Tag: boys basketball

February 28, 2026March 1, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Boys’ Basketball Roundup: Top seeds Piscataway, Hillsborough, two-time defending CJ4 champ Montgomery all advance in Saturday state tourney play; Ridge gives Linden all it can handle

Three high seeds were the only boys’ basketball teams to advance Saturday in the NJSIAA state tournament.

Top-seed Piscataway was the only one to advance in North 2, Group 4, while top-seed Hillsborough and third-seed and two-time defending champion Montgomery both picked up victories in Central Jersey Group 4, where East Brunswick and Sayreville bowed out.

Meanwhile, in the lone evening game, 10-seed Ridge had the lead for most of the first half against second-seed Linden, but fell by ten in the end.

Scroll through for brief recaps of Saturday’s action, followed by all results in sections with CJSR teams, and the upcoming schedule.

Central Jersey Group 4

The top-seeded Raiders (21-7) jumped out to a 27-13 lead after one quarter, and while 8th-seed Freehold Twp. made a run in the middle quarters, Hillsborough was able to close it out. They had four players in double figures, led by Aaron Feath’s 24 points, while Layne Pawlowski and Kow Quargine each had a dozen. As a team, ‘Boro connected ten times from beyond the arc. They’ll face fifth-seed Jackson Twp. Tuesday night in the sectional semifinals, their first trip there in three years. Jackson (18-6) beat fourth-seed East Brunswick, which fell behind 18-9 after one quarter, trailed 36-22 at the half, and couldn’t recover. Matt Mikulka led the Bears (21-7) with 20 points in the losing effort.

The other semifinal will feature third-seed and two-time defending CJ4 champ Montgomery visiting second-seed Marlboro. The Cougars (23-4) defeated sixth-seed Trenton 70-60 Saturday afternoon in Skillman behind 31 points from Ethan Lin, tying a career high. Mike Simborski added 15, while James Kamara chipped in 13 in the victory. The Mustangs (21-5) survived a late rally from seventh-seed Sayreville to win 78-68. Senior Sam Jones scored 22 in his final game as a Bomber in defeat.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

Piscataway is in the sectional semifinals for the first time since 2019, when they won two games to get there on the road. This time, as the top seed, the Chiefs (23-7) beat Columbia 72-51. With a five-point lead heading into the fourth, Piscataway played solid defensively and held the Lions to nine points over the final eight minutes, outscoring them 25-9 in that span. Landon Pernell led P’way with 19 points, while Isaiah Fowler added 17 and Donald Nwaigwe 12. The Chiefs will meet defending Group 4 champion Plainfield – the four-seed – in the semis Tuesday night at home, with a game time yet to be announced. The Cardinals (22-5) got 22 from Micah Gordon in an 85-58 trouncing of fifth-seed Bayonne Saturday afternoon.

In the other half of the bracket, Perth Amboy’s brilliant season came to an end with a 60-29 loss at third-seed Union. Read a game recap and listen to postgame reaction from Panthers’ head coach Donnie Reid at the link. The Farmers will face second-seed Linden in the semis, as the second-seeded Tigers needed a strong fourth quarter to get past 10th-seed Ridge. The Red Devils (15-13) led for all but the final second of the first half, and found themselves down 26-25 going into the locker room. Linden still led by one heading into the final period, but pulled ahead to win 55-45.

Central Jersey Group 2

The last area team in this section, Metuchen (24-5) saw its season end with a 59-27 home loss to seventh-seed Rumson-Fair Haven. Colin Gawronski scored seven and Cameron Hayes-Durina six points to lead the Bulldogs in the losing effort.

QUARTERFINAL RESULTS – SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 28

Central Jersey Group 4

(1) Hillsborough def. (8) Freehold Twp., 79-58
(5) Jackson Twp. def. (4) East Brunswick, 63-58
(3) Montgomery, def. (6) Trenton, 70-60
(2) Marlboro at (7) Sayreville, 78-68

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(1) Piscataway def. (9) Columbia, 72-51
(4) Plainfield def. (5) Bayonne, 85-58
(3) Union def. (6) Perth Amboy, 60-29
(2) Linden def. (10) Ridge, 55-45

Central Jersey Group 2

(1) Wall def. (8) Holmdel, 52-36
(5) Manasquan def. (4) Delaware Valley, 54-34
(3) Ocean Twp. def. (6) Johnson, 52-48
(7) Rumson-Fair Haven def. (2) Metuchen, 59-27

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

MONDAY, MARCH 2 (QUARTERFINALS)

Note: Not all game times have been announced. This schedule will be updated as game times are set.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(9) Somerville at (1) Colonia, 7 pm
(5) Mendham at (4) Warren Hills, 7 pm
(6) South Plainfield at (3) Millburn, 7 pm
(7) Cranford at (2) Chatham, 7 pm

Central Jersey Group 1

(8) Henry Hudson at (1) Thrive Charter, 7 pm
(12) New Providence at (4) Shore, 6:30 pm
(6) Manville at (3) Middlesex, 5 pm
(10) Dayton at (2) Point Pleasant Beach, 5:30 pm

Non-Public South A

(9) Union Catholic at (1) Paul VI, 7 pm
(5) Red Bank Catholic at (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen, 7 pm
(11) St. Thomas Aquinas at (3) St. Peter’s Prep, 6 pm
(7) Camden Catholic at (2) Christian Brothers Academy, 6 pm

Non-Public North B

(8) Pioneer Academy at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s, 4pm
(5) Morristown-Beard at (4) St. Mary-Rutherford, 7 pm
(6) Montclair-Kimberley at (3) Morris Catholic, 5 pm
(7) Timothy Christian at (2) Roselle Catholic, 7 pm

Non-Public South B

(8) St. Rose at (1) Rutgers Prep, 7 pm
(5) Bishop Eustace at (4) Doane Academy, 6:30 pm
(6) Ranney at (3) Holy Spirit, 6 pm
(10) Wildwood Catholic at (2) Holy Cross Prep, 6 pm

TUESDAY, MARCH 3 (SEMIFINALS)

Central Jersey Group 4

(5) Jackson Twp. at (1) Hillsborough, 5:30 pm
(3) Montgomery at (2) Marlboro, 5:30 pm

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(4) Plainfield at (1) Piscataway, 5 pm
(3) Union vs. (2) Linden, 7 pm

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Boys’ Basketball Roundup: Top-seed Colonia cruises, while Somerville, South Plainfield, Middlesex, Manville, Timothy Christian all win first round games in state tourney play

Six of 14 boys’ basketball teams in the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area won their opening round NJSIAA state tournament games Friday night, after waiting two days to play due to the aftermath of this weekend’s blizzard.

(We’re still waiting on a Non-Public North B score from the Wardlaw-Hartridge game against Pioneer Academy, which was a 4:30 pm tip.)

In the meantime, here’s a brief recap of the night’s games involving CJSR-area teams, followed by full results in sections where those teams remain alive, and the upcoming schedule. Please note, while we have Saturday’s full schedule with times, many Monday times have not yet been announced, but we will update this story as those become available.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

No. 1 seed Colonia (17-10) snapped a mini two-game losing streak that included a loss in the GMC Tournament semifinals to Piscataway and a three-point tune-up loss last Saturday to Northern Highlands with a 71-41 win over 16th-seed North Hunterdon. The Patriots built a 33-20 halftime lead and controlled the rest of the way, led by Jayden Johnson’s 26 points, a career high for the junior and just his second double-digit scoring game in this, his first varsity season. Jayce Rodriguez added 20 for COlonia, which will now host ninth-seed Somerville in the quarterfinals Monday at 7 pm.

The Pioneers (16-11) were 43-30 upset winners at 8th-seed Randolph Friday night, getting 13 points fro Tim LaCanna, and another 11 from James Hampton. It was a low-scoring game, with Somerville leading 17-13 at the half after the teams played to a 5-5 second quarter; the Pioneers held the Rams to single-digit scoring in all four quarters of the game.

Meanwhile, in the other half of the bracket, sixth-seed South Plainfield was a 70-55 home winner over 11-seed Cliffside Park. The Tigers (17-10) got a mammoth 30-point night from Andrew Bena, five shy of a career high, and his third 30-plus point game this season; he also had two baskets from downtown and was 4-of-4 at the foul line. Boresa Juwala added 11 for South Plainfield, which will travel to third-seed Millburn Monday in the quarterfinal round. The Millers (23-4) were 70-55 winners at home Friday night over 14th-seed Nutley.

Central Jersey Group 1

The only winners from the CJSR area in this bracket will square off in the quarterfinals Monday, as Middlesex and Manville both won their first round games Friday night. The Blue Jays (19-8) were 70-46 winners over 14th-seed South Hunterdon, getting 19 from Jax Robel and 17 each from Julian Samuels and Chris Kozak. Meanwhile, the Mustangs (18-8) were 63-45 winners over Dunellen, led by Josh D’Ambrosio’s 19 points – including three treys. He was the only Manville player in double figures.

Middlesex beat Manville head-to-head in a GMC-Skyland crossover game back on January 20th, 56-39, while Manville won their lone meeting last year by eleven, 57-46.

Non-Public North B

Seven-seed Timothy Christian (8-18) was the only area team to win here, beating 10th-seed Koinonia, 74-54. The Tigers had four players in double figures and were paced by Anthony Snyder with 18, followed by Nathanael Sleman with 17. Both recorded double-doubles, both logging 13 rebounds each, while Aidan Badger had a triple-double of 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(1) Colonia def. (16) North Hunterdon, 71-41
(9) Somerville def. (8) Randolph, 43-39
(5) Mendham def. (12) Payne Tech, 55-42
(4) Warren Hills def. (13) Summit, 60-52
(3) Millburn def. (14) Nutley, 76-72
(6) South Plainfield def. (11) Cliffside Park, 70-55
(7) Cranford def. (10) North Plainfield, 64-52
(2) Chatham def. (15) Fort Lee, 89-43

Central Jersey Group 1

(1) Thrive Charter def. (16) Keansburg, 96-25
(8) Henry Hudson def. (9) Bound Brook, 54-47
(12) New Providence def. (5) Piscataway Magnet, 77-50
(4) Shore def. (13) Roselle Park, 65-41
(3) Middlesex def. (14) South Hunterdon, 70-45
(7) Manville def. (11) Dunellen, 63-45
(10) Dayton def. (7) South Amboy, 56-39
(2) Point Pleasant Beach def. (15) Perth Amboy Magnet, 64-23

Non-Public North B

(9) Wardlaw-Hartridge at (8) Pioneer Academy, 4:30 pm; winner at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
(6) Montclair-Kimberley def. (11) Franklin School, 57-32
(7) Timothy Christian def. (10) Koinonia, 74-54

Non-Public South B

(8) St. Rose def. (9) Princeton Day, 62-33
(5) Bishop Eustace def. (12) Noor-ul-iman, 87-21
(4) Doane Academy def. (13) Moorestown Friends, 96-56
(6) Ranney def. (11) Calvary Christian, 64-26
(10) Wildwood Catholic def. (7) Gloucester Catholic, 66-63

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28 (QUARTERFINALS)

Central Jersey Group 4

(8) Freehold Twp. at (1) Hillsborough, 1 pm
(5) Jackson Twp. at (4) East Brunswick, 1 pm
(6) Trenton at (3) Montgomery, 1 pm
(7) Sayreville at (2) Marlboro, 11 am

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(9) Columbia at (1) Piscataway, 11:30 am
(5) Bayonne at (4) Plainfield, 3 pm
(6) Perth Amboy at (3) Union, 1 pm
(10) Ridge at (2) Linden, 7 pm

Central Jersey Group 2

(8) Holmdel at (1) Wall, 12 pm
(5) Manasquan at (4) Delaware Valley, 1 pm
(6) Johnson at (3) Ocean Twp., 12 pm
(7) Rumson-Fair Haven at (2) Metuchen, 12p

MONDAY, MARCH 2 (QUARTERFINALS)

Note: Not all game times have been announced. This schedule will be updated as game times are set.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(9) Somerville at (1) Colonia, 7 pm
(5) Mendham at (4) Warren Hills
(6) South Plainfield at (3) Millburn, 7 pm (tentative)
(7) Cranford at (2) Chatham

Central Jersey Group 1

(8) Henry Hudson at (1) Thrive Charter
(12) New Providence at (4) Shore
(6) Manville at (3) Middlesex, 5 pm
(10) Dayton at (2) Point Pleasant Beach

Non-Public South A

(9) Union Catholic at (1) Paul VI, 7 pm
(5) Red Bank Catholic at (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen, 7 pm
(11) St. Thomas Aquinas at (3) St. Peter’s Prep, 6 pm
(7) Camden Catholic at (2) Christian Brothers Academy, 6 pm

Non-Public North B

(9) Wardlaw-Hartridge/(8) Pioneer Academy at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
(5) Morristown-Beard at (4) St. Mary-Rutherford
(6) Montclair-Kimberley at (3) Morris Catholic
(7) Timothy Christian at (2) Roselle Catholic

Non-Public South B

(8) St. Rose at (1) Rutgers Prep
(5) Bishop Eustace at (4) Doane Academy
(6) Ranney at (3) Holy Spirit
(10) Wildwood Catholic at (2) Holy Cross Prep

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Boys’ Basketball Roundup: St. Joseph hits the century mark, two-time defending CJ4 champ Montgomery rolls, Ridge upsets Elizabeth, Perth Amboy takes buzzer-beater as state tourney opens at long last

It was a two-day wait to start the NJSIAA state high school basketball tournament for public schools in Groups 2 and 4, but for eight schools from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area, it was well worth the wait.

CJSR-area squads went 10-10 on the opening day of the three-week tournament, with two non-publics winning games that were originally scheduled for Thursday anyway.

Here’s a look at some of the key wins, followed by all results, and the upcoming schedule.

St. Joseph hits 100…

The Falcons scored 103 points in a season-opening 103-36 win over Wesley College (Australia). Thursday night, the newly-minted GMC Tournament champions opened the state tournament as the fourth-seed in Non-Public South A, beating 13th-seed Donovan Catholic out of the Shore Conference, 100-44.

Junior and GMC Tournament MVP Andrew Kretkowski led the way with 22 points and nine rebounds, while fellow junior Aidan Carter added 19, and sophomore Joel Patrick recorded his second double-double of the season, with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

The Falcons (27-1) now will play fifth-seed Red Bank Catholic (20-7) in the sectional semis. The Caseys were a Shore Conference Tournament finalist, falling to CBA, and opened with a 41-39 win over rival St. John Vianney Thursday night.

Aquinas wins in OT…

Two free throws from senior Dan Jennings – a transfer last season from St. Joe’s – with 2.1 seconds to go in overtime helped the Trojans pull out a 77-76 upset win at 11-seed Immaculata.

Click here to read the full story, and hear postgame reaction from Jennings and first-year head coach Tom Weiler, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen.

Abreu’s putback sends Perth Amboy…

The 6th-seeded Panthers got their first playoff win since 2015 Thursday night when Kasey Abreu’s putback off a miss from downtown beat the buzzer, giving them a 54-43 victory over 11th-seed North Star Academy in the Bay City Thursday night.

@abreu_kasey buzzer beater 🔥🔥🏀🏀@gmchoops @MikeKinneyHS @CJSportsRadio pic.twitter.com/HIfwlfEcO0
— PAmboyHoops (@PAmboyHoops) February 27, 2026

Abreu finished with a game-high 15 points, and also grabbed eight rebounds, while Yandel Susana added 13 for Perth Amboy (22-5).

They get third-seed Union Saturday (time TBA) in the semifinals, after the Farmers rolled past 14th-seed Ferris, 53-28, in the opening round.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS

Central Jersey Group 4

(1) Hillsborough def. (16) Old Bridge, 74-44
(8) Freehold Twp. def. (9) Franklin, 83-59
(5) Jackson Twp. def. (12) Hightstown, 83-55
(4) East Brunswick def. (13) Edison, 91-61
(3) Montgomery def. (14) Manalapan, 76-40
(6) Trenton def. (11) Hunterdon Central, 78-44
(7) Sayreville def. (10) South Brunswick, 82-49
(2) Marlboro def. (15) Princeton, 68-47

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(1) Piscataway def. (16) JP Stevens, 75-30
(9) Columbia def. (8) Dickinson, 59-48
(5) Bayonne def. (12) Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 71-61
(4) Plainfield def. (13) Bridgewater-Raritan, 60-39
(3) Union def. (14) Ferris, 53-28
(6) Perth Amboy def. (11) North Star Academy, 45-43
(10) Ridge def. (7) Elizabeth, 54-53
(2) Linden def. (15) Westfield, 49-45

Central Jersey Group 2

(1) Wall def. (16) Bordentown, 61-44
(8) Holmdel def. (9) Robbinsville, 60-46
(5) Manasquan def. (12) Roselle, 66-40
(4) Delaware Valley def. (13) Spotswood, 67-58
(3) Ocean Twp. def. (14) Governor Livingston, 67-53
(6) Johnson def. (11) Monmouth, 54-47
(7) Rumson-Fair Haven def. (10) Point Pleasant Boro, 75-74 (OT)
(2) Metuchen def. (15) Delran, 57-31

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

(1) Newark Collegiate def. (16) Newark West Side, 70-43
(8) Weequahic def. (9) Bernards, 72-50
(5) Hackettstown def. (12) Hanover Park, 58-50
(4) Madison def. (13) Rutherford, 66-28
(3) Ridgefield Park def. (14) Snyder, 49-43
(6) Caldwell def. (11) Becton, 80-53
(10) Hillside def. (7) Voorhees, 62-46
(2) Lyndhurst def. (15) McNair, 94-43

Non-Public South A

(9) Union Catholic def. (8) St. Augustine, 63-51
(5) Red Bank Catholic def. (12) St. John Vianney, 41-39
(4) St. Joseph-Metuchen def. (13) Donovan Catholic, 100-44
(3) St. Peter’s Prep def. (14) Notre Dame, 80-25
(11) St. Thomas Aquinas def. (6) Immaculata, 77-76 (OT)
(7) Camden Catholic def. (10) Pingry, 58-53

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27 (FIRST ROUND)

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(16) North Hunterdon at (1) Colonia, 7 pm
(9) Somerville at (8) Randolph, 5 pm
(12) Payne Tech at (5) Mendham, 7 pm
(13) Summit at (4) Warren Hills, 7 pm
(14) Nutley at (3) Millburn, 4:15 pm
(11) Cliffside Park at (6) South Plainfield, 6 pm
(10) North Plainfield at (7) Cranford, 7 pm
(15) Fort Lee at (2) Chatham, 7 pm

Central Jersey Group 1

(16) Keansburg at (1) Thrive Charter, 7 pm
(9) Bound Brook at (8) Henry Hudson, 5:30 pm
(12) New Providence at (5) Piscataway Magnet, 4 pm
(13) Roselle Park at (4) Shore, 4 pm
(14) South Hunterdon at (3) Middlesex, 5 pm
(11) Dunellen at (7) Manville, 7 pm
(10) Dayton at (7) South Amboy, 6 pm
(15) Perth Amboy Magnet at (2) Point Pleasant Beach, 5:30 pm

Non-Public North B

(9) Wardlaw-Hartridge at (8) Pioneer Academy, 4:30 pm; winner at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
(11) Franklin School at (6) Montclair-Kimberley, 4:30 pm; winner at (3) Morris Catholic
(10) Koinonia at (7) Timothy Christian, 5 pm; winner at (2) Roselle Catholic

Non-Public South B

(9) Princeton Day at (8) St. Rose, 6 pm; winner at (1) Rutgers Prep
(12) Noor-ul-iman at (5) Bishop Eustace, 6:30 pm
(13) Moorestown Friends at (4) Doane Academy, 6 pm
(11) Calvary Christian at (6) Ranney, 4:30 pm; winner at (3) Holy Spirit
(10) Wildwood Catholic at (7) Gloucester Catholic, 5:30 pm; winner at (2) Holy Cross Prep

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28 (SEMIFINALS)

Note: Not all game times have been announced. This schedule will be updated as game times are set.

Central Jersey Group 4

(8) Freehold Twp. at (1) Hillsborough, 1 pm
(5) Jackson Twp. at (4) East Brunswick, 1 pm
(6) Trenton at (3) Montgomery, 1 pm
(7) Sayreville at (2) Marlboro, 11 am

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(9) Columbia at (1) Piscataway, 11:30 am
(5) Bayonne at (4) Plainfield, 3 pm
(6) Perth Amboy at (3) Union, 1 pm
(10) Ridge at (2) Linden, 7 pm

Central Jersey Group 2

(8) Holmdel at (1) Wall, 12 pm
(5) Manasquan at (4) Delaware Valley, 1 pm
(6) Johnson at (3) Ocean Twp., 12 pm
(7) Rumson-Fair Haven at (2) Metuchen, 12p

Non-Public South A

(9) Union Catholic at (1) Paul VI, 7 pm
(5) Red Bank Catholic at (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen, 7 pm
(11) St. Thomas Aquinas at (3) St. Peter’s Prep, 6 pm
(7) Camden Catholic at (2) Christian Brothers Academy, 6 pm

snow covered basketball hoop in toronto winter

February 24, 2026February 24, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

More changes made to NJSIAA state basketball tournament, as Wednesday games are shifted to Friday

As one coach texted us this afternoon, “Will this tournament ever be played?”

Not yet, apparently, as New Jersey digs out from a near-record blizzard that affected the entire Northeast Sunday into Monday, and now beyond.

Monday, the NJSIAA postponed the entire slate of opening round games that were originally scheduled Tuesday for public schools in Group 2 and 4 sections. Tuesday morning, they also swept Wednesday’s first round games for public schools in Groups 1 and 3 to Friday.

While it may have been easier to just push the games back a day, the idea to move games two days later is likely for two reasons. First, to get everyone on the same schedule rather than have some teams play later and have less prep time between rounds. The second concern is availability of officials, which is why different groups play on different days in the first place.

NJSIAA Assistant Director and Basketball Tournament Director Al Stumpf confirmed the changes to Central Jersey Sports Radio as follows:

Public Groups 2 and 4

Sectionals, First Round moved from Tuesday, Feb. 24 to Thursday, Feb. 26
Sectional Quarterfinals moved from Thursday, Feb. 26 to Saturday, Feb. 28
Sectional Semifinals remain on Tuesday, March 3 (as originally scheduled)
Sectional Finals at higher seeds remain on Friday, March 6 (as originally scheduled)

Public Groups 1 and 3

Sectionals, First Round moved from Wednesday, Feb. 25 to Friday, Feb. 27
Sectional Quarterfinals moved from Friday, Feb. 27 to Monday, March 2
Sectional Semifinals remain on Wednesday, March 4 (as originally scheduled)
Sectional Finals at higher seeds remain on Saturday, March 7 (as originally scheduled)

As of 12:45 pm Friday, it appears game times will generally remain the same, but check back for updates as we’ll make note of any game time changes we can, with priority for CJSR coverage area teams.

The public state semifinals at neutral sites and state finals at Rutgers have not been affected, nor has any of the Non-Public tournament, with sectional play not set to begin until Thursday for Group A sections North and South, and Friday for Group B sections North and South.

Some additional light snow may fall this week, but with less than an inch expected in either case, according to forecasts, that shouldn’t affect too many games. A bigger concern could be next week, with a few light snow showers expected Monday and a wintry mix with ice on Tuesday, but there may also be more flexibility with officials next week to allow both groups to play on the same day, if necessary. And, of course, ten-day weather predictions can change drastically at this early stage.

Keep following Central Jersey Sports Radio on Twitter and check back here often for the latest updates!

February 21, 2026February 22, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – GMC Tournament Boys’ Final: (1) St. Joseph-Metuchen 91, (2) Piscataway 61

Andrew Kretkowski had a career-high 32 points, had ten rebounds, and was named tournament MVP as top-seed St. Joseph of Metuchen beat second-seed East Brunswick, 91-61, to win their record 13th GMC Tournament championship, and first since 2019.

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe call all the play-by-play from Monroe Township High School on February 20, 2026.

February 19, 2026February 19, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

GMC Tournament Boys’ Final Preview: Top-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen, two-seed Piscataway look to end title droughts Friday night in county final

Mark Taylor has won two GMC Tournament titles, Bob Turco three. Friday night, both will look to end title droughts for their boys’ basketball teams, droughts of varying degrees.

The Piscataway program – with Turco in his second year as head coach after winning three straight GMC titles for St. Thomas Aquinas in 2020, 2022 and 2023 – hasn’t won a title since 2009, when Guy Jensen’s top-seeded squad beat third-seed St. Joseph of Metuchen, which proceeded to win nine of the next ten championships.

