Tag: Piscataway

by Mike Pavlichko

Four titles earns Gill St. Bernard’s No. 1 ranking in final Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball Top Ten

When high school basketball teams open their preseason, hitting the gym in earnest for the first time, they can set all kinds of different goals. For most with high-end aspirations, there are four main ones: win the division, win the county, win a sectional, win a state championship.

In 2025-26, it was check, check, check, and check one more time for Gill St. Bernard’s. And that’s why they finish as the No. 1 team in the final Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball rankings of the year.

With a mark of 28-2, the Knights won the Skyland Conference Delaware Division, and while they played though the division only once due to the new alignment, they decided to play Rutgers Prep twice anyway, the last meeting coming after the SCT seeding meeting, and took both matchups. They then beat the Argonauts in the Somerset County Tournament final, went on to avenge a defeat at the hands of Roselle Catholic in the Non-Public Group B title game, then put on a defensive masterclass in the Non-Public B state final at Rutgers, beating Holy Cross Prep of Delran to win the program’s first state title in school history

The Knights are followed by a very close second in St. Joseph-Metuchen. In their first season under alum Mark Taylor – in his second go-round coaching the Falcons – they went 29-2, their lone loss coming to South Plainfield by one on the road before falling in the Non-Public South A final to St. Peter’s Prep – which, by the way, beat every Central Jersey Sports Radio-area team it played this year: Colonia, Gill St. Bernard’s, Rutgers Prep, St. Thomas Aquinas (twice) and St. Joe’s.

Montgomery finishes in third. At 26-5, the two-time defending champion Cougars won a third straight Central Jersey Group 4 title, but this time had to go on the road to do it after being the top seed each of the last two seasons. Not only did they win at top-seed Hillsborough in the final, but the Cougars dominated Cherry Hill East in the Group 4 semifinals, and made it all the way to Rutgers for the state Group 4 final, where they lost back on Saturday to Plainfield for a second straight season, in a tight game most of the way.

Close behind in fourth is Colonia, which finished 21-11 after a 2-6 start, and having lost several key starters, including Aiden Derkack (transfer to Spire Academy in Ohio) and R.J. Wortman (early football enrolee at Rutgers) among others. The Patriots bowed out to Piscataway in a tight GMC Tournament semifinal game, but wound up getting the top-seed in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3, and won the sectional title for a fifth straight year, and sixth time in the last seven playoff seasons, all under head coach Jose Rodriguez. They made their first state final ever, too, but fell to Ocean City Sunday in the Group 3 finals at Rutgers, giving the Red Raiders their first state title in over 60 years.

Checking in at five is Piscataway (23-8). The Chiefs – despite a lack of height – were tough again in the GMC Red American Division this year, and took St. Joe’s to overtime in early January. They made it all the way to the county final, where they fell to the Falcons in the title game, and bowed out of a brutal North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 playoff section in the semifinals to eventual state Group 4 champion Plainfield.

At six, it’s Rutgers Prep (18-10). The Argonauts still had Will Brunson, but had to deal with the loss of Andrew Kretkowski, who transferred to St. Joseph-Metuchen. But they still showed out this season, reaching the Somerset County Tournament final, where it was another battle with Gill St. Bernard’s, who won the championship.

Hillsborough (22-8) checks in at No. 7, after putting together their first 20-win season under head coach Tim Palek, who just wrapped up his fifth season on the bench. The Raiders had fans enthralled through their playoff run, with an exciting win over Jackson Twp. in the Central Jersey Group 4 semifinals, and they took Montgomery to overtime in the championship before taking the loss.

At No. 8, it’s Immaculata (21-7), the Skyland Conference Raritan Division champs. Season highlights included a home win over in-town rival Somerville, and handing Bridgewater-Raritan its first loss on the road after an 8-0 start by the Panthers.

The last three teams were unranked in the final poll before the postseason.

East Brunswick comes in at nine – going 21-7 this season, and winning the GMC Red National Division with an 8-0 mark – while two others share the tenth and final spot.

We put Perth Amboy (22-6) in at the ten spot along with Manville (19-9), honoring two teams for their full body of work, teams that might not otherwise get recognized in a crowded field of 48 teams between Middlesex and Somerset Counties. The Panthers won their first division title since 1993, claiming the GMC’s White American with an unblemished 12-0 record. The Mustangs, meanwhile, were Skyland Conference Mountain Division champions at 8-0, and beat rival Bound Brook twice this season, with the first of their two victories being their first against the Crusaders in 20 years.

Dropping out were Pingry (13-10) and South Plainfield (18-11).

Below is the complete final Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball Top Ten for 2025-26:

by Mike Pavlichko

Rutgers Prep girls, back on top in Somerset County, are No. 1 team in Final Bellamy & Son Paving rankings

Sure, the Rutgers Prep girls’ basketball team won 20 games last year, but it still wasn’t up to Mary Klinger’s standards. The coach calls the regular season the “preseason.” A division title is nice, but the county and state tournaments are the goals. Win those, and it’s a good year for the Argonauts. In 2025, they won neither.

But this year, with much of the same crew back, the Argonauts returned to their familiar spot as Somerset County Tournament champions, and finish the year No. 1 in the Bellamy & Son Paving Girls’ Basketball Top Ten.

Led by four-year varsity standout Ava LaMonica – the team’s top scorer, who will be playing collegiately next year at Buffalo – as well as fellow seniors Ava Frith and Sophia Georgiades, as well as super sophomore Hailey Benbow – the Argos’ second-best scorer and top rebounder – Rutgers Prep (25-4) didn’t lose a single conference game this season, its three regular season losses coming to Red Bank Catholic, Cardinal O’Hara (PA), and Blair right before the state tournament. Their fourth came to Gloucester Catholic in the Non-Public South B Final.

Prep beat Franklin – the eventual Central Jersey Group 4 champ – in the Somerset County Final, and won the Skyland Division title with a 6-0 record.

Gill St. Bernard’s checks in at No. 2. With a 22-6 mark, the Knights won the Non-Public North B title with a victory over Saddle River Day, then lout to Gloucester Catholic in the state Non-Public Group B final at Rutgers, the same Rams’ team that beat Rutgers Prep in the semifinals. Gill lost its only meeting with Rutgers Prep this season, 51-44 in late January, in a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Finishing third is St. Thomas Aquinas (24-7). The Trojans – with the senior trio of Jordan Barnes, Trista Whitney and Kayla Navarro – blew through the GMC this season, going 11-0 to win the Red American Division, and stormed to their seventh straight GMC Tournament championship, beating resurgent East Brunswick in the final. They would bow out to eventual state champion Red Bank Catholic in the Non-Public South A semifinals.

Checking in at four is Franklin (22-9). A Somerset County Tournament finalist under first-year head coach Jimmy Kreie, the Warriors returned to their former – and fairly recent – glory with a win in the Central Jersey Group 4 title game over neighboring Hillsborough. They were knocked out of the state tournament by Lenape in the state Group 4 finals.

Fifth is Hillsborough (21-7). The Raiders had won two sectional titles in a row – in North 2, Group 4 in 2024 and Central 4 last season – but fell at Franklin in the Central Jersey Group 4 title game.

East Brunswick checks in at No. 6 with a 23-6 record. Ava Catanho and Julianna DelosSantos-Branson led the Bears back to prominence this season, as they got to the GMC Tournament title game, where they lost to now seven-time reigning GMCT champion St. Thomas Aquinas.

Bound Brook (25-4) – re-ignited by freshman sensation Peytan Pugh – finishes at No. 7, thanks to a Mountain Division championship, going 8-0 in divisional play. They nearly knocked off Rutgers Prep in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals, and reached the Central Jersey Group 1 title game, falling on the road to top-seed New Providence.

Finishing eighth is Bernards (24-5), which started the year 10-0, and was the Skyland Conference Valley Division champion at 11-1. They lost to defending champion Madison in the North 2, Group 2 semifinals.

At No. 9, it’s Colonia. After a down season, head coach Jill Bachonski has the Patriots looking solid, finishing 20-4, and going 8-0 to win the GMC Red National Division. They reached the GMC Tournament semifinals, falling to eventual champion St. Thomas Aquinas.

And No. 10 is Piscataway, making its season debut in the final rankings of the year. The Lady Chiefs finished 17-9, and went 6-0 to win the White American Division title, reaching the GMC Tournament semifinals, where they lost to East Brunswick.

Below are the complete final Bellamy & Son Paving Girls’ Basketball Top Ten rankings for 2025-26:

Plainfield guard Micah Gordon (5) skies for a dunk.
by Alec Crouthamel

Top-seeded Piscataway falls to Plainfield in North 2 Group 4 semifinals

You could feel it walking into the building. Playoff basketball intensity.

Or, to be more specific, before walking into the building, in a line that stretched nearly the entire length of Piscataway High School ahead of the North 2 Group 4 semifinal between the top-seeded Chiefs (23-8) and fourth-seeded Plainfield.

In the end, though, the Cardinals’ (22-5) top-end talent and pressure on both sides of the floor propelled Plainfield to a 73-56 road victory, continuing its quest to defend its Group 4 state title from last year.

The Cardinals took the “basketball is a game of runs” adage to the extreme, working three different “Killshots” — a run of 10-0 or more, coined by college basketball data scientist Evan Miyakawa — to pull ahead for good and keep the game out of reach.

Plainfield star guard Micah Gordon led all scorers with 23 points, as part of a quartet of Cardinals in double-figures. Forward Rashawn Williams added 18 points as a force at the basket, while Devin Thomas added 11 and Tylor Hunter scored ten points.

Senior forward Isaiah Fowler led Piscataway’s offense in one of his top scoring performances of the year, scoring a team-high 22 points with four three-pointers. Guards Josh Lima and Landon Pernell also added 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Both teams came out of the gate throwing haymakers, with a combined five three-pointers in the first quarter. The Chiefs caught fire near the midway point of the frame, building up a 17-10 lead with an 11-3 run.

That was when Plainfield woke back up.

The Cardinals worked an extended 18-0 run to take a double-digit lead for the first time, as their backcourt pressure and uptempo offense took Piscataway completely out of its rhythm. It felt like an avalanche falling on the Chiefs with multiple backcourt steals in a row, as Gordon electrified the always-raucous Plainfield faithful with a dazzling array of finishes at the basket.

Piscataway managed to slow it down on offense and worked its way back into the game towards the end of the first half, knocking down two straight treys to cut the deficit to five points. But just when it seemed like the Chiefs were landing their counterpunch — with an equally frenzied home crowd of their own — the Cardinals landed another blow with an 11-0 run to end the first half, going into the locker room with a commanding 41-25 lead.

Plainfield kept the foot on the gas to open the third quarter, as well. Piscataway senior forward Donald Nwaigwe drew an and-one in the post, but Thomas and Gordon each knocked down deep three-pointers to stretch the Cardinals’ lead to 20 points in the half’s opening minutes.

Even with the big-time deficit, the Chiefs had one final burst left in them, working a 13-2 run to cut the deficit to nine points. Plainfield kept up the trend and responded accordingly, ripping off another 10-0 run, ending the third quarter with an 18-point lead and all of the momentum.

The Cardinals slowed the pace down with the big lead in the fourth quarter and worked some timely buckets, including six points from Williams.

In a battle of teams of similar size and uptempo style, Plainfield came away victorious thanks to its devastating spurt-ability and took control for good.

The Cardinals will face off against second-seeded Linden — who defeated the three-seed Union in the opposite semifinal — for a chance at a second straight sectional title in their third straight appearance. Piscataway’s season comes to a close in Bob Turco’s second year at the helm, moving a round further than a season ago.

Click below to hear postgame reactions from Piscataway head coach Bob Turco with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel, presented by the Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Sunday NJSIAA State Tourney Notebook: Big challenges ahead for Piscataway boys, Metuchen girls, while Ridge nearly pulls second huge upset

The tip-off of the NJSIAA state basketball tournament had to wait two days, but we’ve seen a lot of basketball since things actually got underway on Thursday, and it was everything it always was: blowouts, expected wins, upsets and thrilling action.

With an off-day on Saturday before a full week ahead – starting with Group 1 and 3 sectional quarterfinal action Monday, and wrapping with public sectional title games Friday and Saturday – we thought we’d look back at a few storylines from the first three days of play.

Piscataway is ready for the challenge…

Everyone knows North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 on the bots’ side is an absolute best. Piscataway is far from chopped liver at 23-7, to be sure; they reached the GMC finals a little over a week ago for the second year in a row, and both years under head coach Bob Turco, who instilled a defensive philosophy that instantly turned the Chiefs into contenders in Middlesex County. But a couple of big state-ranked teams finished behind them in power points. Statewide No. 8 Linden – runner-up in the Union County Tournament to Roselle Catholic – got the two seed right behind Piscataway, while 16th-ranked Elizabeth got the seven seed.

Piscataway senior Donald Nwaigwe heads to the basket in the GMC Tournament semifinals against Colonia at Monroe Twp. High School on February 18, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

And what happened in the first round? Ridge knocked them the Minutemen, 54-53 Thursday night, on a buzzer-beater by Sidd Narayanabhatla. Keep in mind, that game was on the road as well. It just proves anything can happen year.

Then there’s Plainfield, the No. 6-ranked team in New Jersey, which got the fourth-seed, behind Linden. The Cardinals got through the first two rounds easily, beating 13-seed Bridgewater-Raritan 66-39, then fifth-seed Bayonne, 85-58. Meanwhile, Piscataway has rebounded nicely with three straight wins heading into Tuesday night’s semifinal matchup with fourth-seed Plainfield. Can they take them? It’s a huge challenge, no doubt, but that’s why they play and that’s why we watch.

Click below to hear Piscataway head coach Bob Turco talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

Back to the Red Devils…

Speaking of upsets, that Ridge win over Elizabeth was a big one, and the Red Devils’ nearly pulled off a second one at Linden Saturday evening. The Tigers led 26-25 at the half, but trailed for the first 15 minutes and 59 seconds. They went ahead on a bucket with one second left before halftime. Ridge wouldn’t lead again, but kept it tight before falling by ten, 55-45. It was Linden’s lowest scoring output this post-season – including the Union County Tournament – and since a 50-41 loss to Union Catholic on February fifth.

What’s more remarkable is where Ridge came from. They started the season 0-4, and we first saw them this year in a December 21st loss to Delbarton up at FDU, 50-47. That left them at 0-4, but with a slew of injuries. From that point forward, though, Ridge won six of its next eight games, and finished the season a highly respectable 15-13. Among them were two losses to Gill St. Bernard’s, and one each to Rutgers Prep, Montgomery and Hillsborough, all four of which are state-ranked, with the Raiders jumping in at No. 20 last week.

Senior Sidd Narayanabhatla handles the ball for Ridge against Delbarton in a December 21, 2025 game at FDU_Madison. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

It was certainly a season of perseverance for Ridge, and they will have a large part of the core back next year, so there are some bright times ahead for the Red Devils, and a lot of good in 2025-26 off which to build for the future.

Click below to hear Ridge head coach Bill Lester talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

One half gone, what about the other?

Perhaps even more remarkable than Colonia’s four straight sectional titles in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 – all since the COVID year, when there were no state playoffs – is the fact that beyond that, Ramapo has been a thorn in their side. The Raiders have won North 1, Group 3 each of the last four seasons, and met Colonia in the state semis. And all four seasons, Ramapo has gotten the upper hand, all on neutral floors, whether it was at Phillipsburg in 2022 and 2023, Bloomfield in 2024, or at Elizabeth last season.

Even before COVID, they’d been a royal pain. While Colonia lost in the sectional final in 2020, they won it in 2019 – head coach Jose Rodriguez’ first season on the bench – and lost to Ramapo in the semis.

Well, no matter what the Patriots do – and they’re a remarkable story on their own, starting the year 2-6, but 15-4 since – that won’t happen this year. That’s because the Raiders, who were the six seed in North 1, Group 3, got knocked out in the first round on a late bucket by Morris Knolls, 68-67. That means someone else will win that section for the first time since 2018, when Demarest edged Ramapo 37-36 in the title tilt.

Metuchen is ready for anyone, and here comes Manasquan…

Shore Conference basketball is quite the beast indeed. On the girls’ side, you’ve got Red Bank Catholic, St. John Vianney, Manasquan, and just a notch down this year, Rumson-Fair Haven and usually St. Rose, though they’re having a down year, finishing 7-16 with a first round loss in the states.

The Warriors, meanwhile, are No. 7 in the state, and the top-seed in Central Jersey Group 2, where they’ve won the state Group 2 title each of the last two seasons. So, Metuchen knows what it’s up against.

Victoria Zaniecki – in the middle, with balloons – is Metuchen’s top scorer and rebounder. (Source: @metuchenbball on Instagram)

And even though they’re 15-13 and the 12-seed, they’re in the semifinals against Manasquan, coming off a 37-34 win in a rare 12/13 matchup over Robbinsville down at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor. Victoria Zaniecki has been a double-double machine; she went for 16 points and 12 rebounds against the Ravens Saturday evening, her 16th double-double of the season and fourth straight, including both games of the state tournament.

Click below to hear Metuchen head coach Kathy Glutz talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

Bernards continues terrific season, seeking first finals trip in nearly two decades…

The Mountaineers continue to roll on this season, with a 24-4 record, and are looking to make some history. Well, more than they’ve already made. Last year’s squad set a new program record for wins with 23, and they followed that up with 24 this season, a new mark.

After a 45-25 win over seventh-seed Hanover Park Saturday afternoon, seventh-seeded Bernards is a win away from its first sectional finals berth since 1998, when they lost to – get ready for it – Montgomery in Central Jersey Group 1. The year before, Bernards won their one and only title, beating Highland Park in the finals at Sayreville, bowing out in the state semis to Burlington Township, finishing 22-3.

That’s the kind of job Brett Bisconti has done in seven years at the helm, instilling a winning culture in his team. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a group that has won 47 games in the last two years, including top scorer and rebounder Aletha Reynolds, then adding in a young freshman like Jane Freisen, who’s second on the team from downtown with 40 treys, second only to Reynolds’ 56.

A look ahead…

While the Group 1 and 3 publics and non-publics have only gotten in one round, Groups 2 and 4 are on to the semifinals, and we can get a picture of some possible championship game matchups.

The Montgomery boys have won the last two Central Jersey Group 4 titles, both on their home floor, both times as the top seed. In 2024, they were 63-37 winners over second-seed Monroe, and last year beat third-seed West Windsor-Plainsboro North 80-41. This year, they’re the third-seed, with Hillsborough the No. 1, despite the fact the Cougars beat them twice in the regular season: 53-37 at home on January 13th, and 53-38 on February 7th in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals.

Should the Cougars win at second-seed Marlboro (21-5) Tuesday in the semis, and the Raiders beat five-seed Jackson Twp. (18-6) at home, we’ll get a rubber match at Hillsborough. Can the Cougars claim a third win over the Raiders this season, for all the marbles in CJ4?

Meanwhile, just about any way you slice it in North 2, Group 4, it should be a great final. While Piscataway is the top-seed, fourth-seed Plainfield is pretty much the favorite against the Chiefs in Tuesday’s semifinals. If Donald Nwaigwe, Isaiah Fowler and Co. can pull this one off, they’d most likely get two-seed Linden, which is also having a great year. And if it’s Plainfield? Boy, that would be a great one, too.

On the girls’ side, we’d be surprised if top-seed Franklin didn’t take care of business with fifth-seed Jackson Twp. The Lions are 16-10, Franklin 20-8, and we’re not saying it will be easy, but they’re a battle-tested team, with New Jersey losses to Rutgers Prep (twice), Gill St. Bernard’s, Demarest, Immaculate Heart and Morris Catholic. Those are some solid teams, which means they’ve beaten everyone they should.

As far as the other teams in the semis, third-seed Hillsborough and second-seed East Brunswick, the Warriors haven’t played the Lady Bears, but did beat Boro – the defending state Group 4 champions – 72-44 back on January 6th. But the rematch between ‘Boro and EB should be interesting; as Hillsborough won their GMC-Skyland crossover back on January 22 at home, 70-52.

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – GMC Tournament Boys’ Semifinals: (2) Piscataway 64, (3) Colonia 61

Donald Nwaigwe scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Izayah Brown added 16 and went 10-of-11 from the charity stripe in a 64-61 win for second-seed Piscataway over third-seed Colonia, sending the Chiefs back to the GMC Tournament title game for the second straight year.

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Vin Ebenau call all the play-by-play from Monroe Township High School on February 18, 2026.

by Mike Pavlichko

GMC Tournament Boys’ Final Preview: Top-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen, two-seed Piscataway look to end title droughts Friday night in county final

Mark Taylor has won two GMC Tournament titles, Bob Turco three. Friday night, both will look to end title droughts for their boys’ basketball teams, droughts of varying degrees.

The Piscataway program – with Turco in his second year as head coach after winning three straight GMC titles for St. Thomas Aquinas in 2020, 2022 and 2023 – hasn’t won a title since 2009, when Guy Jensen’s top-seeded squad beat third-seed St. Joseph of Metuchen, which proceeded to win nine of the next ten championships.

The last of those came in 2019, the second year under head coach Mike Thompson after Dave Turco – who’d won five in a row, seven of eight, and each of his last two appearances – before he was replaced. After all that, six years without a title – or even an appearance in the finals, after having made a dozen in a row – is a long stretch.

For one of them, the drought will end Friday night.

You can hear the GMC Tournament championship doubleheader exclusively on Central Jersey Sports Radio Friday, starting with the 6 pm girls’ opener between six-time defending champ and top-seed St. Thomas Aquinas and second-seed East Brunswick, seeking its first title since 2016. The boys’ championship tips at 8:00. Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe will call all the action, with pregame starting around 7:45. Click here to listen.

Both coaches have been game changers for their respective programs, but both will tell you it’s about the players, not the coaches. That was the case Wednesday evening in the semifinals, where Piscataway found itself trailing Colonia 28-22 at halftime, and the locker room speech essentially boiled down to “We gave you the game plan, now just go execute.” The did in the second half, and here they are.

Turco came to Piscataway and breathed new life into the program, playing them in as many summer league games as they could get into, and learning defensive fundamentals that have paid off big-time: this will be their second straight trip to a county final, and Turco’s sixth. And in large part, it’s due to homegrown talent like seniors Donald Nwaigwe (team-bests 16.3 oints per game, 8.5 rebounds and 27 blocks), Isaiah Fowler (14.2 ppg), Josh Lima (12.8 ppg) and the like.

Mark Taylor did it a different way, being at a parochial school. If Turco left Aquinas to get out of that game, Mark Taylor at St. Joseph is playing it. He brought in three highly-touted transfers this year, and it’s paid immediate dividends.

Junior Imaad Johnson came in from Union and is averaging 11.3 points per game, with a team-best 33 treys. Junior Andrew Kretkowski, who made an impact as a freshman two years ago at Rutgers Prep and was key as a sophomore last year, came in from the Easton Ave. school and is scoring 17 points a game, hitting from down low, nailing jumpers, and connecting from beyond the arc 23 times already.

Neither had to sit like perhaps the biggest piece Taylor brought in: 6’7″ junior Aidan Carter, a lengthy guard who is leading the team with 18.9 points per game, 9.8 boards, 155 assists and 58 steals, while also hitting 21 treys.

Thanks to Piscataway Township and Mayor Brian Wahler for sponsoring Friday night’s GMC Tournament final!

MORE ON THE GMC TOURNAMENT BOYS’ FINAL:

(1) St. Joseph-Metuchen (25-1) vs. (2) Piscataway (20-6)
When: Friday, 8 pm
Where: Monroe Township High School
Broadcast Team: Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe (LISTEN HERE)

COACHES:

St. Joseph: Mark Taylor, 1st season, second stint (624-178 overall, including 172-69 in first run at St. Joe’s, as well as Ridge and St. Benedict’s Prep)
Piscataway: Bob Turco, 2nd season (417-133 overall, including St. Thomas Aquinas, Notre Dame, and Monroe)

PREVIEW INTERVIEWS:

St. Joseph head coach Mark Taylor with Mike Pavlichko
Piscataway head coach Bob Turco with Mike Pavlichko

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

St. Joseph: The first two games were a cruise for the Falcons, who got past 17th-seed Monroe in the first round, 86-49, then picked up an 85-30 win at nine-seed Metuchen. The semifinals were a different story. Though they held fifth-seed St. Thomas Aquinas off the board for nearly the first six minutes of the game Wednesday night, the Trojans were within six about midway through the fourth quarter, but that was about as close as they would get, as St. Joseph won 63-51.

Piscataway: After the round of 16, one might say the Chiefs have been a bit more tested. Following a 95-40 win over 18th-seed North Plainfield in the round of 16, they beat seventh-seed Sayreville 80-66. And in the semifinals, they erased a six-point halftime deficit against third-seed Colonia, and pulled out a 64-61 victory Wednesday night to get back down to Monroe Friday for a chance at the title.

TOP SCORERS:

St. Joseph: Aidan Carter (junior, 18.2 ppg, 21 treys), Andrew Kretkowski (junior, 17 ppg, 23 treys), Imaad Johnson (junior, 11.3 ppg, team-best 33 treys)
Piscataway: Donald Nwaigwe (senior, 16.3 ppg, 11 treys), Isaiah Fowler (senior, 14.2 ppg, 38 treys), Josh Lima (senior, 12.8 ppg, 38 treys), Landon Pernell (junior, 12.8 ppg, team-best 46 treys)

TOP REBOUNDERS:

St. Joseph: Aidan Carter (9.8), Joel Patrick (8.9), Andrew Kretkowski (7.8)
Piscataway: Donald Nwaigwe (8.5), Isaiah Fowler (4.1)

MISCELLANEOUS:

St. Joseph: Aidan Carter (155 assists, 58 steals), Joel Patrick (79 blocks)
Piscataway: Landon Pernell (114 assists, 83 steals), Donald Nwaigwe (27 blocks)

RECENT MEETINGS: St. Joseph has won eight of the last ten meetings, but they’ve split the last four. Piscataway won both matchups last year, 73-49 and 84-69, but the Falcons won both this year, by similar scores: 64-53 in overtime on January 3rd at home – a game win which the Chiefs were held to just one second half and one overtime field goal – and 64-57 on the road just 12 days later.

Thanks to Piscataway Township and Mayor Brian Wahler for sponsoring Friday night’s GMC Tournament final!

GMC TOURNAMENT HISTORY:

St. Joseph (12-9):

  • 1991:  (3) Piscataway 33, (1) St. Joseph 29
  • 1992:  (1) Bishop Ahr 61, (2) St. Joseph 47
  • 1993:  (3) St. Joseph 57, (4) South Brunswick 54 (OT)
  • 1997:  (5) North Brunswick 66, (2) St. Joseph 55*
  • 1998:  (1) St. Joseph 66, (2) Sayreville 54*
  • 1999:  (1) St. Joseph 55, (2) Colonia 47*
  • 2001:  (2) Colonia 79, (1) St. Joseph 65
  • 2003:  (1) Cardinal McCarrick 67, (3) St. Joseph 56
  • 2005:  (3) South Plainfield 66, (4) St. Joseph 65
  • 2008:  (1) Cardinal McCarrick 56, (6) St. Joseph 52
  • 2009:  (1) Piscataway 63, (3) St. Joseph 56
  • 2010:  (1) St. Joseph 65, (2) Monroe 48
  • 2011:  (2) St. Joseph 51, (1) Piscataway 43
  • 2012:  (1) St. Joseph 70, (2) North Brunswick 65
  • 2013:  (2) St. Joseph 66, (1) East Brunswick 63 (2OT)
  • 2014:  (1) St. Joseph 59, (2) East Brunswick 45
  • 2015:  (2) Colonia 54, (1) St. Joseph 38
  • 2016:  (1) St. Joseph 56, (2) South Brunswick 48
  • 2017:  (1) St. Joseph 50, (3) Sayreville 44
  • 2018:  (1) St. Joseph 46, (7) Colonia 43
  • 2019:  (3) St. Joseph 49, (5) Piscataway 46

*coached by Mark Taylor

Piscataway (7-5):

  • 1968:  (3) St. Peter’s 64, Piscataway 60 (MCT, only top four were “seeded”)
  • 1976:  (2) Piscataway 85, (4) Perth Amboy 83
  • 1977:  (1) Piscataway 77, (6) Carteret 74 
  • 1991:  (3) Piscataway 33, (1) St. Joseph’s 29
  • 1994:  (2) Piscataway 49, (1) St. Peter’s 44   
  • 1995:  (1) Piscataway 61, (3) East Brunswick 46
  • 1996:  (1) East Brunswick 51, (2) Piscataway 44
  • 2007:  (6) Piscataway 59, (5) Cardinal McCarrick 50
  • 2009:  (1) Piscataway 63, (3) St. Joseph 56             
  • 2011:  (2) St. Joseph 51, (1) Piscataway 43     
  • 2019:  (3) St. Joseph 49, (5) Piscataway 46
  • 2025:  (1) Colonia 70, (2) Piscataway 63

OTHER NOTES:

Championship Coaches: Of the four coaches in this year’s semifinals, three have won GMC titles, but those are the only three. That’s right, only three current Greater Middlesex boys’ coaches have ever won the event. Jose Rodriguez of Colonia – this year’s GMC Coach of the Year – won the last two with the Patriots. Before that, Bob Turco won three straight when he was at St. Thomas Aquinas, in 2020, 2022, and 2023. And Mark Taylor won two titles in his first run at St. Joseph, in 1998 and 1999.

Championship Coaches, Part Two: When Piscataway made the finals last season, Bob Turco became the first coach in GMC history to bring three different schools to the championship game. Until this year, he was one of three to bring two different schools to the GMC title game, and two share the same last name. Ken Pace brought JFK in 1990 and won it over top-seed Perth Amboy, then he took Colonia several times in the 90s, winning in 2001 over top-seed St. Joseph. Speaking of the Falcons, Bob’s brother Dave brought Carteret to two finals, winning in 2002 over a Pace-coached Colonia club. Then, of course, he went to – and won – a slew of titles with St. Joseph. Bob has been to the GMCT’s ultimate game as the head coach of Monroe – losing his only trip there in 2010 to his brother Dave and the Falcons – then and went to four straight as head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas, winning the first three.

Piscataway Doubles: The Chiefs have won seven titles, and every coach who’s won it has brought back multiple trophies. Windy McGriff’s P’way teams won back-to-back MCT titles in 1976 and 1977. Paul Schoeb – who later became the school’s athletic director, is now retired, but took in the semifinals this week at Monroe – won three in a span of five years, taking the GMC crown in 1991, as well as 1994 and 1995. Guy Jensen then won championships in 2007 and 2009. Turco is looking to be the fourth coach in Piscataway history to win the county title, gunning for his first when the play St. Joe’s Friday night. Should the Chiefs win Friday night, he’ll get a chance to go for two next season.

Repeat, Repeat: With Colonia out in the semifinals, Friday night’s winner may very well begin a streak. In fact, the Patriots were the last one-off champion, back in 2015. That snapped a string of five straight titles by the Falcons, who won nine of ten in a stretch from 2010 through 2019. They won the next four after that loss. Following that, St. Thomas Aquinas won three straight titles from 2020 through 2023, then Colonia’s two-year streak, which officially was snapped Wednesday night when they got knocked out in the semifinals.

How have the seeds fared? There have been 59 MCT/GMCT championship games, and the top seed has won 28 times. The second seed has won 16 times. When it’s the No. 1 vs. the No. 2, The top seed is just 16-11 overall, and 10-6 in the GMC era. Overall, the top seed is 28-16 in the championship game.

No Double Vision, Again: Colonia’s win over St. Thomas Aquinas two years ago snapped a two-season run of clean sweeps by the Trojans on the girls’ and boys’ side. There have been eight double champions in the GMC era – there were three in the MCT – but it didn’t happen last year and won’t again this year, with the St. Thomas Aquinas and East Brunswick girls in the final, along with St. Joe’s and the Piscataway boys. That’s good for attendance, since there will four sets of fans attending, rather than just two.

1-2, 1-2: Since the dawn of the GMC in 1986, this is the ninth time both the girls’ and boys’ title games have featured the 1 vs. the 2 seeds. And this will be the second straight year. Last year, top-seed Colonia beat second-seed Piscataway for the boys’ title, while top-seed St. Thomas Aquinas beat second-seed Monroe for the girls’ championship. The last time it happened before that was in 2016, when the top-seeded St. Joe’s boys beat South Brunswick, and the 2nd-seeded East Brunswick girls beat Monroe. It also happened the year before, in 2015, when the second-seeded Colonia boys beat St. Joseph, and top-seed Piscataway topped Monroe on the girls’ side. Other double 1 vs. 2 years include 2010, 1998, 1994, 1992 and 1989.

by Mike Pavlichko

In third epic this year, Piscataway rallies from halftime deficit to edge Colonia, earn trip to second straight GMC Tournament title tilt

An hour or so before Wednesday night’s GMC Tournament semifinal, Piscataway came into the gym as a walking MASH unit.

Senior Josh Lima was about 80-percent due to a tight quad, head coach Bob Turco said before the game. Tyler West had a tricky knee and didn’t get to play much, in the end, And Landon Pernell, the football team quarterback just starting to get his basketball legs, also has been bothered by a calf injury

But the second-seeded Chiefs – though they were down 28-22 at the half – persevered, and had others step up, in coming out with a 64-61 win over third-seed Colonia, sending Piscataway back to the GMC’s championship game for a second year in a row.

The Chiefs (20-6) made it there last year in a big turnaround under first-year head coach Bob Turco, who raised eyebrows when he left St. Thomas Aquinas, where he had won GMC titles in 2020, 2022 and 2023. He got bested last year by his former ballplayer at Carteret and protege Jose Rodriguez and Colonia in the final, but not this time.

Turco told his team at halftime they just needed to execute. They had the game plan. Just go out and do it. And do it they did.

After Izayah Brown kept the team in the game early with eight first half points off the bench to lead the Chiefs, the starters took the ball and ran with it, literally, in the second half.

Thanks to Piscataway Township and Mayor Brian Wahler for sponsoring tonight’s game!

It was a tight game throughout. No one led by more than seven. Piscataway came out hot to start the second half and finally – after chipping away – got their first lead of the game at the 4:01 mark of the third period on a three by Landon Pernell. Another shortly after extended their lead, and while there were a couple of ties after that, the Chiefs never gave the lead back.

Pernell finished with 14, Brown with 16, and senior Donald Nwaigwe finished with 17, including a monster dunk late with the game still in the balance.

Dylan Chiera led Colonia (16-9) – which had gone 14-2 since a tough 2-6 start – with 14 points, while Jayce Rodriguez added 13, but the team’s leading three-point shooter – who had 66 on the year coming in – was held to just one make from beyond the arc.

Piscataway will face the winner of the second Wednesday night semifinal between top-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen and fifth-seed St. Thomas Aquinas. The final will be back here at Monroe Twp. High School at 8 pm, following the girls’ title game between St. Thomas Aquinas and East Brunswick at 6 pm. Both games can be heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Click below for postgame reaction from Piscataway senior Donald Nwaigwe and head coach Bob Turco, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – GMC Tournament Girls’ Semifinals: (2) East Brunswick 52, (3) Piscataway 38

Sophomore Ava Catanho scored 13 points while junior Mia Figueroa added another 11 second-seed East Brunswick clinched its first GMC Tournament finals berth in a decade with a 52-38 win over third-seed Piscataway.

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Dylan Allen call all the play-by-play from Monroe Township High School on February 17, 2026.

by Mike Pavlichko

East Brunswick earns first trip back to GMC Tourney final since they won it all in 2016, with 52-38 semifinal victory over Piscataway

The East Brunswick girls’ basketball team last won the GMC Tournament title in 2016.

Ten years later, that team could have another reason to celebrate.

That’s because the 2026-26 Lady Bears – the tournament’s second-seed are going back to the finals for the first time since, after a 52-38 win over third-seed Piscataway in the semifinals at Monroe Twp. High School Tuesday night, heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

The Chiefs got the first basket of the game, but 2-0 was the only time they would lead. East Brunswick (21-4) went on a quick 9-0 run to take a seven-point lead, and though it would get closer at various points in the first half – even just 22-18 at halftime – the lead grew and shrunk, in double-digits most of the second half, but never changed hands again.

Thanks to Piscataway Township and Mayor Brian Wahler for sponsoring tonight’s game!

The Chiefs have been a team with great three-point range all year, but the shots just weren’t going in. Otherwise, it might have been a different game. Every time Piscataway would come up with a stop, or a mini-run, East Brunswick was there to counter back.

And while Piscataway – now 15-8 – has had a fine season with a starting five made up entirely of sophomores, it was another soph who was the difference for East Brunswick, as she has been the entire season.

Ava Catanho finished with a team-high 13 points for the Bears (20-4) and had one triple. Sophia Tannura had tow and finished with six points, but each seemed to come at big moments with Piscataway trying to get back in the game. Sophomore Violet Azcona of Piscataway was the game’s high scorer with 14 points.

Coming into the game, Piscataway was 17-0 when holding opponents to 54 points or less. Tuesday night was the exception, as the Bears won it with just 52 points.

Now, East Brunswick is going back to the title game in the GMC Tournament, where they’ll be back at Monroe Friday night at 6 pm against six-time defending champion and top-seed St. Thomas Aquinas, which was a 76-56 winner over fourth-seed Colonia in the nightcap semifinal. 

The Bears will be looking for their sixth GMC Tournament championship, and seventh county title overall.

Click below for postgame reaction with East Brunswick sophomore Ava Catanho and head coach Travis Retzlaff with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Expect another thriller: Wednesday rematch of 2025 GMC Tournament final pits Piscataway against Colonia for trip to 2026 title tilt

Last year’s GMC Tournament final was an exciting one, for a number of reasons. Besides the fact is was some great, high-level basketball between Piscataway and Colonia, it was the first all-public title game since 2006, when the Patriots beat Metuchen for the championship.

It was Bob Turco taking the Chiefs to the finals in his first year as head coach, and for the first time since 2019. And it was the veteran mentor’s sixth straight appearance in the finals, the first five of those coming while he was at St. Thomas Aquinas. In fact, he and protege Jose Rodriguez had met in the finals the year before, just with Turco leading a different team.

Wednesday night, the two will meet again, with a trip to the finals on the line as they square off in the opener of a GMCT semifinal doubleheader that you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Second-seed Piscataway (19-6) and third-seed Colonia (16-8) will play at 5 pm, with pregame at 4:45. Join Mike Pavlichko and Vin Ebenau for all the action, with the second game scheduled to tip at 7 pm between top-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen and 5th-seed St. Thomas Aquinas. Click here to listen.

While Colonia was considered a favorite to repeat even before the 2024-25 season began, Piscataway was the story last year: Turco taking an 11-14 team from the year prior to the county final with a 22-4 mark.

This year, Colonia is the big story. In the summer, Aiden Derkack transferred to national powerhouse Spire Academy in Ohio. Defender extraordinaire Zach Smith graduated. In December, glue guy R.J. Wortman announced he’d signed on to play Rutgers football, and enrolled in January, leaving him off the roster. And Colin Kroner and Julien Jones didn’t return.

The immediate result was that the Patriots started the season just 2-6. But over the last five weeks and change, they are 14-2. Among the highlights, a revenge win at Piscataway by three – avenging a home loss to the Chiefs by two in December – and a 52-46 win over state-ranked and previously-unbeaten Wall in their final game before GMC Tournament play.

Jayce Rodriguez – coach Jose Rodriguez’ son – and Dylan Chiera are the two most experienced players back. Their steadiness has helped the rest of the team find its footing. If there was ever a more apt place to use the cliche “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” we don’t know about it. Rodriuguz is scoring 20.4 points per game, with a team-best (by far) 66 treys, while Chiera is averaging 10.2, with a team-best 94 rebounds and 29 steals, tied with fellow senior Nfa Clyne.

The defense also has been a key, and while their points allowed have gone down, their scoring has gone up.

The fact these two have played two epics this season should come as no surprise. The Chiefs have some major ballers, too and much of last year’s key players are back. That includes Donald Nwaigwe, one of four players averaging double figures on a balanced squad where the top three scorers are seniors.

Nwaigwe is scoring at a 16.3 point clip, followed by Isaiah Fowler (14.4) and Josh Lima (13.0) while junior Landon Pernell – who Turco says has found his “basketball legs” after playing quarterback for the football team this fall – is averaging 12.7 per game, and has hit a team-high 42 treys on the year.

Thanks to Piscataway Township and Mayor Brian Wahler for sponsoring tonight’s Piscataway game!

These are two teams that can shoot, get to the basket, rebound, play defense, and frustrate the heck out of opponents, and like the earlier meetings this year, should come right down to the wire again.

Click below for preview interviews with both head coaches:

Piscataway head coach Bob Turco with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko
Colonia head coach Jose Rodriguez with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Vin Ebenau