Gene McAteer – Central Jersey Sports Radio

Both Bridgewater-Raritan and ninth-ranked Bound Brook showed signs of what life might be like in their first seasons moving to the Raritan Division of the Skyland Conference in Thursday night’s season opener.

The visiting Crusaders looked solid on the road against a deeper opponent, but that lack of depth early in the season showed when Jackson Morrison went down to a third quarter right lower leg injury, tried to return but was ineffective.

The Panthers got a taste of how the division will be a battle every night, despite moving “down” from the top Delaware Division. And they used their depth to their advantage, getting seven players in the scoring column.

*Bridgewater-Raritan’s Brody Nussman – who had a career high 15 points – looks for a pass against Bound Brook in the season opener in Bridgewater on December 14, 2023. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)*

The teams went back and forth in the first half, with The Brook pulling out to as big as an eight point lead on two occasions in the second quarter. Bridgewater got within two at the half on back-to-back threes by junior Brody Nussman, and another by fellow junior Bobby Gillespie.

Bound Brook got back to an eight point lead in the third before Morrison went down. That was when things went South, and Bridgewater capitalized.

Nussman finished with a team high – and career high – 15 points, including three treys, while junior Jeremiah Williams and senior Middlesex transfer Jayden Pearyer led all scorers with 16 apiece, with Pearyer hitting three times from the arc, all with great form and touch.

Click below to hear postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Justin Sontupe presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

Bridgewater-Raritan junior guard Brody Nussman

Bridgewater-Raritan head coach Gene McAteer

The Bridgewater-Raritan basketball team has moved “down” a division in the Skyland Conference, but it doesn’t mean life will be any easier.

Sure, the Panthers were 7-17 last year, with six of those losses coming to Franklin, Gill St. Bernard’s and Rutgers Prep – the five-, two- and top-seeds – twice each. But in the Raritan Division, there are still some good basketball teams.

Ridge was 20-6 last year, Phillipsburg was 17-9, and Watchung Hills was 14-12. And then there’s tonight’s opponent.

Bound Brook moves up from the Valley Division, where they haven’t lost a game since the January before the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve won 33 straight against Valley competition, but now find themselves moving up from a grouping where Pingry was the only other squad above .500 last season.

You can hear tonight’s game on Central Jersey Sports Radio live from Bridgewater-Raritan High School, with tip-off at 7 and pregame starting approximately 6:45. Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe will call all the action. Click here to listen.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Bridgewater-Raritan head coach Gene McAteer: