Tag: Skyland

December 30, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

Ridge boys pull off big win, Devine nets 1,000 for Middlesex girls, as holiday tourney week wraps up with Friday, Saturday games

Unranked in the Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball Top Ten, the Ridge boys’ basketball team came up with a huge victory Friday, topping No. 2 St. Joseph-Metuchen, 70-60, to take the title in their very own holiday tournament, the Whitey Dukiet All-American Holiday Classic in Basking Ridge.

It was the Falcons’ first loss of the season, dropping them to 5-1. Ridge is also 5-1.

The Red Devils rallied to come back in this one, down ten at the end of the first quarter, managing just eight points, and they trailed 32-21 at the half. But Ridge exploded for 49 points in the second half against St. Joe’s, which was also ranked in the statewide Top 20.

Ridge was led by Owen Chwatek with 21, one of three players in double figures, including Luke Kreitz, who not only scored 20, but also was a perfect 13-for-13 from the foul line, key down the stretch to the rally.

Here’s a closer look at Friday action on the boys’ side. Scroll down further for a look at girls’ holiday tournament action.

FRIDAY BOYS’ RESULTS:

Butch Kowal Tournament at Rahway: An all-GMC consolation game saw North Plainfield hand Timothy Christian its second straight loss after a 4-0 start, 59-58 in overtime. Nfii Bannavti led the Canucks with 18 points, while Chukwudi Raphael Mamah finished with a double-double, leading all scorers with 27 points, adding 15 rebounds. North Plainfield rallied from a 45-40 deficit heading into the final eight minutes to send the game to overtime.

Cougar Classic at Chatham: After splitting its first two games in the three-day round-robin format event, Watchung Hills (7-1) got a season-high 24 points from John Kelly, while three other players scored in double figures, en route to a 68-55 win over Cranford.

Cougar Holiday Classic at Montgomery: The host Cougars used a three-point barrage – 14 of them – to beat visiting Bridgewater-Raritan in the finale of the round-robin event, 88-46. Steve Donahue matched a career high of 27 points and set a new career high with six triples in the game. Read the full game story and hear postgame reaction here. Montgomery (6-0) is the last undefeated team left in the Skyland Conference. Bridgewater falls to 4-3 with the loss.

Falcon Holiday Tournament at Monroe: The host Falcons (5-1) took the trophy with a 47-40 win over Carteret (3-3), in a low-scoring game that was tied 15-all at the half. Mark Laughery and Nick Cicchetti each had 11 points to lead Monroe. The consolation game saw South Brunswick (1-4) cruise past New Brunswick (2-4) for its first win of the season, 72-21.

Mike Shello Holiday Tournament at Dunellen: Friday’s final saw Manville (4-2) get past host Dunellen at the Faber School, 44-31, behind 15 points from Tyler Kesolitz and 11 from Edryn Morales. Joel Cruz-Maiza had 12 in defeat for the Destroyers (1-5). In the consolation game, Highland Park (4-2) got by Academy for Urban Leadership Charter in overtime, 59-57.

*Manville celebrates a win over Dunellen to take the Mike Shello Holiday Tournament title at the Faber School in Dunellen on December 29, 2023. (Source: @manville_bball on Twitter)*

North Warren Holiday Extravaganza: The consolation game here went to Perth Amboy Magnet (3-4), which beat Somerset Tech (2-4) in an all-GMC matchup, 58-49.

Ravens Winter Classic at Robbinsville: After a 14-13 first quarter lead, North Brunswick (4-3) fell to their undefeated hosts (5-0) in the title game, despite a 19-point day from Brandon McCain, and 15 each from Tommy Koroma and Jack Garbolino.

Voorhees Holiday Tournament at Voorhees: A deep hole of 20-5 after one quarter doomed Wardlaw-Hartridge (0-6) in a 78-35 defeated to Mount Olive in the consolation game Friday afternoon.

FRIDAY GIRLS’ RESULTS:

Blue Devils Invitational at Shore Regional: After a loss to Monmouth, 46-11, in their opener, Sayreville bounced back for its first win of the season, a 47-10 drubbing of Jackson Liberty (0-7). Danielle Verlingo led the Lady Bombers with her first career double-double: 12 points and ten rebounds.

Chatham Tournament at Chatham: It was a third straight loss in the three-day, round robin showcase for Watchung Hills (1-6), which fell 60-49 to Cranford Friday.

Clem Santy Holiday Tournament at Dunellen: The trophy goes to Highland Park (3-2) in this one, which beat Manville (3-4) by a 45-39 score Friday afternoon behind a double-double from Vanessa Kohler, who had 17 points and 15 rebounds, and six steals to boot. Manville had three players in double figures, including leading scorer Valentina Barrios with 14. Middlesex (3-3) doubled up host Dunellen (3-2) in the consolation game, 52-26, behind 33 points from Jessica Devine, who cracked the 1,000 point mark in the game

Middlesex junior Jess Devine with hear teammates after scoring her 1,000th point against Dunellen in the consolation game of the Clem Santy Holiday Tournament in Dunellen on December 29, 2023. (Source: @GoJaysAthletics on Twitter)

Cougar Holiday Classic at Montgomery: In the round robin event’s finale Friday, the host Cougars (3-3) beat visiting Bridgewater-Raritan (1-6) by a 42-37 score, behind 17 points from Aliza Schulberg and 10 from Alia Johnson.

Falcon Holiday Tournament at Monroe: The host Monroe (5-1) beat visiting Westfield 50-46 for the title Friday afternoon, with three players in double figure scoring. Evangelina Francisco had 19, while Halley Cottrell dropping in 16 – including four triples – and Avery Labaska had ten. In the consolation game, Franklin (3-3) evened up its record at .500 with a 52-31 victory over winless Marlboro behind a 27-point night from Aleah Sunkins.

*The Monroe girls’ basketball team won their Falcon Holiday Classic Friday with a 50-46 win over Westfield. (Source: @CoachVogtman on Twitter)*

Holmdel Holiday Showcase at Holmdel: It was a clean sweep of both games for St. Thomas Aquinas in the eight-team, two-day event. The Trojans (5-2) held off Holmdel by, 56-53, despite a late rally by Holmdel, which was down nine entering the final quarter. Gianna Chuffo led the way with 12 points, while Jordan Barnes added 11, and the team hit seven triples on the day. Meanwhile, East Brunswick (5-2) split its two games, bouncing back from an opening loss to Colts Neck with a narrow 54-52 win over Jackson Memorial (4-1). Gabby Nieves led three players in double figures with 15 for the Lady Bears. And Mount St. Mary (4-3) got back on the winning track with a 44-38 decision over Colts Neck, led by Mia Gestosani’s 16 points.

John Wall Invitational at William Peace Univeristy, Raleigh, NC: Rutgers Prep (5-1) got a win Friday over Terry Sanford (NC) in the Frances A. Pulley bracket, 75-52, splitting its first two games. They’ll play Grace Christian School (NC) in Saturday’s 3:00 championship game.

KSA Events Holiday Tournament: In the Red Bracket of the round-robin showcase, Gill St. Bernard’s (8-0) beat Metropolitan (NY) handily, 73-32, behind a team-best 16 from Gandy Malou-Mamel, who also had ten rebounds for a double-double. Brooke Baisley added 14. In the Pink bracket, Pingry (4-2) beat Birmingham Community Charter (CA) by a 56-32 score, getting a team-high 15 from Ngozi, Nnaeto.

Lady Chiefs Holiday Showcase at Piscataway: The roubd-robin six-team event saw Colonia, Old Bridge, and host Piscataway all take on wins Friday, and all finish 3-0 in the three-day event. The Patriots (6-2) beat in-town rival Woodbridge (3-3) in Friday’s opener, 41-22, fueled by a 15-point day from senior Taylor Derkack, who’s closing in on the girls’ all-time scoring record set last year by former teammate Matti Chiera, who’s now at William Paterson. Piscataway (3-3) evened up its mark entirely thanks to the showcase, beating Edison (1-6) behind 17 from Olivia Smart for a 52-35 victory. And Old Bridge (4-3) topped the smallest school in the event, Spotswood (3-3) in a 45-41 finale to the afternoon. The Knights got a double-double out of Danielle Boateng, with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

MCMS Holiday Tournament at East Brunswick Magnet: None of the local squads in the six-team tournament made the final. In the fifth-place game, Piscataway Magnet (2-4) topped East Brunswick Magnet (0-6) by a 51-11 score.,

Metuchen Bulldog Holiday Tournament at Metuchen: The title goes to Bernards (5-2), which beat Brearley in the event’s final Friday, 43-26, getting 13 from Aletha Reynolds, the only Mountaineer in double-figures in a low-scoring game. Host Metuchen dropped both games in their event, falling 35-23 to Governor Livingston to drop to 2-3 overall.

West Orange Holiday Showcase: Entering the tourney undefeated, the Lady Canucks (5-2) took two straight losses. After a 65-27 loss to Teaneck Wednesday, they fell by two to Paterson Eastside (5-2) Friday afternoon.

SATURDAY GIRLS’ SCHEDULE:

John Wall Invitational at William Peace Univeristy, Raleigh, NC: Rutgers Prep (5-1) takes on Grace Christian School (NC) in Saturday’s 3:00 championship game.

Ridge Holiday Classic at Ridge: In the round-robin event, South Brunswick (3-3) and host Ridge (4-3) will go at it at 11:30 Saturday morning in Basking Ridge. The Vikings lost to state-ranked Bayonne in their opener before beating Hunterdon Central Thursday. The Red Devils topped Randolph and Payne Tech in their opening two games.

West Windsor-Plainsboro North Tournament: After wins in its first two games of the eight-team, three-day tourney against Matawan and Princeton – allowing just eight points in the opener and 47 total in two games, Somerville (4-0) will take on a solid Neptune team (5-2) in the 4:15 pm final Saturday afternoon.

SATURDAY BOYS’ SCHEDULE:

Albert E. Martin Buc Classic at Red Bank Regional: After a loss in the opening round but a Thursday win over Notre Dame, 50-47, East Brunswick will play in Saturday’s third-place game against Port Richmond (NY) out of Staten Island at 3:30.

ALJ Crusader Holiday Tournament: The final for this one will have JP Stevens, which is just 1-4 on the season, but their only win came in the opener to the event, a 57-29 win over East Brunswick Magnet. That puts them up against host AL Johnson (3-2) in the final at 7:30 pm. The 6:00 consolation game has Metcuhen facing EBM.

Huskies Holiday Classic at Matawan: The GMC will factor heavily into this one, with three of the four teams involved playing for the top four spots. The championship is at 3:15 and will feature Sayreville (6-1) taking on Holmdel (4-1). The Bombers beat host Matawan in the opener, then Old Bridge in the semifinals on Thursday. The third-place game has the Knights (3-4) facing Woodbridge (4-2) at 1:30. Perth Amboy (3-4) will take on Raritan (0-6) in the seventh place game to open the Saturday slate at 10 am.

Jameer Nelson Classic at Widener University: This is a one-off for Rutgers Prep (3-2), which will face Camden Eastside (4-0) at 2:45 today, before heading to the New Year’s Jump Off on January first to play Hudson Catholic.

LeGrand Tournament: Host Colonia (4-2) will look to sweep the round-robin event when the Patriots play Westfield (2-4) at 1:00 after winning its opener over Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 39-32, then beating Union City 49-36 on Friday. Colonia has won two straight after starting the year 2-2. Aiden Derkack scored in double figures in both games of the event, averaging 15.5 points per game in those two.

Winter Holiday Classic at West Windsor-Plainsboro South: After Somerville narrowly edged Spotswood in one of Thursday’s semifinals, 60-56, the Pioneers (4-2) will play in Saturday’s 4:15 pm final against West Windsor-Plainsboro North (3-4), which beat the hosts and their district rival South 57-42 on Thursday in the other semi. South (1-5) will take on Spotswood (4-2) in Saturday’s third-place game, with tip scheduled for 2:30.

December 29, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

Here’s how girls’ basketball teams from the GMC, Somerset County are faring in holiday tourneys

Holiday tournaments are wrapping up Friday and Saturday, if they haven’t already, and several GMC and Somerset County teams have had a pretty good time over the break from school, traveling far and wide to challenge themselves before the conference and division schedules kick into full gear come the New Year.

Here’s a closer look at how Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area girls’ high school basketball teams have done this week, beginning with a team-by-team look at the squads in the Bellamy & Son Paving Week Two Top Ten:

#1 Rutgers Prep: The Lady Argonauts (4-1) took their first loss of the season om Thursday in the John Wall Invitational at William Peace University in Raleigh, NC, Thursday, falling 68-65 to Thomas Dale out of Virginia. Chloe Escanillas led with 20 points in a game where Thomas Dale rallied from a four-point deficit heading into the final quarter. Next up, they get Terry Sanford (NC) at 1:30 Friday afternoon. They’ll be back home for school, and a matchup with No. 3 Gill St. Bernard’s next Thursday night at 6 pm, a game that can be heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

#2 St. Thomas Aquinas: One of three teams in the Holmdel Holiday Showcase, the Trojans topped Ranney Wednesday on Day One of the eight team event, 57-47, to improve to 4-2 under first-year STA head coach Tim Corrigan. Gianna Chuffo led the way with 21 points, while Leah Kerney added a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Also in the showcase are East Brunswick and Mount St. Mary. Both lost their openers: the Lady Bears (4-2) fell to Colts Neck Wednesday, while Mount (3-3) lost 53-47 to host Holmdel. Friday’s schedule features Mount St. Mary taking on Colts Neck at 10 am, Aquinas battling the hosts at 1:30, and East Brunswick taking on Jackson Memorial at 3:15.

#3 Gill St. Bernard’s: The Knights (7-0) already have two wins down at the KSA Events Holiday Tournament in Kissimmee, FL. In their Red Bracket opener, they beat Horizon (FL) 68-29 behind 18 points from Sidney Quinn, while both Brooke Baisley (10 points, 11 rebounds) and Gandy Malou-Mamel (12 points, 14 rebounds) had double-doubles. They beat Perkiomen Valley (PA) Thursday, 49-33, getting 21 from Baisley, while Malou-Mamel nearly had another double-double, with 10 points and 9 boards. Friday, they look to make it a 3-0 run when they take on Metropolitan Campus (NY) at 10 am. Pingry is in the same event, and playing Brimingham Community Charter (CA) at 10 am in the Pink Bracket. THe Big Blue went 1-1 with a Tuesday win over St. Thomas More (LA), 63-20, but lost to Ketcham (NY), 39-34, on Thursday in Pink bracket play.

#4 North Plainfield: the Lady Canucks (5-1) took their first loss of the season Wednesday in the West Orange Holiday Showcase, falling to Teaneck, 65-27. Layla Gutierrez led North with 11 points. Next up is Paterson Eastside on Friday in the consolation game at 1 pm.

#5 Monroe: Hosting their own Falcon Holiday Tournament, Monroe (4-1) will play Westfield at 2 pm in Friday’s final after a 52-28 win over Marlboro. Halley Cottrell scored a game high 27 points, while Sophia Rivas chipped in 11. Franklin is also in that tournament, and will play in Friday’s 10 am consolation game against Marlboro, after dropping its opener to the Blue Devils, 46-37.

#6 South Brunswick: At the Ridge Holiday Classic, the Vikings (3-3) split their first two games in the six-team, round-robin showcase. They lost to state-Bayonne in their opener on Wednesday, 47-34, but came back to beat Hunterdon Central, 36-27, on Thursday, getting 13 points from Meher Vig and seven boards from Leilani Pinder. They’ll play the host Red Devils (4-3) at 11:30 Friday. Ridge won its first two games, edging Randolph 40-34 in their opener, then drubbing Payne Tech out of Newark, 65-30.

#7 Hillsborough: The Raiders (4-2) won the John Molinelli Tournament at Hopewell Valley, going 2-0 in the two-day event. They beat their hosts on Wednesday, 64-21, then dropped Pennington in the final Thursday, 51-41. Francesca Schiro poured in 32 points and had three treys in the win.

#8 Woodbridge, #9 Colonia, #10 Spotswood: The Barrons are in the all-GMC Lady Chiefs Holiday Showcase at Piscataway, where they dropped their first two games, the second of which came down to the wire. On Tuesday, Old Bridge beat Edison 48-37, Colonia beat Spotswood 49-38, and Piscataway topped the Barrons, 61-37. Thursday’s round robin action continued with the Lady Chiefs beating Spotswood 44-35, Old Bridge topping the Barrons 38-37, and Colonia cruising past Edison 56-31. Friday’s schedule features Woodbridge vs. Colonia at 10 am, followed by Edison against Piscataway at 11:30, and Old Bridge taking on Spotswood at 1 pm.

Other holiday tournaments…

Sayreville: The Lady Bombers (0-6) dropped their opener in the Blue Devils Invitational at Shore Regional High School, 46-11 to Monmouth. That put them in the losers bracket against Jackson Liberty at 10:30 Friday moorning.

Bound Brook: The Lady Crusaders (6-0) picked up a 52-17 win over Koinonia on Wednesday in their own holiday tournament, then took the championship with a narrow 53-50 win over Oak Knoll. Jamaiya McLeod led all scorers with 19 points in the final, while Sara Thiessen had a double-double of ten points and ten rebounds. The Crusaders are on Central Jersey Sports Radio on Tuesday, January 9th, hosting Somerville.

Watchung Hills: The Warriors (1-5) went 0-2 in the Chatham Tournament, dropping their opener to their hosts, 67-40, on Tuesday, then falling to Madison on Wednesday, 69-54.

Dunellen, Highland Park, Manville, Middlesex: Three GMC teams and one from Somerset County make up the Clem Santy Holdiay Tournament at Dunellen’s Faber School. In Wednesday’s first games, Highland Park beat Middlesex 54-45, while Manville beat Dunellen, 40-17. The consolation game today features Middlesex (2-3) taking on Dunellen (3-1) at 2:30, while the final is at 5:30 between the Owls (2-2) and Mustangs (3-3).

Montgomery, Bridgewater-Raritan: Just like on the boys’ side, these two will square off in the Cougar Holiday Classic hosted by Montgomery. The Cougars (2-3) beat Allentown, 47-41 in Wednesday’s opener, while the Panthers (1-5) fell to Westampton Tech, 70-33.

South Amboy, South River: The Rams topped Henry Hudson Wednesday in their opener at the Keansburg Holiday Classic, 42-36, then beat Keansburg in Thursday’s final, 53-40. The Rams (4-2) got a double-double from Natalia Vera Cruz in the title game, with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Woodbridge Academy, East Brunswick Magnet, Perth Amboy Magnet, Piscataway Magnet: Woodbridge beat EB in their opener Wednesday at East Brunswick Magnet, 37-21, while Robbinsville topped Perth Amboy Magnet 49-17. PA and Woodbridge will square off today at 1 pm, while East Brunswick plays at 11.

Bernards, Metuchen: The Mountaineers (4-2) knocked off the Bulldogs (2-2) by a 40-33 score in the opener of the Metuchen Bulldog Holiday Tournament, setting up Bernards and Brearley in today’s 2 pm final. Host Metuchen gets Governor Livingston at noon in the consolation.

Immaculata, JFK: Both played in the Rico Parenti showcase, with Immaculata (4-2) winning its third straight game in the finals, a 54-52 edging of Plainfield. Giovanna Drajin finished with 18 points to lead IHS, which beat Columbia out of Maplewood 62-44 in Wednesday’s opener. Kennedy (0-6) lost to Plainfield on the opening day, 63-46, then fell to Columbia 63-44 in the consolation game Thursday.

Carteret, Perth Amboy: The two rivals were in the Roselle Park Tournament, and the Lady Ramblers (5-1) took the title in an all-GMC final, 43-32 over Perth Amboy (1-5). Anilah Diggs led Carteret with 15 points in the final on Thursday, a day after beating Keyport 44-13 in a solid defensive effort. The Panthers got their first win of the season in Wednesday;s opener, a 42-17 win over host Roselle Park.

Somerville: The Lady Pioneers (4-0) are in the finals of the West Windsor-Plainsboro North Tournament, which concludes tomorrow, after a pair of wins Wednesday and Thursday in the eight-team event. They beat Matawan Wednesday, 48-8, then got by Princeton, 50-39 on Thursday. They now play Neptune at 4:15 Saturday in the final.

December 28, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

Big day on the holiday tournament slate for GMC, Somerset County boys hoopsters

Holiday tournament season is in full swing across New Jersey, and dozens of boys’ basketball teams have been – or will be – in action this week. Here’s a look at all the GMC and Somerset County teams in action this week, including past results and upcoming matchups.

We begin with a look at the teams in the Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball Week Two Top Ten:

#1 St. Thomas Aquinas: So much for the Trojans “trying to figure it out.” A team that lost all but one player with (minimal) varsity experience to graduation and transfers is now 6-0. And if they are still trying to figure it out? Well, that’s for the rest of the GMC to worry about. Meanwhile, STA won its opening game Wednesday down at the Vikings Invitational at St. Elizabeth High School in Wilmington, DE, beating East New York Family Academy 66-29. Aiden Ur led four players in double figures with 19 points. Thursday at 9 pm, they play Thurgood Marshall (NY) in the final.

#2 St. Joseph-Metuchen: The Falcons are joined by Ridge in the Whitey Dukiet All-American Holiday Classic up at Livingston High School, and both teams won their opening games. Joe’s beat Morris Knolls 84-54 to improve to 5-0 on the season, behind another 25 points from Jeremy Clayville. The senior has been the top scorer in four of the team’s first five games, and is averaging 26.4 points a game. The Red Devils also won their opener against host Livingston, 63-50, on 16 points from Quinn Dashefsky. Those wins pit Ridge and St. Joe’s against each other in Friday’s championship game at 2 pm.

#3 Rutgers Prep: The Argonauts (3-1) are playing just one-game in a showcase at Widener University, the Jameer Nelson Classic. They’ll face Camden Eastside (3-0) Saturday at 2:45 pm.

#4 Colonia: The Patriots (3-2) opened up play in their very own, three-day LeGrand Tournament with a 39-32 win over Scotch Plains-Fanwood. Sophomore Aiden Derkack led the way with 13 points, and he’s now scored in double figures in all five games so far. This is a round-robin tournament, so Colonia faces Union City (0-4) Friday at 1 pm following Westfield and Scotch Plains-Fanwood at 11. Then, Saturday, the event finishes up with Union City and SPF at 11, followed by Colonia taking on Westfield at 1:00.

#5 Hillsborough: The Raiders (3-1) are in the Oratory Holiday Tournament in Summit, and will host Morristown-Beard (1-2) Thursday at 3 pm. That’s followed by Newark Academy and Oratory playing at 6 pm. Friday, the consolation game is at 1:30; the final is at 6 pm.

#6 Gill St. Bernard’s: The Knights (4-1) are hosting their own Knights Holiday Basketball Tournament, and picked up an 80-26 win over Pope John (0-5) in their opener Wednesday, getting 11 points from Kobe Closeil and 13 boards from Stanley Njekwe. Also in the tournament is Bernards, which is also 4-1 after a 58-39 win over The Patrick School (0-2). Connor Laverty had a double-double – his first of the season – of 16 points and 10 rebounds. That means Bernards and Gill will play in today’s final at 1 pm up in Peapack-Gladstone.

#7 Watchung Hills: The Warriors (6-1) suffered their first loss of the season in the opener of the Cougar Classic at Chatham to their hosts, 54-50, but they rebounded Wednesday with a 55-49 win over New Providence, fueled by a team high 13 points from Zack Patetta, while Dean Smith added nine rebounds. The round-robin format finishes up on Friday, with a 1:30 pm matchup for the Warriors against Cranford (4-2).

#8 Montgomery: The Cougar Holiday Classic will feature the host school and a Somerset County rival in the finals. Monty (5-0) was a 72-39 winner over North Hunterdon Wednesday, getting a game-high 20 points from sophomore Ethan Lin, his third straight double-figure scoring game. And Bridgewater-Raritan (4-2) topped Princeton Wednesday 59-45, picking up its second win in a row, as Matt Lyne led all scorers with 18 points. Now, the Cougars and Panthers will face off in the final at 4 pm Friday. Montgomery has won its last four meetings with Bridgewater, dating back to 2017.

#9 Piscataway: The Chiefs aren’t in a holiday tournament, but will try to rebound from a loss to Immaculata Wednesday in a Thursday game at Morristown at 5:30,

#10 South Plainfield: The Tigers (3-3) host their own Anthony J. Cotoia Tournament, featuring three GMC schools, but dropped their opener to Edison on Wednesday, 61-49. The Eagles improved to 2-3 with the win, getting a big game from Ricky Harvey, who led all scorers with 26 points. He’s now averaging 11 points a game and has scored 20-plus in three of the Eagles’ first five games. In Wednesday’s other game, JFK lost to McNair of Jersey City, 58-54, despite 22 points from Gurshan Nahal. That sets up Thursday afternoon’s consolation game between the Tigers and Mustangs at 3:00, while Edison takes on McNair at 5 for the championship.

Other holiday tournaments…

East Brunswick: The bears beat Ranney, 75-60, in the third game of the round-robin Albert E. Martin Buc Classic at Red Bank Regional. That puts them up against Tottenville (NY) Thursday at 3:30. A win would put them in the 5:00 final Saturday, while a loss puts them in the third-place game at 3:30.

East Brunswick Magnet, JP Stevens, Metuchen: That trio all is in the ALJ Crusader Holiday Classic at Johnson Rejional in Clark, where play opens Thursday with JP taking on EB Magnet at 6 pm, while Metuchen plays Johnson at 7:30. Saturday, the consolation game is at 6 pm, while the final tips at 7:30.

North Plainfield, Timothy Christian: Both lost their opening games on Wednesday and will play each other in Saturday’s 5 pm consolation game. Timothy Christian (4-1) took its first loss of the season against Rahway, 58-45, while the Canucks lost 90-37 to Rumson-Fair Haven. The Indians and Bulldogs will play at 7:30 Saturday in the final.

Bound Brook: The host Crusaders (2-3) got an 80-56 win over STEMCivics Wednesday in the annual Crusader Classic, and now will play Great Oaks Charter in Thursday’s 7 pm final.

Carteret, Monroe, New Brunswick, South Brunswick: The Falcon Holiday Tournament at Monroe is an all-GMC affair. Carteret (3-2) got by South Brunswick (0-4) in the opener Wednesday, 46-39, on 11 points from Michael Gomm, while the Falcons (4-1) crushed New Brunswick (2-3) 71-18, jumping out to an 18-2 lead after one quarter, and never looking back. They allowed only four in the third and two in the fourth period. Myles Marabuto pumped in 20 for Monroe, which now takes on the Ramblers at 4 pm in Friday’s final. South and New Brunswick square off in the noon consolation game.

Old Bridge, Perth Amboy, Sayreville, Woodbridge: Three of the four GMC teams – the Knights, Bombers and Barrons – won their opening games in the eight-team Huskies Holiday Classic at Matawan. Old Bridge (3-3) beat Raritan 56-30 in Wednesday’s opener, while Sayreville (5-1) topped host Matawan, 89-74. Woodbridge (4-1) beat Manalapan, 72-63, but Perth Amboy (3-3) lost to Holmdel 67-60. This is a three-day tournament, and the first of the GMC teams in action today plays Manalapan at 11:45 in the loser’s bracket, followed by the semifinals featuring the other three GMC teams. Old Bridge and Sayrveille play at 1:30, while Woodbridge gets Holmdel (3-1) at 3:15 pm.

South Amboy, South River: The Rams (3-3) were 81-69 winners over Keansburg, as sharpshooter Alex Grospe dropped a 41-point game, and even had eight steals. It was his second straight game of 40-plus points, his third this year, after never topping 20 in a game in two prior seasons. He’s now averaging 33.5 points per game. The Rams will play Henry Hudson in the final Thursday afternoon at 12:30, following the 11 am consolation between South Amboy (5-1) and Keansburg. The Governors suffered their first loss of the season in their tourney opener, 74-63 to Henry Hudson.

Dunellen, Highland Park, Manville: The Destroyers (1-4) – hosting their own Mike Shello Holiday Tournament at the Faber School in town, got their first win of the season in the tourney opener against Urban Leadership, 68-43. Manville (3-2) topped Highland Park (3-2) in the opener, 71-37, so now it’s the Mustangs and Destroyers at 7 pm Friday in the final, while the opener at 4 has the Owls taking on Urban Leadership in the consolation game.

Perth Amboy Magnet, Somerset Tech: In the North Warren Holiday Extravaganza, PA Magnet (2-4) fell to their hosts, 51-40, while Somerset Tech (2-3) also lost its opener, 77-58 to Central Jersey College Prep. They’ll face each other at 10 am Friday in the consolation game.

North Brunswick: The Raiders (4-2) topped Middletown North 56-47 Wednesday in the Ravens Winter Classic at Robbinsville, rebounding off a pre-Christmas loss to Pingry. Now, North Brunswick gets host Robbinsville – a 72-51 winner over Bordentown in its opener in the Classic’s final at 1 pm Friday.

Middlesex, Piscataway Magnet: The Blue Jays (3-2) beat Piscataway Magnet (1-6) by a score of 70-61 Wednesday in the opening round of the Roselle Park Holiday Hoopfest, while the hosts topped Keyport 52-44. That sets up a final of Middlesex and Roselle Park at 2 pm Thursday, following the 11 am consolation between P’way Magnet and Keyport.

Somerville, Spotswood: The Winter Holiday Classic at West Windsor-Plainsboro South features Somerville and Spotswood from the GMC, and both won their opening round games of the thre-day event on Wednesday. The Pioneers (3-2) won their third straight after an 0-2 start, beating South Hunterdon 71-56 behind Brady Scheier’s 27 points. Spotswood (4-1) got 30 points from Kiye Walker in an 80-70 win over Northern Burlington. Thursday’s games feature Somerville and Spotswood in the 4:15 semifinal game. The other features West Windsor-Plainsboro’s two schools – North and South – facing off at 2:30. Saturday’s slate includes the seventh place game at 11, fifth place at 12:45, the consolation at 2:30, and the final at 4:15 pm.

Wardlaw-Hartridge: The Rams open up play in the Voorhees Holiday Tournament out in Glen Gardner at 3 pm against the ir hosts, while Delaware Valley and Mount Olive play in the 1:00 opener. Friday’s consolation game is at 1, followed by the final at 3 pm.

Calvary Christian: They open the Patriot Holiday Invitational at the University of Valley Forge in Pennsylvania at 4 pm Thursday against Baptist Regional. The consolation and final are Friday at 12:30 and 3:30, respectively.

December 26, 2023December 24, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

Undefeated North Plainfield joins Bellamy & Son Paving Girls’ Basketball Top Ten; Rutgers Prep holds on to No. 1, again

The record streak continues, with Rutgers Prep now No. 1 for a 31st straight week in the Bellamy & Son Paving Girls’ Basketball Top Ten, the only school to hold that spot in the rankings, now in its fourth full season.

Meanwhile, North Plainfield’s win over Monroe shot them into the rankings for the first time, ahead of the Falcons.

Rutgers Prep (4-0) only played one game this week, but got a 69-47 win over Hillsborough in Delaware Division play, while the top GMC team, St. Thomas Aquinas, remained in second with a 3-2 record. They beat South Brunswick and Old Bridge in GMC Red play, but lost a non-conference game back on Saturday at Teaneck.

In third is Gill St. Bernard’s (5-0). The Knights held court with a 3-0 week, beating Watchung Hills and Hillsborough, as well as Newark Central out of area on Saturday.

North Plainfield debuted at No. 4, after knocking off previous No. 4 Monroe in a GMC crossover matchup, 50-36 on Saturday, with a stellar defensive fourth quarter, allowing just two points while pulling ahead to secure the win.

Monroe fell to fifth at 3-1, that loss to the Canucks their first of the season. They beat East Brunswick on Tuesday to go 1-1 this week.

Hillsborough (2-2) is seventh after a 1-2 week. They got a win at Westfield Saturday to snap a two-game skid against the top two teams in the county, both on the road, at Rutgers Prep and Gill St. Bernard’s.

Woodbridge (3-0) edged up to eighth with a win over Sayreville, 45-19, in its only game this week, while Spotswood (3-0) edged up to ninth with a 2-0 week, including wins against South River and at Metuchen in the GMC Blue.

Colonia (3-2) went 1-2 this week, and dropped to tenth place. The Patriots won their third straight by beating Howell Tuesday, but then dropped two in a row, to South Brunswick Thursday and Madison Saturday.

Below are the full Week 2 Bellamy & Son Paving Girls’ Basketball Rankings:

December 26, 2023December 24, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

Few changes at the top, but a big shakeup at the bottom of the Week 2 Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball Top Ten

Undefeated St. Thomas Aquinas stays at No. 1, and the top six all remained there – with some in different spots – but the final four teams in last week’s Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball Top Ten are out, with four new teams in.

Teams seven through ten last week – Woodbridge, Franklin, Immaculata and Bridgewater-Raritan all dropped out, replaced by Watchung Hills, Montgomery, Piscataway and South Plainfield. While a few teams had taken on early losses, some of the top teams distanced themselves, but many others could be in contention for the rankings, including Woodbridge and Timothy Christian from the GMC.

Aquinas (5-0) held the top spot on the strength of a three-win week, with victories over South Brunswick, Old Bridge, and Monsignor Scanlan out of New York City.

St. Joseph-Metuchen climbed to second after a Tuesday win at then-No. 2 Colonia, 43-42. The Falcons also beat JP Stevens Thursday by 30.

Rutgers Prep (3-1) pulled up to third after a win Friday at Immaculata by eight. They also lost to St. Rose in a non-area game, 86-70 on Saturday.

Colonia (2-2) fell two spots to fourth after a 1-2 week, with losses to St. Joe’s and Hunterdon Central, but a win in between at South Brunswick.

Hillsborough (3-1) and Gill St. Bernard’s (3-1) are fifth and sixth, respectively. The Raiders were 2-0 in the week gone by, with wins over Morris Knolls and Franklin, while the Knights were 3-0, with wins over Franklin and Immaculata, as well as Paramus Catholic out-of-conference. Each has knocked off two ranked teams: Gill with its two league wins this week, and Boro with the Franklin win this week, and a victory in its opener head-to-head over Gill.

The next four teams all fell out. Previous No. 7 Woodbridge didn’t have a bad week, going 1-1, with a win over Sayreville, but a loss to South Plainfield, which is 3-2, but made the top ten after beating the Barrons Thursday by 12. Previous No. 8 Franklin went 0-2 this week, with losses at Gill and Hillsborough. Previous No. 9 Immaculata lost at Gill St. Bernard’s and Rutgers Prep. And previous No. 10 Bridgewater-Raritan went 1-2 with losses at Ridge and Watchung Hills (which made this week’s rankings), and a win against North Plainfield.

So, Watchung Hills (5-0) debuts in the rankings at No. 7, thanks to three straight wins over Bound Brook, Bridegwater-Raritan and Clifton.

Then, it’s Montgomery in the rankings at No. 8, with a 4-0 record and wins over Delaware Valley and Morris Knolls this past week.

At No. 9, it’s Piscataway (4-1), which had a 3-0 week, thanks to victories over Old Bridge, East Brunswick and West Orange.

In tenth is South Plainfield (3-2), which beat previously-ranked Woodbridge head-to-head this week, 76-64, while also beating Perth Amboy and losing a non-conference game at Cranford.

Below are the full Week 2 Bellamy & Son Paving Boys’ Basketball Rankings:

December 25, 2023December 24, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

Usual suspects Rutgers Prep, Gill St. Bernard’s among some different faces who are undefeated in girls’ hoops heading into holiday tourneys

There are ten girls’ basketball teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area who are undefeated heading into the short Christmas break, and then the holiday tournaments between December 25th and the New Year.

The Skyland Conference has five undefeated teams – with four in our coverage area, from Somerset County- while the Greater Middlesex Conference the other has five, and not all are the usual suspects. Scroll through for a closer look.

North Plainfield knocks off last GMC Red Division unbeaten…

It’s the first time in at least a decade no GMC Red Division team will go into Christmas unbeaten. Monroe was the last one, but got knocked off by White Division leader North Plainfield on Saturday. They’re one of three GMC White teams still without a loss, including 4-0 JP Stevens and 3-0 Woodbridge.

The Canucks trailed Monroe after a quarter, but led by three at halftime, and four going into the final quarter of a 50-36 win, in which the defense clamped down and allowed just two points over the final eight minutes. That may be their big key this year, with the average margin of victory of 27.4 points through five games; no one has scored more than 36 points, and in 20 quarters, they have held the opposition to single digit scoring in at least 14 of them, with a full box score not available for one of them. No one has scored a ton of points, but five have scored at least 30 through the first five games, so the Lady Canucks have some balance, too. North Plainfield is in the West Orange Holiday Showcase Wednesday against Teaneck at 3 pm, then will play either Paterson Eastside or host West Orange Friday; the consolation game is at 1 pm, the title game at 3 pm.

As for JP Stevens, they opened up with three straight road wins at South Plainfield, Middlesex and North Brunswick, before playing their first home game Thursday, topping JFK 53-29. Senior guard Katherine Bogutskyy is leading the way with an eye-popping 20.8 points per game, along with 13 steals, tied for the team lead with junior forward Chloe Chan. The Hawks have the next week off, and are back in action January second at Perth Amboy. They won’t meet North Plainfield until they travel there for a big January 11th showdown.

The third team that’s unbeaten is Woodbridge. The Lady Barrons claim road wins over Perth Amboy and Sayreville, as well as a home win over Edison sandwiched in between. It’s their best start since 2016-17, when they won their first six under Bobby Timinski, who’s still the head coach. The top scorer is Angel Smith, a sophomore averaging just under 20 points a game (62 points in three contests). Senior Aliyah Folarin is averaging 10.7 points, and leads the team in rebounding with 9.3 a contest. Woodbridge is in the Lady Chiefs Showcase at Piscataway, a three-day event with six teams. They play host P’way in the third game, at 1 pm, Tuesday. Then they get Old Bridge Wednesday in the 11:30 middle game, and play the opener Friday against Colonia at 10 am.

In the Blue Division, it’s Spotswood at 3-0. The Chargers had high expectations coming into the year and so far have not disappointed. Like North Plainfield, there are no astronomical scoring stats for any individual. It’s a young team, with one senior, and so far it’s junior Lizzie Calandruccio leading the way with 15 points and 5 rebounds per game. And freshman guard Gabby Hill has 15 steals already (five a game) to lead the Lady Chargers. There’s a good test ahead when they also go to the Lady Chiefs Holiday Showcase at Piscataway this week, where they’ll play three bigger schools: Colonia Tuesday at 11:30 am, host Piscataway at 10 am Thursday, and Old Bridge on Friday in the showcase finale at 1 pm.

Finally, Dunellen of the Gold Division also is unbeaten at 3-0. The Destroyers claim wins over Piscataway Magnet, South Amboy and Timothy Christian, the first and last of those being on the road. They held the first two to under 30 points defensively, and on the offensive side of the floor are lead by sophomore forward Wendy Woll with a 17 point per game average, while also averaging 8.7 boards. Freshman Brielle Villanueva-Jadotte is averaging 9.3 rebounds a game to lead the team. Dunellen will host its own event, the Clem Santy Holiday Tournament, at the Faber School in town, taking on Dunellen at 4 pm Wednesday after Middlesex and Highland Park square off in the 2:30 opener. Friday is the consolation at 2:30, final at 4:00.

Two pairs of rivals unblemished in Somerset County…

In the Delaware Division, it’s no surprise as Gill St. Bernard’s (5-0) and Rutgers Prep (4-0) remain unbeaten, while rivals Bound Brook (4-0) and Somerville (2-0) are undefeated in the Mountain Division.

The Knights have three division wins already, having beaten Franklin, Watchung Hills and Hillsborough, while also claiming a victory over Trinity Hall in the She Got Game Classic and Newark Central this past Saturday. Junior Gandy Malou-Mamel is the top scorer with 18.8 points per game, followed by a balanced supporting cast of senior Brooke Baisley (13.6), Tessa Lozner and Sidney Quinn. If those names sound familiar, they should; it’s a veteran group. Gill will play in the KSA Events Holiday Tournament down in Kissimmee, Florida this week. They’re in the “Red Bracket” and play Tuesday against Horizon (FL) at 7 pm, Thursday against Perkiomen Valley (PA) at 7, and Friday against Metropolitan Campus (NY) at 10 am to close it out.

As for Rutgers Prep – the only team that has been No. 1 in the Central Jersey Sports Radio/Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten since its inception in 2021 – the Lady Argonauts are 4-0, 2-0 in divisional play with wins over Watchung Hills in their opener (by 45) and Hillsborough (by 22) last Thursday. They also have out-of-conference wins in the She Got Game Classic over St. Mary’s (NY) and West Orange. This may be one of the best teams veteran coach Mary Klinger has had in recent years, with only one senior graduating, all the returnees improving, and newcomers filtering in. Sophomore GiGi Battle is the leading scorer at 15.5 points per game, while senior Mikayla Blakes is at 13.8 points a game, and Aquinas transfer Leah Crosby is crashing the boards to the tune of 7.5 a contest. Senior Chloe Escanillas has hit ten triples already, and as a team, they have registered an average of nearly 16 steals per game, typical for a Klinger-coached squad. They go to the John Wall Invitational at William Peace University this week. In the Frances A. Pulley Bracket, they take on Terry Sanford (NC) at 1:30 Friday afternoon, followed by Grace Christian School (NC) and South Meck (NC) at 3 pm. Friday is the consolation at 3:00 and the final at 6 pm.

As for Gill and Rutgers Prep facing each other? They’re back in New Jersey to play Thursday, January 4th at 6 pm in Somerset, in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

The other two unbeaten teams from Somerset County are in the Mountain Division together, and we’ll have their first matchup of the season when they square off on January 9th at 7 pm in the Brook as well.

The Lady Crusaders are 4-0 overall, and 3-0 in the division. Their games have been somewhat close, including back-to-back home wins to open the season against Belvidere and Middlesex, then a road win at Manville and a home victory against South Hunterdon back on Thursday last week. Coach Jen Derevjanik’s squad is led by senior Brooke Cooper and her 13.3 points and 7.5 rebounds a game, while senior Jamaiya McLeod already has 13 steals. Bound Brook hosts its very own Crusader Classic Wednesday and Thursday. The Brook hosts Koinonia at 1:00 Wednesday afternoon, followed by Oak Knoll and Union Catholic at 3 pm. The consolation is at 1:00 and the finals at 5 pm on Thursday.

Somerville is undefeated as well, but has played just two games. They’re coached by Matt Melesurgo, whose brother, Anthony, is the Bound Brook boys’ coach. The Pioneers cruised past South Hunterdon in their opener, 40-14, on December 14th, then won 37-29 at Del Val last Thursday. Junior Charlotte Taylor leads the team with 26 points in two games, including six threes, while senior Emily Kolodziej is the top rebounder with 19. The Pioneers play in the three-day West Windsor-Plainsboro North Tournament, starting Wednesday in Game D at 4:15 pm against Matawan. The rest of the matchups depend on the results, with four games each on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

December 24, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

Seventh heaven? Seven area boys’ hoops teams head into Christmas Break with perfect records

As things wind down for a few days for Christmas – with holiday tournaments just beyond – there are seven boys’ basketball teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area with unblemished records, and a few more still unbeaten in divisional play.

Of those, five are in the Greater Middlesex Conference, with two in Somerset County.

