Tag: Charlie Mohr

by Mike Pavlichko

Edison takes early lead, hangs on for 77-62 win over Petrides (NY) in Outerbridge Crossing Challenge, led by Reynolds’ career high 26

Heading into his team’s 2025-26 season opener, Edison head coach Charlie Mohr reflected on the season gone by, in which they were 13-14, second place in the GMC Blue Division, by characterizing it as “up and down.”

And on Saturday against Petrides (NY) in the Outerbridge Crossing Challenge, it was much of the same. The Eagles led by 17 on several occasions, but in the second half saw that shrink to as little as three before upping the aggressiveness, getting steals and converting buckets.

In the end, Edison – which led wire-to-wire, even though it got too close for comfort at some points – pulled away for a 77-62 win, playing the last half of the fourth quarter with a double-digit lead, to start the season with a victory.

But perhaps more importantly, Edison may have found a second big scorer.

Dheeraj Samparaboyina was the team’s leading scorer last year, and Mohr knew he’d be leading on him for points. But Vibert Reynolds, a junior who played his freshman year at Dunellen, broke out with a career high 26 points, a significant development if Edison wants to compete again for a Blue Division title.

Most importantly, he had nine of those in the decisive fourth quarter.

Edison also had a pair of buzzer-beaters in the game. Julian Tan nailed a triple at the horn to end the first quarter, giving his team a 23-15 lead, and Dennis Toth hit a critical layup at the end of the third to make it 56-49 Edison.

Click below for postgame reaction from Edison junior Vibert Reynolds and head coach Charlie more with Alec Crouthamel, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Edison will lean on top-scorer Samparaboyina as Eagles figure the rest out heading into 2025-26

When you’re coaching at the same school for more than two decades – 23, in the case of Edison’s Charlie Mohr – you’ve seen the cyclical nature of high school sports (at public schools anyway) – more than you probably care to count.

Consider Edison, which came out of the COVID-shortened 2021 season with a .500 record to go 19-9 in 2021-22. With eight and seven wins in each of the next two seasons, last year was a bounceback campaign, finishing 13-14 and a solid 8-2 in the GMC Blue Division behind champion Timothy Christian, the only team in the Blue they lost to.

And while the Eagles may have lost their second, third and fifth-leading scorers to graduation – seniors Jonan Norris, Kamir McKay and Dedrick Harvey, with his 165 assists and 121 steals – there’s still some gas in the tank.

The main character he’ll lean on in the 2025-26 episode of Edison boys’ basketball is Dheeraj Samparaboyina, who Mohr says is relishing the role of being the team’s leader. He was the team’s top scorer a year ago at 13.3 points per game, and also their leading three-point shooter with 46.

Mohr will be looking for others with experience to step into increased roles, like junior Vibert Reynolds, who scored about seven points a game last season and got a handful of starts. And fellow junior Ray Tavares – who was splitting time with jayvee and varsity last year at point guard, but mostly varsity by the end of the season, will be full-time with the big squad this year.

Saturday afternoon at 1 pm, the Eagles will see how it’s coming together when they host the opener of a doubleheader in the Outerbridge Crossing Challenge at 1 pm against Petrides of Staten Island. You can hear that game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel calling all the action, followed by Piscataway taking on McKee/Staten Island Tech (NY) at 2:30 pm Click here to listen.

For Petrides, they are coming off an 8-16 season, and will be a young squad in 2025-26. Kareem Nesbitt averaged 10.3 ppg a year ago as a sophomore, and will be playing his third varsity season. Coach Nick Lezoli says he does “a little bit of everything,” with the ability to score from anywhere, while also getting bigger and stronger in the off-season. Malachi Rowland (16.3 ppg, 53 triples) is back to run the point.

Lezoli says this year could be some more growing pains, but believes they’ll survive if they can play defense.

Click below for previews of the Edison/Petrides game in the opener of the Outerbridge Crossing Challenge with both head coaches:

Edison head coach Charlie Mohr with Mike Pavlichko
Petrides head coach Nick Lezoli with Alec Crouthamel
by Mike Pavlichko

Historic night for Edison, Barnes after upset win at Scotch Plains-Fanwood

Winning a 10/5 game in the state tournament is a moderate upset. So many times its about the matchups when you get to states more than the seeds, since different leagues sometimes have different styles. “Upsets” happen frequently.

But Monday night’s 69-57 win for 10th-seeded Edison at 7-seed Scotch Plains-Fanwood was much more monumental for reasons not having anything to do with the state tournament.

The victory put Edison at 19-8 on the season, tying a program record for wins set just two seasons ago. And since the COVID-19 pandemic abbreviated the 2021 season, it’s essentially back-to-back full 19-win seasons for the Eagles.

It was also their first state tournament win since 1979. Put that one in the books.

To top it all off, veteran senior guard Niko Barnes’ 17 points helped make him just the second boys’ player in Edison boys’ basketball history to eclipse the 1,000 point mark. Only Tom KcKenzie – who graduated in 1971 – has more points. He’s the all-time leading scorer in the program at 1,003; Barnes is just one behind.

And he should get that on Wednesday night when the Eagles visit 2nd-seed Westfield, a 60-36 opening round winner over 15-seed Plainfield. Tip-off is set for 7 pm.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk about the win and the season with head coach Charlie Mohr and senior guard Niko Barnes:

by Mike Pavlichko

Postgame reaction as Barnes’ 29 powers Edison boys past No. 10 Dunellen

It was the second quarter, and Nico Barnes was in a bit of foul trouble when he came to the bench. No. 10 Dunellen kept it close, never trailing by double figures.

All that changed when Barnes returned to the game in the third quarter. He scored 16 of his game-high 29 points in the second half to lead the Eagles (1-0) over the Destroyers (0-1). It was the season opener for both teams on the opening night of the high school basketball season in New Jersey, and the first broadcast of High School Basketball powered by Bellamy & Son Paving on Central Jersey Sports Radio

Click below to listen to postgame reaction from 6-2 junior guard Nico Barnes and Edison coach Charlie Mohr.

Edison junior guard Nico Barnes:

Edison Head Coach Charlie Mohr: