Tag: holiday tournaments

by Mike Pavlichko

Tuesday Girls’ Holiday Tournament Roundup: Unbeaten Bernards takes Artie Flaherty title in Metuchen, unbeaten Colonia wins a trophy in Kearny, while East Brunswick wins, stays perfect

Nearly two dozen girls’ basketball teams were in action Tuesday, the last big day of holiday tournaments, with much of the action compressed into Sunday and the first two days of this week, due to the big winter storm that hit Friday and Saturday across the Garden State.

Here’s a look at Championship and Consolation games in the four tournaments that wrapped up Tuesdya, followed by other events with round robin-style action.

Bernards knocks off host Metuchen to win Artie Flaherty final…

The Mountaineers kept their record perfect at 5-0 with a 39-28 win over host Metuchen (3-2) in the Artie Flaherty Holiday Tournament Championship Game. Jane Freisen scored 15 to lead Bernards, while Aletha Reynolds was a basket shy of a double-double, finishing with eight points and ten rebounds. Bernards overcame a 12-7 deficit at the end of one, down by six at the half, but they took a one-point lead into the fourth and pulled away from there with an 11-5 fourth quarter.

The Consolation Game went to Brearley, which beat Governor Livingston, 48-44 in overtime.

Jonathan Dayton Holiday Tournament at Dayton HS, Springfield

South Plainfield (2-3) fell to host Dayton (1-2) Tuesday in the finals, 50-34, despite a double-double from MaKenzie Harries, who scored 14 points and had 13 rebounds. Dayton was led by sophomore Maggie Hildebrand, who had a career high 18 points, was 4-of-5 at the foul line, and hit two triples.

Millburn Holiday Tournament at Millburn HS

Old Bridge (2-3) won the Consolation Game, 54-43 over North Bergen (1-5), behind a balanced scoring effort where no one scored in double figures, but nine different players got in the scoring collumn, led by nine from Faith Green and eight from Jessica Lane.

Host Millburn beat Union, 46-42, in the Championship Game.

Pete Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS

Bridgewater-Raritan needed overtime, but beat Morris Knolls (1-5) in the Tierney Tournament consolation game, 38-36 in overtime. Amanda Ciser scored 12 points to lead the Panthers, and also chipped in with eight rebounds. BR led 24-17 at the half, but Knolss chipped away in the second to send it to overtime tied at 33-all.

Johnson knocked off host Summit in the Championship Game, 46-30.

Middlesex/Shore Tournament at Henry Hudson HS, Highlands

Keansburg (4-0) got a game-high 25 points from Gabriella Flanzbaum to beat South Amboy 55-21 and take the Middlesex/Shore Tournament trophy. The Lady Guvs (6-1) took their first loss of the season, falling behind early, 20-4 after one quarter, and 31-7 at the half. They were led in defeat by Valerie Figueroa, who scored eight points.

Meanwhile, South River (5-1) won the consolation game, defeating Henry Hudson (0-5) 40-16. The Lady Rams allowed just six second half points, and were led by Gianna Castelhano, who scored 17 points and had 10 rebounds for a double-double, while Zofia Morely added 11; each had three treys in the game.

Ravens Winter Classic at Robbinsville HS

North Brunswick (0-7) got a team-best eight points from Chloe Hardy in defeat, as they fell to host Robbinsville in the consolation game, while Allentown got by Hamilton West 32-21 for the championship.

Charlie Dolan Holiday Tournament at Kearny HS

Colonia (6-0) got a season-high 22 points from sophomore Ariana Sosa – who’s scored 34 points in the last two games – en route to a 46-69 win over host Kearny (3-1). Sosa hit three treys, and was one rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with nine. Nasaleah Hooker did have a double-double, though, scoring 16 and adding 14 rebounds, as the Patriots won the battle on the glass, 45-26.

Passaic Tech beat Montclair in the consolation game, 41-26.

Roselle Holiday Hoopfest at Roselle Park HS

In the consolation game, Carteret (5-2) got 22 points from Anilah Diggs and a double-double from Nadia Momoh – 13 points and 1 rebounds – in a 48-40 win over rival Perth Amboy (2-3). The Ramblers actually trailed 14-9 after one, but on a strong second quarter, left 24-21 at the break, then pulled away in the fourth. Izabella Pardo led Amboy with 26.

The championship went to host Roselle Park, which beat Linden, 45-40.

KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Pink Bracket
Pingry 65, Westminster Christian 37
Mendham 35, Madison Southern (KY) 18

Pingry will now face Mendham in the Pink Bracket semifinals at 10 am Wednesday on Court 1. The other semifinal – also at 10 am, on Court 3 – will feature two teams that sound like they’re from New Jersey: Chester (CA) and Timber Creek (FL).

OTHER TOURNAMENT SCORES

Holiday Hoopfest at Paterson Kennedy HS
Immaculata 65, Paterson Kennedy 26
Franklin 58, Morristown 41
Gill St. Bernard’s 53, Immaculate Heart 46

Holmdel Holiday Invitational at Holmdel HS
Manasquan 46, Hudson Catholic 33
Piscataway 61, Marlboro 53
East Brunswick 58, Holmdel 40
Mount St. Mary 58, Ranney 45
Colts Neck 52, Somerville 40

Gene Haley/Jim Muldowney Memorial Holiday Classic at Edison HS
North Plainfield 39, Edison 35
Woodbridge 70, Spotswood 67

Cougar Holiday Classic at Montgomery HS
Delaware Valley 55, Belvidere 43
Watchung Hills 52, Montgomery 47

West Windsor-Plainsboro South Holiday Tournament at WWPS HS
Northern Burlington 40, West Windsor-Plainsboro North 28
West Windsor-Plainsboro South 51, JFK 19

by Mike Pavlichko

Updated Tuesday Holiday Tournament Schedule for GMC, Somerset County boys’ and girls’ hoops

Here is the updated Tuesday schedule for holiday tournaments and showcases in both girls’ and boys’ high school basketball, where GMC and Somerset County schools are participating.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Butch Kowal Tournament at Rahway HS
Scotch Plains-Fanwood vs. Matawan, 1:30 pm
Carteret vs. Westfield, 3 pm
Perth Amboy vs. Roselle, 4:30 pm
Rahway vs. Rumson-Fair-Haven, 6 pm

Battle at the Bomb Shelter at Sayreville HS
Consolation Game: Union vs. New Dorp (NY), 11:30 am
Championship Game: Sayreville vs. Immaculata, 1 pm

Cougar Classic at Montgomery HS
Montgomery vs. North Hunterdon, 11:30 am
Bridgewater-Raritan vs. Princeton, 1 pm

Anthony J. Cotoia Tournament at South Plainfield HS
Championship Game: Edison vs South Plainfield, 3 pm

Freehold Classic at Freehold Boro HS (rescheduled from Saturday)
Spotswood vs. Holmdel, 11 am
Freehold Boro vs. East Brunswick Magnet, 1 pm

Albert E. Martin Buc Holiday Classic at Red Bank Regional HS
7th Place Game: Old Bridge vs. Long Branch, 12:30 pm
5th Place Game: Middletown South vs. Ranney, 2 pm
3rd Place Game: East Brunswick vs. Red Bank Regional, 3:30 pm
Championship: Howell vs. Marlboro, 5 pm

Peter Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS (rescheduled from Monday)
Consolation: Summit vs. Governor Livingston, 2:30 pm
Championship: Watchung Hills vs, Millburn, 5:30 pm

Roselle Holiday Hoopfest at Roselle Park HS
Consolation Game: Middlesex vs. Keyport, 9:30 am
Championship Game: Piscataway Magnet vs. Roselle Park, 12:30 pm

Winter Showcase at Paul VI, Wayne
St. Joseph-Metuchen vs. Penn Charter

Artie Flaherty Holiday Tournament at Metuchen HS
Brearley vs. Franklin School (Jersey City), 10 am
Metuchen vs, Voorhees, 11:30 am

KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Grey Bracket
Pingry vs. Chicago Christian, 10 am on Court 2
Bishop Eustace vs. First Baptist Academy, 10 am on Court 1

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Holiday Hoopfest at Paterson Kennedy HS
Immaculata vs. Roselle Catholic, 1:10 pm
Franklin vs. Saddle River Day, 2:30 pm
Bayonne vs. Immaculate Heart, 3:50 pm
Gill St. Bernard’s vs. West Orange, 5:10 pm

Holmdel Holiday Invitational at Holmdel HS
Manasquan vs. Hudson Catholic, 10 am
Piscataway vs. Marlboro, 11:45 am
East Brunswick vs. Holmdel, 1:30 pm
Mount St. Mary vs. Ranney, 3:15 pm
Somerville vs. Colts Neck, 5 pm

Gene Haley/Jim Muldowney Memorial Holiday Classic at Edison HS
Edison vs. North Plainfield, 10 am
Woodbridge vs. Spotswood, 11:30 am

Cougar Holiday Classic at Montgomery HS
Belvidere vs. Delaware Valley, 1 pm
Montgomery vs. Watchung Hills, 2:30 pm

Artie Flaherty Holiday Tournament at Metuchen HS
Consolation Game: Brearley vs. Governor Livingston, 12:30 pm
Championship Game: Metuchen vs. Bernards, 2 pm

Sayreville Holiday Showcase at Sayreville HS
Consolation Game: Rahway vs. Monmouth, 10 am
Championship Game: Sayreville vs. Freehold, 11:30 am

Jonathan Dayton Holiday Tournament, Springfield (rescheduled from Saturday)
Championship Game: South Plainfield vs. Dayton, 2:30 pm
No consolation Game

West Windsor-Plainsboro South Holiday Tournament at WWPS HS
West Windsor-Plainsboro North vs. Northern Burlington, 11 am
JFK vs. West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 1:30 pm

Coaches’ Choice Holiday Classic at FDU-Madison (rescheduled from Saturday)
Holy Cross vs. Snyder, 1 pm
Plainfield vs. St. Mary’s-Manhasset (NY), 1:30 pm
St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Westfield, 3p

Millburn Holiday Tournament at Millburn HS
Consolation Game: Old Bridge vs. North Bergen, 10:30 am
Championship Game: Millburn vs. Union, noon

Pete Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS
Consolation Game: Bridgewater-Raritan vs. Morris Knolls, 10 am
Championship Game: Summit vs. Johnson, 1 pm

Middlesex/Shore Tournament at Henry Hudson HS, Highlands
Consolation Game: South River vs. Henry Hudson, 10 am
Championship Game: South Amboy vs. Keansburg, 11:30 am

Ravens Winter Classic at Robbinsville HS
Consolation Game: North Brunswick vs. Robbinsville, 12 pm
Championship Game: Hamilton West vs. Allentown, 1:30 pm

Charlie Dolan Holiday Tournament at Kearny HS
Consolation Game: Montclair vs. Passaic Tech, 9 am
Championship Game: Colonia vs. Kearny, 1 pm

Roselle Holiday Hoopfest at Roselle Park HS
Consolation Game: Carteret vs. Perth Amboy, 11 am
Championship Game: Roselle Park vs. Linden, 2 pm

KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Pink Bracket
Pingry vs. Westminster Christian, 1 pm on Court 4
Mendham vs. Madison Southern, 1 pm on Court 3

by Mike Pavlichko

Monday Boys’ Holiday Tournament Update: East Brunswick takes first loss; Montgomery, Piscataway, Metuchen stay undefeated; Bound Brook wins Crusader Classic again; Ridge takes Monroe Holiday Classic with 2nd straight win

There was a full slate of games on the docket Monday in boys’ basketball holiday tournament action, with the original Monday schedule, plus all the games rescheduled from over the weekend due to the winter storm that swept across New Jersey Friday into Saturday.

Two of the tournaments wrapped up Saturday, with Bound Brook edging Bernards for the Crusader Classic Championship, while Manville topped North Plainfield to win the Manville Holiday Tournament.

Here are Monday’s results from more than a dozen events across the state involving GMC and Somerset County teams:

Artie Flaherty Holiday Tournament at Metuchen HS
Metuchen 68, Brearley 34
Franklin School (Jersey City) 66, Voorhees 26

The Bulldogs (4-0) controlled nearly from start to finish, up 45-21 at halftime, and playing much of the second half with a running clock. Senior Cameron Hayes-Durina scored 25 points in the win. Metuchen will play Voorhees (1-3) in the round-robin event when it continues Tuesday at 11:30 am, while Brearley will face Franklin School at 10 am.

JP Stevens Holiday Tournament at JP Stevens HS, Edison
JP Stevens 54, Perth Amboy Magnet 35
Woodbridge 62, Somerville 47

The Hawks (4-1) dominated from the start, jumping out to a 13-4 lead at the end of one quarter, and never looked back. Sophomore Nameer Burch scored a game-high 22 points, while his younger brother, sophomore Shamar Burch added 12 and Pratyush Udupa scored 11.

JP Stevens will play Woodbridge in the Championship Game in the New Gym at 1 pm, while the Consolation Game between Somerville and Perth Amboy Magnet will be played in the Old Gym, also at 1 pm.


Middlesex/Shore Holiday Tournament at South Amboy HS
Henry Hudson 69, South River 40
Keansburg 83, South Amboy 68

Cole Teresky led South River (0-5) in defeat, while Jaydius Jiminez led South Amboy (5-1) in its first loss of the season. The Rams and Governors will square off in Tuesday’s consolation game, while Henry Hudson and Keansburg will play for the championship.

Albert E. Martin Buc Classic at Red Bank Regional HS
Consolation Round: Ranney 82, Old Bridge 71
Consolation Round: Middletown South 77, Long Branch 54
Semifinals: Howell 63, East Brunswick 59
Marlboro 53, Red Bank Regional 51.

An East Brunswick rally in the fourth quarter – where they faced a double-digit deficit fell short. After a miss on the Howell end, the Bears came down the floor and a long, straight on three by Corey Thomas missed, as did the putback at the horn by Andrew Pein.

On Tuesday, the Knights will play Long Branch in the 7th-place game, while Middletown South and Ranney will play for fifth place. The Consolation Game (third place) will see East Brunswick face host Red Bank Regional at 3:30, while Howell and Marlboro will play for the Championship of the three-day event at 5 pm.


Battle at The Bomb Shelter at Sayreville HS
Sayreville 66, New Dorp (NY) 57
Immaculata 48, Union 47

The Bombers (5-1) got the bulk of their scoring from three players, including Chidi Chukwurah with a game-high 24, Sam Jones with 21, and Ziyan Jones with 12. Sayreville was down one at the half, but took a two-point lead at the end of three, and pulled away in the fourth.

Immaculata (3-1) got a game-high 18 from Riley Gorman in their win, holding off a late rally by the Farmers. Bryce Higgins and Noah Doss each added nine for the Spartans, who will face Sayreville in the championship at 1 pm Tuesday. The 11:30 am Consolation Game will be New Dorp (NY) against Union.

Peter Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS
Watchung Hills 66, Governor Livingston 63
Millburn 54, Summit 41

The Warriors (3-2) pulled away on a strong fourth quarter to advance to Tuesday’s 5:30 pm Championship Game against undefeated Millburn (5-0). Timmy Robertson led all scorers with 29 points, while Brady Simo grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists. The Consolation Game at 2:30 will feature host Summit and Governor Livingston.

Cougar Classic at Montgomery HS
Bridgewater-Raritan 64, North Hunterdon 63
Montgomery 70, Princeton 33

The Cougars – No. 1 again in this week’s Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten – got 18 points from sophomore Connor Benedict as they pulled away in the second half en route to a 7-0 start to the season. Montgomery will play North Hunterdon at 11:30 am Tuesday in the round robin event.

The Panthers (6-0) led by 15 at halftime, but needed a layup at the buzzer by Richie Gardner – who scored 26 points for Bridgewater-Raritan to lead all scorers – to come up with the win. The Panthers will play Princeton Tuesday afternoon at 1:00.


Roselle Holiday Hoopfest at Roselle Park HS
Piscataway Magnet 60, Middlesex 59
Roselle Park 73, Keyport 70

The Blue Jays (2-2) took a three-point lead into the fourth, but would up falling to the Raiders (5-1). Four players scored in double-figures for Piscataway Magnet, with Skara finishing with 19. Justin Livingston added 15, while Julian Samuels led Middlesex in defeat.

Tuesday’s 9:30 am Consolation Game will feature Middlesex and Keyport, while Piscataway Magnet and Roselle Park (1-3) will vie for the Championship at 12:30 pm.

Crusader Classic at Bound Brook HS
Bound Brook 54, Bernards 52

Dorian Roundtree of Bound Brook (6-1) matched Casey Hoeckele of Bernards (2-5) for a game-high 22 points each, as the Cruasders beat their Somerset County foes for the Crusader Classic title.  But it was Fabian Montero whose buzzer-beatser won it in the end. Roundtree, meanwhile, was named MVP, finishing the night with a double-double, also grabbing ten rebounds. Titus Godwin added 16 for Bound Brook, while Julian Rodriguez chipped in 14 in the victory.

Manville Holiday Tournament at Manville HS
Consolation Game: Dunellen 47, Highland Park 43
Championship Game: North Plainfield 59, Manville 41

In the Consolation Game, the Destroyers (3-3) held the Owls (2-5) to just one first quarter point en route to a 10-1 lead that would grow to 23-10 by the half. Highland Park chipped away, thanks to a 20-14 outburst in the third, but wound up losing by four. Diran Zerhmouti and Jamael Davis each led the Destroyers with 13 points apiece, while Evan Brzozowski led the Owls with eight points.

In the Championship, Manville (3-3) fell behind early, 16-6 after one quarter, and was down 35-16 at the half, a deficit they could not recover from, despite playing nearly event he rest of the way. Cayden Price had a game-high 20 for the Canucks (2-4), who also got ten from Josh Canada. Owen Kenyon led the Mustangs with nine points.


Monroe Falcon Holiday Classic
Consolation Game: South Brunswick 61, Timothy Christian 35
Championship Game: Ridge 52, Monroe 29

Kevin Burgman led all scorers with 24 points for the Vikings (5-1) in the third-place game, while Nathanael Sleman led the Tigers (1-4) in defeat with 12.

In the Championship Game, Ridge won its second straight this season after starting the season 0-4 to improve to 2-4 on the year. Owen Kovacs had 12 point and nine rebounds for the Red Devils, while Brady Chitren has a dozen for the Falcons in the loss. Ridge jumped out to a 13-6 lead at the end of one, and led by eleven at the half.

Ravens Winter Classic at Robbinsville HS
Bordentown 80, North Brunswick 63
Johnson 53, Robbinsville 37

The Raiders (0-5) got 31 from Srijay Bandi in defeat, and will face Robbinsville in the Consolation Game at 9 am Tuesday. That will be followed by the Championship at 10:30 between host Johnson and Bordentown.

(Correction: An earlier version of this story had Robbinsville beating Johnson, and playing North Brunswick.)

Winter Showcase at Paul VI, Wayne
St. Joseph-Metuchen 69, Middle Twp. 37
Westampton Tech 58, St. Mary’s Ryken (MD) 56

Imaad Johnson led the Falcons (4-0) with 20 points, while Alijah Murphy chipped in 11 and Andrew Kretwoski put in ten.


ESCIT Tournament
Consolation Game: St. Thomas Aquinas 59, Atlantic City 43
Championship Game: Thrive Charter 61, Ewing 54

The Trojans (2-4) jumped out to a 20-9 lead, built it to a 14-point bulge at halftime and never looked back. Dan Jennings led Aquinas with 16 points, while Albion Ahmetaj added 13 and grabbed nine rebounds.

Panther Holiday Classic
Franklin 61, Patrick School 45
Snyder 72, Marion P. Thomas Charter 47

Sean Duncan scored 22 points – 18 from beyond the arc – to lead the Warriors (4-2) to the win in the round-robin event.

Jingle Bells Jubilee at Paterson Steam Academy
Quad 1 Consolation: Ramapo 59, Paterson Kennedy 46
Quad 2 Consolation: Wayne Hills 65, Passaic Tech 48
Quad 1 Final: Teaneck 79, Montclair 67
Quad 2 Final: Newark Tech 58, Hackensack 54
Quad 4 Final: Linden 73, Gill St. Bernard’s 52

The Knights fell behind early and trailed 18-7 after one quarter. They chipped their way back to with seven at the end of three, but got doubled up 24-12 in the fourth quarter to drop to 4-2 on the season.

by Mike Pavlichko

Monday Girls’ Holiday Tournament Roundup: Busy day with Friday/Saturday reskeds; Colonia, Bernards, South Amboy stay unbeaten; Rutgers Prep takes first loss to No. 1 Red Bank Catholic

It was quite a busy Monday in high school basketball, with many of the games that got postponed late Friday and Saturday due to the winter storm shifted to Monday, on top of an already crowded slate of games.

Among the highlights was a state top five clash down in Toms River, where state-ranked No. 4 Rutgers Prep lost to No. 1 Red Bank Catholic, 59-42. It was the first loss of the season for Rutgers Prep, which led 28-22 at halftime in a game that had a playoff-like atmosphere.

But the Caseys stormed ahead on the strength of a 19-8 third quarter, and won going away, 59-42.

Addy Nyemcheck was instrumental in RBC’s rally. She had ten at the break, but finished with 25, including 11 in the third quarter as the Caseys pulled ahead.

Hailey Benbow lead Rutgers Prep with a dozen, while Ava Frith added 11 for the Lady Argonauts, who are ranked No. 1 in the latest Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten.

Vin Ebenau contributed to this report.

Here are the rest of the results from Monday’s action:

Crusader Classic at Bound Brook HS
Consolation Game: Columbia 50, Oak Knoll 32
Championship Game: Union Catholic 62, Bound Brook 51

The Lady Crusaders (4-1) took their first loss of the season, despite a 21-point night from freshman Peytan Pugh. Senior Ti’asjah Ferguson added 11; both scored in double figures of both games of the tournament.


Gene Haley/Jim Muldowney Memorial Holiday Classic at Edison HS
Woodbridge 70, Edison 54
Spotswood 53, North Plainfield 39

In the opener, the Barrons (4-1) got 16 points apiece from Layla Mercado and Angel Smith, as well as another 13 from Laila Stanford in the win over the host Eagles (0-6). In the second game, Spotswood (3-1) took a 15-7 lead early, and a 32-19 lead at the half and didn’t look back, getting 17 from Gabrielle Hill – including three triples – and 16 from Nina Fama. Layla Gutierrez had 15 for North Plainfield (1-3) in the losing effort.

Round robin play continues tomorrow, as Edison plays North Plainfield at 10 am, and Spotswood and Woodbridge meet at 11:30 in the “de facto” title game, a matchup of the two winners.

Ridge Holiday Classic at Ridge HS, Basking Ridge
Consolation Game: Randolph 44, South Brunswick 30
Championship Game: Ridge 58, North Hunterdon 34

The Vikings (0-5) hung in there in the first half, trailing 11-10 after one quarter, and 19-8 at the break, but Randolph went on a 16-3 third quarter run to take control. Madison Rorie led South Brunswick in defeat with 20 points, including four from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, host Ridge (3-2) got a double-double from Maggie Kiessling – 17 points and 15 rebounds – as they won all four quarters of the game. Sophia Atia also added 17 – and a pair of treys – for the Red Devils, who avenged a 35-33 loss to the Lions in the championship game of last year’s event.


Cougar Holiday Classic at Montgomery HS
Montgomery 45, Delaware Valley 25
Watchung Hills 74, Belvidere 45

The Cougars (3-1) led virtually wire-to-wire, led by a double-double out of Alia Johnson – 15 points and 11 rebounds – and another 13 from Aliza Schulberg. Abby Schwartz also had 11 rebounds to go along with five points.

Watchung Hills (2-2) got a double-double out of Riley Hall in the win, leading the way both with 18 points and ten rebounds, while Alysha Yang added 16 points – nine on treys – and Eleni Esposito chipped in 13.

The round-robin event continues Tuesday, with Belvidere and Delaware Valley playing at 1 pm, while host Montgomery and Watchung Hills will play at 2:30.

Roselle Holiday Hoopfest at Roselle Park HS
Linden 60, Carteret 38
Roselle Park 69, Perth Amboy 36

It was another big night for one of the top scorers, if not the top scorer, in the state, as Roselle Park senior Sidney Smith pumped in a season high 45 points – her third time scoring 40-plus in five games this season – to up her average to 34.4 points per game. She also hit six treys in the game, which Amboy (2-2) trailed 35-14 at the half. Izabella Pardo scored 23 in defeat for the Panthers.

Meanwhile, the Ramblers (4-2) were done in by a 20-6 second quarter at the hands of Linden, and lost their second straight game after a 4-0 start. Nadia Momoh had 16 for Carteret in the loss.

Carteret and Perth Amboy will meet at 11 am Tuesday in an all-GMC Consolation Game, while the Championship at 2 pm will feature UCC schools Roselle Park and Linden.


Artie Flaherty Holiday Tournament at Metuchen HS
Bernards 49, Brearley 34
Metuchen 36, Governor Livingston 34

Bernards (4-0) remained undefeated, getting double-digit scoring from three different players. Maddie Frame led the Mountaineers with 15 points an two tryes, while Jane Freisen and Aletha Reynolds each scored 13.

Host Metuchen (3-1) got a game-high 15 from Victoria Zaniecki, who’s now just 46 points away from 1,000 for her career. The Lady Bulldogs trailed 24-14 at the break, bot got back into it on the strength of a 10-1 third quarter.

The tournament continues Tuesday, with Brearley and Governor Livingston in the 12:30 pm Consolation game, while Metuchen and Bernards will play for the championship at 2:00.

Middlesex/Shore Holiday Tournament at Henry Hudson HS
Keansburg 45, South River 31
South Amboy 40, Henry Hudson 22

South River (4-1) was held scoreless in the first quarter, down 13-0 after the first eight minutes, but got back in the game and trailed by just four at halftime, 18-14. Gabriella Castelhano led the Lady Rams with 15 points, all coming from beyond the arc, as the team hit seven treys.

The Governors (6-0) got a game-high 16 from Valerie Figueroa, while Gabby Evanski added 14, including three treys. South Amboy held Henry Hudson scoreless in a 10-0 fourth quarter.

Tuesday’s consolation game will feature South River and Henry Hudson, with South Amboy and Keansburg battling in the Championship Game.


Sayreville Holiday Showcase at Sayreville HS
Freehold Boro 55, Rahway 38
Sayreville 48, Monmouth 30

The Bombers (4-1) got a a double-double from Natalia Glazewski – a game-high 20 points and 13 rebounds – as well as 13 points and nine boards from her twin sister, Weronika Glazewski, and will advance to Wednesday’s 11:30 am championship game against Freehold Boro (2-2). The Consolation Game will be at 10 am between Rahway and Monmouth.

Dayton Holiday Tournament at Dayton HS, Springfield
Morristown-Beard 48, South Plainfield 40

The Tigers got 14 points from Giselle Lennon, and a double-double from MaKenzie Harris – 10 points, 11 rebounds – en route to evening their record at 2-2. They’ll play host Dayton Tuesday in the Championship Game at 2:30 pm. There’s no consolation game, as Roselle dropped out with Saturday’s games being rescheduled.

MCMS Holiday Tournament at East Brunswick Magnet School
Consolation Round: East Brunswick Magnet 31, Woodbridge Magnet 6
Semifinal Round: Piscataway Magnet 39, New Brunswick 31

West Windsor-Plainsboro South Holiday Tournament at WWPS
West Windsor-Plainsboro South 37, Northern Burlington 28
West Windsor-Plainsboro North 39, JFK 17

Millburn Holiday Tournament at Millburn HS
Millburn 62, North Bergen 51
Union 43, Old Bridge 36

Old Bridge (1-3) got ten points from Payton Kmiec in the loss, and will face North Bergen (1-4) in the 10:30 am Consolation Game on Tuesday, while Millburn and Union will square off in the noon Championship Game.


Pete Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS
Summit 43, Bridgewater-Raritan 26
Johnson 61, Morris Knolls 19

The Lady Panthers fell behind big early, 10-3 after one quarter – as they fell to 2-2. Bridgewater-Raritan will face Morris Knolls (1-4) in the 10 am Consolation Game, while host Summit at Johnson will play the Championship at 1.

Ravens Winter Classic at Robbinsville HS
Hamilton West 38, Robbinsville 37 (OT)
Allentown 59, North Brunswick 27

The Raiders will play in the Consolation Game Tuesday at 12 pm against host Robbinsville (1-3), while Hamilton West and Allentown will play for the Championship at 1:30.

Charlie Dolan Holiday Tournament at Kearny HS
Colonia 52, Montclair 46
Kearny 49, Passaic Tech 39

Colonia got a double-double from Nasaleah Hooker – 13 points and 12 rebounds – as the Patriots stayed unbeaten at 5-0 on the season. Ariana Sosa just missed a double-double, finishing one rebound shy, with 12 points and nine boards, and Colonia finished with 11 blocks, and a 35-24 rebounding advantage. They’ll get Kearney in the Championship Game Tuesday at 1 pm, with the Consolation Game between Montclair and Passaic Tech at 9 am.

Coaches Choice Holiday Classic at FDU-Madison
St. Mary’s-Manhasset (NY) 63, St. Thomas Aquinas 50

Jordan Barnes scored 16 points in the loss, while Trista Whitney added 11, and Leah Kearney had a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds. She’s had a double-double in four straight games, and all but one of the Trojans’ eight played so far.

by Mike Pavlichko

Sunday Holiday Tournament Roundup: Perth Amboy boys continue hot start, East Brunswick girls stay undefeated, Hillsborough girls win again at Mercer County C.C.

No cancellations, no postponements.

Sunday was just a typical Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s for holiday tournaments across New Jersey, with some Friday night and a good deal of Saturday games moved around due to the snow and ice storm that hit the state.

On the boys’ side, Perth Amboy continued its great start to the season with a win over host Rahway in the round-robin style Butch Kowal Holiday Tournament. On the girls’ side, East Brunswick continued its hot start and remained undefeated with a win in Shore Conference country, while Monroe and Hillsborough won games down at the Mercer County Community College Showcase in West Windsor, with the Lady Raiders winning on their trip their for a second year in a row.

Here’s a look at Sunday’s results, as of 10 pm. For a look at the remaining schedule, please check out our boys’ slate here, and our girls’ schedule here.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Butch Kowal Holiday Tournament at Rahway HS
Scotch Plains-Fanwood 62, Roselle 49
Matawan 42, Carteret 35
Rumson-Fair Haven 60, Westfield 54
Perth Amboy 65, Rahway 46

The Ramblers (3-3) trailed by just two at halftime, but the third quarter proved to be decisive, as the Ramblers were outscored 10-6 and went into the final period down 29-23, and lost by six. Carteret is back in action Tuesday in the round-robin event against Westfield at 3 pm.

The Panthers improved to 5-2 with the win against the host Indians, with three players scoring in double figures. Yandel Susana scored 17 to lead Perth Amboy, while Kasey Abreu pumped in 16 and grabbed eight rebounds, while Jeremy Garcia-Peralta added 15 and eight players got in the scoring column. Amboy has split its first two games in the event, and will be back at it Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 when they play Roselle. The 5-2 start is its best since a 5-1 beginning to the 2019-20 season, which ended 12-10. The 2010-11 team lost its first game, but won its next six to go 6-1 through its first seven games.

ESCIT Tournament at Thrive Charter, Trenton
Ewing 49, St. Thomas Aquinas 43
Thrive Charter 64, Atlantic City 54

The Trojans (1-4) led 14-8 after one, and 23-19 at the half, but Ewing used an 18-7 third quarter to take control of the game. Albion Ahmetaj scored 16 to lead St. Thomas in the losing effort. They’ll face Atlantic City Monday at 2 pm in the ESCIT Tournament’s Consolation Game. The championship will feature Ewing and Thrive Charter in the 4 pm Championship Game.

Pete and Jameer Nelson Classic at Widener University
Rutgers Prep 69, Camden 57

Rocco Loomis led the way with 18 points for the Argonauts – who improved to 4-1 with the victory over Camden (2-4), while Nicolas Nsenkyire added 15. Prep led by seven at the break following a 13-13 first quarter, and expanded the lead by eleven in the third. It was a Top 20 matchup, with Camden ranked 18 in New Jersey, and the Argonauts 11th.

KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Grey Bracket
Bishop Eustace 49, Montclair-Kimberley 47
Pingry 60, North Star Academy 42

The Big Blue (4-0) move on to play Chicago Christian (IL) Tuesday.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Holiday Hoopfest at Paterson Kennedy HS
Franklin 61, Immaculate Heart 56
West Orange 60, Saddle River Day 44
Gill St. Bernard’s 50, Roselle Catholic 20
Bayonne 60, Immaculata 50

The Warriors (1-4) got their first win of the season, thanks to a game-high 21 points from Aleah Sunkins, who also had eight rebounds. Alissa Myers added 16, including four from beyond the arc. The round-robin event continues Tuesday, with Franklin facing Saddle River Day (3-3) – coached by former Sayreville standout Corey Taite, now in his first season – at 2:30 pm.

Gill St. Bernard’s (3-3) got back to the .500 mark with a dominating win over Roselle Catholic, holding the Lady Lions to just nine first half points, as Gill had a 36-9 lead at halftime. Addy Platt led the Knights with 15 points, while Sadie Finn added 12 and five rebounds. Next up is defending Group 4 runner-up West Orange (5-1) Monday at 5:10 pm.

And the Spartans dropped to 1-6 with a loss to Bayonne, despite a game-high 22 from Alexa Regan and 11 from Rhainya Brown. Immaculata led 30-25 at halftime, and was down just three going into the final stanza before being outscored 21-9 over the final eight minutes. Next, they’ll get Roselle Catholic in Monday’s 1:10 pm opening game.

Holmdel Holiday Invitational at Holmdel HS
Holmdel 54, Mount St. Mary 49
Colts Neck 78, Piscataway 47
East Brunswick 67, Marlboro 47
Manasquan 66, Somerville 25
Hudson Catholic 79, Ranney 47

Just as the boys, the East Brunswick girls are still undefeated as well, now 5-0 after a resounding win over Marlboro. Ava Catanho led the Bears with 35 points, while Sophia Tannura added 17. Catanho, just a sophomore, is averaging 21.1 points per game for the Bears after scoring at a 17.3 point per game clip as a frosh last season. East Brunswick will play host Holmdel at 1:30 Monday afternoon in the second day of the round robin event.

Mount St. Mary (1-3) got 15 points apiece from Calleigh Kreitz and Lucy Burke in a losing effort, though they trailed by just one at the half. Next up on Monday, they get 1-2 Ranney, coached by former Rutgers women’s basketball player Mauri Horton, in her first season leading the team.

Piscataway (1-3) got a double-double – 17 points and 14 boards – from Alyssa Iduh, along with three triples, in a losing effort. The Chiefs also got 12 from Caelyn Cook and 11 from Violet Azcona. Piscataway is back in action Monday in the round-robin event against Marlboro (3-2) at 11:45 am.

And Somerville (41-) took a tough first loss of the season to Manasquan, falling behind big early: 20-7 after one quarter. Amaya Miller scored 11 to lead the Pioneers, who are back in action Monday at 5 pm against Colts Neck (3-2).

Mercer County Community College Showcase at MCCC, West Windsor
Monroe 57, Hightstown 22
Hillsborough 57, Ewing 38

The Falcons (3-2) won their second straight game, both at the MCCC Showcase, beating Hightstown a day after taking out Trenton on Saturday afternoon. Kiera Longo led the way with 18, while Sophia Rivas had a 15-point night, all coming from downtown.

Hillsborough (5-1) was led by Kayla Cebedo and Alexa Gaspar, each with 17 points. Gaspar’s total was a season high, and she also recorded a double-double with ten rebounds, and hit three times from beyond the arc.

KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Pink Bracket
Pingry 45, Timber Creek (FL) 42
Mendham 37, Hopewell Valley 28

The Big Blue had a big second quarter, erasing a 25-13 halftime deficit to win by one. They’ll face Mendham (2-1) at 10 am on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve, in the Pink Bracket Championship Game.

by Mike Pavlichko

Saturday Girls’ Basketball Roundup: Bound Brook takes early game in Crusader Classic, Rutgers Prep remains undefeated ahead of clash with No. 1 Red Bank Catholic

A number of girls’ high school basketball holiday tournaments played on Saturday, though some were postponed, and some had altered schedules, moving some games later in the day depending on the severity of the snow and ice storm that fell across the state Friday night into Saturday.

The Cougar Holiday Classic at Montgomery – involving the host Cougar girls, as well as Watchung Hills, Delaware Valley and Belvidere – was moved to Monday. And Red Back Catholic’s Showcase Bracket game at the Kevin Williams Christmas Classic at RWJ Barnabas Arena at Toms River North was cancelled, though Rutgers Prep’s game at 6 pm against St. Rose was still on the docket Saturday afternoon.

Postponed:

  • Edison Holiday Tournament at Edison HS (rescheduled to Monday, same times)
  • Jonathan Dayton Holiday Tournament, Springfield (rescheduled to Tuesday)
  • Cougar Holiday Classic at Montgomery HS (rescheduled to Monday, same times)
  • Pete Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS (rescheduled to Monday, same times)
  • Coaches’ Choice Holiday Classic at FDU-Madison (rescheduled to Tuesday, same times)

Mercer County Community College Holiday Showcase at MCCC, West Windsor
Monroe 61, Trenton, 38
Hillsborough 67, Thrive Charter 52

The Falcons (2-2) got a season-high 21 points from Kiera Longo and another 14 from Sophia Rivas as they evened up their record at .500. Hillsborough (4-1) won for the second straight year at the MCCC Holiday Showcase, beating Thrive Charter behind a new career-high 19 points and three treys from Kayla Cebedo and as season-best 16 from Isabella Ruh.

Crusader Classic at Bound Brook HS
Bound Brook 49, Columbia 46
Union Catholic 67, Oak Knoll 46

The Crusaders (4-0) stayed undefeated behind a double-double from from freshman sensation Peytan Pugh, with 15 points and ten rebounds. It was her second straight, as she also had 17 and 10 against Pope John last Saturday in a 51-36 win over Pope John in the Shore Games at The Fort Athletic Club in Oceanport. Bound Brook will play Union Catholic at 5 pm Monday in the Crusader Classic title game, while Columbia and Oak Knoll will play in the 1:00 Consolation Game.

Kevin Williams Christmas Classic at RWJ Barnabas Arena, Toms River North HS
Showcase Games
Red Bank Catholic vs. Teaneck, 4:15 pm (rescheduled to Tuesday at 3 pm)
Rutgers Prep 58, St. Rose 17

The Lady Argonauts (5-0) dominated the Purple Roses (0-4) to stay unbeaten, jumping out to a 13-5 first quarter lead, and taking a 31-10 lead going into halftime. Senior Ava LaMonica led the way with 16 points, including two treys, while Hannah Fraser and Sophia Georgiades each chipped in 11. With Rutgers Prep in the “Showcase Bracket,” they face a set opponent in the next round and will take on Red Bank Catholic (4-0) Monday at 6 pm. The Caseys are the No. 1 team in the latest statewide rankings, with Rutgers Prep No. 4.

Ridge Holiday Classic at Ridge HS, Basking Ridge
Ridge 45, South Brunswick 21

The Red Devils improved to 2-2 with the win, while South Brunswick drops to 0-4. Ridge will play North Hunterdon Monday at 10 am.

by Mike Pavlichko

Some holiday tournament games get in, but others aren’t so lucky due to winter storm

The Manville Holiday Basketball Tournament got all four games in, but the Butch Kowal Holiday Tournament up at Rahway was not so lucky.

Manville’s activities got started early, with North Plainfield’s boys beating Dunellen in the opening game, which tipped off at 9 am, while the host Mustang boys followed it up with a tense win over Highland Park. You can read our recap of the Manville game here.

The girls were next, at 1 and 3 pm, and those got in nicely.

But the night games at Rahway? Not so much.

According to a report on TAPintoRahway, the two late boys games – Perth Amboy vs. Scotch Plains-Fanwood at 6, and Carteret vs. host Rahway at 7:30 – were moved to Saturday, with the exact same tip-off times.

The three-day event is a round-robin with set matchups, so there’s no advantage to having played Friday, or disadvantage to playing Saturday. After the two rescheduled games, the Butch Kowal Holiday Tournament will move on to a full Day Two of activities on Sunday.

Sunday’s games include Scotch Plains-Fanwood against Roselle at 1 pm, Carteret vs. Matawan at 2:30, Westfield against Rumson-Fair Haven at 4 pm, and Perth Amboy playing Rahway in the 5:30 finale.

Things wrap up Tuesday with four more contests: Scotch Plains-Fanwood vs. Matawan at 1:30 pm, Carteret against Westfield at 3 pm, Perth Amboy taking on Roselle at 4:30, and a 6 pm tip for host Rahway in the final game of the event against Rumson-Fair-Haven.

Also, all of Saturday’s slate at the Cougar Holiday Classic at Montgomery were rescheduled to Sunday, per Montgomery AD and boys’ basketball coach Kris Grundy, who tweeted about the change just before 2:00 Friday afternoon.

You can find full schedules of holiday tournaments for the boys here, and for the girls here. Those schedules will be updated as we get more information.

Here are Friday’s results for the games that did get played on both the boys’ and girls’ sides, followed by brief recaps on the girls’ Holiday Hoopfest at Paterson Kennedy.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Manville Holiday Basketball Tournament at Manville HS
North Plainfield 56, Dunellen 32
Manville 48, Highland Park 46
Dunellen and Highland Park will play in Monday’s 3 pm Consolation Game, while Manville and North Plainfield square off for the Championship at 7 pm.

Butch Kowal Holiday Tournament at Rahway HS
Rumson-Fair Haven 64, Roselle 54
Westfield 66, Matawan 34
Perth Amboy vs. Scotch Plains-Fanwood (moved to 6 pm Saturday)
Carteret vs. Rahway (moved to 7:30 pm Saturday)

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

FRIDAY 12/26

Manville Holiday Basketball Tournament at Manville HS
Manville 50, Dunellen 25
Middlesex 69, Highland Park 49
Dunellen will play Highland Park in Monday’s 1 pm Consolation Game; Manville and Middlesex will play in the Championship Game at 5 pm.

Holiday Hoopfest at Paterson Kennedy HS
Immaculata 59, Roselle Catholic 49
Franklin 71, Saddle River Day 39
Bayonne 68, Immaculate Heart 42
West Orange 47, Gill St. Bernard’s 45

Immaculata: The Spartans got their first win of the season, improving to 1-5, with a 59-58 win over Roselle Catholic (1-4) in a game that saw 17 combined three-pointers. Immaculata was led by juniors Alexa Regan (25 points, 4 treys) and Rhaiyna Brown (16 points, three treys). Next up, the Spartans get Bayonne (4-1) on Sunday, a 5:10 pm tip-off, the last game of the day.

Franklin: The Warriors (1-3) got a huge win over Saddle River Day (3-2), picking up their first victory of the season as well. Aleah Sunkins scored a double-double of 21-points, 18 rebounds, leading Franklin in both categories. They Warriors will open Sunday’s slate back up north at 1:10 pm when they play Immaculate Heart (3-1).

Gill St. Bernard’s: In a battle of state Top 20 squads, the Knights (ranked 9th, 2-3), got edged by West Orange (ranked 14th, 4-1). In a game that was knotted at 20-all at the half, Gill was down four heading into the final period and lost by two. They’ll face Roselle Catholic (1-4) in Sunday’s 3:50 pm game.

by Mike Pavlichko

UPDATED: Girls’ High School Basketball holiday schedule for GMC, Somerset squads

Some schools have their very own tournaments, and some will travel up and down the state over the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, all to take part in holiday basketball tournaments.

Some of them are true tournament formats, while others are round robin events, but either way, we’ve compiled from various online schedules a list of who’s playing who – and where – so basketball junkies can plot out their visits over the next few days.

Note: Most tournaments below show all matchups, though for some, full information on participating teams was not available. If you notice any discrepancies, please contact us at this link. CJSR coverage area teams in bold. This list will be updated with any snow postponements or cancellations as we get word of them.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

FRIDAY 12/26

Manville Holiday Basketball Tournament at Manville HS
Manville vs. Dunellen, 1 pm
Middlesex vs. Highland Park, 3 pm

Holiday Hoopfest at Paterson Kennedy HS
Immaculata vs. Roselle Catholic, 1:10 pm
Franklin vs. Saddle River Day, 2:30 pm
Bayonne vs. Immaculate Heart, 3:50 pm
Gill St. Bernard’s vs. West Orange, 5:10 pm

SATURDAY 12/27

  • Edison Holiday Tournament at Edison HS (rescheduled to Monday, same times)
  • Jonathan Dayton Holiday Tournament, Springfield (rescheduled to Tuesday)
  • Cougar Holiday Classic at Montgomery HS (rescheduled to Monday, same times)
  • Pete Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS (rescheduled to Monday, same times)
  • Coaches’ Choice Holiday Classic at FDU-Madison (rescheduled to Tuesday)

Mercer County Community College Holiday Showcase at MCCC, West Windsor
Monroe vs. Trenton, 9:30 am
Hillsborough vs. Thrive Charter, 5:30 pm

Crusader Classic at Bound Brook HS
Bound Brook vs. Columbia, 1 pm
Union Catholic vs. Oak Knoll, 3 pm

Kevin Williams Christmas Classic at RWJ Barnabas Arena, Toms River North HS
Showcase Games
Rutgers Prep vs. St. Rose, 6 pm

Ridge Holiday Classic at Ridge HS, Basking Ridge
North Hunterdon vs. TBA, 10 am
Ridge vs. South Brunswick, 11:30 am

SUNDAY 12/28

Holiday Hoopfest at Paterson Kennedy HS
Franklin vs. Immaculate Heart, 1:10 pm
Saddle River Day vs. West Orange, 2:30 pm
Gill St. Bernard’s vs. Roselle Catholic, 3:50 pm
Immaculata vs. Bayonne, 5:10 pm

Holmdel Holiday Invitational at Holmdel HS
Mount St. Mary vs. Holmdel, 10 am
Piscataway vs. Colts Neck, 11:45 am
East Brunswick vs. Marlboro, 1:30 pm
Somerville vs. Manasquan, 3:15 pm
Ranney vs. Hudson Catholic, 5 pm

Mercer County Community College Showcase at MCCC, West Windsor
Monroe vs. Hightstown, 12:30 pm
Hillsborough vs. Ewing, 5:30 pm

KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Pink Bracket
Mendham vs. Hopewell Valley Central, 7 pm
Pingry vs. Timber Creek (FL), 7 pm

MONDAY 12/29

Kevin Williams Christmas Classic at RWJ Barnabas Arena, Toms River North HS
Showcase Games
St. Rose vs. Teaneck, 4:15 pm
Rutgers Prep vs. Red Bank Catholic, 6 pm

Manville Holiday Basketball Tournament at Manville HS
Consolation Game: Dunellen vs. Highland Park, 1 pm
Championship Game: Manville vs. Middlesex, 5 pm

Crusader Classic at Bound Brook HS
Consolation Game, 1 pm
Championship Game, 5 pm

Gene Haley/Jim Muldowney Memorial Holiday Classic at Edison HS (rescheduled from Saturday)
Edison vs. Woodbridge, 10 am
Spotswood vs. North Plainfield, 11:30 am

Ridge Holiday Classic at Ridge HS, Basking Ridge
Consolation Game, 10 am
Championship Game, 11:30 am

Cougar Holiday Classic at Montgomery HS (rescheduled from Saturday)
Montgomery vs. Delaware Valley, 1 pm
Watchung Hills vs. Belvidere, 2:30 pm

Battle at the Bomb Shelter at Sayreville HS
Sayreville vs. Monmouth, 10 am
Freehold Boro vs. Rahway, 11:30 am

Roselle Holiday Hoopfest at Roselle Park HS
Carteret vs. Linden, 11 am
Perth Amboy vs. Roselle Park, 2 pm

Artie Flaherty Holiday Tournament at Metuchen HS
Bernards vs. Brearley, noon
Metuchen vs. Governor Livingston, 2 pm

Coaches Choice Holiday Classic at FDU-Madison
Plainfield vs. Holy Cross, noon
Westfield vs. Snyder, 1:30 pm
St. Thomas Aquinas vs. St. Mary’s-Manhasset (NY), 3:00

West Windsor-Plainsboro South Holiday Tournament at WWPS HS
West Windsor-Plainsboro South vs. Delran, 11 am
JFK vs. West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 1:30 pm

Millburn Holiday Tournament at Millburn HS
Millburn vs. North Bergen, 10 am
Old Bridge vs. Union, 11:30 am

Pete Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS
Consolation Game, 1 pm
Championship Game, 4 pm

TUESDAY 12/30

Holiday Hoopfest at Paterson Kennedy HS
Immaculata vs. Roselle Catholic, 1:10 pm
Franklin vs. Saddle River Day, 2:30 pm
Bayonne vs. Immaculate Heart, 3:50 pm
Gill St. Bernard’s vs. West Orange, 5:10 pm

Holmdel Holiday Invitational at Holmdel HS
Manasquan vs. Hudson Catholic, 10 am
Piscataway vs. Marlboro, 11:45 am
East Brunswick vs. Holmdel, 1:30 pm
Mount St. Mary vs. Ranney, 3:15 pm
Somerville vs. Colts Neck, 5 pm

Gene Haley/Jim Muldowney Memorial Holiday Classic at Edison HS
Edison vs. North Plainfield, 10 am
Woodbridge vs. Spotswood, 11:30 am

Cougar Holiday Classic at Montgomery HS
Belvidere vs. Delaware Valley, 1 pm
Montgomery vs. Watchung Hills, 2:30 pm

Artie Flaherty Holiday Tournament at Metuchen HS
Consolation Game: Brearley vs. Governor Livingston, 12:30 pm
Championship Game: Metuchen vs. Bernards, 2 pm

Sayreville Holiday Showcase at Sayreville HS
Consolation Game: Rahway vs. Monmouth, 10 am
Championship Game: Sayreville vs. Freehold, 11:30 am

Jonathan Dayton Holiday Tournament, Springfield (rescheduled from Saturday)
Championship Game: South Plainfield vs. Dayton, 2:30 pm
No consolation Game

West Windsor-Plainsboro South Holiday Tournament at WWPS HS
West Windsor-Plainsboro North vs. Northern Burlington, 11 am
JFK vs. West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 1:30 pm

Coaches’ Choice Holiday Classic at FDU-Madison (rescheduled from Saturday)
Holy Cross vs. Snyder, 1 pm
Plainfield vs. St. Mary’s-Manhasset (NY), 1:30 pm
St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Westfield, 3p

Millburn Holiday Tournament at Millburn HS
Consolation Game: Old Bridge vs. North Bergen, 10:30 am
Championship Game: Millburn vs. Union, noon

Pete Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS
Consolation Game: Bridgewater-Raritan vs. Morris Knolls, 10 am
Championship Game: Summit vs. Johnson, 1 pm

Middlesex/Shore Tournament at Henry Hudson HS, Highlands
Consolation Game: South River vs. Henry Hudson, 10 am
Championship Game: South Amboy vs. Keansburg, 11:30 am

Ravens Winter Classic at Robbinsville HS
Consolation Game: North Brunswick vs. Robbinsville, 12 pm
Championship Game: Hamilton West vs. Allentown, 1:30 pm

Charlie Dolan Holiday Tournament at Kearny HS
Consolation Game: Montclair vs. Passaic Tech, 9 am
Championship Game: Colonia vs. Kearny, 1 pm

Roselle Holiday Hoopfest at Roselle Park HS
Consolation Game: Carteret vs. Perth Amboy, 11 am
Championship Game: Roselle Park vs. Linden, 2 pm

KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Pink Bracket
Pingry vs. Westminster Christian, 1 pm on Court 4
Mendham vs. Madison Southern, 1 pm on Court 3

WEDNESDAY, 1/31

KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Pink Bracket
Pingry vs. TBA, 10 am


by Mike Pavlichko

UPDATED: Boys’ High School Basketball holiday schedule, including winter weather reskeds

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is a time for seeing family, bringing back those gifts that made you wonder “What where they thinking?” and for taking in some high school basketball at one of the many holiday tournaments.

Some keep it local, others bring in teams from out of state.

We’ve compiled from various online schedules a list of who’s playing who – and where – so you can plan your weekend, and beyond.

By the way, if you want to know who some of the prominent holiday tournaments in the area are named after, click here to check out this story we did last year!

Note: Most tournaments below show all matchups, though for some, full information on participating teams was not available. If you notice any discrepancies, please contact us at this link. CJSR coverage area teams in bold. This list will be updated with any snow postponements or cancellations as we get word of them.

FRIDAY 12/26

Butch Kowal Holiday Tournament at Rahway HS
Roselle vs. Rumson-Fair Haven, 3 pm
Westfield vs. Matawan, 4:30 pm
Perth Amboy vs. Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 6 pm (pp’d to same time Saturday)
Carteret vs. Rahway, 7:30 pm (pp’d to same time Saturday)

Manville Holiday Basketball Tournament at Manville HS
Manville vs. Highland Park, 9 am
North Plainfield at Dunellen, 11 am

SATURDAY 12/27

Postponements:

  • Artie Flaherty Holiday Tournament at Metuchen HS (rescheduled to Monday)
  • Joe Silver Tournament at Hillside HS (rescheduled to Monday, same times)
  • Cougar Classic at Montgomery HS (rescheduled to Monday)
  • Jingle Bells Jubilee at Paterson Steam Academy (rescheduled to Sunday)
  • Freehold Classic at Freehold Boro HS (rescheduled to Tuesday)
  • Battle at the Bomb Shelter at Sayreville HS (rescheduled to Monday, new times)
  • JP Stevens Holiday Tournament at JP Stevens HS, Edison (rescheduled to Monday, same times)
  • Peter Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS (rescheduled to Monday, same times)
  • ESCIT Tournament (rescheduled to Sunday)

Anthony J. Cotoia Tournament at South Plainfield HS
JFK vs. Edison, 11 am (cancelled, Edison moves on to Tuesday’s 3 pm Championship Game)
South Plainfield vs. Hopewell Valley, 3 pm (rescheduled from 1 pm)

Albert E. Martin Buc Holiday Classic at Red Bank Regional HS
(3) East Brunswick vs. (6) Ranney, 2 pm
(4) Marlboro vs. (5) Middletown South, 3:30 pm
(1) Red Bank vs (8) Long Branch, 5 pm
(2) Howell vs. (7) Old Bridge, 6:30 pm (rescheduled from 12:30 pm)

Monroe Holiday Tournament at Monroe HS
Monroe vs. Timothy Christian, noon
South Brunswick vs. Ridge, 2 pm

Crusader Classic at Bound Brook HS
Bernards vs Great Oaks Charter, 5 pm
Bound Brook vs. Central Jersey College Charter, 7 pm

Butch Kowal Holiday Tournament at Rahway HS
Perth Amboy vs. Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 6 pm (rescheduled from Friday)
Carteret vs. Rahway, 7:30 pm (rescheduled from Friday)

Holiday Classic at Newark Collegiate HS
Franklin vs. Gateway Academy, 2:30 pm

SUNDAY 12/28

Butch Kowal Tournament at Rahway HS
Scotch Plains-Fanwood vs. Roselle, 1 pm
Carteret vs. Matawan, 2:30 pm
Westfield vs. Rumson-Fair Haven, 4 pm
Perth Amboy vs. Rahway, 5:30 pm

Jingle Bells Jubilee at Paterson Steam Academy (formerly Paterson Catholic HS)
(rescheduled from Saturday)
Quad 1
Paterson Kennedy vs. Montclair, 9 am
Ramapo vs. Teaneck, 10:30 am
Quad 2
Hackensack vs. Wayne Hills, noon
Newark Tech vs. Passaic Tech, 1:30 pm
Quad 3
Payne Tech vs. Linden, 3 pm
Gill St. Bernard’s vs. St. Joseph-Montvale, 4:30 pm
Quad 4
East Orange vs. Northern Highlands, 6 pm
Paterson Eastside vs. Newark Collegiate, 7:30

ESCIT Tournament
St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Ewing, 2p
Thrive Charter vs. Atlantic City, TBA

Peter and Jameer Nelson Classic at Widener University
Rutgers Prep vs. Camden, 7:45 pm

KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Grey Bracket
Bishop Eustace vs. Montclair-Kimberley, 7 pm
Pingry vs. North Star Academy, 9 pm

MONDAY 12/29

Artie Flaherty Holiday Tournament at Metuchen HS (rescheduled from Saturday)
Metuchen vs. Brearley, 8:30 am
Voorhees vs. Franklin School, 10 am

Middlesex vs. Shore Holiday Tournament at South Amboy HS
South River vs. Henry Hudson, 10 am
South Amboy vs. Keansburg, 11:30 am

JP Stevens Holiday Tournament at JP Stevens HS, Edison (rescheduled to Monday)
JP Stevens vs. Perth Amboy Magnet, 1 pm (new gym)
Woodbridge vs. Somerville, 1 pm (old gym)

Battle at the Bomb Shelter at Sayreville HS (rescheduled from Saturday, new times)
Sayreville vs. New Dorp (NY), 3 pm
Immaculata vs. Union, 1:30 pm

Peter Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS (rescheduled from Saturday, same times)
Watchung Hills vs. Governor Livingston, 2:30 pm
Summit vs. Millburn, 5:30 pm

Roselle Holiday Hoopfest at Roselle Park HS
Middlesex vs. Piscataway Magnet, 9:30 am
Roselle Park vs. Keyport, 12:30 am

Albert E. Martin Buc Holiday Classic at Red Bank Regional HS
Consolation games at 12:30 and 2 pm
Semifinals at 3:30 and 5 pm

Joe Silver Tournament at Hillside HS (rescheduled from Saturday)
Dickinson vs. CAPS, 10:30 am
Piscataway vs. Ferris, noon
McNair vs. Empowerment Charter, 1:30 pm
Hillside vs. Carl Murphy HS, 4 pm

Crusader Classic at Bound Brook HS
Consolation Game, 3 pm
Championship Game, 7 pm

Cougar Classic at Montgomery HS (moved from Saturday)
Bridgewater-Raritan vs. North Hunterdon, 10 am
Montgomery vs. Princeton, 11:30 am

Winter Classic Tournament at Roselle Catholic HS
North Brunswick vs. Allentown, 9 am
Robbinsville vs. Hamilton West, 10:30 am

Holiday Tournament at Paul VI, Wayne
St. Joseph-Metuchen vs. Middle Twp., 4:30 pm

Jingle Bells Jubilee at Paterson Steam Academy (consolation games rescheduled from Sunday)
Quad 1 Consolation Game, 9 am
Quad 2 Consolation Game, 10:30 am
Quad 3 Consolation Game, noon
Quad 4 Consolation Game, 1:30
Quad 1 Championship, 3 pm
Quad 2 Championship, 4:40 pm
Quad 3 Championship, 6 pm
Quad 4 Championship, 7:43 pm

Joe Silver Holiday Tournament at Hillside HS
Consolations at 10:30 am and noon
Winners’ Bracket at 1:30 and 4 pm

TUESDAY 12/30

Butch Kowal Tournament at Rahway HS
Scotch Plains-Fanwood vs. Matawan, 1:30 pm
Carteret vs. Westfield, 3 pm
Perth Amboy vs. Roselle, 4:30 pm
Rahway vs. Rumson-Fair-Haven, 6 pm

Battle at the Bomb Shelter at Sayreville HS
Consolation Game: Union vs. New Dorp (NY), 11:30 am
Championship Game: Sayreville vs. Immaculata, 1 pm

Cougar Classic at Montgomery HS
Montgomery vs. North Hunterdon, 11:30 am
Bridgewater-Raritan vs. Princeton, 1 pm

Anthony J. Cotoia Tournament at South Plainfield HS
Championship Game: Edison vs South Plainfield, 3 pm

Freehold Classic at Freehold Boro HS (rescheduled from Saturday)
Spotswood vs. Holmdel, 11 am
Freehold Boro vs. East Brunswick Magnet, 1 pm

Albert E. Martin Buc Holiday Classic at Red Bank Regional HS
7th Place Game: Old Bridge vs. Long Branch, 12:30 pm
5th Place Game: Middletown South vs. Ranney, 2 pm
3rd Place Game: East Brunswick vs. Red Bank Regional, 3:30 pm
Championship: Howell vs. Marlboro, 5 pm

Peter Tierney Holiday Basketball Tournament at Summit HS (rescheduled from Monday)
Consolation: Summit vs. Governor Livingston, 2:30 pm
Championship: Watchung Hills vs, Millburn, 5:30 pm

Roselle Holiday Hoopfest at Roselle Park HS
Consolation Game: Middlesex vs. Keyport, 9:30 am
Championship Game: Piscataway Magnet vs. Roselle Park, 12:30 pm

Winter Showcase at Paul VI, Wayne
St. Joseph-Metuchen vs. Penn Charter

Artie Flaherty Holiday Tournament at Metuchen HS
Brearley vs. Franklin School (Jersey City), 10 am
Metuchen vs, Voorhees, 11:30 am

KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Grey Bracket
Pingry vs. Chicago Christian, 10 am on Court 2
Bishop Eustace vs. First Baptist Academy, 10 am on Court 1

WEDNESDAY, 1/31

KSA Events Holiday Tournament at Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando
Grey Bracket
Pingry vs. TBA, 1 pm

THURSDAY 1/1

Jingle Bells Jubilee at Paterson Steam Academy (formerly Paterson Catholic HS)
Gill St. Bernard’s vs. St. Mary-Rutherford, 3:15 pm

Piscataway vs. Teaneck, TBA (at FDU-Madison)

FRIDAY 1/2

Freehold Classic at Freehold Boro HS (rescheduled)
Spotswood vs. Freehold, TBA
East Brunswick Magnet vs. Freehold Boro, TBA

by Mike Pavlichko

Holiday hoops tournaments are an annual tradition, but who are they named after?

Mike Shello.

Anthony J. Cotoia.

Clem Santy.

The names have become familiar to many over the years for the Holiday Tournaments held the week between Christmas and New Year’s, a bridge from the first week or two of the season to January first, when things really start to heat up for the month or so sprint to the county tournament seeding meetings.

But, to paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, “Who are these people?”

Everyone knows who Eric LeGrand is, the namesake of Colonia’s holiday tournament, the LeGrand Holiday Jubilee. The former Rutgers standout was an excellent student-athlete for the Patriots, and has been well-known for his philanthropy with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, his Walk to Believe Fundraiser, and various other organizations, in addition to being an analyst on Scarlet Knight football radio broadcasts.

The event is a four-team, three-day round robin showcase. Friday features Scotch Plains-Fanwood taking on Franklin at 11 am, with Westfield and homestanding Colonia tipping at 1. Saturday has the same game times, with Franklin and Westfield first, then the Patriots and Raiders. Everything wraps Monday with Scotch Plains-Fanwood and the Blue Devils at 11 am, then the Warriors and Colonia at 1.

Here’s a look at some of the other area tournaments named after folks you might not know about if you were born after a certain year.

Anthony J. Cotoia Tournament at South Plainfield

Every year since 2009 – except 2020, the COVID year – this event has been held at South Plainfield, who was the first basketball coach in the history of the school, and piloted the Tigers to their first and only state title in school history, as they beat Summit 67-54 for the 1964 Group 3 championship. (They beat Piscataway to win the Central Jersey Group 3 title.)

Former South Plainfield coach and Athletic Director Anthony J. Cotoia (Source: obituary)

Cotoia actually was born in Italy, and he came to South Plainfield via a circuitous route. His family came over from Panni in 1938, and they settled in New Canaan, CT, where he attended high school, and was president of his class, in addition to starring on the gridiron and the hardwood.

He served in Korea in the U.S. Army, and when he returned, went to the University of Delaware on the G.I. Bill. With a master in education and a minor in history, he earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, and spent two years in Vineland schools before taking a teaching position in South Plainfield in 1955.

According to his obituary, few athletic programs were available at South Plainfield High when he arrived. It reads: “After he was hired as the high school’s first basketball coach, he drove through town trying to get a sense of how popular the game was. To his dismay, he saw only one basketball hoop, behind Delayo’s Market. Even worse, the boys playing there that day went to parochial school.”

Two years after beginning the program from scratch – including youth leagues in town – the Tigers went undefeated in 1959. They won three sectional championships, and he was 177-63 in his time coaching the Tigers.

He later became the South Plainfield Athletic Director, expanded sports offerings – he was instrumental in getting the football field and athletic complex at Frank Jost Field built – and brought girls’ sports on more of a par with the boys’. He was also a vice principal at the high school and middle school, retiring as principal there in 1992 after 37 years in the district.

He also passed away in 2009, at the age of 81.

Mike Shello Holiday Tournament at Dunellen (Boys)

Former Dunellen coach and Athletic Director Mike Shello. (Source: obituary)

Played at the Faber School in Dunellen, this event honors Shello, who was the coach of the Destroyers in the 1960s. In ’68, he helped lead Dunellen to the Central Jersey Group 2 championship.

He was born in Bound Brook, and attended high school there, graduating in 1935 before moving on to West Chester University in Pennsylavnia. He also attended Penn State and got his master’s at Columbia.

His time at Dunellen was split by World War II. He taught in Lititz, PA from 1939 to for before taking a job at Dunellen in 1940. But he went into the service in January of 1942 – and was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army for five year – returning to coach football and basketball from 1946 until he retired in 1983. He was also a football official for many years.

His son, Rich, was the athletic director at Ridge from 1998 until his retirement at the end of the 2022-23 year, overseeing and helping expand sports programs as the school doubled in size under his tenure.

Clem Santy Holiday Tournament at Dunellen (girls)

Clement J. Santonastaso, known to friends and the rest of Dunellen as “Clem Santy.” (Source: obituary)

This one opened Thursday, with Middlesex topping Manville and Highland Park getting by Dunellen. The last two games are Saturday, with the consolation at 11 am featuring the Destroyers and Mustangs. The Blue Jays and Owls face off at 1 for the championship.

Clement J. Santonastaso left high school to serve in the Navy during World War II. When he came back, he earned his diploma, then worked two jobs for many years, according to his obituary. One was in factory, the other was as Dunellen’s part-time recreation director. Eventually, that position became a fill-time gig, and “Clem” coached many generations of Dunellen athletes.

He passed away in 2017 at the age of 90. A local florist, when he passed, posted a baseball-themed flower arrangement on its Facebook page, calling him the “best recreation director Dunellen ever had.”

Whitey Dukiet All-American Holiday Classic at Livingston

Livingston High School is home to the Whitey Dukiet Classic, which features four teams at various levels – not just varsity – and once again will count Ridge among its participants. Last year, the Red Devils picked up a huge win their over St. Joseph-Metuchen on the second day of the event. This year, they get Morris Knolls, and the host Lancers.

According to a story last year in the West Wessex Tribune of Livingston, Bob “Whitey” Dukiet played at Livingston and as a senior, in 1966, was a Parade All-American and All-State pick. He was the school’s first thousand-point scorer in an era well before the three-point line. He went to Boston College, but suffered a career-ending injury there before his junior year, and went into coaching after graduating. He was an assistant at Montclair State, Dartmouth and Princeton.

Whitey Dukiet of Livingston – wearing No. 44, fifth from the right – in an undated yearbook photo.

It was with the Tigers that he learned the “Princeton Offense” from the legendary Pete Carril, and it served him well as we moved on to become the head coach at St. Peter’s College from 1979 through 1986. He later coached at Marquette, and Gannon University, a small Catholic school in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Dukiet passed away in 2009 at the age of 61.

Butch Kowal Classic at Rahway

John Butch Kowal is probably one of the few people who never coached at or ran the athletic department in their local high school, but has a tournament named after them anyway.

He graduated from Rahway High School in 1940, then founded Butch Kowal’s Tavern in the city a decade later, using the money from selling off the family’s meat marker. Kowal owned it right up until his passing in 2001 at age 78; the tavern remains open today.

He used the business to help others, and that continues to this day as well. Still in existence is the Butch Kowal Association, which he founded 64 years ago – in 1960 – which sponsors and funds local athletic teams and give gifts to needy families around Christmastime.

He later formed the Butch Kowal Scholarship Fund in 1993 for Rahway students to attend college.

In his obituary, the AD at the time, Tom Lewis, said of Kowal, “He was dynamic. You were entertained when you were with him. He wasn’t the Pope. He made mistakes but he had a soft heart and he was a genuine giver.