Donald Nwaigwe – Central Jersey Sports Radio

There are a lot of good boys’ basketball players in Middlesex County. Some, you’ll see at the end of this article.

But one in particular got all the hype in the preseason, and it turns out none of it was hot air.

Injuries hobbled Aidan Carter last year at St. Thomas Aquinas, which had some of its own upheaval going on around the basketball program after the departure of Bob Turco, who moved on to Piscataway and took the Chiefs right to the county finals. He managed to play 13 games, and averaged 12.8 per contest, hitting nine treys on the season.

But he was perhaps the biggest prize Mark Taylor picked up upon his return to St. Joseph-Metuchen during the off-season. Sure, Joel Patrick from Union made a splash, and Andrew Kretkowski – who came from Rutgers Prep – asserted himself as a leader early on.

And with Carter having to sit the first 30 days due to NJSIAA transfer rules, the Falcons were still 7-0 before he could step foot on the floor. Minus an opener against Wesley College (Australia), the St. Joe’s was winning games, but with Carter, they began to dominate.

Wins by ten and 20 points turned into wins by 20, 30 or more. They had height, and would fly all over the court.

But a 6′ 7″ junior guard who could do it all? He turned out to be perhaps the most valuable piece for St. Joseph, and he’s the Central Jersey Sports Radio GMC boys’ basketball Player of the Year.

Carter upped his game, not having to be bothered by an injury. He played in 24 games, only sitting out what he was required to, and finished with an 18.2 point per game average, nine boards per contest, and 23 triples on the year, to go along with 188 assists, 40 blocks and 63 steals.

Click below to hear from St. Joseph-Metuchen’s Aidan Carter, the GMC Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year:

GMC Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year Honorable Mentions:

Andrew Kretkowski, St. Joseph-Metuchen: A transfer in who started his first two seasons at Rutgers Prep, Kretkowski was the second-leading scorer for the Falcons at 17.5 points per game, with 8.2 rebounds. Like Carter, he has in infectious energy that helped rejuvenate his teammates in a huge bounce-back year for St. Joe’s
Jayce Rodriguez, Colonia: Along with Dylan Chiera, Jayce was one of two returning starters for a Patriot program that lost major pieces in the off-season, including Aiden Derkack and R.J. Wortman. But his steady demeaner – along with his 20/2 points per game and 79 treys – helped lead Colonia to a fifth straight North 2, Group 3 title, and to its first state championship game in school history.
Sam Jones, Sayreville: Scoring a personal best 617 points this season (22.1 ppg) with 66 treys, Jones will graduate as the all-time leader in scoring – boys or girls – at Sayreville, first passing 1970s standout Steve Makwinski’s boys’ record, then Rhonda Rompola’s school record, set in 1978. He finished his career 1ith 1,853 points and 233 triples.
Donald Nwaigwe, Piscataway: A thousand-point scorer in four varsity seasons for the Chiefs (who only scored three points in nine games his freshman year, making it even more impressive) Nwaigwe is an energetic ballplayer who averaged 15.7 points per game this season and 8.2 rebounds, leading Piscataway in both categories.
Matt Mikulka, East Brunswick: The Bears had their best season since the Bo Henning era, winning 21 games, with Mikulka a big reason why. The senior point guard averaged 20.7 points per game this season, and connected on 83 triples.
Yandel Susana, Perth Amboy: Susana was the most prolific scorer the Panthers have had in a single season since Josh Cabezudo scored 544 in 2017-18. He scored 484 points for a 17.2 point per game average as Amboy won its first division title since 1993.
Cameron Hayes-Durina: Averaging 16.3 points a game for the Bulldogs (he’s also a solid football player) helped Metuchen to a 24-5 season, 7-0 in the GMC’s White National to win the division, its first title since winning the GMC Blue in 2006, a year the Bulldogs went all the way to the GMC Tournament title game, ultimately falling to Colonia.

An hour or so before Wednesday night’s GMC Tournament semifinal, Piscataway came into the gym as a walking MASH unit.

Senior Josh Lima was about 80-percent due to a tight quad, head coach Bob Turco said before the game. Tyler West had a tricky knee and didn’t get to play much, in the end, And Landon Pernell, the football team quarterback just starting to get his basketball legs, also has been bothered by a calf injury

But the second-seeded Chiefs – though they were down 28-22 at the half – persevered, and had others step up, in coming out with a 64-61 win over third-seed Colonia, sending Piscataway back to the GMC’s championship game for a second year in a row.

The Chiefs (20-6) made it there last year in a big turnaround under first-year head coach Bob Turco, who raised eyebrows when he left St. Thomas Aquinas, where he had won GMC titles in 2020, 2022 and 2023. He got bested last year by his former ballplayer at Carteret and protege Jose Rodriguez and Colonia in the final, but not this time.

Turco told his team at halftime they just needed to execute. They had the game plan. Just go out and do it. And do it they did.

After Izayah Brown kept the team in the game early with eight first half points off the bench to lead the Chiefs, the starters took the ball and ran with it, literally, in the second half.

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

It was a tight game throughout. No one led by more than seven. Piscataway came out hot to start the second half and finally – after chipping away – got their first lead of the game at the 4:01 mark of the third period on a three by Landon Pernell. Another shortly after extended their lead, and while there were a couple of ties after that, the Chiefs never gave the lead back.

Pernell finished with 14, Brown with 16, and senior Donald Nwaigwe finished with 17, including a monster dunk late with the game still in the balance.

Dylan Chiera led Colonia (16-9) – which had gone 14-2 since a tough 2-6 start – with 14 points, while Jayce Rodriguez added 13, but the team’s leading three-point shooter – who had 66 on the year coming in – was held to just one make from beyond the arc.

Piscataway will face the winner of the second Wednesday night semifinal between top-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen and fifth-seed St. Thomas Aquinas. The final will be back here at Monroe Twp. High School at 8 pm, following the girls’ title game between St. Thomas Aquinas and East Brunswick at 6 pm. Both games can be heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Click below for postgame reaction from Piscataway senior Donald Nwaigwe and head coach Bob Turco, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen: