Tag: Jaren Sina

February 5, 2021September 6, 2021 by Mike Pavlichko

No. 1 Gill St. Bernard’s escapes tough test from Hunterdon Central

Fueled by solid second-half defense, and three-quarters of its points from its top two Division 1 prospects, Gill St. Bernard’s won its season opener Thursday night, beating Hunterdon Centtral 77-64 as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio, powered by Bellamy & Son Paving.

Junior point guard Denver Anglin scored 17 of his 27 points in the second half, while 6-8 sophomore combo guard Mackenzie Mgbako – ranked Top Ten in his recruiting class nationally – poured in 31.

Each hit a trio of three pointers in the game.

Head coach Mergin Sina missed the game, continuing in COVID protocol that shut Gill St. Bernard’s last week, and led to the postponement of its opening week of the season. His son, assistant coach Jaren Sina, the former standout Gill and Seton Hall point guard, took the reins and won his coaching debut.

Hunterdon Central fell to 1-0.

Listen to the entire game below, with Mike Pavlichko on the call:

February 4, 2021March 3, 2021 by Mike Pavlichko

Anglin, Sina talk Gill’s opening game escape against Hunterdon Central

by Mike Pavlichko

Top-ranked Gill St. Bernard’s scored the first two points of their season opener Thursday night against Hunterdon Central, but the Red Devils scored the next eight.

No matter.

Despite falling behind 8-2 to the defending Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex County Tournament Champions, taking a 7-point lead, and then allowing Central to close the half on a 6-0 run to tie the score at 32, Gill used 17 second half points from 6-2 junior guard Devin Anglin to power its way to a 77-64 win in its season opener on Central Jersey Sports Radio, powered by Bellamy & Son Paving.

Anglin – who has D1 offers on the table from Georgetown, George Washington, Siena, Ole Miss, NJIT and others – finished with 27, including three treys, and was 3-of-3 at the free throw line.

Sophomore Mackenzie Mgbako – who holds offers from even bigger schools, like Auburn, Maryland, Seton Hall, St. John’s, UCLA and Rutgers, and is a Top Ten recruit in his class nationwide0 – had a game-high 31, including four triples.

Central’s Brian Johansson – who sparked the 6-0 first half-ending run all on his own by hitting a three, then after a steal getting fouled while shooting a three and making all three free throws – finished with a team-high 23, including four triples.

Click below to hear postgame reaction from Anglin and interim Gill head coach Jaren Sina. He’s an assistant on his father Mergin Sina’s staff this year, but took the reins Thursday night with his father still in COVID protocol that shut down the entire Gill school last week.

Junior point guard Denver Anglin

Interim Gill head coach Jaren Sina

February 4, 2021March 3, 2021 by Mike Pavlichko

Experienced Hunterdon Central travels to play No. 1 Gill St. Bernard’s in Knights’ opener

by Mike Pavlichko

On Day Ten of the high school basketball season in New Jersey, Thursday night’s matchup between Hunterdon Central and No. 1 Gill St. Bernard’s – ranked in the top five statewide – will feature two teams that have played a sum total of one game in 2021.

The Red Devils beat South Hunterdon 64-25 in their opener last week, but have had multiple other games cancelled or postponed due to Old Man Winter.

Gill St. Bernard’s was entirely shutdown last week due to COVID protocols, and this week missed even more days because of snow.

So, it’ll almost be like a season opener when the two teams square off Thursday night on Central Jersey Sports Radio, powered by Bellamy & Son Paving. Air-time is 5:20 with game time at 5:30.

Click here to listen to the live broadcast.

In fact, as of Wednesday afternoon, Gill – which is ranked in the Top 5 statewide – hadn’t even distributed uniforms. That task fell to Jaren Sina, an assistant coach under his father, head coach Mergin Sina. Jaren is a former Knights’ point guard who later starred at Seton Hal and transferred to George Washington, and has been playing in Europe since.

Thursday night, he will be filling in for his father, who will miss Thursday’s game, still in COVID protocol due to contact tracing.

Click below to hear from both coaches in tomorrow night’s game: