After one of the most successful years in school history, including a trip to the Somerset County Tournament Semifinals, and a Central Jersey Group 4 championship, the Montgomery boys’ basketball team expects to be right there again among the best in the area.
The Cougars – who finished 25-4 last year, and No. 3 in the Central Jersey Sports Radio rankings – will lose three key players to graduation, in Steve Donahue, Miggy Aguilar and Josh Moore, but return two big pieces, one of whom missed a good chunk of last year.
That’s Ethan Lin, the point guard who was starting as a sophomore but suffered a terrible ankle injury against Hillsborough on February third and missed the entire postseason run. After a summer off to recoup, head coach Kris Grundy says he had a good fall and is ready to go.
Then there’s Lin’s European travel ball buddy, Bohdan Biekietov, who came here from Ukraine last year with his mother and sister, while his dad remains behind to fight in the war with Russia. Biekietov was a huge bright spot for the Cougars last season, and was the Central Jersey Sports Radio Boys’ Player of the Year.
And, of course, others will be needed to step up for Montgomery. They include senior Christian Hill, who spent the spring running track, going to the Meet of Champions as a Central Jersey Group 4 champion in the long jump.
Braden Ginsberg is another who’ll be relied upon by head coach Kris Grundy, who calls him “our Swiss Army knife,” able to slash through defenses and pick off passes on defense.
Click below to hear Montgomery head coach Kris Grundy talk about the Cougars’ upcoming season:
Montgomery opens its season this Saturday in the finale of its inaugural Tip-Off Showcase, which features seven games, and includes local girls’ and boys’ teams from Montgomery and Rutgers Prep, as well as Colonia. Grundy’s Cougars host Hudson Catholic at 7 pm.
They’ll make an appearance on Central Jersey Sports Radio the following Saturday night at 8:00 when they take on GMC foe St. Joseph-Metuchen in the Friends of South Amboy Showcase at South Amboy High School.
You can find our full 2024-25 High School Basketball Broadcast Schedule here.