Tag: boys’ basketball

December 11, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Coming off second straight sectional title, Montgomery will look to Lin to lead Cougars

Montgomery has had a solid boys’ basketball program for many years under head coach Kris Grundy, but the last two may be the pinnacle of their success so far, and they’re not done yet.

When Monty opens its 2025-26 season Saturday at home in the NJBCA Tip-Off Classic down in Skillman (5:30 pm vs. Don Bosco Prep) the lineup will look a little different, but the goal is top even what they’ve done the last couple of years.

After all, the Cougars have won two straight sectional titles, taking Central Jersey Group 4 over Monroe in 2024, and West Windsor-Plainsboro North last year, when they made it all the way to the Group 4 finals, where they fell to Plainfield, their only public school loss all year.

Granted, Grundy will lose some considerable talent, like Ukranian Bohdan BIekietov (11.9 ppg) and Christian Hill (11.2 ppg), along with supporting cast members like Kyryl Streltsov and Braden Ginsberg.

But All-Stater Ethan Lin is back for his senior year, and everything will flow through him. After a horrible leg injury caused him to miss the last half of the regular season and all the postseason in 2024, Lin came back stronger last season, leading the team in scoring at 19.8 points per game, running the offense, and eventually committing to play Philly Big Five basketball for the University of Pennsylvania.

Other key returnees will be Mike Simborski (5.9 ppg), just a sophomore who Grundy says is a very talented guard. Sophomore James Kamara (32 points last year) also will start, along with junior Connor Benedict, whose grandfather is Jim Benedict, a member of the 1969 Rutgers centennial football team who later returned as an assistant coach under Terry Shea.

They’ll also have another big in sophomore Shriyans Mallavarapu – who Grundy says is a great rebounder, has good footwork around the basket, who is “just scratching the surface” – as well as Xavier Harrigan, a junior defensive specialist who also was a member of the football team that made its first-ever sectional title game this year.

But for Grundy, it still comes down to Lin.

“When you have Ethan Lin on the floor,” he says, “you have a chance in every game that you play.”

December 9, 2025December 9, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Colonia must fill some big shoes if Patriots will three-peat as GMC Tourney, N2G4 champs

Repeating as a champion in any sport, at any level isn’t easy.

Whether it’s high school or college where players transfer, or trades and free agency in the pros, or even on a team where everybody comes back, whether they get plagued by injuries or not. Sometimes the “magic” – that “x factor” – just isn’t there.

The Colonia boys’ basketball program has been superb under Jose Rodriguez. They won the GMC’s top-pod in the COVID-shortened year, beating St. Thomas Aquinas on their home floor. Two years ago, they won the GMC Tournament over the Trojans, then beat Piscataway last year in the first all-public school final since 2006.

Along the way, they also have won four straight North 2, Group 3 titles, and five of the last six.

Can they do it again this year? It’s not impossible, but it might be more difficult than previously thought, like in the immediate aftermath of their state semifinal loss last season to perennial Group 3 title contender Ramapo.

Back in late July, Aiden Derkack – two-time GMCT MVP – announced he was leaving Colonia to go to Spire Academy in Ohio, which has produced many major college stars and NBA talent under former St. Patrick-Elizabeth coach Kevin Boyle, who did much of the same when he was here in Jersey.

Then, last week, another key player announced he wouldn’t be playing for the Patriots this year, when R.J. Wortman signed on for a football scholarship with Rutgers after a season in which he led the Big Central Conference, by far, with 101 catches on a team that made the North 2, Group 4 semifinals, but fell to Phillipsburg.

Of course, they didn’t have either in 2021, when they beat St. Joseph-Metuchen and Aquinas to win the top GMC pod, nor in 2019 when they won a sectional title. And they do have no shortage of athletes at Colonia, either.

So, Rodriguez will coach the guys he has, like junior Dylan Chiera, who scored 6.2 points per game last year, and was second in assists with 97 behind now-graduated senior Zach Smith, another key part the Patriots will miss. He also had 40 steals, second only to Derkack’s 57.

The top returning scorer will be Jayce Rodriguez. The coach’s son had a stellar freshman campaign last year, scoring 7.7 points per game, with a team-best 58 treys, or 73 percent of his total points a year ago.

So there are pieces – seniors Colin Kroner and Julien Jones also will contribute a good deal – and Rodriguez will have to figure out how to make them all fit together, and get the most out of him.

That’s the one thing he’s been no stranger to, one reason they’ve been so consistently good over his tenure, as he heads into his eighth season, with a 152-43 mark.

Click below to hear Colonia boys’ basketball coach Jose Rodriguez preview the upcoming season with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

Colonia will first appear on Central Jersey Sports Radio on Tuesday, December 23, when the Patriots host Piscataway at 5 pm.

December 7, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Gill St. Bernard’s, Montgomery boys lead stacked preseason Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball Top Ten

Coming up with a preseason Top Ten is never an easy proposition, but one thing seems pretty certain – or maybe it isn’t: the first rankings of 2025-26 very likely will look nothing like the final one.

The group includes a team that won just six games a year ago – St. Joseph-Metuchen, which brings back alum and former coach Mark Taylor – but will have to prove itself early and either soar up the rankings if they win as many expect, or quite possibly fall out if they don’t jell in December.

At the top is Gill St. Bernard’s, which finished 22-7 last season, won the Somerset County Tournament, and made the sectional finals in the state tournament’s Non-Public North B section. They return a solid core, including senior guard Dorsett Mulcahy (9.6 ppg, 30 treys), senior Jakub Malecki (6.3 ppg), and sophomore Connor Junker (9.25 ppg), who played out of his mind in the SCT final against Rutgers Prep – scoring 15 points, including four triples – and hit a team-best 49 treys last season.

Montgomery at No. 2 has the talent, but with some key losses, may be a little less proven. The Cougars didn’t lose to a public school all last season until the Group 4 state final at Rutgers, where they faced Plainfield. And even the year before, they only Lost to Lenape – in the regular season and in the Group 4 semifinals. Gone to graduation are big Bohdan Biekietov and guard Christian Hill – the team’s second and third leading scorers – but back is point guard Ethan Lin for his senior season. At 19.7 points per game last year, he had an amazing bounceback after breaking is leg the season before and missing the entire postseason run.

In third is Rutgers Prep. The Argonauts also made a sectional final last year – in Non-Public South B – and also went to the Somerset County Tournament final, falling to Gill. A mostly young team in 2024-25, third-leading scorer and post player Andrew Kretkowski (15.3 ppg, 34 blocks) transferred over the summer to St. Joseph-Metuchen, and senior Myles Parker (14.8 ppg) graduated. But Jacob Canton, the team’s leading scorer at 15.3 ppg and with a team-best 47 treys returns, along with senior Logan Franz and junior Rocco Loomis.

At four and five, respectively, are the two GMC Tournament finalists from a year ago, runner-up Piscataway and champion Colonia. Both teams lose significant parts from last season.

The Chiefs graduated top-scorer Nate Davis (14.5 ppg, team-best 53 treys) and swing Vaughn Turner (9.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg), but other key pieces like junior Landon Pernell (7.9 ppg) and seniors Donald Nwaigwe (11.7 ppg) and Josh Lima (10.3 ppg, 40 treys) return.

Colonia was dealt a double-blow, first when Aiden Derkack (24.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg) left to play his senior year at Spire Academy in Ohio, then last week when R.J. Wortman (12.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg) signed with Greg Schiano, getting a football scholarship at Rutgers, where he will enroll in January. Zach Smith graduates, too, but Dylan Chiera is back for his senior season, along with Julien Jones. Both are top-notch athletes, and will see increases scoring roles, along with the coach’s son, Jayce Rodriguez, who had a fantastic freshman season, scoring 7.7 points per game, and led the team from beyond the arc with 58 triples.

At No. 6 is Ridge, which was 22-7 last season. Seniors Luke Kreitz (16.2 ppg, 74 treys) and Quinn Dashefsky (11.9 ppg) have graduated, but Gabe Kielb and Sidd Narayanabhatia were also key contributors last season as juniors.

St. Joseph-Metuchen makes its debut at No. 7. After a difficult year finishing 6-16 under Karl Towns, Sr. – the father of Falcon great Karl-Anthony Towns, currently of the New York Knicks – the school hired 1983 alum and former coach Mark Taylor back to Metuchen, and he’s made progress before the team even steps on the floor, bringing in a number of transfers to shore up the ranks. Word around the league is they will be the team to beat. The question is: will they mesh right off the bat, or take some time to find their footing?

The final three teams all fell one spot from the final rankings last year to make room for St. Joe’s.

2024-25 GMC White Division champion Sayreville is eighth, coming off a 22-7 season. The Bombers’ top two scorers return, including seniors Chidi Chukwurah (18.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg) and Sam Jones (16.6 ppg, team-best 61 threes).

St. Thomas Aquinas starts the year at nine, after a 15-12 campaign, but they also have a new coach, and a bunch coming back. Dan Jennings is the top-returning scorer at 11.1 ppg, and he’ll be back for his senior season after spending his first two up the road at St. Joe’s; he also was one shy of the team lead in treys with 43; graduated senior Aiden Ur had 44. Albion Ahmetaj (7.8 ppg) also should be a big part of things under new head coach Tom Weiler, a mentee of former Aquinas coach Bob Turco, who’s now at Piscataway.

And in tenth is Immaculata. The Spartans were 20-8 last season, and will return top scorer Riley Gorman (18.1 ppg, team-best 72 treys), along with junior Nick Swartwood (7.2 ppg), the team’s top rebounder at 7.5 per game.

Below is the complete preseason Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball Top Ten:

A table displaying the preseason rankings for the 2025-26 boys' basketball top ten teams, including team names, records, previous rankings, and notes about their achievements.

September 17, 2025September 17, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

NJSIAA approves statewide implementation of running clock in H.S. basketball

Some rules created by NFHS – the National Federation of State High School Associations, which sets standard rules for high schools across the country – are optional, such as the shot clock in basketball. Others govern basic rules of all the sports played in high school, and must be followed.

While New Jersey is still one of several states that have not implemented the shot clock in basketball – often due to concerns about the added cost – one rule it will now implement statewide is that of a running clock.

NJSIAA Spokesman Mike Cherenson confirmed to Central Jersey Sports Radio Wednesday afternoon that its Executive Committee earlier in the day approved the “mercy rule” across the state.

Locally, the Skyland Conference already had it in place, as the rule has always been optional, until now. The NJIC has been using it, too. The Greater Middlesex Conference had voted to begin using it this year.

Now everyone will – girls’ and boys’ basketball – effective this upcoming season, 2025-26.

The measure was proposed by the NJSIAA staff along with the Basketball Committee and Leagues & Conferences.

According to the approved proposal, “Upon the start of the third quarter, if the score differential reaches 35 points or more, the clock will stop only for a time out, injury, technical foul, or when requested by the officials. Normal timing will not resume during the remainder of the game, with the exception of overtime. Any overtime period will resume normal timing.”

The GMC’s implementation of the running clock had a lot to do with lopsided scores in the Red Division on the girls’ side, which has been dominated now for several years by St. Thomas Aquinas.

The Trojans have won the last six GMC Tournament titles, but last year in the regular season, played at a completely different level. Against seven other division opponents – Colonia, East Brunswick, Monroe, North Plainfield, Old Bridge, Piscataway and South Brunswick – by a shade over 45 points a game. In four GMC Tournament games, their average margin of victory was 59.5 points per contest.

Their overall season differential per game was plus-27, including losses, and the county and state tournament.

NJSIAA Basketball Director Al Stumpf says the rule applies to “all varsity games” and adds “conferences have the option of using it [the NJSIAA rule] or their own mercy rule for the subvarsity levels.

In it’s rationale for the rule, included in the proposal put before the Executive Committee, the NJSIAA said its goal was to have a statewide adoption of the mercy rule to “bring consistency across all leagues and conferences and simplify application of the mercy rule for coaches and officials.”

Further, it adds, “this will mitigate the risk of confusion or arguments that can take place when member schools are competing in non-league/conference contests.”

Other NJSIAA sports have their version of the mercy rule. In football, a margin of 33 points or more kicks off the running clock automatically in the second half of a game. Baseball has a ten-run rule that ends a game any time after five innings of play, four-and-a-half if the home team is ahead by ten.

Soccer saw a mercy rule implemented for 2025 as well, where a game will end at the 20-minute mark of the second half if the goal differential is six or more. If the differential grows to six after the 20-minute mark, the game will come to an end, similar baseball. In that sport, if the run differential grows to ten or more after the fifth inning, the game will end at the conclusion of that inning or half-inning, depending on which team is in the lead.

April 11, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

GMC joins growing trend, institutes running clock rule for basketball blowouts in 2025-26

Union County has been doing it, the Skyland Conference began using it this year, and the Greater Middlesex Conference has adopted it for 2025-26.

The GMC’s Athletic Directors Thursday night voted to institute a running clock rule that the NFHS has allowed as an option since the 2022-23 season. It will begin next year in the GMC for both girls’ and boys’ basketball.

Similar to what many know from football for several years now, the running clock would take effect when a team goes up by 30 points at any point in the second half. It could conceivably start right at the beginning of the second half if the halftime lead is 30 or more points.

The clock would go back to normal operation if the margin got back to ten points or less. (There’s no return to a normal clock in football.)

The idea is to speed up games that are blowouts so they don’t become even bigger blowouts.

“The reason I like the rule,” says GMC President Mike Pede, “is because if you’re up by 30 and you put other kids in the game to get a chance to play, you’re telling them ‘You can’t score, you can’t run our offense,’ and that’s not really fair to the kids who come to practice every day.”

“It’s going to be a 40 or 45 point game, which is better than 70,” Pede added.

The clock would only stop for injuries, time outs, or other official stoppages. It would not stop for out-of-bounds plays, jump balls, foul shots, and the like.

Overall, reaction in leagues that have used it – like the Skyland Conference – have generally been positive; it’s seen as at least somewhat of a remedy for competitive imbalances that can’t always be accounted for on a year-to-year basis.

March 22, 2025March 21, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Central Jersey Sports Radio Somerset County Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year: Ethan Lin comes back from horrific injury to help Montgomery to back to back CJ4 titles

Having a number of key returning players back next season is never a guarantee for anything. Injuries, slumps, anything could derail the best-laid plans.

Which makes what Ethan Lin of Montgomery did this year all the more remarkable.

Lin had a tremendous breakout sophomore year as point guard for the Cougars until he broke his ankle against Hillsborough on January 30th of last year. He missed the rest of the year, including Montgomery’s run to the Somerset County Tournament Final and their Central Jersey Group 4 championship.

He also missed summer ball, which led recruiters to wonder where he was.

Well, come December, they knew where he was. He picked up almost right where he left off, going for a new career high in his first game of the season, scoring 26 points in a 48-44 Game One loss to Hudson Catholic in the NJBCA Tip-Off Classic at Montgomery.

Then, he topped that with 27 against St. Joseph-Metuchen at the Friends of South Amboy Tournament a week later. He matched it three weeks later at Ridge, topped it less than two weeks later with 29 against Camden Catholic. Then eventually did it again with 31 against Rutgers Prep in an SCT semifinal loss, and matched it in their state playoff opener against Monroe.

Yes, Lin came back even stronger, and led his team to the Central Jersey Group 4 title he couldn’t participate in last year, and even further, to the Group 4 championship game where they would fall to the No. 1 team in the state, Plainfield.

And for that, Lin is our Central Jersey Sports Radio Somerset County Boys’ Player of the Year.

Just a junior, he’s already scored 1,125 points. This year, he piled up the assists, and finished the year averaging 19.7 points per game, while hitting 90 treys, including a career high seven against Prep in the county semis, trying to will his team back into the game.

Click below to listen to Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Somerset County Boys’ Player of the Year Ethan Lin:

Here are our Honorable Mentions for Somerset County Boys’ Player of the Year:

Jackson Morrison, Bound Brook: One of the top scorers in Somerset County the last three years, Morrison averaged 24 points per game this years, the best of his four-year varsity career, while also averaging 6.7 rebounds a game. He’ll finish his career with 1,673 points, the all-time leading scorer in Bound Brook history.
Edryn Morales, Manville: A four-year varsity player, Morales has been in 107 games for the Mustangs and scored 1,350 points in his career. He’ll graduate as their all-time leading scorer as well. And he saved the best for last in his senior season, averaging 19.5 points per game for the season along with 6.8 rebounds. Morales also dished out 108 assists (3.9 per game) and grabbed 88 steals (3.1 per game).
Kobe Closeil and Dorsett Mulcahy, Gill St. Bernard’s: On a team loaded with talent at various grade levels (Connor Junker had an outstanding freshman campaign, and Kieran Quinn established himself in the post), this wasn’t an easy one. Even Senior Stanley Njweke had a big presence. Closeil, however, was the team’s leading scorer by a good margin on a team that was very balanced en route to winning the Somerset County Tournament title. The senior averaged 10.9 points per game and was also an excellent free-throw shooter, as well as a distributor, with a team-best 83 assists. Mulcahy, a junior who was in his third year as a starter, was the team’s point guard, and put together his best season yet: 9.6 points a game, 5.3 assists per game. More than that, he was a steadying force on a team that can get up and down the court with the best of them.
Myles Parker and Jacob Canton, Rutgers Prep: Like Gill, there are so many talented players here – one area coach told us they may have the most pure talent in the state – but their top two scorers both had stellar seasons. Parker is a senior, and averaged 14.8 points per game, while also logging a team-best 81 steals on a squad that had 287 of them on the year, almost ten per game. Canton is just a sophomore, but was the team’s top scorer, at 15.3 points a game, but also distributes the ball: He had a team-high 141 assists, almost five per game, while also tallying 60 steals, second only to Parker, who is the only significant senior that won’t be back next year.

March 19, 2025March 18, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Boys’ Basketball Team of the Year: Montgomery Cougars

Starting out a season, there can be multiple goals. Win your division. Win your county. Win a state title.

Only ten teams will get to play in the last game of the year. And this year, the Montgomery boys’ basketball team was one of them.

But that wasn’t all. The Cougars checked off the box next to division champs, winning the Skyland Conference Raritan with a 10-0 record. And while they fell in the county semifinals to Rutgers Prep, they won a second straight Central Jersey Group 4 title – both coming at home – defeating West Windsor-Plainsboro North to claim another piece of hardware.

The state final? Hey, they went up against to No. 1-ranked team in New Jersey in Plainfield, which won the game and the Group 4 title, and should finish as the top team in the Garden State this year.

Not a bad resume.

And yet, even bringing key parts back from last year, who knew how it would play out?

Senior Christian Hill had to play a bigger role. Ethan Lin was coming off a horrific ankle injury late last year that kept him out of the entire postseason run, both in the county and state tournament; how would he rebound? Would Ukrainian import Bohdan Biekietov be as dominant with teams now aware of his skill. And how would his fellow countryman Kyryl Streltsov fit in with the bunch.

There’s no guarantee, even with a good core back, but Montgomery answered the bell time and time again. Their loss to Plainfield? It was their only public school loss this season, and only the second public school they’ve lost to in two years. The other? Lenape, which beat them last year in the regular season and again in the Group 4 semifinals.

But Montgomery checked that box, too, avenging those defeats with a dominant win over the Indians in this year’s Group 4 semis to get to Jersey Mike’s Arena this past Sunday.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with Montgomery seniors Christian Hill, Braden Ginsberg, Bohdan Biekietov, and Kyryl Streltsov, junior Ethan Lin, and head coach Kris Grundy:

March 19, 2025March 18, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Another stellar year and CJ4 trophy for Montgomery makes Cougars No. 1 in final Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Top Ten

They went further than any other Montgomery team ever did, and further than any other boys’ basketball team from the area in the 2024-25 season. And that makes the Cougars No. 1 in the final Bellamy & Son Paving boys’ basketball rankings this year.

Montgomery achieved two of the three goals they set every year: win their division, win the county, win a sectional title. They went 10-0 to win the Skyland Conference Raritan Division, and while they didn’t win the county tournament, they did win Central Jersey Group 4 for the second straight year, and made it all the way to the NJSIAA State Group 4 title game, where they fell to the No. 1-ranked team in New Jersey, Plainfield.

It was their only loss to a public school all season, as the Cougars finished 25-6, the biggest win total of any Somerset County school.

Check back later to hear our interview with CJSR’s Boys’ Basketball Team of the Year, the Montgomery Cougars, as we talk to seniors Christian Hill, Bohdan Biekietov, Braden Ginsberg and Kyryl Streltsov, as well as junior Ethan Lin and head coach Kris Grundy.

In second was Somerset County Tournament champion Gill St. Bernard’s. The Knights were 22-7, and though they’re in the same conference, didn’t play Montgomery this year. After winning the Skyland Conference Delaware Division at 10-0, they beat Rutgers Prep in the county final, and went to the Non-Public North B title game where they lost to Roselle Catholic.

Colonia finished third at 27-5, with the most wins in the area, and they were the only team in the CJSR coverage area, girls or boys, to win both a county and sectional title. They won the GMC Red Division, the GMC Tournament over resurgent Piscataway, and took the North 2, Group 3 title for the fourth straight year, topping Mendham in an incredible home atmosphere. They fell in the Group 3 semifinals to Ramapo.

Fourth is Rutgers Prep at 20-10. The Argonauts made the finals of the Somerset County Tournament, losing to Gill St. Bernard’s, then reached the Non-Public South B finals – albeit shorthanded, without 6′ 7″ Andrew Kretkowski and 6′ 11″ Logan Franz – falling to St. Rose of Belmar.

Piscataway finished at No. 5, checking in at 24-6. They finished second to Colonia in the GMC Red under first-year head coach Bob Turco, and made it to the GMC Tournament finals, where they lost to the Patriots.

Ridge (22-7) comes in at No. 6, while GMC White Division Champion Sayreville (18-12) finished seventh.

St. Thomas Aquinaa (15-12) finished eighth, followed by two Somerset County schools: Immaculata (20-8) joins the rankings at No. 9, while Somerville (16-6) rounds out the list at No. 10.

Below is the complete Bellamy & Son Paving Final Boys’ Basketball Top Ten for 2024-25:

March 5, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

A chance for another title for Montgomery boys, as Cougars top North Brunswick in CJ4 semis

Back to the finals for Montgomery boys, as Cougars top North Brunswick in CJ4 semis

After reaching their first sectional final in a decade last season, the Montgomery boys’ basketball team is going to the Central Jersey Group 4 title game for a second year in a row.

Maybe it’s something in the water along Route 206, as neighboring Hillsborough’s girls’ team also made the CJ4 finals with a win Wednesday night.

For the top-seeded Montgomery boys – who, like the Raiders – won the title last year, the win that got them there was a 67-43 dominating performance over 12th-seed North Brunswick, which had pulled off two upsets to get here.

Bohdan Biekietov – the reigning Central Jersey Sports Radio Boys’ basketball Player of the Year – has struggled a bit this season. But after the quarterfinal win over East Brunswick, head coach Kris Grundy challenged him to return to the dominating force he was last year as a junior, his first year in the program after fleeing the Ukraine with his mother and sister.

That came to fruition Wednesday, as Biekietov pumped in 21 points to lead all scorers in the game. His presence inside helped the Cougars establish themselves early. He scored the first bucket, en route to a 20-9 lead at the end of one, and a 38-18 bulge at the half.

Fellow Ukranain Kyryl Streltsov added 12 in the win, while Ethan Lin and Christian Hill each contributed eleven points.

Montgomery (23-5) will host third-seed West Windsor-Plainsboro South (23-5) in the finals at 3 pm Saturday. North Brunswick ends its season at 11-18.

Click below to hear Montgomery head coach Kris Grundy talk about the win over North Brunswick, and Saturday’s Central Jersey Group 4 title tilt:

March 3, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

North Brunswick boys continue upset-filled state tourney run, while Montgomery, Gill St. Bernard’s and Rutgers Prep advance

Look out for North Brunswick!

The Raiders’ boys’ basketball team – just 9-17 entering the NJSIAA state tournament – won their second game in a row in upset fashion in Central Jersey Group 4 Monday night, and in the process are just the second Greater Middlesex Conference boys’ team left in the postseason.

Top-seed Montgomery also advanced in the section Monday night, while Gill St. Bernard’s and Rutgers Prep moved on to the semifinals in Non-Public North and South B, respectively.

Here’s a look at Monday night’s action. Scroll down further for the upcoming schedule, including Tuesday’s sectional semis in Groups 1 and 3, Wednesday’s semis for Groups 2 and 4, and Thursday’s non-public sectional semifinals.

Central Jersey Group 4: Top-seed Montgomery – the defending CJ4 champs – topped ninth-seed East Brunswick Monday, 66-47, pulling away with a strong third quarter after taking a 34-26 lead into the break. Christian Hill led the Cougars (22-5) with 20 points, while Ethan Lin added 14. East Brunswick (15-13) got 14 from Cam Vick, to lead the way in defeat. Montgomery will host 12-seed North Brunswick in the semifinals, after the Raiders topped 13-seed Manalapan in a surprise home game – as both teams picked up first round upsets – 57-50. The Raiders trailed 28-25 at the half, and by four going into the final eight minutes, but outscored the Braves (11-17) 17-6 in the fourth quarter to win it. Tommy Koroma scored 21 to lead North Brunswick, while Srijay Bandi added 19, and Joshua Anudon added ten.

Listen to North Brunswick head coach Raheem Byron talk about Monday’s win and his team’s early run in the state playoffs.

(1) Montgomery def. (9) East Brunswick, 66-47
(12) North Brunswick def. (13) Manalapan, 57-50
(3) West Windsor-Plainsboro North def. (6) Trenton, 68-58
(10) Freehold Twp. def. (2) Sayreville, 58-32

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4: Third-seed Ridge advanced with a 55-51 win over 11-seed Irvington, holding off the Blue Knights in the fourth to win. The Red Devils (22-6) led 29-23 at the half and would need all of that cushion in the second half. Luke Kreitz led the way with 17 – including 5 of 6 from the foul line – while Gabe Kielb added 14 and Sidd Narayanbhatla scored ten. The Red Devils will go to the Dunn Center Wednesday to play second-seed Elizabeth (19-6) in the semifinals. Meanwhile, fourth-seed Piscataway was bested by fifth-seed Westfield at home, 71-53. The Chiefs got 16 points from Nate Davis in defeat, but end the season having tied a school record 24 wins under first-year head coach Bob Turco. The 2007-08 team also won 24 games, including the North 2, Group 4 title.

(1) Plainfield, def. (8) Linden, 74-58
(5) Westfield def. (4) Piscataway, 71-53
(3) Ridge def. (11) Irvington, 55-51
(2) Elizabeth def. (7) Dickinson, 65-62

Central Jersey Group 2: Seventh-seed Metuchen (20-8) saw its season come to an end with a 66-41 loss at second-seed Rumson-Fair Haven. The Bulldogs – who were the last area team in the section, got a team-best 13 from Cam Hayes-Durina, while Jason Woods added 11.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2: Bernards – the only area team in the section fell 82-51 Monday night at third-seed Madison. The Mountaineers – whose season comes to an end at 16-11 – got a team-high 24 points from Monty Douglass, and 11 from Richie Jobise in defeat.

Non-Public South A: Sixth-seed Immaculata – the last area team left in the bracket – fell 71-51 at third-seed Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft. Riley Gorman led the Spartans with 14 points, while Nick Swartwood added 13. Immaculata ends its season at 20-8, their best campaign since a 22-6 season in 2018, when they reached the Somerset County Tournament semifinals.

Non-Public North B: Top-seed and Somerset County Tournament Champion Gill St. Bernard’s rolled past eight-seed Timothy Christian in Peapack-Gladstone Monday night, 87-32, with only one Knight scoring in double figures. Kobe Closeil had 17, while Stanley Njekwe added eight and 12 rebounds. Gill got out of the gate quickly, with a 28-6 lead after one and a 51-14 lead at the half. Jalen Fleming led Timothy with 17 points – and went 9-of-10 at the charity stripe – ending his stellar career with 2,152 points, the school’s all-time leading scorer. They finish their season at 15-11, while Gill is now 21-6 and moves on to play fourth-seed Morristown-Beard in Thursday’s semifinals.

(1) Gill St. Bernard’s def. (8) Timothy Christian, 87-32
(4) Morristown-Beard def. (5) St. Mary-Rutherford, 52-46
(3) Morris Catholic def. (6) Montclair-Immaculate, 76-60
(2) Roselle Catholic def. (7) Saddle River Day, 77-39

Non-Public South B: Third-seed Rutgers Prep moves on to the semifinals with an 88-67 win over sixth-seed Wildwood Catholic. The Argonauts (19-9) were led by Jacob Canton with 24 points – including five treys – and was one of five players in double figure scoring. Andrew Kretkowski added 17, while Nicholas Nsenkyrie had a triple-double of ten points, ten rebounds, and ten assists. The Argonauts will travel to Delran to face two-seed Holy Cross Prep Thursday in the sectional semifinals.

(1) St. Rose def. (8) Ranney, 68-46
(5) St. Joseph-Hammonton def. (4) Bishop Eustace, 53-49
(3) Rutgers Prep def. (6) Wildwood Catholic, 88-67
(2) Holy Cross Prep def. (7) Holy Spirit, 48-40