The last of those came in 2019, the second year under head coach Mike Thompson after Dave Turco – who’d won five in a row, seven of eight, and each of his last two appearances – before he was replaced. After all that, six years without a title – or even an appearance in the finals, after having made a dozen in a row – is a long stretch.

For one of them, the drought will end Friday night.

You can hear the GMC Tournament championship doubleheader exclusively on Central Jersey Sports Radio Friday, starting with the 6 pm girls’ opener between six-time defending champ and top-seed St. Thomas Aquinas and second-seed East Brunswick, seeking its first title since 2016. The boys’ championship tips at 8:00. Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe will call all the action, with pregame starting around 7:45. Click here to listen.

Both coaches have been game changers for their respective programs, but both will tell you it’s about the players, not the coaches. That was the case Wednesday evening in the semifinals, where Piscataway found itself trailing Colonia 28-22 at halftime, and the locker room speech essentially boiled down to “We gave you the game plan, now just go execute.” The did in the second half, and here they are.

Turco came to Piscataway and breathed new life into the program, playing them in as many summer league games as they could get into, and learning defensive fundamentals that have paid off big-time: this will be their second straight trip to a county final, and Turco’s sixth. And in large part, it’s due to homegrown talent like seniors Donald Nwaigwe (team-bests 16.3 oints per game, 8.5 rebounds and 27 blocks), Isaiah Fowler (14.2 ppg), Josh Lima (12.8 ppg) and the like.

Mark Taylor did it a different way, being at a parochial school. If Turco left Aquinas to get out of that game, Mark Taylor at St. Joseph is playing it. He brought in three highly-touted transfers this year, and it’s paid immediate dividends.

Junior Imaad Johnson came in from Union and is averaging 11.3 points per game, with a team-best 33 treys. Junior Andrew Kretkowski, who made an impact as a freshman two years ago at Rutgers Prep and was key as a sophomore last year, came in from the Easton Ave. school and is scoring 17 points a game, hitting from down low, nailing jumpers, and connecting from beyond the arc 23 times already.

Neither had to sit like perhaps the biggest piece Taylor brought in: 6’7″ junior Aidan Carter, a lengthy guard who is leading the team with 18.9 points per game, 9.8 boards, 155 assists and 58 steals, while also hitting 21 treys.

Thanks to Piscataway Township and Mayor Brian Wahler for sponsoring Friday night’s GMC Tournament final!

MORE ON THE GMC TOURNAMENT BOYS’ FINAL:

(1) St. Joseph-Metuchen (25-1) vs. (2) Piscataway (20-6)
When: Friday, 8 pm
Where: Monroe Township High School
Broadcast Team: Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe (LISTEN HERE)

COACHES:

St. Joseph: Mark Taylor, 1st season, second stint (624-178 overall, including 172-69 in first run at St. Joe’s, as well as Ridge and St. Benedict’s Prep)
Piscataway: Bob Turco, 2nd season (417-133 overall, including St. Thomas Aquinas, Notre Dame, and Monroe)

PREVIEW INTERVIEWS:

St. Joseph head coach Mark Taylor with Mike Pavlichko

Piscataway head coach Bob Turco with Mike Pavlichko

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

St. Joseph: The first two games were a cruise for the Falcons, who got past 17th-seed Monroe in the first round, 86-49, then picked up an 85-30 win at nine-seed Metuchen. The semifinals were a different story. Though they held fifth-seed St. Thomas Aquinas off the board for nearly the first six minutes of the game Wednesday night, the Trojans were within six about midway through the fourth quarter, but that was about as close as they would get, as St. Joseph won 63-51.

Piscataway: After the round of 16, one might say the Chiefs have been a bit more tested. Following a 95-40 win over 18th-seed North Plainfield in the round of 16, they beat seventh-seed Sayreville 80-66. And in the semifinals, they erased a six-point halftime deficit against third-seed Colonia, and pulled out a 64-61 victory Wednesday night to get back down to Monroe Friday for a chance at the title.

TOP SCORERS:

St. Joseph: Aidan Carter (junior, 18.2 ppg, 21 treys), Andrew Kretkowski (junior, 17 ppg, 23 treys), Imaad Johnson (junior, 11.3 ppg, team-best 33 treys)
Piscataway: Donald Nwaigwe (senior, 16.3 ppg, 11 treys), Isaiah Fowler (senior, 14.2 ppg, 38 treys), Josh Lima (senior, 12.8 ppg, 38 treys), Landon Pernell (junior, 12.8 ppg, team-best 46 treys)

TOP REBOUNDERS:

St. Joseph: Aidan Carter (9.8), Joel Patrick (8.9), Andrew Kretkowski (7.8)
Piscataway: Donald Nwaigwe (8.5), Isaiah Fowler (4.1)

MISCELLANEOUS:

St. Joseph: Aidan Carter (155 assists, 58 steals), Joel Patrick (79 blocks)
Piscataway: Landon Pernell (114 assists, 83 steals), Donald Nwaigwe (27 blocks)

RECENT MEETINGS: St. Joseph has won eight of the last ten meetings, but they’ve split the last four. Piscataway won both matchups last year, 73-49 and 84-69, but the Falcons won both this year, by similar scores: 64-53 in overtime on January 3rd at home – a game win which the Chiefs were held to just one second half and one overtime field goal – and 64-57 on the road just 12 days later.

Thanks to Piscataway Township and Mayor Brian Wahler for sponsoring Friday night’s GMC Tournament final!

GMC TOURNAMENT HISTORY:

St. Joseph (12-9):

1991: (3) Piscataway 33, (1) St. Joseph 29
1992: (1) Bishop Ahr 61, (2) St. Joseph 47
1993: (3) St. Joseph 57, (4) South Brunswick 54 (OT)
1997: (5) North Brunswick 66, (2) St. Joseph 55*
1998: (1) St. Joseph 66, (2) Sayreville 54*
1999: (1) St. Joseph 55, (2) Colonia 47*
2001: (2) Colonia 79, (1) St. Joseph 65
2003: (1) Cardinal McCarrick 67, (3) St. Joseph 56
2005: (3) South Plainfield 66, (4) St. Joseph 65
2008: (1) Cardinal McCarrick 56, (6) St. Joseph 52
2009: (1) Piscataway 63, (3) St. Joseph 56
2010: (1) St. Joseph 65, (2) Monroe 48
2011: (2) St. Joseph 51, (1) Piscataway 43
2012: (1) St. Joseph 70, (2) North Brunswick 65
2013: (2) St. Joseph 66, (1) East Brunswick 63 (2OT)
2014: (1) St. Joseph 59, (2) East Brunswick 45
2015: (2) Colonia 54, (1) St. Joseph 38
2016: (1) St. Joseph 56, (2) South Brunswick 48
2017: (1) St. Joseph 50, (3) Sayreville 44
2018: (1) St. Joseph 46, (7) Colonia 43
2019: (3) St. Joseph 49, (5) Piscataway 46

*coached by Mark Taylor

Piscataway (7-5):

1968: (3) St. Peter’s 64, Piscataway 60 (MCT, only top four were “seeded”)
1976: (2) Piscataway 85, (4) Perth Amboy 83
1977: (1) Piscataway 77, (6) Carteret 74
1991: (3) Piscataway 33, (1) St. Joseph’s 29
1994: (2) Piscataway 49, (1) St. Peter’s 44
1995: (1) Piscataway 61, (3) East Brunswick 46
1996: (1) East Brunswick 51, (2) Piscataway 44
2007: (6) Piscataway 59, (5) Cardinal McCarrick 50
2009: (1) Piscataway 63, (3) St. Joseph 56
2011: (2) St. Joseph 51, (1) Piscataway 43
2019: (3) St. Joseph 49, (5) Piscataway 46
2025: (1) Colonia 70, (2) Piscataway 63

OTHER NOTES:

Championship Coaches: Of the four coaches in this year’s semifinals, three have won GMC titles, but those are the only three. That’s right, only three current Greater Middlesex boys’ coaches have ever won the event. Jose Rodriguez of Colonia – this year’s GMC Coach of the Year – won the last two with the Patriots. Before that, Bob Turco won three straight when he was at St. Thomas Aquinas, in 2020, 2022, and 2023. And Mark Taylor won two titles in his first run at St. Joseph, in 1998 and 1999.

Championship Coaches, Part Two: When Piscataway made the finals last season, Bob Turco became the first coach in GMC history to bring three different schools to the championship game. Until this year, he was one of three to bring two different schools to the GMC title game, and two share the same last name. Ken Pace brought JFK in 1990 and won it over top-seed Perth Amboy, then he took Colonia several times in the 90s, winning in 2001 over top-seed St. Joseph. Speaking of the Falcons, Bob’s brother Dave brought Carteret to two finals, winning in 2002 over a Pace-coached Colonia club. Then, of course, he went to – and won – a slew of titles with St. Joseph. Bob has been to the GMCT’s ultimate game as the head coach of Monroe – losing his only trip there in 2010 to his brother Dave and the Falcons – then and went to four straight as head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas, winning the first three.

Piscataway Doubles: The Chiefs have won seven titles, and every coach who’s won it has brought back multiple trophies. Windy McGriff’s P’way teams won back-to-back MCT titles in 1976 and 1977. Paul Schoeb – who later became the school’s athletic director, is now retired, but took in the semifinals this week at Monroe – won three in a span of five years, taking the GMC crown in 1991, as well as 1994 and 1995. Guy Jensen then won championships in 2007 and 2009. Turco is looking to be the fourth coach in Piscataway history to win the county title, gunning for his first when the play St. Joe’s Friday night. Should the Chiefs win Friday night, he’ll get a chance to go for two next season.

Repeat, Repeat: With Colonia out in the semifinals, Friday night’s winner may very well begin a streak. In fact, the Patriots were the last one-off champion, back in 2015. That snapped a string of five straight titles by the Falcons, who won nine of ten in a stretch from 2010 through 2019. They won the next four after that loss. Following that, St. Thomas Aquinas won three straight titles from 2020 through 2023, then Colonia’s two-year streak, which officially was snapped Wednesday night when they got knocked out in the semifinals.

How have the seeds fared? There have been 59 MCT/GMCT championship games, and the top seed has won 28 times. The second seed has won 16 times. When it’s the No. 1 vs. the No. 2, The top seed is just 16-11 overall, and 10-6 in the GMC era. Overall, the top seed is 28-16 in the championship game.

No Double Vision, Again: Colonia’s win over St. Thomas Aquinas two years ago snapped a two-season run of clean sweeps by the Trojans on the girls’ and boys’ side. There have been eight double champions in the GMC era – there were three in the MCT – but it didn’t happen last year and won’t again this year, with the St. Thomas Aquinas and East Brunswick girls in the final, along with St. Joe’s and the Piscataway boys. That’s good for attendance, since there will four sets of fans attending, rather than just two.

1-2, 1-2: Since the dawn of the GMC in 1986, this is the ninth time both the girls’ and boys’ title games have featured the 1 vs. the 2 seeds. And this will be the second straight year. Last year, top-seed Colonia beat second-seed Piscataway for the boys’ title, while top-seed St. Thomas Aquinas beat second-seed Monroe for the girls’ championship. The last time it happened before that was in 2016, when the top-seeded St. Joe’s boys beat South Brunswick, and the 2nd-seeded East Brunswick girls beat Monroe. It also happened the year before, in 2015, when the second-seeded Colonia boys beat St. Joseph, and top-seed Piscataway topped Monroe on the girls’ side. Other double 1 vs. 2 years include 2010, 1998, 1994, 1992 and 1989.

February 17, 2026February 18, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

NJSIAA unveils 2026 boys’ basketball state tournament brackets: Hillsborough, Piscataway, Colonia, Gill St. Bernard’s, Rutgers Prep all earn top seeds

The NJSIAA has announced its playoff pairings for the 2026 boys’ basketball state tournament, with the seeding taking place down in Robbinsville Tuesday morning, and five Central Jersey Sports Radio area teams got top seeds.

Among the publics, Hillsborough earned the No. 1 seed in Central Jersey Group 4, which Montgomery has won the last two seasons. The Cougars got the third seed based on the state’s power points formula, despite beating Hillsborough twice this season.

In North Jersey, Section 2, Piscataway got the top Group 4 seed, while resurgent Colonia got the No. 1 seed in the Group 3 section; those two will meet Wednesday evening in the GMC Tournament semifinals.

And in the Non-Publics, Gill St. Bernard’s took the No. 1 seed in Non-Public North B, while Rutgers Prep is the top-seed in South B.

Overall, 36 teams from the CJSR coverage area qualified.

The NJSIAA state playoffs begins on Tuesday, February 24th, with the opening round for public sections in Groups 2 and 4. Groups 1 and 3 begin the next day, while Non-Public Group A begins play on Thursday, March 26, and Group B the day after. Public sectional finals are Friday and Saturday, March 6-7, while non-publics are held on Monday, March 9. The state finals will be at Rutgers, with Non-Public A and B title games on Thursday, March 12th, public Groups 2 and 4 Saturday, March 14, and Groups 1 and 3 on Sunday, March 15.

Here are the first-round matchups, section by section, with CJSR-area teams in bold. The brackets become official as of noon Wednesday.

Central Jersey Group 4

(16) Old Bridge at (1) Hillsborough
(9) Franklin at (8) Freehold Twp.
(12) Hightstown at (5) Jackson Twp.
(13) Edison at (4) East Brunswick
(14) Manalapan at (3) Montgomery
(11) Hunterdon Central at (6) Trenton
(10) South Brunswick at (7) Sayreville
(15) Princeton at (2) Marlboro

Central Jersey Group 2

(16) Bordentown at (1) Wall
(9) Robbinsville at (8) Holmdel
(12) Roselle at (5) Manasquan
(13) Spotswood at (4) Delaware Valley
(14) Governor Livingtson at (3) Ocean Twp.
(11) Monmouth at (6) Johnson
(10) Pt. Pleasant Boro at (7) Rumson-Fair Haven
(15) Delran at (2) Metuchen

Central Jersey Group 1

(16) Keansburg at (1) Thrive Charter
(9) Bound Brook at (8) Henry Hudson
(120 New Providence at (5) Piscataway Magnet
(13) Roselle Park at (4) Shore
(14) South Hunterdon at (3) Middlesex
(11) Dunellen at (6) Manville
(10) Dayton at (7) South Amboy
(15) Perth Amboy Magnet at (2) Pt. Pleasant Beach

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(16) JP Stevens at (1) Piscataway
(9) Columbia at (8) Dickinson
(12) Scotch Plains-Fanwood at (5) Bayonne
(13) Bridgewater-Raritan at (4) Plainfield
(14) Ferris at (3) Union
(11) North Star Academy at (6) Perth Amboy
(10) Ridge at (7) Elizabeth
(15) Westfield at (2) Linden

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(16) North Hunterdon at (1) Colonia
(9) Somerville at (8) Randolph
(12) Payne Tech at (5) Mendham
(13) Summit at (4) Warren Hills
(140 Nutley at (3) Millburn
(11) Cliffside Park at (6) South Plainfield
(10) North Plainfield at (7) Cranford
(15) Fort Lee at (2) Chatham

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

(16) Newark West Side at (1) Newark Collegiate
(9) Bernards at (8) Weequahic
(12) Hanover Park at (5) Hackettstown
(13) Rutherford at (4) Madison
(14) Snyder at (3) Ridgefield Park
(11) Becton at (6) Caldwell
(10) Hillside at (7) Voorhees
(15) McNair at (2) Lyndhurst

Non-Public North B

(9) Eastern Christian at (8) Pioneer Academy, winner at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
(12) Franklin School (Jersey City) at (5) Morristown-Beard, winner at (4) St. Mary-Rutherford
(11) Koinonia at (6) Montclair-Kimberley, winner at (3) Morris Catholic
(10) Wardlaw-Hartridge at (7) Timothy Christian, winner at (2) Roselle Catholic

Non-Public South A

(9) Union Catholic at (8) St. Augustine, winner at (1) Paul VI
(12) St. John Vianney at (5) Red Bank Catholic
(13) Donovan Catholic at (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen
(14) Notre Dame at (3) St. Peter’s Prep
(11) St. Thomas Aquinas at (6) Immaculta
(10) Pingry at (7) Camden Catholic, winner at (2) Christian Brothers Academy

Non-Public South B

(9) Princeton Day at (8) St. Rose, winner at (1) Rutgers Prep
(12) Noor-ul-iman at (5) Bishop Eustace
(13) Moorestown Friends at (4) Doane Academy
(11) Calvary Christian at (6) Ranney, winner at (3) Holy Spirit
(10) Wildwood Catholic at (7) Gloucester Catholic, winner at (2) Holy Cross Prep

February 17, 2026March 11, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Expect another thriller: Wednesday rematch of 2025 GMC Tournament final pits Piscataway against Colonia for trip to 2026 title tilt

Last year’s GMC Tournament final was an exciting one, for a number of reasons. Besides the fact is was some great, high-level basketball between Piscataway and Colonia, it was the first all-public title game since 2006, when the Patriots beat Metuchen for the championship.

It was Bob Turco taking the Chiefs to the finals in his first year as head coach, and for the first time since 2019. And it was the veteran mentor’s sixth straight appearance in the finals, the first five of those coming while he was at St. Thomas Aquinas. In fact, he and protege Jose Rodriguez had met in the finals the year before, just with Turco leading a different team.

Wednesday night, the two will meet again, with a trip to the finals on the line as they square off in the opener of a GMCT semifinal doubleheader that you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Second-seed Piscataway (19-6) and third-seed Colonia (16-8) will play at 5 pm, with pregame at 4:45. Join Mike Pavlichko and Vin Ebenau for all the action, with the second game scheduled to tip at 7 pm between top-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen and 5th-seed St. Thomas Aquinas. Click here to listen.

While Colonia was considered a favorite to repeat even before the 2024-25 season began, Piscataway was the story last year: Turco taking an 11-14 team from the year prior to the county final with a 22-4 mark.

This year, Colonia is the big story. In the summer, Aiden Derkack transferred to national powerhouse Spire Academy in Ohio. Defender extraordinaire Zach Smith graduated. In December, glue guy R.J. Wortman announced he’d signed on to play Rutgers football, and enrolled in January, leaving him off the roster. And Colin Kroner and Julien Jones didn’t return.

The immediate result was that the Patriots started the season just 2-6. But over the last five weeks and change, they are 14-2. Among the highlights, a revenge win at Piscataway by three – avenging a home loss to the Chiefs by two in December – and a 52-46 win over state-ranked and previously-unbeaten Wall in their final game before GMC Tournament play.

Jayce Rodriguez – coach Jose Rodriguez’ son – and Dylan Chiera are the two most experienced players back. Their steadiness has helped the rest of the team find its footing. If there was ever a more apt place to use the cliche “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” we don’t know about it. Rodriuguz is scoring 20.4 points per game, with a team-best (by far) 66 treys, while Chiera is averaging 10.2, with a team-best 94 rebounds and 29 steals, tied with fellow senior Nfa Clyne.

The defense also has been a key, and while their points allowed have gone down, their scoring has gone up.

The fact these two have played two epics this season should come as no surprise. The Chiefs have some major ballers, too and much of last year’s key players are back. That includes Donald Nwaigwe, one of four players averaging double figures on a balanced squad where the top three scorers are seniors.

Nwaigwe is scoring at a 16.3 point clip, followed by Isaiah Fowler (14.4) and Josh Lima (13.0) while junior Landon Pernell – who Turco says has found his “basketball legs” after playing quarterback for the football team this fall – is averaging 12.7 per game, and has hit a team-high 42 treys on the year.

Thanks to Piscataway Township and Mayor Brian Wahler for sponsoring tonight’s Piscataway game!

These are two teams that can shoot, get to the basket, rebound, play defense, and frustrate the heck out of opponents, and like the earlier meetings this year, should come right down to the wire again.

Click below for preview interviews with both head coaches:

Piscataway head coach Bob Turco with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko

Colonia head coach Jose Rodriguez with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Vin Ebenau

February 17, 2026March 16, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

GMC Boys’ Basketball Coaches name 2025-26 All-Division, All-Conference honorees; Colonia’s Rodriguez named Coach of the Year

As county championship week gets underway, the 33 boys’ basketball coaches in the Greater Middlesex Conference met to pick their All-Division teams, with ten student-athletes ultimately earning All-GMC Honors from eight different schools, an example of how wide open this season has been in the league.

With the boys’ GMC Tournament semifinals set for Wednesday, three of those teams are represented on the All-Conference list, including Andrew Kretkowski and Aidan Carter of top-seed St. Joseph, Donald Nwaigwe of second-seed Piscataway, and Jayce Rodriguez of third-seed Colonia.

For All-Division, slots for honorees by team typically – but not always – depend on the order of finish; where division champs generally are afforded the most representation.

Jose Rodriguez of Colonia was named Coach of the Year in the GMC. Having lost two-time GMCT MVP Aiden Derkack to a transfer, leaving for Spire Academy in Ohio over the summer, as well as R.J. Wortman, an early enrolee to play football at Rutgers, along with a host of others, the Patriots started the season 2-6, but are 14-2 since, and a win away from their third straight trip to the county finals.

Here’s the full list of GMC boys’ basketball honorees.

ALL-CONFERENCE

Aidan Carter, St. Joseph-Metuchen
Matt Mikulka, East Brunswick
Jayce Rodriguez, Colonia
Chidi Chukwurah, Sayreville
Donald Nwaigwe, Piscataway
Andrew Kretkowski, St. Joseph-Metuchen
Andrew Bena, South Plainfield
Yandel Susana, Perth Amboy
Cam Vick, East Brunswick
Sam Jones, Sayreville

Coach of the Year: Jose Rodriguez, Colonia

ALL-RED AMERICAN DIVISION

St. Joseph-Metuchen: Aidan Carter, Andrew Kretkowski, Imaad Johnson
Colonia: Jayce Rodriguez, Dylan Chiera
Piscataway: Donald Nwaigwe, Josh Lima
St. Thomas Aquinas: Albion Ahmetaj, Dan Jennings
Old Bridge: Victor Przepiora

Coach of the Year: Jose Rodriguez, Colonia
Sportsmanship Award: Old Bridge

ALL-RED NATIONAL DIVISION

East Brunswick: Matt Mikulka, Cam Vick, Dylan McLean
Sayreville: Chidi Chukwura, Sam Jones
South Plainfield: Andrew Bena, Boresa Jawula, Justin Vaca
Woodbridge: Jayden Cummings
Monroe: Josh Ellis

Coach of the Year: Mark Motusesky, East Brunswick
Sportsmanship Award: Sayreville

ALL-WHITE AMERICAN DIVISION

Perth Amboy: Yandel Susana, Ricky Reyes
South Brunswick: Arjun Jadhav, Kevin Burgman
JP Stevens: Nameer Burch
Edison: Vibert Reynolds, Dheeraj Samparaboyina
North Plainfield: Cayden Prince
Timothy Christian: Nathanael Sleman
North Brunswick: Angel Rodriguez

Coach of the Year: Donnie Reid, Perth Amboy
Sportsmanship Award: North Brunswick

ALL-WHITE NATIONAL DIVISION

Metuchen: Cameron Hayes-Durina, Julian Samuels, Colin Gawronski, Chris Kozak, Matt Smith
JFK: Grant Lorentzen
Spotswood: Se’mir Tolbert-Brimage, Tyler Van Leeuwen
Carteret: Jeremiah Arrington

Coach of the Year: James Cardillo, Metuchen
Sportsmanship Award: Carteret

ALL-BLUE AMERICAN DIVISION

South Amboy: Darion Joubert, Jaydius Jiminez, Jaidel Vasquez
Piscataway Magnet: A.J. Skara, Kenny McKendra
Dunellen: Jamael Davis, J.J. Goodridge
South River: Cole Teresky
Highland Park: Cooper Ballentine
New Brunswick: Jose Encarnecion

Coach of the Year: Matt Waiter, South Amboy
Sportsmanship Award: South River

ALL-BLUE NATIONAL DIVISION

East Brunswick Magnet: Chris Mora, Sebastian Ortiz, Dylan Taylor, Adrian Brito
Perth Amboy Magnet: Donovan Escobar, Mateo Newkirk
Wardlaw-Hartridge: Jace Greene
Calvary Christian: Justus French, Luke Proodian
Somerset Tech: Nathaniel White

Coach of the Year: Kyle Fagan, East Brunswick Magnet
Sportsmanship Award: Calvary Christian

February 15, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – SCT Boys’ Semifinals: (2) Rutgers Prep 66, (3) Montgomery 57

Second-seed Rutgers Prep held off a late push from third-seed Montgomery for a 66-57 win in the semifinal round of the Somerset County Tournament behind 20 points from Will Brunson and 15 from Nicholas Nsenkyrie.

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas call all the play-by-play from Franklin High School in Somerset, NJ on February 14, 2026.