at 20-7.

Castro-Sanchez led the way for Gill (18-7) with 20 points, while junior Nick Losada added 19.

Click below for postgame reaction sponsored by SportsPlex at Metuchen:

Rutgers Prep senior Cameron Piggee
Rutgers Prep Head Coach Matt Bloom
by Mike Pavlichko

St. Thomas Aquinas boys win back-and-forth GMC Tournament final to complete the three-peat

In a game that saw 18 lead changes – ten in the third quarter – and neither team lead by more than six, No. 1 seed St. Thomas Aquinas got by No. 7 seed South Brunswick 53-50 to win the GMC Tournament Boys’ Championship, as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio Friday night from Monroe Township High School, presented by Dayton Toyota Service and Dayton Collision.

South Brunswick (17-6) had been vying to be the lowest seeded team to win the title, which has never been won by any lower than a sixth-seed.

Instead, the Trojans (24-3) now have won three full GMC Tournament Championships in a row, and – coupled with their girls’ 49-42 win over Colonia earlier in the evening – you can make it three straight sweeps by the Aquinas girls’ and boys. No other school has done that.

Deuce Jones led Aquinas with 21 points; the Trenton Catholic transfer had two thunderous jams that brought Monroe’s gym to its feet.

South Brunswick led after each of the first three quarters, even though the third was back and forth. St. Thomas Aquinas – which only led by as many as two until taking the lead late in the fourth quarter, was up two with 34.9 seconds to go when Jones – shooting only 5 of 10 from the line at that point, strode to the foul line and hit two free throws to put Aquinas up by four.

South Brunswick senior Harmehar Chhabra scored on a drive to cut it to two, and after an Arshvir Singh foul sent Jaden Kelly to the line and he split a pair, the Vikings had it with 14.9 seconds to go, down 53-50.

South called time out, and on the ensuing inbound, Chhabra got the ball up the floor, but the play designed in the huddle by head coach Joe Hoehman seemed to not materialize. Stuck, Chhabra threw up a three from right of the key with just one foot on the hardwood. It hit the back iron, the rebound tipped around, time expired, and the Trojans had their championship.

Kalani Antoine of South Brunswick had game-high honores, with 23, including three treys, and two big ones in the third quarter when the game was back-and-forth.

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Click below for postgame reaction sponsored by SportsPlex at Metuchen:

St. Thomas Aquinas junior Michael “Deuce” Jones
St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Bob Turco