Tag: Gill St. Bernard's

by Alec Crouthamel

Mergin Sina named CJSR’s Somerset County Boys Coach of the Year after Knights’ first state crown

Mergin Sina has coached plenty of great teams at Gill St. Bernard’s, with talented players that went on to achieve great things at the collegiate level.

But there’s one thing he hadn’t done as the head coach of the Knights’ boys’ team, one thing the program as a whole had not done before.

Hold up the state championship trophy.

This year’s Gill team did just that, rattling off 24 consecutive wins to end the year, winning the Skyland Conference Delaware Division, the Somerset County Tournament, the Non-Public North B sectional crown, and finally, the Non-Public B title at Rutgers last week.

For the team’s efforts, Sina earned CJSR’s Somerset County boys Coach of the Year.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Knights early on. They dealt with some tough tests amid a rugged schedule in and out of conference play, with losses to St. Peter’s Prep and Linden before the new year.

But all of a sudden, Gill turned it around. It started with a New Year’s Day victory over St. Mary’s (Ruth.) — who the Knights later defeated in the sectional semifinals. One win turned into three, which turned into five, which turned into ten, which turned into… well, you get the point.

Some wins came easily, taking a big lead from the jump and cruising to the finish line. Others were true grinders, including the sectional final win over Roselle Catholic, avenging last year’s loss on the same stage.

No matter the style, Gill ran the table in the 2026 calendar year, and relied on a battle-tested core of major contributors. Seniors Dorsett Mulcahy, Declan Corrigan, and Prosper Sonkoua went out on top to end their high school careers, while juniors Jahmal Dixon and Niko West, and sophomore Connor Junker set another building block to work from as the Knights will defend their title next season.

But for now, the Gill St. Bernard’s boys stand at the final mountaintop, for the first time in Sina’s illustrious career.

Click below to hear Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mergin Sina talk about the Knights’ 2025-26 season, the state final, and the long winning streak to end the year with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel

by Alec Crouthamel

Addy Platt earns CJSR Somerset County Girls’ Player of the Year honors, while her Gill St. Bernard Knights are Team of the Year after sectional title win

Outside of Gladstone, New Jersey, it looked like the Gill St. Bernard’s girls basketball team may have been headed for a retooling year.

Five seniors graduated, and all played college basketball this season as freshmen at the next level. With a solid stable of underclassmen returning, there was a relative unknown with the Knights.

On campus, though, the belief never wavered, even dating back to the summer.

Gill St. Bernard’s proceeded to go 22-6 and win its first sectional title since 2012, making it all the way to Rutgers in the Non-Public B Final.

All that has earned the Knights Central Jersey Sports Radio Somerset County Team of the Year honors, with senior leader Addy Platt named Girls’ Player of the Year in Somerset.

After playing a smaller role in her junior year, Platt burst onto the scene as a senior. She stuffed the stat sheet, averaging 19.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 4.1 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game. The future Saint Joseph’s Hawk also consistently picked up the opposing team’s top option, while drawing the same assignment on the opposite side.

But championship teams aren’t made by just one player, even a star of Platt’s caliber.

A returning junior class that developed into a dangerous supporting cast propelled Gill into the Team of the Year conversation. Platt’s sister Katie, point guard Melina Miller, and wing Sadie Finn all took advantage of the opportunities in front of them, and altogether, the Knights took another leap forward into the state’s cream of the crop.

Add in an exciting stable of younger talent, and Gill St. Bernard’s won’t be going anywhere.

But for the 2025-26 iteration of the Knights, Platt’s do-it-all leadership and ability to take over games earned her the distinction as the top Player of the Year, and the collective earned Team of the Year.

Click below to hear Knights head coach Mark Gnapp and Platt talk about the 2025-26 season, and what the future holds for both Platt and Gill St. Bernard’s with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel:

Honorable Mentions:

  • Hailey Benbow, Rutgers Prep: There was no sophomore slump for Hailey Benbow, who averaged 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds for the Argonauts, leading the team in both categories in her second season as a starter. She also sunk 25 triples on the year, and led a defensive-oriented squad with 60 steals.
  • Aleah Sunkins, Franklin: It may take five to play basketball, but the Warriors don’t get where they got this year – to the Somerset County Tournament final, and winning Central Jersey Group 4 – without Sunkins, a junior who averaged more than twice the next leading scorer, at 17.9 points per game. In fact, she averaged a double-double with 10.9 boards per contest, while also hitting 36 threes and tying for team-high honors in steals with Alissa Myers, at 62. A seniors, Myers will be gone next year, but Sunkins will remain the focal point next season.
  • Aletha Reynolds, Bernards: A double-double machine, with 16 during the season, Reynolds averaged 14.8 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. She helped the Mountaineers to a 10-0 start, and a trip to the North 2, Group 2 semis, where they lost to defending and eventual champion Madison. The senior will attend Catholic University in Washington, D.C. next fall.
  • Peytan Pugh, Bound Brook: Just a freshman, Peytan and Company nearly knocked off Rutgers Prep in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals, and reached the Central Jersey Group 1 title game. Why? Because she registered 254 steals, tops in New Jersey, nearly nine per game! A great focal point to build around for the Crusaders over the next three years!
  • Sadie Fleming, Manville: With 13 double-doubles this season, Sadie had another fantastic year to cap off a four-year varsity journey. She averaged 13.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game – helping Manville to a school record 17 wins – finishing the her time with the Mustangs as rare member of the “Double 1K Club” – with 1,238 career points and 1,217 rebounds. Sadie is just the second girls’ player at Manville to crack a thousand, but holds the record for most rebounds in a career – by far! Fleming will attend Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania next year.
Gill St. Bernard's guard Kaity Platt (14) goes up with a layup through contact.
by Alec Crouthamel

Gill St. Bernard’s girls bring good times to Rutgers for Non-Public B final against Gloucester Catholic

Think back to March of 2012.

Adele and Flo Rida ruled the music charts, the Big East Conference was finishing up its penultimate year in its prime form before realignment destroyed it (nope, definitely not bitter), and the Gill St. Bernard’s girl’s basketball team stood at the top as Non-Public state champions, and sectional champions for the third straight year, under former head coach Aaron Gratch.

Now in 2026, the Knights (22-5) are back near the peak of the mountain in the state final, though no Tournament of Champions to follow like the 2012 team, so this is it.

Gill plays for all the marbles on Thursday at Jersey Mike’s Arena on the campus of Rutgers University, in the Non-Public B final against Gloucester Catholic. Tip-off time from Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway is at 5 pm, and we’ve got live coverage on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel calling all the action. Pregame starts at 4:45; click here to listen.

The boys’ game for the Non-Public Group B title against Holy Cross Prep of Delran against will also be broadcast live on CJSR at 7 pm.

Gill has played efficient, workmanlike basketball throughout its path to its first sectional title since the three-peat from 2010-12, but now faces one of its toughest tests yet against the Rams (25-4).

Addy and Kaity Platt once again steal the headlines, and combined for 31 points in the sectional final win over Saddle River Day, but it’s been a team-wide effort to get to this point for the Knights. With point guard Melina Miller setting the table and wing Sadie Finn doing the dirty work with tough defense and extra passes, it’s no wonder Gill has responded with a deep run after a tremendous senior class graduated.

This also won’t be the first time these two teams have seen each other this season. Way back in December — where three months ago feels like three years ago — Gloucester Catholic responded from an early deficit and put the clamps down on Gill for a 60-45 victory at the Shore Games in Colts Neck.

But both teams have evolved in the time since, and are playing at their best at the right time.

It’s a battle of similar but contrasting styles. Neither team goes particularly deep into their bench — both stick with a main six in the rotation, with a seventh usually mixed in somewhere — and both will send pressure in the backcourt. But Gill wants to get out and run, while the Rams are happy to play in a slower, grind-it-out type game.

That’s exactly how Gloucester Catholic — the second seed and champion of South Jersey Group B — won its second straight sectional title against top-seeded Rutgers Prep back on Monday night. The Rams were able to slow the game down and, combined with plenty of missed shots from the Argonauts, hold Rutgers Prep to its lowest scoring total of the year.

They also have continuity on their side, with no graduating seniors from a team that made it to this same stage last year. Senior trio Jalyn Moore, Jahzara Green, and Talia Shumate all played in that state title — a 41-30 loss to Montclair Immaculate, led by now-Franklin head coach Jimmy Kreie before the school closed at the end of the year — and all played pivotal roles in Gloucester Catholic’s December win over the Knights.

Add in a leader with over 700 career wins in 37th-year head coach, and Rams graduate herself Lisa Gedaka, and Gloucester Catholic will not be fazed by the bright lights. The Rams will battle for their first state title since 1983, Gedaka’s junior season.

But Gill is executing at some of the highest levels ninth-year head coach Mark Gnapp has seen in his time in Gladstone. With the state crown — and two long championship droughts — on the line, it may come down to who has the ball last at Rutgers.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mark Gnapp about the Knights’ Non-Public B title matchup against Gloucester Catholic:


by Alec Crouthamel

Gill St. Bernard’s pulls away in second half over Immaculata, wins 19th straight to advance to second consecutive Somerset County Tournament final

It feels like a broken record at this point.

Gill St, Bernard’s boys basketball wins, powered by a frenetic and physical second half.

The top-seeded Knights (23-2, 7-0) won their 19th straight game with a 67-53 victory over fifth-seeded Immaculata in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals, to advance to their second straight championship appearance.

The Spartans (17-6, 4-1) held their own and then some for the first 16 minutes of action, taking a 28-25 halftime lead after slowing down the game on both ends of the floor for much of the half, coupled with some impressive shotmaking.

Gill St. Bernard’s senior guard Dorsett Mulcahy set the tone with 26 points and seven rebounds, including 14 of the Knights’ 22 third-quarter points as they powered ahead. Fellow senior Prosper Highlander added 16 points and six rebounds, including ten in the second half.

The first quarter was a clash of styles, as Immaculata tried to slow it down while Gill St. Bernard’s wanted to keep on running. The Spartans hit shots in the opening stretch but the Knights ended the first quarter with a 10-8 lead.

Immaculata turned up the heat on both ends in the second quarter, as the balanced shotmaking continued and the Spartans went into halftime with a three-point lead. Senior guard Riley Gorman finished the half tied for the game lead with eight points, while junior Tyler Burns added seven.

Four Immaculata scorers finished in double figures, led by Burns’ 14 — including seven third-quarter points all at the foul line — while Gorman added 12. Junior Bryce Higgins scored 12 points of his own and senior Noah Doss scored ten.

Gill St. Bernard’s came out of the locker room ready to run — as the Knights always are — and eventually took a lead back that they would not relinquish.

Mulcahy got to the basket time and time again, while also knocking down a three-pointer and hitting all three of his free throw attempts. Highlander drew the assignment of Gorman on defense, and came into his own as well in the third quarter with four points. By the time the quarter came to a close, Gill St. Bernard’s had built a 48-39 lead, as both teams found themselves in foul trouble in the frame.

The Knights ran some more in the fourth quarter and put the game out of reach fairly early on. Highlander scored six points while sophomore guard Connor Junker hit a three-pointer of his own as part of a seven-point final stretch.

By the time the dust settled, Gill St. Bernard’s outscored Immaculata 42-25 in the second half and was able to finish the job multiple minutes before the final buzzer sounded.

The Knights advance to their second straight Somerset County Tournament finals appearance, and tenth all-time, tying Bridgewater-Raritan for the county record. They will play in a rematch of last year’s championship bout against second-seeded Rutgers Prep, which defeated Montgomery 66-57 earlier on Saturday for the Argonauts’ fifth straight championship appearance. Gill St. Bernard’s won last year’s tournament matchup 52-46.

They’ll do it all over again next Saturday at Montgomery High School, with tip-off at 3 pm.

Click below for postgame reaction with Gill St. Bernard’s senior Dorsett Mulcahy and head coach Mergin Sina, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:


by Alec Crouthamel

Franklin rallies from early deficit, survives in Somerset County Tournament semifinal win over Gill St. Bernard’s

Franklin girls basketball saw a turning point on its home floor in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals.

The third-seeded Warriors (17-7, 2-2) trailedsecond-seeded Gill St. Bernard’s 14-3 in the game’s opening minutes. The Knights (18-5, 3-1) were racing up and down the floor, and got whatever they wanted with their full-court trapping pressure.

But all it took was seeing one shot fall.

Franklin rallied from the early deficit and used a strong second quarter to keep the game in contention, before controlling the possession late to come away with a 53-49 victory.

Junior forward Aleah Sunkins personified the comeback as well as anyone, finishing with a game-high 20 points and 15 rebounds after scoring just one point in the first quarter.

Senior guard Addy Platt did much of the scoring and playmaking early on, as Gill St. Bernard’s continued to up the pace and sped up its opposition. The Warriors managed to slow things down a bit towards the end of the opening quarter, and cut the 11-point deficit to eight.

That’s when Franklin took over.

Sunkins scored 11 of the Warriors’ 18 points in the quarter, while senior guard Alissa Myers knocked down two three-pointers. They worked a quick 8-0 run to tie the game back up midway through, and kept close to go into the locker room ahead by two points.

The third quarter was much of the same on both sides, albeit a higher-scoring frame. The Knights retook the lead by a point after 24 minutes, led by seven points from junior guard Melina Miller and six from fellow junior Kaity Platt.

Neither team was able to pull ahead as they each traded blows, but five points from sophomore guard Jamila McRiney proved to be a much-needed scoring boost when the offense started to slow.

McRiney finished with seven points — all in the second half — and nine rebounds as one of Franklin’s more important contributors next to Sunkins.

The back-and-forth affair continued into the fourth quarter, and the Warriors attempted to slow the game down, clinging to a one-score lead. They knocked down a trio of three-pointers to help keep control of the lead, with one from Sunkins and two from Myers.

Franklin made its free throws late — with McRiney and senior Nola Bright each hitting a pair late — to come away with the hard-fought victory.

Addy Platt led Gill St. Bernard’s with 20 points, tying Sunkins for the game lead, while Kaity Platt added 12, and Miller scored 11 in the loss.

The Warriors have now won six straight games, and ten of 11 after a slow start to the year.

They also move on to their fifth Somerset County Tournament final, looking for their second title. They won their most recent appearance over Rutegrs Prep in 2019.

Franklin will face off against the top-seeded Argonauts in the final next weekend, on Saturday at Montgomery High School at 1 pm.

Click below for postgame reaction with Franklin junior Aleah Sunkins and head coach Jimmy Kreie, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Alec Crouthamel

Metro Classic Whiparound: Somerset & Middlesex Counties shine at Stockton University

The Metro Classic returned for its 13th season, this time down at the Sports Center at Stockton University.

Three different teams from Somerset and Middlesex counties — making up the top three of the latest Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Top Ten — participated in the Thursday-to-Saturday showcase, and headed back up the Garden State Parkway with a sparkling 4-0 record. Some former standouts from the area also got to return home for one final time before they head off to their respective high-major college destinations.

Here’s a full look on how each team did over the weekend.

No. 1 Gill St. Bernard’s sweeps competition, extends win streak

The Knights (18-2, 5-0) were the lone CJSR area team to play twice, and made the most of their chances with two victories over out-of-area foes to extend their winning streak to 14 consecutive games.

They started on Friday with a matchup against fellow Non-Public Paramus Catholic, coached by former Paterson Catholic and Villanova star Tim Thomas, without the services of leading scorer Dorsett Mulcahy. He returned in the second game of the weekend.

Gill started hot with a double-digit lead after one quarter, led by eight points from junior forward Chase Wieder, as part of a 17-point day, one off his career high. The Paladins fought back with a much-improved second quarter, though, as the Knights’ offense ground to a halt.

Then the third quarter came around.

Gill found its proper footing with its up-tempo, in-your-face defensive and transition styles, outscoring PC 31-14 in the third quarter to open up a 20-point lead after 24 minutes. With the game mostly in hand, the two teams played relatively even in the fourth quarter, finishing off a 65-46 Knights win. Senior forward Prosper Highlander added 17 points and nine rebounds — after ending the first half with just three points — while junior guard Jahmal Dixon added 14 points and five rebounds of his own.

“It was a tough situation,” head coach Mergin Sina said after the game. “It’s a middle-of-the-day game. Kids just got out of school at 11 o’clock. No excuses, but I was worried about this game. Playing at 3 o’clock, driving down from North Jersey at 11 o’clock, kids get out of school, real flat. The kids were sleeping, but we woke up in the third quarter, and we played a little more aggressive, and obviously got the win.”

They went back in action on Saturday, taking on SPIRE Academy’s International team, with Mulcahy back in the fold. Gill got going right away, taking a commanding lead from the start and never looking back, leading by 14 at halftime and eventually cruising to a 67-53 victory. Mulcahy scored 21 points in his return, one of three Knights in double-figures. Highlander scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while sophomore guard Connor Junker added 17 points and five boards.

“I think we got some mismatch issues on one end, but they had to guard us on the other,” said Sina after the win. “So there’s some big kids out there, but they had a little issue guarding us on the perimeter. I thought we did a good job, especially in the first half, of limiting them to one shot.”

No. 2 St. Joseph (Met.) fends off international foe

The Falcons (19-1, 7-0) shook off their first loss of the season against South Plainfield on Tuesday and have now won three straight games, the second coming on Friday at Stockton.

St. Joseph faced off against Crestwood Prep from Ontario, Canada, in a battle that appeared to be in control, but got tight late.

Crestwood used a hot-shooting first quarter to take an early lead, but neither team gained much of an edge in the first half, as both teams went into the locker room tied at 21 apiece.

Even in the third quarter, the two teams played within two possessions, though the Falcons found their stride and methodically built up a solid lead. Junior wing Andrew Kretkowski scored ten points in the quarter, and got seven from sophomore guard Aidan Carter.

Carter and Kretkowski both executed at a high level early in the fourth quarter, as the lead stretched to eight points, and a talented but young Crestwood team fell into an offensive slump. Saint Joseph looked to be in the driver’s seat, but relentless defensive pressure from Crestwood caused some leaks and eventually it turned back to a one-score game in the final minute.

Sophomore center Joel Patrick proved to be the late-game X-factor, getting switched onto the perimeter twice, but holding Crestwood’s guards to desperation shots that Patrick affected both times. The Falcons came away with a 58-52 victory where they certainly faced some adversity late.

“I thought our D was really good the entire night for the most part,” head coach Mark Taylor said after the game. “Made a couple bad rotations, but overall really shut down Isaiah Hamilton. Wasn’t that much of an effect. The other kid surprised us. Number 10 [Sami Uraz] made some shots, so he kept them in it early, but then we kind of cleaned that up. Second half, I thought we did a pretty good job.”

Kretkowski led the way with 22 points and ten rebounds, while also helping limit Hamilton, a top-ten prospect in the 2028 class, on the defensive side. Carter added 21 points — including 17 in the second half and ten in the fourth quarter — and comfortably knocked down some crunchtime free throws. Junior guard Imaad Johnson added ten points while recording four steals.

“Aidan’s special. He can get where he needs to get, which is important. And Andrew’s got a motor and good size,” Taylor added on his star duo. “Those two both played good. They’re our motor, so when they go well, we go well. And let’s hope they keep rolling.”

Kretkowski finished the game with 998 career points and quickly reached 1,000 on Sunday in a win over New York Military Academy.

No. 3 Rutgers Prep pulls away late from last-second opponent

The Argonauts (13-6, 3-1) notched their second straight victory with a big week ahead, including a Thursday matchup against Gill St. Bernard’s and a showdown with Bridgewater-Raritan in the Somerset County Tournament. They faced off against a team that didn’t even know they’d be participating in the showcase 48 hours beforehand in the Metro Classic, and handled business.

Rutgers Prep was originally slated to face off against Seton Hall Prep, but a late schedule change pitted the Argonauts against Salem, coached by former Rutgers guard Anthony Farmer.

After a bit of a slow start offensively, the Argonauts got going quickly and often, turning an eight-point first-quarter lead into a 36-14 advantage at the half.

The Rams were able to battle back and play even in the third quarter, led by the heroics of guard Tymear Lecator — who finished with a game-high 31 points and six three-pointers — but by that point, Rutgers Prep had controlled the tempo and had the game mostly in hand.

“I think it was honestly energy,” head coach Matt Bloom said of the third-quarter swing. “It’s a big gym, a little bit more quiet than we expected, and I think they kind of swung the energy in their favor, and we handled it. And again, we just have to get better. We’ve got to learn from it and get better.”

Sophomore wing Will Brunson and junior guard Rocco Loomis led the way with 18 points apiece — the duo scored all 16 fourth-quarter points for the Argonauts — as Brunson added five rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Senior guard Nicolas Nsenkyire stuffed the stat sheet as well, with six points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and four steals.

“Honestly, I like that we’re frustrated when we don’t play the way that we think that we can play,” added Bloom. “We have a standard now. The kids are about winning. They want to get better. Any win’s a good win obviously. This is a 12-win team from South Jersey that’s playing us on 24 hours’ notice. So we appreciate that. We love the effort they gave us. They made us better today. But again, coming to the Metro Classic, figuring out a way to win in a game that didn’t completely go our way, especially in the second half, it’s a big deal for our young group.”

Middlesex County natives show out in the Garden State one last time

Not only did three teams from the area have their own respective success, but a few players out of state returned towards the end of their senior campaigns.

Former Colonia star Aiden Derkack played in his home state for the second and final time this season with Ohio’s SPIRE Academy — led by Elizabeth native and high-school coaching legend Kevin Boyle — facing a three-game gauntlet that saw SPIRE go 3-0 on the weekend.

On the first night, SPIRE faced a test from North Jersey power Bergen Catholic, and came away with a hard-fought 69-59 victory. Derkack finished with 18 points and ten rebounds — both team-highs — along with three assists, while also helping contain Crusaders forward Julius Avent — currently committed to Tom Izzo and Michigan State — to nine points on the night.

Friday saw SPIRE battle against College Achieve Public Charter School from Asbury Park, and found easier success with a cruising 78-49 win. Derkack scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds, while also recording four steals in the process.

SPIRE closed out its Metro Classic slate on Saturday with a battle against Mike Rice and Linden, in a battle of former Patrick School head coaches. That game turned into a grind-it-out battle, as the Tigers slowed the game down and played with physicality on both ends of the floor, led by its fiery coach.

The visitors from Ohio eventually pulled away with a 59-43 victory, as SPIRE’s top-end talent eventually took over. Derkack scored six points on the night but played a big part in helping SPIRE pull away late. The 6-foot-7 guard will head to Providence to play Big East basketball for the Friars after his season at SPIRE.

On the girls’ side, Edison native and former Rutgers Prep star GiGi Battle made her return to New Jersey, as well. Now at DME Academy in Florida, Battle played in one game, a 52-44 loss to St. James of Virginia for DME’s first loss of the year after starting 18-0. Battle scored nine points in the game. DME was originally set to play two games, with the first coming in a nationally-ranked showdown against Pennsylvania’s Westtown School, but that game was canceled.

Battle will head to Indiana to play for Teri Moren in the Big Ten after her season comes to a close, and joins Red Bank Catholic’s Addy Nyemchek as incoming Hoosiers from the Garden State.

by Alec Crouthamel

Highlander’s big second half helps lead No. 1 Gill St. Bernard’s to emphatic win over No. 3 Pingry – and likely the SCT’s top seed

When you think of Gill St. Bernard’s basketball, you think uptempo, flying across the floor, and plenty of victories.

Through one half against No. 3 Pingry, those three factors were present at times, but not enough with a 21-15 lead.

Once both teams emerged from the locker room for the second half of play, things changed.

The Knights (11-2, 5-0) raced out of the gate and never looked back, pulling away for a 69-38 win, outscoring the Big Blue (7-3, 3-0) 48-23 in the final 16 minutes of play.

Fresh off a 33-point, ten-rebound performance in a thrilling win over Rutgers Prep on Saturday, Gill St. Bernard’s forward Prosper Highlander led the way once again, with a 20-point, 12-rebound follow-up performance. After scoring just two points in the first half, he came alive with 12 points in the third quarter with an array of drives to the basket and a three-pointer.

Oh, and he also picked up the tough assignments on defense, stuffing the stat sheet with three steals and two blocks.

Pingry controlled the tempo early on, scoring the first five points of the game and keeping close for much of the first half. Even after the Knights responded to the opening run with ten unanswered points of their own, the Big Blue ended the quarter with six unanswered to stay within a point at 12-11.

That momentum continued into the second quarter. Even as Gill St. Bernard’s appeared to be on the verge of pulling away, Pingry continued to stack up timely buckets to stay within arm’s reach, as head coach Jason Murdock and his team looked to build off the momentum of back-to-back wins over Immaculata and Rutgers Prep last week.

But the Knights’ intensity and pace on both ends of the floor eventually became too much to overcome. They methodically built up their lead as the third quarter went along, turning defense into offense plenty, before the lead eventually ballooned to 17 points to end the third quarter, and 31 points by the end of the game.

Gill St. Bernard’s standouts Connor Junker and Dorsett Mulcahy kick-started the offense in the opening quarter with six points apiece for all of the Knights’ scoring in the opening eight minutes. Junker finished with ten points with two three-pointers, while Mulcahy finished second on the team with 17 points and eight rebounds.

Dylan Cowell led Pingry with a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double to go along with three blocks, and was the Big Blue’s only double-digit scorer.

With the win, Gill St. Bernard’s now puts itself in an excellent position for the top seed in the upcoming Somerset County Tournament, as the Knights look to defend their title from a season ago. Last week, they won their only matchups before the seeding meeting with Montgomery and Rutgers Prep, with the Argonauts also having lost to Pingry.

Amid a schedule head coach Mergin Sina calls one of the toughest in the state, Gill St. Bernard’s passed yet another test as the calendar flips to 2026.

Click below for postgame reaction from Gill St. Bernard’s senior forward Prosper Highlander and head coach Mergin Sina, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Top teams keep winning, but more turmoil in bottom half of first Bellamy & Son Paving Girls’ Basketball Top Ten of 2025

There was no change in the top four of the latest Bellamy & Son Paving Girls’ Basketball rankings for Week Four, but the bottom six moved around with two new teams in, and two dropping out.

The list starts – again – with Rutgers Prep (6-2). The Argonauts went 1-1 in the week gone by. They beat Immaculata Heart Monday to wrap up their trip to Paterson Kennedy for the Holiday Hoopfest, but lost Sunday in Pennsylvania to Upper Darby (PA) in the Blue Star Invitational. Prep has a huge game with the team they’re tied with for first in the Skyland Delaware Division Thursday when the Argos visit No. 3 Hillsborough (7-0) for a 5:30 pm tip.

This is Rutgers Prep’s 42nd straight week at No. 1 in the Bellamy & Son/CJSR rankings. They have won 52 straight games against Somerset County opponents and 65 straight against the Skyland Conference; their last loss to either came to Franklin in the 2019 Somerset County Tournament title game.

In second is St. Thomas Aquinas (7-2). The Trojans also have a hefty streak going, having not lost in 42 Greater Middlesex Conference regular season games, nor in 50 GMC games overall, factoring in an 8-0 record the last two years in the county tournament. They went 3-1 this past week, with a win Monday in the Holmdel Holiday Invitational finale over Hudson Catholic, and GMC Red Division wins at Piscataway Thursday and Monroe Saturday, before falling Sunday to Moore Catholic (NY), 72-64, in the Coaches Choice NY/NJ/Staten Island Challenge.

In third, as mentioned earlier, is Hillsborough (7-0). The Raiders won their only game this week, Friday, 84-67 at Voorhees, with senior Francesca Schiro breaking the all-time Raiders’ career scoring record – boys or girls. They’ll battle Rutgers Prep at home on Thursday at 5:30 pm.

And the last team to hold their ground this week is Gill St. Bernard’s (6-2). The Knights split a pair this week against top-flight competition. They beat St. Rose of Belmar 66-41 in the Holiday Hoopfest at Paterson Kennedy, but lost Sunday to two-time defending Non-Public Group B champion Morris Catholic 65-53 in the Garden State New Year’s Ball up at DePaul Catholic in Wayne.

Surging up two spots to No. 5 this week is Somerville (5-2). The Pioneers were 2-0 last week, beating Princeton Monday, 49-43, to wrap up the West Windsor-Plainsboro South Tournament, then Watchung Hills Saturday on the road, 63-41.

Bernards (6-0) also moves up two spots to No. 6 this week, winning their only game since the last rankings, a 52-28 thumping of Delaware Valley at home Friday night.

Spotswood (7-2) used a 3-0 week to jump up from tenth to seventh. The Chargers swept three GMC games; they beat Piscataway 49-40 Monday on the final day of the Woodbridge Holiday Tournament – going 2-1 in the event – then won at South Plainfield Thursday, 48-33, and at North Brunswick Saturday, 61-45.

The next two teams are new to the rankings.

Middlesex (6-2) rejoins at No. 9 after last having been seen at No. 7 in the Week One Top Ten. The Blue Jays fell at Absegami, 46-34, in the Boardwalk Classic in Wildwood Monday, but came back to GMC-land and beat JP Stevens in Edison Thursday, 66-33, then clobbered Perth Amboy Friday, 61-33.

Meanwhile, Old Bridge (5-2) makes its season debut on the strength of a 3-0 week. They beat Edison Monday, 34-24-, in the Woodbridge Holiday Tournament, then beat edged Monroe, 44-43, at home on Thursday, before winning a Skyland Conference crossover on Saturday, 51-31 over South Hunterdon.

Dropping one spot to No. 10 is Edison (5-4). The Eagles lost Monday to Old Bridge in the Woodbridge Holiday Tournament, then again Thursday at home by two to North Brunswick, but rebounded with a Saturday win at Woodbridge, 54-43.

Below is the complete Week 4 Bellamy & Son Paving Girls’ Basketball Top Ten:

by Mike Pavlichko

Who’s hot, who’s making moves in girls’ basketball as we head into holiday tourneys

The meat of high school basketball season is still in front of us.

A few teams took the opportunity from the NJSIAA to start early, and holiday tournaments will kick into gear later this week, after Christmas. Once January rolls around, it’s a sprint to county tournament seeding, then the season reaches a fever pitch with the GMC and the Somerset County tournaments, then the state playoffs.

But so far, so good, for a number of area teams. Today, we take a look at who’s hot as the weather gets colder.

Rutgers Prep no rebuilding, just reloading…

If you looked at the Argonauts when their season ended last year – with a loss in the Group B finals to Morris Catholic – you’d be forgiven if you thought this was going to be a bit of a rebuilding year in 2024-25 for Mary Klinger. After all, she’d be losing all-world guard Mikayla Blakes, along with three-point specialist Chloe Escanillas, and defensive stalwart Zahra Alexander to graduation. Later, she’d learn sophomore Gigi Battle would be moving to Florida with her family.

Down four starters, what’s a coach to do?

Well, Ava LaMonica – the only returning starter – is back as a junior, and playing he heart out, as always.

Natalia Valdez – seldom used last year except when a game was out of hand – has shown shooting prowess, scoring 13 against Gill St. Bernard’s Tuesday night, including three treys, all in the second half.

Then there are the newcomers. Junior Ava Firth is in from Manasquan, and another junior, Sophia Georgiades, is in from Ridge. She had eleven and three treys against Gill, and was named the MVP in their Shore Games She Got Game Classic win over Archbishop Molloy (NY) back on Saturday.

The Argonauts are just reloading. They may still be trying to find their identity. They didn’t press as much as they usually do, turning teams over repeatedly to go on big runs to bury teams early. That will come, but so far, they have answered the bell, off to a 4-0 start.

And so, Prep remains the No. 1 team in the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten, having held the position now for an astounding 40 straight weeks, the only CJSR-area team to hold that spot since our debut season in 2021.

Boro is back; Raiders still undefeated…

Last year was a historic one for the Hillsborough girls’ basketball team. They beat Elizabeth in March to win the school’s first ever sectional title in the sport, and brought back just about everyone, save for two seniors who combined to score just 22 points.

Two of them made even more history in the first week of the season. First, Francesca Schiro set the all-time Hillsborough girls’ scoring record in a 69-23 win over Linden last Saturday afternoon, topping Jinny Strawderman’s mark of 1,455 set in 1986. She now has 1,519, and could be within reach of 2,000 before things are all said and done. She averaged 20.6 points per game last year, but is scoring at a 22.3 clip through four games this year.

Then, back on Saturday, Mya Loniewski cracked the 1,000-point mark with a season-high 21-point effort in a 66-61 home win against Madison. She did it on a fourth-quarter free throw with the game well in hand.

And the Lady Raiders show no sign of slowing down any time soon.

Piscataway’s best start in years…

It’s early yet, but Piscataway is off to its first 2-0 start since they won the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament in 2018. That year, they finished 22-5 and won their first eight games with a balanced scoring attack led by LaNiya Miller, Ariel Jenkins, Yamirah Bennett and Saniya Myers.

This year’s team has beaten two Red Division opponents already. The Lady Chiefs opened Thursday with a 61-50 win at Colonia, then were 57-43 home winners over Old Bridge on Saturday.

First-year head coach Brian Truskan’s squad is led by Sarae Croley-Battle, who has poured in 43 points in just two contests. Caelyn Cook is averaging 11 points per game.

Piscataway hopes to keep things going against Edison (3-1) in their opener in the Woodbridge holiday tournament, where they’ll play the Barrons on the second day of the event.

One of these days…

It’s been a decade – going back to 2014 – since Gill St. Bernard’s has beaten Rutgers Prep. With the Argonauts having lost four of five starters, and Gill bringing four back, the opener might have been the best chance for the Knights to catch them.

Not so much, as talked about above, but then again, last year’s regular season matchups went pretty much the same way before Gill give Prep quite the fight in the Somerset County Tournament final, even though they wound up losing by three.

Take that game Tuesday night out of the equation, and Gill would be 3-0. Two of those wins have come against out-of-state competition: a 58-31 win over Albertus Magnus (NY) in their opener on December 14th, and a 75-58 win over Virginia Academy (VA) at the Shore Games of the She Got Game Classic at St. John Vianney in Holmdel.

They also have a 69-17 Skyland Conference win over Phillipsburg.

The bottom line here: Gill St. Bernard’s is still very, very good. And don’t count them out against Prep later this year either. They have one more scheduled meeting, up in Peacpack-Gladstone on January 16th, which just so happens to come a week-and-a-half before the Somerset County Tournament seeding meeting.

Bernards battles a couple out…

The Mountaineers are 3-0 and debuted in the Week 2 Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten as they swept their opening week. The first two were close ones: a 47-39 win over Verona, in which they led by 13 at the half and won by eight, as well as a 42-38 win over a well-coached Bound Brook team. Both the Hillbillies and Crusaders are 2-1, and those will be good wins come state tournament time.

Junior Aletha Reynolds is averaging 17.3 points per game to lead the team, and she’s also tops in rebounds with 12 per game through the first week of the season.

At 15-8 two seasons ago, and 14-14 last year, head coach Brett Bisconti might have a nice rebound year on his hands.

Undefeated Governor Livingston (2-0) awaits Friday at 12 in the first round of the Metuchen Bulldog Holiday Tournament.

The Undefeated…

Here are the undefeated girls’ basketball teams in the Greater Middlesex and Skyland Conferences:

  • Hillsborough (4-0)
  • Rutgers Prep (4-0)
  • Calvary Christian (3-0)
  • Bernards (3-0)
  • Pingry (3-0)
  • Carteret (2-0)
  • North Brunswick (2-0)
  • Piscataway (2-0)
  • Timothy Christian (2-0)
  • Woodbridge Magnet (2-0)
by Mike Pavlichko

Rutgers Prep girls face toughest battle all season, but prevail 58-55 over Gill in SCT title tilt

The Rutgers Prep girls basketball team had beaten Gill St. Bernard’s twice this season, both times by large margins.

But Saturday, in the Somerset County Tournament title game at Montgomery Township High School, it was much closer.

In a game that featured nine ties after 0-0, and 14 lead changes – and saw the Argonauts trailing at halftime for the first time since the 2019 SCT final, a loss to Franklin that remains their most recent defeat to a Skyland Conference opponent – Rutgers Prep ultimately came out on top.

The No. 1 seed Argonauts beat second-seeded Knights 58-55.

Prep was without sophomore Ava LaMonica, who injured her ankle early against Franklin Thursday in the semifinals. It forced head coach Mary Klinger to adjust her rotation.

And early on, Prep wasn’t hitting shots. But they did down the stretch, and that was the difference. That and Gill’s Gandy Malou-Mamel fouling out in the fourth quarter.

Mikayla Blakes led Prep (21-4) with 18 points, eleven after halftime, and with two three-pointers in the fourth, following another in the third. Chloe Escanillas also had three treys, finishing with 13. Two of those triples came in the fourth quarter.

Brooke Baisley led the Knights (23-4) – and all scorers – with 20.

The win gives Rutgers Prep its 10th county title in program history, and fourth straight, having won in 2020, 2022, 2023 and this season. In between they won the Skyland Conference’s top pod in the 2021 COVID-shortened season.

Click below for postgame reaction with Rutgers Prep’s Mikayla Blakes and head coach Mary Klinger, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen: