February 29, 2020 Volume-XII Issue-3
Kevin WILLIAMS Shore Sports Network Director kevin.williams@townsquaremedia.com
Steve MEYER Shore Sports Networkn Director High School Division steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com
732-233-4460 Managing Editor BOBBadders // bob.badders@townsquaremedia.com
Senior Content Providers MATTManley // mmanley21@gmail.com GREGGlerner // glerner3@verizon.net
Shore Sports Network Journal is published by: Townsquare Media 8 Robbins Street Toms River, NJ 08753
Copyright 2020 Townsquare Media . All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Shore Sports Network is prohibited
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2020 SHORE CONFERENCE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT By
Kevin Williams
- Shore Sports Network Director
ELCOME TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES OF THE 2020 SHORE CONFERENCE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
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The year 1937 featured the Hindenburg disaster in nearby Lakehurst, the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the start of President Franklin D Roosevelt’s second term, the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and the premiere of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.” A gallon of gas cost 10 cents, the average price for a new car was $760 and the average American made $1780 a year. The year 1937 also saw the first ever Shore Conference Boys Basketball Tournament with Keyport defeating Atlantic Highlands 31-22 in the championship game. Certainly, a lot has changed in the 83 years since but winning the SCT title remains a goal of all 48 schools that make up the Shore Conference of High Schools. The girls division of the SCT began in 1972 and tonight the 49th champion will emerge from a field that had six teams ranked in the state’s top twenty just a week ago. Winning the SCT is often harder than winning an NJSIAA title and this year will likely prove to be no different. The Shore Sports Network is proud to be a part of what is truly the highlight of the basketball season in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Special thanks to tournament directors Nick Pizzulli (boys), Toms Stark (girls) and Randy Westrol (assistant) for their efforts in overseeing the near twoweek event.
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hroughout the 2020 season, Jersey Mike’s and Shore Sports Network will be selecting a Team of the Week based on its performance over the past seven days
t
By
Matt Manley - Senior Staff writer
H
F
ew things test the strength of a team more than losing a top player to injury and when the Red Bank Catholic boys basketball team lost senior Charlie Gordinier for the season to a fractured bone in his shooting hand, it put the strength of their team to the test. In their first test without Gordinier, the Caseys bombed. They lost at Monmouth Regional, 52-50, and were facing a fall out of the top-eight seeds in the Shore Conference Tournament with games against Manasquan, Holmdel and Christian Brothers Academy before the cutoff. Slowly but surely, RBC adjusted to life without Gordinier on the floor and following a four-game winning streak, the Caseys are in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals for the first time since 1994. They are also the eighth Jersey Mike's Team of the Week in 2020. RBC stormed into the SCT on a high after hammering CBA in its final regular-season game, 6754. In last week's tournament action, the Caseys did not let up for the first two-and-a-half games. They opened with a 59-45 win over Manchester in the opening round, then took care of Lakewood, 61-51 to reach the quarterfinal round for the second straight year. In the quarterfinals against No. 15 Mater Dei Prep, Red Bank Catholic built a 32-19 lead in the first half before Mater Dei stormed back to grab a 45-44 lead with a minute to go. The Caseys, however, found a way to win thanks to a strong finish from senior Kevin Bauman, who hit four free throws to put away a 49-45 win over the Seraphs. Bauman has been at the heart of RBC's four-game winning streak that both helped it land the No. 7 seed in the tournament and got the Caseys to the semifinals. In those four games, Bauman is averaging 22 points and 10.2 rebounds, including a career-high 31 points against CBA and team-high scoring outputs against both Lakewood (21 points and nine rebounds) and Mater Dei (17 points and 13 rebounds). Week Six Sophomores C.J. Ruoff, Cyril Arvanitis and Alex Bauman have all been integral as well for RBC. Ruoff came out scorching hot against Manchester, scoring 17 of his 28 points in the first quarter, including five three-pointers. Arvanitis hit a combined nine three-pointers in the wins over Lakewood and Mater Dei and Alex Bauman hit double-figure scoring with standout defense in both games as well.
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eading into last week, the Holmdel boys basketball team had already conceded the Shore Conference Class A Central championship to Manasquan, but there was still plenty the Hornets could earn with a good week. Holmdel kept its collective foot on the gas last week with wins over Monmouth Regional, Red Bank Catholic and Manalapan to finish off its case for a top-four seed in the Shore Conference Tournament and also earn the latest Jersey Mike's Team of the Week Award. While a win over a 4-18 Monmouth squad might not seem like much, the Falcons were coming off an upset of Red Bank Catholic three days earlier and Holmdel stomped them, 72-28. Senior Doug Chan scored 20 points, twin brother Derek added 12 and the Hornets stormed out to a whopping 46-8 halftime lead. Three nights later, the Hornets appeared to have a road win over Red Bank Catholic in hand early in the fourth quarter, but the Caseys cut the Holmdel lead to one point with under a minute to go. Junior Alex Baker hit a pair of free throws to cap a 14-point night and a 53-50 Holmdel win to complete a 12-2 season in Class A Central play. The No. 4 seed in the Shore Conference Tournament was up for grabs heading into Saturday and Holmdel left little doubt by beating a top-10 team in Manalapan by a convincing score of 79-60. Senior Jack Giamanco scored 19 points and Baker dropped 18 to lead the way in that one. Holmdel indeed drew the No. 4 seed in the Shore Conference Tournament and it's not hard to figure out why. The Hornets enter Thursday with an 18-3 record that includes two losses to No. 1 Manasquan and a December loss to Carteret, while they have beaten RBC twice, Rumson-Fair Haven twice, Manalapan, Freehold Township and Matawan.
Week five
Week four
Monmouth
Lakewood
Point Boro
Week three
Week Two
Week One
Manalapan
Midd South
Barnegat
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E
very week this regular season, Shore Conference Basketball fans will have their chance to vote for the Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey/ Shore Sports Network Basketball Player of the Week on our website.
Week 8
Player of the Week winner is
Week 7
Player of the Week winner is
Holmdel is headed to the SCT semifinals for the first time in 21 years and the Hornets have gotten there with a stellar performance by its front court in two SCT wins. Baker - the top per-game scorer for a balanced Holmdel team scored 17 points in wins over both Ocean and Wall, with classmate Ryan Bradley also doing damage with 32 combined points off the bench in the two Hornets wins. A 6-5 junior, Baker also grabbed 12 rebounds in Sunday’s win over Class B North champion Wall, which
Point Boro entered the last week of the regular season under duress, having lost four out of five games to fall behind Lakewood in the division standings and facing Barnegat and Donovan Ca tholic to close out its division schedule.
Holmdel’s Alex Baker struggled to keep Holmdel off the glass throughout the game. Baker was the Week 8 winner by a comfortable margin, beating his namesake, Toms River North senior Colin Baker (no relation), 35 percent to 14. The race for second was much tighter, with Mater Dei Prep senior Peter Gorman falling short of Colin Baker by two votes and Red Bank Catholic senior Kevin Bauman coming in five votes behind Gorman.
Point Boro’s Alex Drucquer second Player of the Week winner and will receive a gift card to Surf Taco. With 35 percent of the vote, he bea t out runner-up Riley Engelhard of Toms River East, who a t 30 percent, was the only other nominee to surpass 10 percent.
Drucquer joins sophomore teammate Matt Lee as Point Boro's
Week 6
Player of the Week winner is
After a dream season in 2018-19 that included 21 wins and the program's first NJSIAA sectional title in 45 years, the pressure was on Wall to be even better in 2020 with most of the roster intact. Last week, the Crimson Knights took their first step toward an even better season by clinching the Class B North championship for a second straight year – the first time Wall has won back-to-back division titles in 46 years. Calabrese has been at the heart of Wall's success over the past two
Week
5
Week
Jiasion
seasons and was central in leading last week's efforts. The senior wing scored 16 points to lead the Crimson Knights past Neptune on Feb. 4, then put up 18 in a road win over Ocean on Friday to clinch the B North title. For winning the overall Player of the Week award, Calabrese will receive a gift card to Surf Taco. With a quarter of the vote, he beat out Manalapan senior Ryan Knorr (19 percent), Toms River North senior Jakari Spence (16 percent) and Middletown South senior Jack Sheridan (14 percent).
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Week
Matt
Carpenter
Freehold Boro
Wall’s Quinn Calabrese
Jay
Lee Week
4
Point Boro
Silva Week
2
Troy
Will
Lacey
Colts Neck
Buxton
1
Southern
Surdez
FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460 steve.meyer townsquaremedia.com 6
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SCT MVPS
To BE SALUTED
By
Kevin Williams - Shore Sports Network Director
he Shore Sports Network will continue to reward excellence in tonight’s SCT championship games with the naming of both a boys and girls Most Valuable Player.
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Jersey Shore Institute of Health & Wellness will present the girls MVP Award which was won last year by Destiny Adams of Manchester. The recipient will also receive a gift card from Turning Point Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch who has sponsored the Shore Sports Network’s Player of the Game program throughout the season. The boys MVP Award will be presented by Reach Your Potential Training (RYPT) and Elite Sports Physical Therapy and they will also receive a gift card from Turning Point.
Last year’s winner was Ranney’s Scottie Lewis who is now playing for the University of Florida. Special thanks to Ocean Trophies of Lanoka Harbor, the official trophy provider of the Shore Sports Network.
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#
1 st. John Vianney
”lady Lancers” (21 -2) By Gregg Lerner
Shore Sports Network Contributor
Road to the Final: Defeated NO. 17 TR EAST, 72-33; NO. 8 MARLBORO, 67-25; NO. 4 ST. ROSE, 70-63
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here’s a chip squarely on the shoulders of those around St. John Vianney. The reason for its existence hasn’t really been broached simply because it’s universally understood by those within the program why it rests where it does. The consistency of the object is conglomerate, three parts incentive, one part fulfillment. Being a bridesmaid has never been considered an acceptable sta tus for the Lad y Lancers. They hold themselves to a higher standard - a prerequiste when you join their ranks - yet ha ve been just tha t for the past three years when it comes to the S h o r e Conference To u r n a m e n t . While a vast majority of their contemporaries would view a march to the SCT final a lofty accomplishment, the sentiment isn’t shared in Holmdel, despite the annual gauntlet tha t must be conquered just to participa te in the prestigious championship game. Thus, three consecutive losses to St. Rose, Manasquan and, most recently, Manchester in the title game aren’t deemed testaments to Vianney being the common opponent to claim the cro wn but are more
regarded as subconscious motiva tors to end the string of disa ppointment and once a gain experience the euphoria tha t comes with hoisting the championship hardware.
“It’s not a good feeling,” junior guard Katie Hill shared, reflecting on the painful post-game vantage point to observing others revel in glory. “It’s our time to put it all out there and take home a championship.” Tha t, in no way, should be misinterpreted as a bulletin-board ma terial. Instead, it’s simply someone who has endured the heartbreak of ascending to the pinnacle only to be denied planting a fla g a t the apex . Top-seeded St. John Vianney has earned another shot a t finishing the arduous climb. The Lad y Lancers, who ha ve not one senior on their roster, dismiss the notion tha t fouryear experience is a necessity to accomplish the task. Instead, they’ll proclaim a unified a pprecia tion for teamwork tha t manifests through staunch, active defense and a selfless offensive style can trump the absence of upperclassmen and their run to the SCT final and a rema tch with defending champion and secondseeded Manchester on Sa turday a t Monmouth University ser ves as a testimonial to those points. Give credit to a youthful energy that has refused to wilt under the intense setting of the event for driving St. John Vianney to the precipice of their unma tched 14th SCT crown. This unit is deep, talented, diverse and acutely aware of the value of playing as a whole while sticking to a role.
See
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SJV
page 12
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SJV
Cont from page 10
There’s really no secret to the formula. In truth, it remains the same today as it was back in 1990 when Vianney won its first title. Ever ything is predicated off the terms dictated on defense, be it through suffocating full-court pressure or disruptive halfcourt man-to-man. Few play it with the enthusiasm and results that the Lady Lancers are used to achieving, a side to their game tha t has reduced opponents to a mere 32.2 points per game. The resistance hinges on ever y component reading off the same pa ge. Tra ps and quick rota tions ha ve reaped 445 steals. We’ll do the math for you...that’s 17.8 per game to go with the numerous turnovers created by the frenetic defensive tone that induces errant passes sailing out of bounds. The primar y thief in the equation also happens to be the Lancers’ central offensive figure. Sensational 5-9 sophomore Madison St. Rose is responsible for 108 of those thefts (4.3 spg.), an example of a poised leader embod ying the importance of working tirelessly on both ends of the floor. Her offensive stylings ha ve a tendency to overshadow those defensive qualities but that’s understandable when weighing her 18.1 points and 3.4 assists a night. And, what she did in a 70-63 semifinal triumph against St. Rose served noticed that Vianney's St. Rose is blooming before our eyes.
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She didn't flinch when the Purple Roses built a 38-32 advanta ge in the third quarter. Instead, she rose to the occasion, striking for 21 of her career-high 36 points in the fourth, sealing the verdict by relentlessly attacking the rim, drawing fouls and calmly sinking 14 of her 17 attempts from the line over the closing 5:13. "Coaches tell me whenever you feel ner ves, just breath," said St. Rose, notable from a player who doesn't give teams the chance to ca tch their breath when it comes to trying to contain her. "If I’m in control and relaxed and can spread that to my teammates, that’s all I want. I want them relaxed and not stressed out." Only a sophomore, St. Rose definitely sounds like a senior. And, she is surrounded by an assortment of teammates who pose danger through their own means. Ka tie Hill, a lengthy 5-11 junior guard and varsity member since her freshman year, is a prosperous presence (11.0 ppg., 3.9 rpg., 2.3 apg., 2.7 spg.) who complements St. Rose in the scoring department with the fortitude to drive inside and touch to inflict dama ge along the perimeter (team-high 26 3-pointers). Rugged 6-2 sophomore forward Megan Cahalan (6.3 ppg., 3.5 rpg.) sho ws reliable recognition passing out of the high post. Sophomore guard Ashley O'Connor plays far bigger than her 5-7 listed height, ba ttling under the boards (2.2 rpg.),
moving the basketball (1.7 apg.) and dispossessing it (2.1 spg,) to go with subtle scoring touch (5.1 ppg.). And, 5-7 junior guard Emma Bruen (4.2 ppg.) applies pressure in the backcourt with an active work ethic, covering practically ever y inch of the court with speed and purpose to go with her finishing touch in transition.
Vianney has done that all season, but particularly down the stretch, putting a ninegame winning streak on the line in the championship. The Lad y Lancers are determined to keep that string of success intact with a chip on their shoulder and 'ship in their sights.
Where Vianney can ultima tely wear do wn the opposition resides on the bench. Junior guard Christina Whitehead is the consummate sixth man (5.5 ppg., 2.5 rpg., 1.8 spg.) and, like Hill, a Vianney sta ple since she was a freshman who can make a defender's acquaintance with a long jumper (23 3-pointers). She headlines an army of reser ves who give SJV the luxur y of playing with a heavy volume of quickness.
(24-1, 14-0 IN B NORTH)
"I haven’t really talked about expectations this year," said St. John Vianney Dawn Karpell. "We decided, with this kind of a young group, to take things game by game, roll with the punches and prepare for who we play next and not get too far ahead of ourselves and get overwhelmed by the moment. I know for a fact that Katie and Madison aren’t happy with how they performed last year in that (championship) environment. Both of those kids are competitors. They want to put their best foot forward."
St. John Vianney HEAD COACH: Dawn Karpell 14 th season (overall 424-104) PRIOR SCT FINAL APPEARANCES: 22 SCT CHAMPIONSHIPS: 13 (1990-92, 1994-99, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2016)
P h o t o s b y:
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#
2 manchester
”Hawks” (23-3) By Gregg Lerner
Shore Sports Network Contributor
Road to the Final: Defeated NO. 18 MIDDLETOWN SOUTH, 61-38; NO. 7 RED BANK, 62-55; NO. 3 RED BANK CATHOLIC, 64-43
S
eeds are a necessary formality in structuring a tournament. They also lend insight into the perceived pecking order of the field, from favorites to long shots. But, make no mistake, when you enter the Shore Conference Tournament as the defending champion, the number that precedes your name on the bracket line means very little to those you’ll encounter who already itch at the idea of unseating the queens from their throne. Over the span of two years, Manchester has transcended the spectrum, from the emerging upstart that cracked the quarterfinals in ‘18 to the confident crew that won it all last winter, lifting the first SCT title in the program’s history with a convincing 58-42 victory over St. John Vianney in the final. The triumph punctuated the Hawks’ ascent to prominence but also confirmed the foundation for successful longevity was in place. Good thing, because roles are reversed this time around. What comes with being the defending champion is the assurance that whoever matches up on the opposite side is loading up its best shot at dislodging the crown. And, some inside the Manchester ranks sense a hint of doubt amongst outsiders who may whisper the Hawks lost too much in ‘19 graduates Leilani Correa and Dakota Adams to win again...that their relatively youthful backcourt rotation lacks in big-game experience. Haters are going to hate and Manchester has been happy to
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demonstrate it has no plans to suffer a decline, evidenced on Tuesday night when the second-seeded Hawks weathered the early defensive influences of third-seeded Red Bank Catholic and discovered their offensive groove in a definitive 6443 semifinal win. The victory sends Manchester (23-3) back to the OceanFirst Bank Center at Monmouth University on Saturday for a rematch of last year’s title game when it tangles with top-seeded and revenge-minded St. John Vianney (24-1) at 5 o’clock. The road to a final’s return wasn’t easy. Navigating the field in the SCT never is, but the Hawks did have a useful road map to maneuver around obstacles. “The biggest difference for us from last year is we have eliminated the unknown,” said Manchester coach Dave Beauchemin. “We have an idea what to expect in each setting. Last season, we entered each of those games with the mindset to prove we belonged. This year, we have prepared to prove it wasn't a fluke...as if we are being hunted because we know, in many cases, teams looked at us as a chance for a signature win.” Beauchemin has no doubt made certain his players recognize that exterior sentiments but need not worry, for seniors like Pennbound point guard Kemari Reynolds understand the perils associated with being the reigning champ.
“My team and I wanted to bring a SCT championship back to Manchester for the first time ever,” Reynolds said of the feelings from a year ago. “That alone pushed us to give it everything we had. Now, we are just trying to defend it and bring another one back to our community and add on to the legendary history we have created here. Regardless of our seed, we knew we were the ones everyone wanted to beat because we took it home last year.” In getting back to West Long Branch, Manchester has proven it has all the
components demanded to win a second straight title. Destiny Adams, the Hawks’ gifted 6-3 junior forward, has been able to concentrate more on her work in the paint due in part to the wealth of backcourt options and dominates in the lane at each end of the court. Her 22 points and 19 rebounds on Tuesday against a Casey squad that doesn’t lack for frontcourt size was an indicator of how she can impact an outcome. Adams (18.1 ppg., 11.5 rpg., 2.2 bpg., 2.6 spg.) opened the campaign with five straight double doubles and has run her sum to 14 with three more during the SCT. Reynolds (7.1 ppg., 3.7 rpg., 2.5 apg., 2.9 spg.) has been motherly in her role, setting the example for a host of underclassmen guards who have developed into bright assets. Still, the savvy, veteran playmaker can pick her spots to attack off the dribble or hit a jumper, things she did on Saturday when her 13 points helped Manchester down seventh-seeded Red Bank, 64-43. Her importance as a calming ballhander and press breaker can’t be overemphasized, especially if the Hawks encounter Vianney’s full-court blanketing. Across midcourt, Manchester runs a carousel of guards with Adams the axle in the middle. Freshman Angelica Velez (6.9 ppg., 2.8 apg.)is a swaggy ballhandler with an imaginative passing flair and range on her jumper. Sophomores Amyah Bray (7.8 ppg., 3.2 rpg.) and Myah Hourigan (team with freshman Gabriella Ross (8.7 ppg., 25 3-pointers) as interchangeable pieces who can be installed at any point without the product diminishing.
two threes, four rebounds and three assists. Her work on the boards is ceaseless. Hayes-Jones comes off the bench to instill immediate long-range fear (team-high 26 3-pointers) as a lethal streak shooter with ice water coursing through her veins. Together, the combined work of all with the ball yields a whopping 60.6 points a night but also casts some shade on what the Hawks are capable of without it. The defense has elevated through the depth Manchester can run out and has held opponents to 38.6 points a contest.
MANCHESTER (23-3, 14-0 IN B South) HEAD COACH: Dave Beauchemin 9 th season 158-107 PRIOR SCT FINAL APPEARANCES: 1 (2019)
Photos by:
And, don't forget seniors Serenity Anderson and Nahkaleigh HayesJones. Anderson is the ideal teammate, willing to do whatever is asked for the good of the Hawks, a jack-of-all-trades who displayed her versatility Tuesday with a season-high 10 points, including
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2020 SCT Championship Girls Team Rosters
PLAYER
HT
YR
POS
1
Angelica Velez
5’6
Fr.
G
F
2
Myah Hourigan
5’7
So.
G
Fr.
G
3
Amyah Bray
5’6
So.
G
5’7
So.
G
4
Alyssa Carino
5’2
So.
G
Mikaela Drennan
5’4
Jr.
G
5
Nahkaleigh Hayes-Jones
5’6
Sr.
G
14
Breana Delaney
5’8
Fr.
G
10
Kemari Reynolds
5’7
Sr.
G
15
Ashley Sofilkanich
6’1
Fr.
F
1 1
Gabriella Ross
5’7
Fr.
G
2 1
Janey Bachmann
5’10
Fr.
G
13
Morgan Brustman
5’8
Jr.
G
22
Madison St. Rose
5’9
So.
G
15
Jada Trotman
5’3
So.
G
23
Paige Knutsen
5’11
So.
G
20
Destiny Adams
6’3
Jr.
F
25
Katie Hill
5’11
Jr.
G
24
Victoria Labrecque
5’6
Sr.
G
3 1
Sianna Bradley
5’10
Jr.
F
30
Serenity Anderson
5’7
Sr.
G
32
Mikaela Hubbard
5’10
Fr.
F
3 1
Micayla Longsworth
5’2
Sr.
F
45
Christina Whitehead
5’9
Jr.
G
33
Sadie Felipe
5’9
Fr.
F
NO
PLAYER
HT
YR
POS
3
Emma Bruen
5’7
Jr.
G
4
Megan Cahalan
6’2
So.
10
Ciera Cavallos
5’6
1 1
Ashley O’Connor
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NO
Head Coach: Dawn Karpell
Head Coach: Dave Beauchemin
A s s i s t a n t s : L y n d s a y R o we & F r a n k M o h l e r
Assistants: Troy Madison & Sar ah Paturzo
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2020 SCT Championship Boys Team Rosters
NO
PLAYER
HT
YR
POS
Colin Baker
6’3
Sr.
G
1
2
Jaiden Fraser
6’1
So.
G
2
3
Jakari Spence
6’1
Sr.
G
4
Wesley Deitch
6’
Jr.
G
5
Zachary Browne
6’1
Jr.
G
1 1
Dylan Safeer
5’11
Sr.
G
12
Jalen Marsh
6’2
Sr.
G
13
Lamir Mitchell
6’3
So.
F
14
Jared Pruitt
5’11
Sr.
G
20
Rich Riley
6’1
So.
G
3 1
Jake Kazanowsky
6’4
Jr.
F
32
Mike Vansprang
6’5
Sr.
33
Brandon Bowens
6’6
42
Najae Hallenbeck
6’6
1
NO
PLAYER
HT
YR
POS
Kieran Flanagan
6’1
Sr.
G
Casey Mulligan
5’10
Jr.
G
3
Pat Woodford
5’10
So.
G
5
Hayden Kunz
5’10
Sr.
G
6’
So.
G
10
Ben Roy
1 1
Connor Walsh
6’5
Jr.
G
12
Max Solomon
6’4
So.
G
13
Jack Collins
6’5
Jr.
G
14
Brett Patten
6’0
Fr
G
15
Liam Haag
6’1
So.
G
20
Tim McEneny
6’8
Sr.
F
22
Andrew Solomon
6’6
Jr.
F
F
25
Alex Galvan
6’7
Sr.
F
Jr.
F
30
Kane Ramsey
6’6
Jr.
F
Sr.
F
33
Max O’Shaughnessy
6’5
Sr.
F
Head Coach: Rory Caswel l
H e a d C oach : A n d r ew B i l o d e a u
Assistants: Taurean Fisher, Nick Zaza, & Pat Marinaccio
Assistants: Ryan Ritchie & Colin Eldridge 17
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#
1 Manasquan
”warriors” (26-1,
14-0 in Class A Central)
By Matt Manley - Senior Staff writer
Road to the Final: Defeated No. 17 St. John Vianney, 59-45; No. 9 Ranney, 59-43; No. 4 Holmdel, 44-40
A
year after playing the role of valiant underdog in a Shore Conference Tournament final loss to a nationallyranked Ranney squad, Manasquan finds itself in the opposite role this season, especially now that it’s 6-foot-7 star is back. TSenior Alex Galvan returned to the lineup after a fivegame absence Thursday against Holmdel and helped Manasquan escape with a 44-40 win over a Hornets team that has now twice put a scare into Manasquan but to no avail. He scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in his return to action as Manasquan reached its second straight SCT final. “I was just waiting to get cleared (to play),” Galvan said. “I haven’t really felt pain (in my shin) for a while so once I got cleared, I felt ready.
“I definitely wanted to be back for the championship game, but Holmdel is a really tough team and if I could help us (Thursday night)
I wanted to be out there.”
The Warriors have been the unquestioned No. 1 team in the Shore Conference from the start of the year, rattling off 26 wins in 27 games with its only defeat a two-point loss to Roselle
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Catholic – the No. 3 team in New Jersey – on a game-winning basket with one second left to go. Outside of that game, few teams have even come close to taking down Manasquan, with just Newark East Side (seven points) and Holmdel twice (six and four points) coming within single-digits of beating the Warriors. During the Shore Conference Tournament, with Galvan missing the first two games Manasquan’s defense has done the heavy lifting. After St. John Vianney matched Manasquan basket-for-basket over the first 10 minutes in the round of 16, Manasquan’s clamped down in a 59-45 win over the Lancers. The Warriors followed with an even better showing against defending champion Ranney, shutting down the talented, young Panthers squad in a 59-43 win in Sunday’s quarterfinal – the last game they played without Galvan. On Thursday against Holmdel, Manasquan found itself in a dire situation, trailing 36-26 with 1:45 left in the third quarter. Although Galvan led the team in scoring, he scored just two points in the second half, leaving it to his teammates to make up the deficit in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Ben Roy scored 11 of his 14 points in the second half and junior Connor Walsh scored six of his eight during Manasquan’s 18-4 run to close the game. Even without Galvan’s 20 points, 11.5 rebounds and standout athleticism on both ends of the floor, the Warriors made it work without him. In those 13 games with its standout forward sidelined, Manasquan is 13-1 with a 21-point win over St. Peter’s Prep –
the No. 9 team in the state – two over SCT semifinalist Red Bank Catholic, and three SCT victories. With Galvan, Manasquan’s average margin of victory is 27 while without him, the Warriors are winning by an average of 20.8 per game against a schedule that is at least just as difficult as the part of the schedule in which he has played. Galvan’s absence highlighted Manasquan’s standout guard play, which continues to thrive and even improve as the season has progressed. Roy, senior Kieren Flanagan and junior Casey Mulligan make up the back-court trio, with Roy leading the offensive attack. The sophomore is averaging 17.7 points and 2.9 assists and while those numbers put him among the top players in the Shore Conference considering the competition he plays against, they don’t paint the full picture of how Roy controls the game on the floor. Flanagan has been both Manasquan’s co-point guard with Roy, its senior leader and its defensive stopper. On top of averaging 10.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists to go with lockdown defense during the season on the whole, Flanagan stepped up in the first two rounds of the tournament with Galvan out of action. In the wins over Vianney and Ranney, Flanagan averaged 12.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and three assists. He also led a defensive effort that bottled up Ranney sophomore standout Elijah Perkins (10 points, two assists) in the SCT quarterfinals.
"Al is an outstanding player, maybe the Player of the Year in the Shore," Manasquan coach Andrew Bilodeau said. "That's up for the pontificators to figure out, but he is a great player, no doubt. But so are the other 14 guys on our team." Mulligan is another defensive stalwart whose game is best defined by his affinity for taking charges and battling against bigger players when he ends up in the paint. Juniors Jack Collins and Walsh have been part of Manasquan’s front-court rotation all year and have stepped up throughout the year. Collins also has shown an ability to step out and knock down open three-pointers, which he did in Sunday’s quarterfinal win over Ranney. In that game, Collins hit three threes and finished with 13 points. With Galvan out, 6-8 senior Tim McEneny also rose to the occasion. McEneny is averaging seven points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks for the season and with Galvan out of the lineup, those numbers increased to nine points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. "It's a little surprising the way we have played (without Galvan)," Flanagan said. "We also expected this is the way we could play without him and this is just going to help us in the long run when we get Galvan back. One-throughseven, you can rotate those guys any way you want to – one guy goes down and another guy steps up and we don't really change much." With Roy, Mulligan, Walsh and Collins all playing key roles and all due back for another year, the urgency for Manasquan to end its 63-year drought without winning a Shore Conference Tournament championship is not dire in the grand scheme of things. At the same time, never has the opportunity for Manasquan to finish off a Shore Conference championship See
manasquan p a g e
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manasquan
Cont from page 21
Since Bilodeau took over Manasquan’s program in 2008-09, the Warriors have been to 10 SCT quarterfinals, six semifinals, two conference championship games and won three NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II championships. The next step for the program is to finish off an SCT title for the first time since 1957 and to earn the program’s first NJSIAA Tournament of champions bid – high bars for a team that continues to justify the high expectations for this season. Saturday night on the campus of Monmouth University, one year after walking off the floor on the wrong end of a competitive championship game, the Warriors hope to walk out of the OceanFirst Bank Center with a much different feeling and a championship trophy in hand.
been greater since that 1957 season. Even with Galvan sidelined, the Warriors have blended their size, speed and athleticism into a welloiled machine that has overwhelmed any Shore Conference opponent that has confronted it. Now that Galvan is back, Manasquan has to feel even better about its chances. That well-oiled machine handled Toms River North, 78-63, back when the two teams met in the WOBM Christmas Classic championship game on Dec. 30. The Mariners were within four points at the end of the third quarter, but Manasquan wore them down in the fourth. Galvan was a major difference-maker in that game, scoring 25 points, 15 rebounds and five assists while helping hold Mariners big man Najae Hallenbeck to his average output of 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Manasquan 26-1, 14-0 in Class A Central) HEAD COACH: Andrew Bilodeau, 12 th season Prior SCT Finals Appearances: 18 (1939-43, 1945-48, 1952, 1954-55, 1957, 1960, 1972, 1980, 2005, 2019)
Roy also scored 26 points in the win, while Flanagan added 14 points and five assists. Playing in his second game of the season, McEneny came through with eight points and six rebounds while also doing a bulk of the defensive work on Hallenbeck. Toms River North senior Jakari Spence, meanwhile, led his team with 30 points and will again be the focus of Manasquan’s defensive gameplan Saturday night – at least on the perimeter.
SCT Championships: 6 (1941, 1945, 1947-48, 1955, 1957)
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#
3 Toms River North
”Mariners” (24-3,
14-0 in Class A South)
By Matt Manley - Senior Staff writer
Road to the Final: Defeated No. 14 Matawan, 80-65; No. 6 Marlboro, 114-85; No. 7 Red Bank Catholic, 60-42
N
ajae Hallenbeck was a seldom-used freshman on the varsity team in 2017, when the Toms River North boys basketball team authored arguably the most successful seasons in the history of its program: 28 wins, an unbeaten season in the Shore Conference Class A South championship, a trip to the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals and a first-timeever appearance in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV final.
Toms River North has been nearly as dominant as Manasquan during its road from opening night in December to the OceanFirst Bank Center on Saturday and the glaring difference has been a 78-63 win the top-seeded Warriors have over the Mariners. Manasquan took a four-point lead into the fourth quarter at the WOBM Christmas Classic championship on Dec. 30 and buried Toms River North over the final eight minutes to effectively nail down the No. 1 ranking for the foreseeable future. Since suffering that first loss of the season, the Mariners have completed another undefeated season in Class A South while going 20-2 total, with the lone losses coming against Rutgers Prep – the No. 5 ranked team in the state – on a neutral court at Brookdale and Lincoln on their home floor at the RWJ Barnabas Health Arena.
That was also a season to lament what could have been as the Mariners suffered narrow losses to Mater Dei Prep in the SCT semifinals and to Shawnee in the sectional final – both on their home floor and in the case of the South Group IV final, in tripleovertime. Hallenbeck came back as a sophomore ready
If any team has looked like an overwhelming favorite within the Shore Conference Tournament, it has been Toms River North. The Mariners took care of Matawan in its first game by opening up a double-digit halftime lead on the way to an 80-65 win, then scored an eye-popping number of points in a 114-85 win over a quality Marlboro team in the SCT quarterfinals.
to take over a starting spot and classmate Jakari Spence transferred in from Manchester ready to take up the challenge of getting Toms River North to a place that the program has never been. The Mariners have never won a postseason tournament of any kind and led by a senior class headed by Hallenbeck and Spence, this year’s Toms River North team is on the cusp of history.
“It was tough to watch (the seniors) walk off after that game,” Hallenbeck said of the Mater Dei loss. “We went toe-to-toe against one of the best teams in the state but we didn’t get the job done. Now we’re back and we’re about to get the job done.” 24
See
TR North page 26
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TR North Cont
from page 24
On Thursday night in their home gym, Toms River North clinched its first trip to the SCT final since 1996 – just its second ever trip to the championship game. The Mariners pulled away to beat Red Bank Catholic, 60-42, behind a huge second half from Hallenbeck, who scored 20 of his 22 points after the break to go with 13 rebounds. From the very start of the year, Spence and Hallenbeck have played like an All-Shore duo – so much so that it’s hard to look through their game-by-game statistical performances and find a bad one. Spence has spent the year becoming Toms River North’s all-time scoring leader and putting up eyeopening numbers: 21.6 points per game, four rebounds, a ShoreConferenceleading 6.5 assists and 2.7 steals. Spence posted his first career triple-double in Toms River North’s final regular-season game at New Brunswick and is averaging 22.3 points and eight assists – including 15 assists in the win over Marlboro – during the SCT. While Spence has been the lightning in Toms R i v e r N o r t h ’s a t t a c k , H a l l e n b e c k h a s b e e n i t s thunder. The 6-6, 280-pound center has been a double-double machine, a vera ging 21.4 points and 12.4 rebounds per game for the season, i n cl u d i n g 2 6 p o i n t s a n d 1 3 . 7 r e b o u n d s d u r i n g the SCT. For a lot of the past two seasons, senior Colin Baker has been the x-factor for Toms River North but with each strong game from the 6-3 wing, he has become a reliable third scorer. Baker is averaging just under 10 points, better than five rebounds and a tick under four assists and had a big game against Marlboro with 24 points, six rebounds and six assists. Senior Mike Vansprang has come on strong lately, averaging 10 points and eight rebounds over Toms River North’s last five games. Starting with a nine-point game vs. Jackson Memorial, Vansprang set season-scoring-highs in three consecutive games. The 6-5 forward scored 12 points to go with 13 rebounds in the win at New Brunswick and went for 15 points and 11 boards in the opening-round with over Matawan.
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Senior Jarrod Pruitt rounds out the starting lineup with junior Jake Kazanowsky on the shelf due to injury. Sophomores Jaiden Fraser and Lamir Mitchell have also been key contributors off the bench, with Fraser turning in a career game vs. Marlboro with 19 points and six assists and following it up with 14 more points vs. RBC. With Thursday’s win over RBC, Toms River North reached the SCT final for just the second time in program history and first time since 1996, when the Mariners lost to Christian Brothers Academy. The Mariners are also the No. 1 seed and the unofficial bracket favorite in South Jersey Group IV Playoffs as they pursue the program’s first ever sectional championship, but before that, they will try to beat the top-seeded Warriors for their first conference title. Back on Dec. 30, Spence scored 30 points and Hallenbeck put up his usual 20 points and 12 rebounds, but Manasquan put the clamps on Toms River North’s supporting cast. The Mariners also had no answer for either Ben Roy (25 points) or Alex Galvan (25 points, 15 rebounds and five assists), so Galvan’s return to the lineup from a shin bruise on Thursday night vs. Holmdel is a key development for Saturday’s game. Two months ago, the Mariners missed out on their chance to ascend to the No. 1 spot in the Shore Conference in losing on their home floor to Manasquan, but Toms River North did not enter the season thinking about winning the WOBM Classic title as its ultimate goal. If it can figure out Manasquan the second time around, Toms River North will have its No. 1 ranking – and its title – at the time of year in which it means the most.
Toms River North (24-3, 14-0 in Class A South) HEAD COACH: Rory Caswell, 9 th season Prior SCT Finals Appearances: 1996 SCT Championships: None
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Most Titles: 1. Neptune (22) 2. CBA (16) 3. (tie) Lakewood, Red Bank (8) 5. Manasquan (6) Most Consecutive Titles: Neptune, 7 (1961-67) 2019:
Ranney School 70, Manasqaun 60
2018:
Ranney School 52, Mater Dei Prep 28
2017:
Mater Dei Prep 54, Marlboro 41
2016:
Mater Dei Prep 50, CBA 43
2015:
Rumson-FH 50, CBA 24
2014:
Point Beach 49, CBA 41
2013:
Lakewood 39, Point Beach 33
2012:
Neptune 37, Colts Neck 33
2011:
Raritan 43, Rumson-FH 35
2010:
CBA 60 Middletown South 44
2009:
CBA 58 Neptune 49
2008:
Neptune 67 Monsignor Donovan 52
2007:
Freehold Township 55 CBA 49
2006:
CBA 65 Monsignor Donovan 56
2005:
CBA 57 Manasquan 41
2004:
Raritan 60 Neptune 58
2003:
CBA 44 Raritan 30
2002:
Neptune 57 CBA 47
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2001:
CBA 56 Neptune 39
1978:
Asbury Park 41 Long Branch 37
1955:
(Class A) Manasquan 76 Neptune 65
2000:
CBA 60 Neptune 38
1977:
Long Branch 65 Lakewood 49
1999:
Red Bank 44 CBA 43
1976:
Neptune 59 Long Branch 54
1998:
Neptune 55 Red Bank 48 (OT)
1975:
Lakewood 55 Neptune 45
1997:
Long Branch 44 CBA 42
1974:
Lakewood 65 Wall 60
1996:
CBA 64 Toms River North 58
1973:
Ocean 71 Neptune 63
1995:
CBA 58 Lakewood 57
1972:
Neptune 80 Manasquan 66
1994:
CBA 51 Long Branch 38
1971:
Ocean 65 Henry Hudson 56
1993:
CBA 60 Red Bank 52
1970:
Long Branch 88 Neptune 67
1951:
Neptune 61 Hoffman 52
1992:
Red Bank 60 CBA 54
1969:
Henry Hudson 56 Long Branch 53
1950:
Red Bank 56 Neptune 52
1991:
Lakewood 86 Lacey 67
1968:
Lakewood 61 Ocean 55
1949:
Neptune 71 Atlantic Highlands 45
1990:
CBA 42 Neptune 30
1967:
Neptune 48 Lakewood 45
1948:
Manasquan 58 Freehold 48
1989:
Lakewood 79 Neptune 77 (OT)
1966:
Neptune 61 Lakewood 44
1947:
Manasquan 57 Point Pleasant Beach 25
1988:
CBA 57 Lakewood 55
1965:
Neptune 63 Lakewood 56
1946:
Red Bank 34 Manasquan 27
1987:
CBA 58 Asbury Park 55
1964:
Neptune 59 Matawan 53
1945:
Manasquan 31 Red Bank 26
1986:
Asbury Park 61 Lakewood 60
1963:
Neptune 66 Point Pleasant Beach 54
1944:
Lakewood 40 Toms River 36
1985:
CBA 70 Asbury Park 63
1962:
Neptune 82 Keyport 58
1943:
Neptune 32 Manasquan 25
1984:
CBA 58 Mater Dei 51
1961:
Neptune 69 Keyport 60
1942:
Neptune 42 Manasquan 40
1983:
Red Bank 61 CBA 58
1960:
Matawan 62 Manasquan 59
1941:
Manasquan 35 Neptune 32 (OT)
1982:
Toms River South 83 Neptune 80
1959:
Red Bank 68 Matawan 47
1940:
Hoffman 33 Manasquan 31
1981:
Neptune 59 Long Branch 28
1958:
Lakewood 59 Atlantic Highlands 57
1939:
Neptune 41 Manasquan 38
1980:
Neptune 72 Manasquan 45
1957:
Manasquan 79 Red Bank 56
1938:
Atlantic Highlands 28 Neptune 22
1979:
Middletown South 73 Red Bank 68
1956:
Red Bank 55 Lakewood 51
1937:
Keyport 31 Atlantic Highlands 22
(Class B) Matawan 70 Pt Beach 56 1954:
(CLass A) Neptune 73 Manasquan 52 (Class B) Atlantic Highlands 62 Hoffman 59
1953:
(Group II) Red Bank 60 Neptune 55 (Group I) Hoffman 53 Atlantic Highlands 41
1952:
(Group II) Neptune 60 Manasquan 39 (Group I) Hoffman 56 Atlantic Highlands 53 (OT)
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Most Titles:
1. St. John Vianney (13) 2. Neptune (7) 3. Red Bank Catholic (6) 5. Manasquan (5) 4. (tie) St. Rose, Asbury Park
Most Consecutive Titles: St. John Vianney,(6) 1994-1999 2019: 2018: 2017: 2016: 2015: 2014: 2013: 2012: 2011: 2010: 2009: 2008: 2007: 2006: 2005: 2004: 2003: 2002: 2001: 2000:
Manchester 58, St. John Vianney 42 Manasquan 70, St. John Vianney 52 St. Rose 56, St. John Vianney 31 St. John Vianney 59, Manasquan 48 Manasquan 69, St. Rose 60 Manasquan 61, St. Rose 41 Red Bank Catholic 50, Point Boro 46 St. Rose 65, Manasquan 56 Neptune 57, St. John Vianney 48 Neptune 60, Colts Neck 50 Neptune 56, St. John Vianney 54 Colts Neck 66, Red Bank Catholic 53 Red Bank Catholic 34, Rumson-FH 31 Red Bank Catholic 41, Rumson-FH 31 St. John Vianney 47, Monmouth 30 St. John Vianney 56, Toms River North 47 Red Bank Catholic 48, Marlboro 46 St. John Vianney 39, Marlboro 36 Red Bank Catholic 44, St. John Vianney 39 Red Bank Catholic 62, St. John Vianney 56
1999: 1998: 1997: 1996: 1995: 1994: 1993: 1992: 1991: 1990: 1989: 1988: 1987: 1986: 1985: 1984: 1983: 1982: 1981: 1980: 1979: 1978: 1977: 1976: 1975: 1974: 1973: 1972:
St. John Vianney 56, Red Bank Catholic 52 St. John Vianney 45, Red Bank 34 St. John Vianney 59, Red Bank Catholic 45 St. John Vianney 53, Red Bank Catholic 47 St. John Vianney 61, Red Bank Catholic 55 St. John Vianney 86, Red Bank 46 St. Rose 67, St. John Vianney 57 St. John Vianney 54, St. Rose 50 St. John Vianney 58, Keyport 47 St. John Vianney 59, Toms River East 48 Neptune 79, St. John Vianney 49 Neptune 70, Raritan 48 Neptune 61, Manasquan 46 St. Rose 55, Freehold Twp. 52 Middletown South 50, Neptune 48 Southern 42, Neptune 40 Manasquan 43, Lakewood 36 Neptune 59, Rumson-FH 46 Manasquan 45, Middletown North 35 Freehold Twp. 70, Brick 47 Middletown South 46, Asbury Park 43 Shore 48, Asbury Park 45 Asbury Park 56, Shore 33 Asbury Park 83, Lakewood 56 Asbury Park 51, Toms River South 27 Asbury Park 45, Long Branch 37 (OT) Shore 43, Brick 41 Brick 37, Point Boro 27
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