Cougars, Warriors still perfect…

Perhaps the most notable unbeaten from Somerset is Montgomery, which is 4-0 so far, 2-0 in the Valley Division, with wins over Pingry and West Morris on the road to start the season, then a pair of home wins over Delaware Valley and Morris Knolls. It’s their best start since the COVID-shortened 2021 season, went they went 6-0 to start, and finished 10-4. Senior Steve Donahue is leading the way with 14 points per game for the Monty, which hosts its own Cougar Holiday Classic this week. They host North Hunterdon at 2 pm Wednesday, following Bridgewater-Raritan and Princeton at noon, while the Cougars and Panthers will play each other at 4 pm Friday.

Watchung Hills is the other Somerset County team not to lose yet. The Warriors are 5-0 overall, 3-0 in the newly-configured Raritan Division. Justin Salton’s club has only played two county opponents, and three from the Skyland. They have wins at Bound Brook and over Bridgewater, while they beat Phillipsburg in their opener. Out-of-conference wins have come over Morris Knolls and at Clifton. Junior Zack Patette (16.4 ppg) and senior John Kelly (15.4 ppg) are the top scorers leading a fairly balanced attack. They also play in a Cougar Classic this coming week, this one up at Chatham. It’s a three-game, four-team event, playing the host school Tuesday night at 7, New Providence Wednesday at 3 pm, and Cranford out of Union County on Friday at 1:30 in the afternoon.

GMC’s five have some usual suspects, some not…

The undefeated teams in the Greater Middlesex Conference are somewhat of a mix. On the one hand, there’s St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Joseph-Metuchen in the Red Division, which doesn’t surprise anyone. The other three? South Amboy and Calvary Christian in the Gold, and Timothy Christian in the Blue.

We’ll start with Timothy, as we broadcast their season-opener, a win against JFK in which senior Jalen Fleming eclipsed the 1,000-point mark. The Tigers followed that up with wins at Carteret, South River and Metuchen. They are scoring 73.3 points per game, with an average margin of victory a shade over 23 points. Fleming, of course, is a big reason why, averaging 22.3 points a game, but then there’s junior Myles Dickerson After dropping 20 in the opener against Kennedy, he scored 25 against the Ramblers, 32 against the Rams, and 35 against the Bulldogs, for a tidy 28 points per game. And as Nigerian transfer Chukwudi Raphael Mamah gets more comfortable with the American game and contributes more, the Tigers will be a tough out. Their schedule hasn’t been the best, but it’s not the worst either, but it could get tougher this week. They’re in the Butch Kowal Tournament at Rahway this week, playing the host Indians at 7:30 Wednesday night. If they win, they would likely play Rumson-Fair Haven (currently 31-) in the final Friday night at 7:30; the consolation tips at 6.

*Myles Dickerson (#5 in black) runs the offense against JFK in a GMC Blue Division home game in Piscataway on December 15, 2023. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)*

The Gold has South Amboy and Calvary Christian, but at least one won’t be undefeated for long. That’s because they face each other on January third in Old Bridge.

But first, the Governors are in the Middlesex/Shore Holiday Tournament at South River this week, taking on Henry Hudson at 11 am Wednesday, before Keansburg and the homestanding Rams play each other at 12:30 pm. The consolation takes place Thursday at 11, followed by the championship at 12:30. South Amboy is led by senior Jake Eberle with 16.6 ppg and 7.8 rpg, while fellow senior Gavin Pelkey is averaging 15.8 points per game.

Calvary Christian will be out at the University of Valley Forge in Pennsylvania at the Patriot Holiday Invitational. They play Thursday against Baptist Regional at 4 pm, then will get either Mount Airy Christian (PA) or Coventry Christian (PA) in the 12:30 consolation or the 3:30 final the next day.

And then, of course, the GMC Red Division, with standbys Aquinas and Joe’s. They will play each other twice this season, but the first of those meetings doesn’t come until January 16th in North Edison. They’ll rematch January 30th in Metuchen.

The Trojans are 5-0 despite turning over their entire roster save for one player, Davon Grant, who had all of 23 career varsity points entering the season. GMC wins have come over JP Stevens, South Brunswick, and Old Bridge, with the victory over the Knights’ being by almost the slimmest of margins, 54-52. They also have wins over New York non-publics, St. Joseph by the Sea on Staten Island and Monsignor Scanlan out of The Bronx. Newcomer Aiden Ur, a junior, leads the scoring with 16.4 points per game, while seniors Paris Papadatos and Rinelson Dilone are adding 14.8 and 14 points a game, respectively. In fact, Dilone is cleaning up on the glass, too, nearly averaging a double-double, with 9.8 boards per contest. Aquinas plays St. Elizabeth (DE) on the Varsity Viking Invitational on Wednesday (time TBA), the are in the Boardwalk Basketball Classic at Wildwoods Convention Center down the Shore, taking on Middle Township of the Cape-Atlantic League at 1:15 in the afternoon on New Year’s Eve.

As for St. Joe’s, they’ve been without senior Jeremy DeCaro, a major piece, but fellow senior Jeremy Clayville has been lighting it up. He’s averaging 26.8 points per game, twice scoring more than 30 points. He had 35 against JP Stevens last Thursday night in a 30-point win, a week after piling up a mammoth 43-point effort – a career high – in a season-opening ten point road win over Piscataway. Fellow seniors Owen Griffin and Dave Caruso also are averaging a shade over 10 points a contest. The Falcons are in the Whitey Dukiet All-American Holiday Classic at Livingston High School this Wednesday, where they’ll take on Morris Knolls Wednesday at 1, before Ridge and Livingston Square off at 3 pm. The consolation game is noon Friday, while the final tips at 2:00.

December 14, 2023December 14, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

Is New Jersey ready for another game-changer? Dave Boff and a small charter school down the Jersey Shore may be the one to do it

It’s been over a decade since Kevin Boyle took his ball and went down to the Sunshine State to coach. The move stunned the Jersey basketball world, as he left the powerhouse St. Patrick program in Elizabeth to take the reins at the Montverde Academy, where he quickly coached his way to his first-ever unbeaten season, and a share of two national championships.

It was a seismic shift. In the years that followed, St. Pat’s became The Patrick School, no longer affiliated with the Diocese of Newark, and moved to Hillside, while the other big North Jersey powerhouse, St. Anthony in Jersey City, led seemingly forever by Bob Hurley, Sr., closed in 2017.

Dave Boff coached for Hurley, and after spending his first three seasons as coach at Governor Livingston, took over at Roselle Catholic, bringing that program to new heights, attracting major Division 1 talent to the Union County school, and winning four Tournament of Champions titles. Boyle (with five) and Hurley (with a dozen) are the only coaches to win more.

But last year, Boff capped off his 15th season with the Lions by announcing he was leaving to take on a new challenge and opportunity, as administrator and head boys’ basketball coach at College Acheive Public Charter School in Neptune City.

Sure, it may be closer to his home in Tinton Falls, as NJ.com reported when the news broke in late April, but it’s likely there’s way more to the story.

College Achieve is a small operation, at least for now. But Boff will get a chance to build a program from the ground up. He’s already had players follow him, and others transfer in from various other schools, including St. Thomas Aquinas in the GMC.

But here’s the main difference. College Achieve Charter is a considered a “public school.” Yet, unlike most public schools, which can only draw students from their geographical boundaries, unless they’re a “choice” school, they can pull from all over the place.

And, as the NJSIAA decreed in a major overhaul of transfer rules last year, they can also recruit, as long as it’s before ninth grade.

Unlike football, which requires a massive amount of players, and has seen many non-public Catholic schools close in recent years, new charters are popping up all the time. In fact, in Central Jersey Group 1 alone, there are nine charter schools, two vocational-technical schools – Perth Amboy Magnet and Somerset Tech – and 13 true, traditional public schools.

And if they don’t realize it now, they will come the state tournament in February. Last year’s CJ1 title winner was Eagle Academy of Newark, which had an enrollment of about 250 students as of a few years ago, according to national education statistics. The top seed, they finished 25-6, and beat Shore (21-6) by four in the finals, but lost in the Group 1 semis to Woodbury.

The win over Shore being a close game, and with Eagle Academy being one of just two charters that qualified in that section, it didn’t really grab major headlines.

But if you think they, or anyone else, has a chance against Boff and College Achieve, you might also think you have a chance at winning Powerball, or dating and breaking up with Taylor Swift and she won’t write a song about you.

Wrong on both accounts. (We’ll see how well this stretch of story ages in a couple of months.)

And this may be where the game-changer comes in: Boff will essentially do what he did at Roselle Catholic, attracting the best talent from across New Jersey, just like many other non-publics over the years.

But unlike at Roselle Catholic, or Hurley at St. Anthony’s, or Boyle at St. Pat’s, he’ll be competing against traditional public schools come playoff time.

Central Jersey Group 1 also includes several small schools in the CJSR coverage area for basketball. They include Dunellen, Highland Park, Manville, Somerset Tech, and South Amboy. Do you think any of them have a hope and a prayer against College Achieve?

No. Not in this world, and not in the next.

So it may be time for that next seismic shift in high school basketball in New Jersey.

The number of charters has exploded in recent years. They’re not going away; there will only be more and more of them in the years ahead.

And that means the NJSIAA may have to rethink how it classifies schools. As charters and other non-publics increase their attention and dedication to athletics, it’s becoming an unlevel playing field for the public schools in the same sections.

It would be like putting Bergen Catholic football into Central Jersey Group 5. Or just taking Boff’s Roselle Catholic team and putting it in Central Jersey Group 1.

The dominance of non-publics is one of the reasons the NJSIAA, tired of seeing the same teams in it and winning it every year, got rid of the Tournament of Champions in all sports that had it – much to the chagrin of many high school basketball fans in New Jersey, along with a significant number of players and coaches.

(Lacrosse coaches got so fed up with the decision, they hosted their own, independent TOC last year, with the NJSIAA’s blessing, once the playoffs were done.)

In the same vein, the NJSIAA may need to lump the charters, academies, and other similar schools, in with the non-publics. Maybe the classification needs a name-change to make it happen, but it’s an idea that merits serious consideration.

Don’t get us wrong: we’re not criticizing anyone. Not Boff, not College Achieve, not the NJSIAA. Or any other non-public school that can draw kids from other towns.

But this is like picking up Roselle Catholic, moving it down the Jersey Shore, and putting them in a public school section. No one has ever done it before. But if it works, we’ll see much more of it.

So when College Achieve – which can legally recruit through eighth grade and bring in freshmen from neighboring towns – blows out a public schools that can’t bring in kids from other towns in the Central Jersey Group 1 by 50 in the finals don’t tell us we didn’t warn you.

We’re telling you now.

The game will change. Will the NJSIAA keep pace?

December 12, 2023December 11, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

The season opens Thursday, but there’s already early reaction to foul changes in H.S. hoops

With the goal of improving game flow and reducing injuries, the National Federation of State High School Associations – NFHS – adopted new rules in the off-season that will dramatically alter how boys’ and girls’ basketball will play out this season across the country, including right here in New Jersey.

Exactly how is yet to be determined. Check back in March, when the season’s over.

The main gist is this: The days of the one-and-one are gone. Seven fouls in a half for the bonus, ten for the double-bonus? All kaput.

Beginning this season, there will be no more one-and-one foul shots on non-shooting fouls. Foul totals will reset each quarter, and teams will shoot two shots starting with the fifth foul by their opponent in each quarter.

The changes were adopted in May by the NFHS, which sets nationwide standards for rules, and which the NJSIAA follows. You can read or original story on the changes by clicking here. Changes were also made to the location of throw-ins, and some tweaks were made to permitted undershirt colors and uniform rules as well.

The NFHS believes not only will it improve game flow, but cut down on injuries, noting studies showed higher rates of injuries on rebounding situation.

Not everyone is sold. St. Thomas Aquinas boys’ basketball coach Bob Turco says he thinks teams trailing late in a game will be more likely to foul, and start fouling earlier.

“It changes your philosophy of when to foul,” says Turco. “It’s going to be a big adjustment in your philosophy both offensively and defensively. It’ll be a big adjustment and I believe can, and will, change how most of us coach down the stretch.”

But Rutgers Prep veteran girls’ coach Mary Klinger says, “I love it.”

“In prior years, you could get in early foul trouble in the first quarter. Here they wipe it clean and you start fresh,” she says. “I like that.”

Klinger also things it’ll take away some of the frustration fouls late in a game, since it’s automatically two shots from the fifth foul on in the fourth quarter.

Couldn’t it make it harder for teams to come back? “You’re assuming they make the foul shots,” Klinger adds.

“The statistics show the game is shorter with the two fouls,” says Klinger.

“I think it’ll be a good thing overall,” says Aquinas girls’ coach Tim Corrigan, who played scholastically at St. Joseph-Metuchen, and spent last year as an assistant after a couple of seasons heading up Watchung Hills.

“I think coaches will probably just have to make a little bit of adjustment at the end of a game,” Corrigan says.

“(Strategy) might vary game to game,” he adds, depending on how good an opponent shoots from the foul line. He also believes it’ll cut down on teams having to foul on end to get to the bonus to begin with.

Corrigan ultimately thinks it’ll improve the flow of the game. And when a game is called tightly, the fouls resetting at the end of each quarter will limit that. Essentially, a team could commit eight fouls in a half without the other team going into the bonus, assuming there are no more than four per quarter.

Spotswood boys’ coach Steve Mate – the longest tenured coach in the GMC, now in his 29th season – says it will definitely change things.

“It is going to be a little more difficult down the stretch when you might have to foul, Mate says. Instead of it being a one-and-one, you know they’re getting two shots. They’re more relaxed on the line. I’m just not sure if that’s the thing that should be happening.

“I don’t see it as a positive,” Mate says. “I just think it’s something that was done. I’m not sure why.”

And he says it’s hard to judge based on scrimmages, when you’re not so much worried about winning, but developing your team.

January 7, 2023 by Mike Pavlichko

No. 10 South River frustrates No. 6 Bound Brook in unbeaten clash at GMC-Skyland Challenge

Bound Brook led the game by four in the first minute or two, but never again against South River, as the 10th-ranked Rams knocked off the 6th-seeded Crusaders 66-61 Saturday night, in the finale of the GMC-Skyland Challnge, as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Once the Rams took the lead in the first, and went ahead by as many as 15 points at one stage, they never lost the lead, even though the advantage would shrink to single digits late in the third.

South river got off to a hot start thanks to Roman Santos, who had nine first-quarter points, including a couple of treys, but also quickly picked up two fouls and spent more time on the bench than he or his coach, Brandon Walsh, would have liked.

Laz Rodriguez had 15, with 11 coming in the second half, and eight in the fourth quarter.

But it was Alex Grospe – a sophomore – who earned Game MVP honors: 18 points, a pair of treys, and a balanced night. He also did it on the defensive end.