Jackson Mem. Down a Starter, Divisional Race Breakdown

Posted by Scott Stump

It was a busy Thursday with plenty of crucial divisional games making the picture a little clearer in most cases, plus some tough news out of Jackson Memorial. I’ll sum up where we’re at in the divisional races and more below.

Player of the Night

Hunter Wysocki, Sr., F, Colts Neck

In the biggest game of the week in the Shore, Wysocki scored a game-high 23 points and made several big fourth-quarter buckets down the stretch to help the Cougars finally vanquish Neptune with a 53-48 win. That not only means the Cougars will probably share the Class B North title, it also means they will be the new No. 1 team in the Shore. It also was just a major psychological boost after so many fourth quarters had gotten away from them in the past against Neptune. A win like that tells Colts Neck that it has what it takes to win its first Shore Conference Tournament title.

I also think Freehold Township senior guard Casey Skievaski deserves mention after registering 26 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals to power a 60-59 win over Manalapan that helped the Patriots take a huge step toward winning at least a share of the overall Class A North title.

Bell Done for the Season for Jackson Memorial

Senior point guard Elliot Bell has been suspended for the remainder of the season for a violation of school rules, according to Jackson Memorial head coach Joe Fagan. This marks the second straight season that Bell has failed to make it to the end with Jackson Memorial, as he was declared ineligible last January because of a residency issue.

This definitely hurts No. 4 Jackson (14-1), as Bell was a four-year starter on a team that relies heavily on its starting lineup. Bell was a solid ballhandler who was good in transition, but most importantly, he was a good on-the-ball defender who could pressure the smaller, quicker opposing guards. His dismissal means that senior guard Brian Kenny will have to do the lion’s share of the ballhandling and that the Specht twins and junior guard Salam Simon will have to step up and play more meaningful minutes.

Bell’s situation also may mark the debut of the All Shore Media cover jinx, as I wrote about Bell in the latest issue of our newspaper here. While Bell’s transgression was bad, it’s not even close to when I was at The Asbury Park Press in the early 2000s and wrote stories on Lakewood running back Dwayne Jones and Middletown South running back Trent MacCray changing their lives and moving on from getting into trouble only to have both of them eventually commit armed robberies that landed them in jail for multiple years.

Breaking Down the Divisional Races

Class A North

Freehold Township’s win over Manalapan looks to have all but guaranteed the Patriots at least a share of the overall Class A North title. They still have games against Howell, Marlboro and Middletown South, who are a combined 7-33, in order to clinch it. Head coach Brian Golub wasn’t having any of it when I indicated that they have cleared the last significant hurdle to a title yesterday because Marlboro and Howell are rivalry games and Middletown South has played some good teams tough this season. Howell did take Manalapan to double overtime in one loss, but I still think as long as Freehold Township doesn’t have any kind of major letdown, the Patriots will get their piece of the pie. I don’t think too many people were thinking they were going to be champs in the preseason, especially with Middletown North as the heavy favorite, so that’s a great job (so far) by the Patriots.

Manasquan’s Dynamic Duo, Important Night for Jackson Liberty

In a miracle of some sort, no teams ranked in the All Shore Media Top 10 lost on Tuesday, but there were still some happenings of note. I got my first in-depth look at the Manasquan duo of junior guard J.R. Hobbie and junior forward/center Jimmy Walsh as the Warriors upended Point Boro. I’ll talk about that and more below.

Player of the Night

Jimmy Walsh, Jr. F/C, Manasquan

Walsh continues to stuff the stat sheet as he had a game-high 24 points, 16 rebounds and 7 blocks in a 67-60 win over Point Boro for Manasquan’s best win over a Shore Conference opponent this season. It came one game after Walsh had a triple-double in a loss to Lakewood. At 6-6, his versatility and ability to face the basket make him a tough cover for almost every Shore Conference team. He has range all the way out to the 3-point line, can put it on the floor and hit off the dribble, and also can score with his back to the basket. Walsh also shoots better than 70 percent from the foul line so he can fill it up there. He has added more bulk and is a little stronger this season, which has made him tough. His arms also seem like they are about 10 feet long. He does a nice job of going high for rebounds and not bringing the ball down near his waist where opposing guards can paw at it.

He is as complete a player as I’ve seen this season. While he’s not overly explosive as far as dunking on people and elevating to the rim, he is very effective. He could’ve easily had 35 in that game if he had made a few chippies in the first half and not missed five free throws. Just like he’s smart in the classroom, he’s smart as a player. He knows angles well, and he times his jumps perfectly to get blocks without fouling.

I’m guessing he projects as a small forward at the next level because of his ability to play on the wing. It would be interesting to see him matched up with Raritan’s Mike Aaman, who will be a power forward in the NEC and is a rugged, physical player.

Notes/Thoughts

—Walsh and Hobbie are both excellent students in addition to being talented players, which is reflected in the fact that many of the same schools have called Manasquan head coach Andrew Bilodeau about them. Bilodeau said he has heard from Princeton, Army, Colgate, Bucknell, Radford and top Division II programs like Stonehill and Assumption. Hobbie added that he has also heard from Northwestern University.

—Hobbie is a knockdown shooter who is great off the catch and has one of the smoother strokes in the Shore. He also has the ability to fade away and still square up to the basket. It’s always a little awkward when the opposing coaching staff loudly points out the scouting report during the game for all to hear, as the Point Boro sideline was yelling, “He can’t shoot off the dribble!” That is one thing Hobbie can certainly add to his game, although he did hit a shot or two off the bounce last night.

—Manasquan is going to need that third scorer to emerge if it is going to go deep in the postseason or that puts the pressure on Walsh and Hobbie to combine for 50 in a big game. There are certainly candidates in the form of sophomores Tommy Toole and Jack Fay and senior Alex Waga. If one of those can consistently produce 10-12 points, the Warriors will be dangerous.

—Point Boro just struggled to knock down shots at key junctures and had no answer for Walsh, who rattled off 14 points alone in the third quarter. The Panthers never stopped fighting, though, and cut it to four late. Senior point guard Shaun Cooke struggled to get shots to consistently go down, but never stopped attacking. I thought junior Kyle McGarry, who I have always thought of more as a star wide receiver on the football team, showed some good range and athleticism as well.

—It was quietly a historic night for Jackson Liberty, which beat Monsignor Donovan 57-51 for its first win ever over the Griffins in the five seasons of existence of Jackson Liberty’s program. The Lions are now 11-3, tying the school record of 11 wins that they set last season in finishing 11-13. Junior Ahmed Foster has emerged as one of Class C Central’s top players and this program has made great strides. You have to put the job done by coach Mark Lax right up there with coaches like Holmdel’s Sean Devaney, Lacey’s Ryan O’Rourke, Keansburg’s James McCarthy and Freehold Township’s Brian Golub as among the best in the Shore so far this season.

—Super-competitive night in Class A South. Three games, all decided by three or less points, including a buzzer-beating putback by Toms River South’s RJ Devish that beat Brick Memorial. The Mustangs have become the heartbreak kids, as they also lost a game to Southern earlier this season on a 3-pointer by Zach Policastro at the buzzer.

—Three big divisional games on Thursday. Neptune at Colts Neck at 6:30 will essentially be to either give Neptune its second straight outright Class B North title or allow Colts Neck to share the title. Asbury Park at Keansburg at 5:15 is between two of the three teams currently tied for first in Class B Central. Also, Freehold Township at Manalapan at 4:30 p.m. is especially huge for Freehold Township. If the Patriots win, they probably guarantee themselves no worse than a share of the overall Class A North title because they have already played Christian Brothers Academy and Middletown North twice. If Manalapan wins, it still has to get by CBA a second time, something it has never done in its program history, to potentially share or win the A North title.

Alumni Spotlight

Junior forward Joe Willman (Monmouth Regional) is third on the team at 10.3 points per game and second at 4.6 rebounds per game for Bucknell, which is currently 15-6.

Monday Madness/Weekend Extras/Games to Watch This Week

Posted by Scott Stump

Just when I thought the Top 10 was somewhat stabilizing, it was torn to shreds about six hours after I posted it thanks to a Monday night headlined by Freehold Township’s takedown of No. 1 Middletown North and Mater Dei Prep’s stunner of Asbury Park. I’ll take a look at that, some extras from the weekend and a look ahead at other games to watch the rest of this week. Let’s get to it.

Player of the Night

(tie) John Horrigan, Jr., C, Freehold Township; Sam Miles, So., G, Mater Dei Prep

Horrigan poured in a game-high 24 points and had 7 rebounds to help Freehold Township control the glass and exploit Middletown North’s lack of size up front, which no team had really done this season. It resulted in a 69-54 win that ended the Lions’ 12-game winning streak and sent Class A North back into chaos with three teams tied for first with two divisional losses apiece. Horrigan is not an explosive athlete but he knows angles well and has good strength. Once he roots himself on the block, you can’t move him off of it, and he hits his free throws and makes lay-ups. He’s not going to have a bunch of highlight plays, but you look up at the end and the stat sheet is full.

I couldn’t leave out Miles because no one saw that Mater Dei Prep stunner over Asbury Park coming. Miles had 11 of his 23 in the fourth quarter to bring home an eye-opening win. While senior Ryan Yetman, who had 22 points, has been a mainstay for the Seraphs, Miles has shown a lot of promise as a sophomore and gives Mater Dei reason for optimism in the future.

Thoughts/Notes from the weekend/Monday

—I was wondering when an A North team was finally going to pack in a zone and force Middletown North to make jumpers all day. Freehold Township was the first one to really go to it, and it helped fluster the Lions. Freehold Township is normally, a pressing, trapping, run-and-jump man-to-man team, so the zone was far from its bread-and-butter. Give head coach Brian Golub credit for scrapping his usual approach and making the change. He had to do something after North put a 36-point beating on the Patriots in their first meeting on North’s home floor.

However, maybe even more impressive was the fact that Freehold Township scored 69 points on a team that was routinely holding opponents in the 40s and 50s. They won the battle on the boards and that proved to be a huge difference in reversing a 76-40 beatdown from their first game. In addition to Horrigan, senior guard Casey Skievaski was great with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

Thursday Rewind – B Central, A North Races Heat Up, Lacey’s Great Start

Posted by Scott Stump

Thursday was an exciting day of hoops that saw Christian Brothers Academy pick itself up off the mat, Lacey pick up its biggest win of the season to continue a great start, and No. 1 Middletown North overcome a rough shooting afternoon to take sole possession of first place in Class A North.

Click here for the Thursday scoreboard

Click here for a story and video highlights from Lacey’s win over Lakewood

Click here for a story and video highlights from Middletown North’s win over Manalapan

Click here for a story and highlights from Asbury Park’s win over St. Rose

Player of the Night

Jim Dengler, Sr., G, CBA

CBA’s back was against the wall as it threatened to fall to 6-6 and suffer its fourth divisional loss of the season, an unheard-of total for the Colts. They were at home against a Freehold Township team that entered ranked No. 5 in the All Shore Media Top 10 and found a way to put themselves back into the conversation as a Top 10 team after their first loss ever to Manalapan only two days earlier. Dengler, who was starting just his second game, scored a career-high 17 points and make the biggest shot of CBA’s season thus far, a free throw with two seconds left in overtime, to give the Colts a one-point win amidst a roaring crowd on their home floor. CBA has had trouble scoring all season, so Dengler’s emergence would be huge. CBA had four players in double figures, including another senior guard, Joe Saker, who made a huge, game-tying shot with six seconds left in regulation to send it into overtime. To keep up with a  team like Freehold Township that can score in bunches and push the tempo is a good sign. Don’t write off the Colts just yet.

Thoughts/Notes

—Outside of Middletown North, Class A North is starting to cannibalize itself. Manalapan, CBA and Freehold Township are all taking turns beating one another, pulling each other further down in the rankings in the process. CBA has to prove its win over Freehold Township wasn’t a blip on the radar, but I think all three are solid teams. It will be interesting how the Shore Conference Tournament seeding committee will view Class A North this season. Will they rate it highly and say that it was a very competitive division so even if the teams beat up on one another, they should all be seeded highly, or will teams like a Holmdel or a Lacey or others from arguably weaker divisions get higher seeds over A North teams because they have gaudier records?

—I was at Middletown North, which had a Washington Generals-type shooting afternoon yet still pulled out a 7-point win over Manalapan. It definitely helped that the Lions were at home so that even though they struggled mightily to make shots, they didn’t have to hear it from an opposing crowd. I liked their aggressiveness late in the game, particularly senior guard Jason Huelbig. Last season, when Huelbig would be struggling, he would often settle for long jumpers and off-balance shots, but on Thursday he took it strong to the rim. He didn’t always get the call, but the best way to break out of a shooting slump is to get to the rim and get to the foul line, and rather than back off, Huelbig attacked more despite not shooting well.

Tuesday Rewind – Making History

*Follow Managing Editor Scott Stump on Twitter at @Scott_Stump.*

Tuesday turned out to be a historic day in the Shore Conference, with Manalapan beating Christian Brothers Academy for the first time in school history and Keansburg beating St. Rose for the first time in 15 years, so here’s a look back at that and everything else that went on.

Click here for the Tuesday scoreboard and details.

Click here for the game story and video highlights from Manalapan’s win over CBA.

Click here for the game story and video highlights from Holmdel’s win over Red Bank.

Player of the Day

Russell Isom, Sr., F, Manalapan

Isom tied for the team high with 12 points, helped hold CBA senior Eric Shaw to two points, and had a strong day on the offensive boards to keep possessions alive as Manalapan went on the road to beat the Colts, 53-43, for the first win over CBA in school history. That’s one to tell the grandkids about. The victory also kept Manalapan tied for first in the loss column in Class A North with Middletown North and Freehold Township, setting up a key showdown at Middletown North on Thursday.

Thoughts/Notes

—The scary part might be that other than a few incredulous CBA alumni who texted, emailed or messaged me on Twitter, Manalapan’s win over the Colts was not really that shocking. Manalapan just seemed like a flat-out better team. CBA has struggled to score all season, and even though senior forward Kieran Hughes had a career-high 27, the rest of the team managed only 16 points combined. I have not seen a CBA team struggle offensively like this really, well, ever, and that’s going back to the 1980s. Plus, CBA’s home floor is not as hostile as it once was. Matt Manley said there was only about 75 fans or so in attendance on Tuesday, so Manalapan was able to do its thing without a roaring crowd to deal with.

—Great job by Manalapan to bounce back after looking a little shaky there for a week or so with a 20-point loss to Freehold Township, a loss to Holmdel and a triple-overtime victory over a two-win Howell team. The key for the Braves has been balanced scoring. Seeing them earlier in the year, it seemed like if star junior guard Anthony Firkser didn’t have a big night, they would have no shot against most teams, but with guys like Evan Pruden, Isom, Andrew Saray and Bryan Adams stepping up, this team can still stay in the game if Firkser is not going for 20-plus. Firkser is also unselfish, as he dished out 7 assists in the win over CBA. He trusts his teammates and will give it up, and they rewarded him with a historic win on Tuesday.

Now comes the real test against Middletown North on Thursday. The Lions will be out for blood, looking to avenge their only loss of the season, and their crowd will be out in full force. I think the expectation is that Manalapan might get overwhelmed in this game, so if the Braves hang right with the Lions until the end, that is a great sign in what has a chance to be one of their best seasons in school history.

—As for CBA, this season somewhat reminds me of the St. John Vianney girls basketball season from five years ago when the Lancers didn’t make the state playoffs for the first time since the 1980s at a program synonymous with championship success. It was like the apocalypse, although the Lancers promptly imported a loaded freshman class that went on to restore the program to glory with a Tournament of Champions title and four straight Non-Public A titles. I don’t see that kind of talent in the pipeline at CBA, so it could be rough going for a few seasons. As for right now, CBA plays No. 5 Freehold Township Thursday and then undefeated St. Anthony, the No. 4 team in the nation, on Saturday, so the Colts could be 6-7 by week’s end, which might be the worst record they have ever had at this juncture of the season. The possibility exists that CBA could be swept in A North by 3 public schools (Middletown North, Freehold Township, Manalapan), which would be mind-boggling and unprecedented.

It also could put CBA on the bubble to qualify for the Shore Conference Tournament, which is unfathomable. Maybe that Mayan calendar is right. Maybe the world will end in 2012. Time to circle the wagons and fight back if you’re the Colts.

Games to Watch This Week

Posted by Scott Stump

A lot of the divisional races heat up this week as teams take their second turn through divisional play, so the contenders and pretenders will be weeded out further by Saturday. There also are some good nondivisional and nonconference matchups as well. As always, make sure to check highschoolsports.net before you go anywhere in case of schedule changes.

Tuesday

Manalapan at CBA, 3:45 p.m. – One of these teams will stay in the hunt in Class A North, while the loser will be on life support as far as any shot at grabbing a piece of the division title. Manalapan has been sputtering lately, while CBA is also struggling to find offense. This is a very important game for both of these teams.

Matawan at Raritan, 6:30 p.m. – The Rockets’ overall record (6-5) may not be the greatest, but they are tied for first in Class A Central, so they need this one as they try to defend their division title.

Red Bank at Holmdel, 6:30 p.m. – Another important Class A Central game, Holmdel needs this one to keep pace with Raritan in the race for the title.

Keansburg at St. Rose, 5:30 p.m. – Keansburg is off to an 8-2 start after a six-win season, but it hasn’t had that big win yet. The Titans almost got Point Beach, losing by a point, so they will try to pull the upset on the road against traditional B Central contender St. Rose, which is tied for first and needs this win to keep pace with Point Beach and Asbury Park.

Middletown North at Manasquan, 6:30 p.m. – The No. 1 Lions roll into Manasquan, which has already tied its win total from all of last season with nine victories. The Warriors don’t have that signature victory yet, and toppling a team that has won 10 in a row and is ranked No. 1 would certainly qualify as that. JR Hobbie and Jimmy Walsh have been a great tandem for Manasquan, but are they enough to overcome the Lions, who will get even deeper today now that Mater Dei Prep transfer John Dini, a junior forward, will be eligible after sitting 30 days?

Thursday

Freehold Township at CBA, 4 p.m.: The Patriots beat CBA in a thriller on Freehold Township’s home court the first time around, so they will be looking to complete a rare sweep of the Colts and their first since finishing No. 1 in the Shore in 2007. This game will have important Class A North title implications.

Manalapan at Middletown North, 4 p.m.: The only team to beat Middletown North this season is Manalapan in a last-second upset, and now the Lions will look to prove that was a fluke while the Braves want to shake up the Class A North race with a sweep.

Lakewood at Lacey, 6:30 p.m.: This is a good nondivisional match-up with Shore Conference Tournament seeding implications as well as Top 10 implications. Lacey is looking for that first real big win to hang its hat on during a 9-1 start, and this is the Lions’ chance. Lakewood also will be without starting guards Jameer Jones and Dajuan Morris as well as reserve Idequan Allen for violation of team rules, so it will be an uphill fight for the Piners and a good opportunity for the Lions.

Asbury Park at St. Rose, 6:30 p.m.: Asbury Park won a thriller on its home court in the season opener, and this is a pivotal Class B Central game between the old rivals. The winner gets an important leg up in the three-way race for the title with Point Beach.

Friday

Lacey at Manchester, 5:30 p.m.: Lacey can put some more distance between itself and its closest pursuers in Class B South by knocking off the Hawks, who have played Lacey tough the past few seasons. Manchester can give itself a fighting chance at a piece of a title with a win.

Saturday

Jackson Memorial at Freehold Township, 1 p.m.: This is a great nondivisional game between two of the top five teams in the All Shore Media Top 10. It will have important SCT seeding implications and could be a preview of an eventual showdown in the Central Jersey Group IV bracket.

Neptune at Trenton, 2:30 p.m.: The Scarlet Fliers head out to Tornado Alley for their annual match-up with the perennial Central Jersey Group IV contenders for a good nonconference test.

CBA at St. Anthony, 3 p.m.: The Colts travel to Jersey City for their annual meeting with the Friars to face the defending national champions, who are currently ranked No. 4 in the nation by USA Today and have not lost a game since the 2009-10 season.

 

 

Boardwalk Weekend Rewind

Posted by Scott Stump

The Hoop Group Boardwalk Showcase made its debut at a new venue, Long Branch High School, this season with five games involving all Shore Conference teams. As always it was a long day of hoops that had its moments, so let’s get to that along with some other non-Boardwalk notes.

Also, click here for the latest All Shore Media Top 10 heading into the new week of action.

Player of the Day

Brandon Federici, Jr., G, Colts Neck

The Cougars needed a win over a ranked team in the worst way, and when Lakewood left the door open, Federici stormed right through it. He finished with a game-high 20 points to win his team’s MVP honors, and more importantly, he scored 11 of his points in the fourth quarter and essentially had just about every key basket for Colts Neck in its one-point victory, including a putback of his own miss that proved to be the game-winner with 10 seconds left. It was a strong performance on the big stage that should be a big confidence booster for Colts Neck.

Thoughts/Notes

—Before I get to the individual games, I thought the atmosphere was subdued this season. This was the sleepiest crowd I can remember at the Boardwalk event. Long Branch has a great gym, but with the games being removed from Monmouth University because of a new NCAA rule that it can’t be on a Division I campus because it could be a recruiting advantage, it made it seem more like a nice day of high school hoops than something that screamed “must-see event.” The Colt Crazies didn’t even make the trip to watch the CBA game and no schools really brought much of a vocal student section. Yes, some of the games left something to be desired, but usually the crowd can turn an ordinary game into something more memorable just by being loud, and that didn’t happen.

I also think it hurt not to have any nonconference powers there, like St. Pat’s or St. Anthony or St. Benedict’s or even a team that was originally supposed to be involved in the event, Gill St. Bernard. Some primary selling points of the Boardwalk in the past have been exotic match-ups that you would never see in the regular season or even the state playoffs until at least the Tournament of Champions. Plus, the star power is usually high, with a litany of high-profile Division I talent. It was only two years ago that current Cavaliers rookie and No. 1 overall pick Kyrie Irving was in the house at Monmouth U running the point for St. Pat’s against CBA. This season, there was only one committed Division I player, Wagner-bound Raritan senior Mike Aaman, and one other with offers, Jackson Memorial senior forward Brandon McDonnell.

The rise of other showcases, particularly the SFIC Festival up at Kean University, which was held a week earlier, has pulled a lot of the North Jersey powers into other events. That hurts the chances of getting them to come down to the Shore for a game a week later. St. Anthony, Hudson Catholic, Seton Hall Prep, St. Joseph-Metuchen, Trenton Catholic, St. Pat’s and St. Benedict’s all played in the SFIC this season.

I think the Boardwalk Showcase is a great event, and the hope is that maybe this season was just a hiccup and it will get back to being a “circle it on the calendar” type of event.

Now, on to the games.

Live Boardwalk Chat/Updates with Nep84

Click Here to join the live Boardwalk Showcase chat with Tim “Nep84” McCollum that will run all day.

Friday Rewind, 1/14/12

Posted by Scott Stump

Here is a look back at an important night of action as far as several divisional races were concerned.

Click here for the Friday scoreboard with details

Click here for the game story and video highlights of Lacey’s 55-32 win over Barnegat to gain sole possession of first place in Class B South.

Click here for the game story of Jackson Memorial’s win over Southern to gain sole possession of first place in Class A South.

Player of the Night

Dajuan Morris, Sr., G, Lakewood

A lot of strong performances in some pivotal games, but Morris coming up with a game-high 21 points to help the Piners rally from a seven-point halftime deficit to cool off a hot Point Boro team with a 53-40 win was crucial. The senior guard has been a key complement to standout returners Tyrice Beverette and Jameer Jones in the backcourt. Point Boro had won five straight coming into the game, but Lakewood was able to slow down star guard Shaun Cooke and pick up a win that gave the Piners sole possession of first place in Class C Central, where they are the defending champions.

Notes/Thoughts

—Lacey played what head coach Ryan O’Rourke deemed to be its best game of the season with a 55-32 drubbing on the road against Barnegat. At 9-1, the Lions are off to their best start since at least the 1990s. Barnegat had a nearly capacity crowd ready to explode for an up-and-coming program looking to have its best season in school history, but Lacey took control from the outset and never let its foot off Barnegat’s throat.

The Lions’ 2-3 zone has been one of the toughest defenses in the Shore to crack, and it was tough again last night. Senior point guard Tasheen Carrow is a harassing defender at the top with quick hands who puts a pressure on opposing guards, and Lacey just has so much length. It seems like there are 18 arms smothering anyone who catches the ball in the middle of the paint because seniors Ryan Reitmeyer, Edgar Lenkauskas and Logan McDonald all have long arms along with junior forward Trevor Matthews. The Lions also have the human eclipse, 6-5, 280-pound senior center Tyrell Smith, in the middle.

Lacey was without Smith last night because he is on a recruiting visit to Nevada for football this weekend, so the Lions were able to paste the Bengals despite missing one of their top players. Smith,  a standout offensive lineman, also has offers from Tulane, Marshall and UMass, and he took the trip out to Nevada with Matawan senior star running back/safety Larry Alston III.

Lacey is tough to defend because, unlike last season when it had Deon Smith, Tyrell’s older brother, it doesn’t rely on one particular player to do a bulk of the scoring. Last night was all about Lenkauskas, who buried four 3-pointers on his way to 17 points, and three of the threes came in the second half and silenced the crowd any time Barnegat started to creep back in it. Carrow also was aggressive off the dribble and got to the line for 15 attempts on his way to 17 points of his own. Carrow has proven to be among the upper echelon of point guards in Ocean County.

As for Barnegat, it was just not ready for prime time last night. Senior twin brothers Aaron and Anthony McGugan struggled in shooting a combined 3-for-22 from the field. Head coach Erik Mazur felt that the Bengals settled for too many 3-point attempts against Lacey’s zone rather than taking advantage of the absence of Smith in the middle. What also hurt was that Barnegat’s own inside presence, senior center Ryan Morris, a Purdue-bound tight end, has been out indefinitely since the team’s third game of the season with mononucleosis, according to Mazur. It is questionable whether Morris will return at all this season, which is a tough loss, but here is hoping for a speedy recovery to a great athlete.

—Good job by Jackson Memorial to handle its business with a win over Southern and not get caught in the trap with Saturday’s monumental showdown with Middletown North at the Boardwalk Showcase looming. Mike Gesicki got his 18 points, but the Jaguars shut down everyone else on the Rams. Senior Brandon McDonnell continues to be one of the Shore’s best with 22 points, and Jackson is one of the Shore’s top defensive teams. The Jaguars may have some rough offensive nights, but they always defend so hard, which gives them a chance in any game.

—Congrats to Brick senior guard James Walker, who poured in a career-high 33 points in a win over Pinelands for the Green Dragons’ first divisional victory. Walker has been Brick’s top gun all season.

—That’s a nice win for Wall in its two-point victory over Monsignor Donovan. Sometimes all it takes is gaining a little confidence, and a rout of Ranney on Wednesday helped the Crimson Knights exhale after a rough stretch. They came out and got the win against the Griffins because they were finally able to get some scoring. Senior forward Derek Gardner has been close to a double-double in most games this season and he did it last night with 12 and 12, but the key was senior guard Conor Mulholland finding the range for 14 points, 12 of which came on threes.

—Manasquan is quietly only one win away from tying its win total from all of last season (9) after sending Jackson Liberty tumbling to its second straight loss after its big upset of Lakewood. The tandem of juniors J.R. Hobbie and Jimmy Walsh continues to be one of the most prolific in the Shore. It’s worth taking a trip to Long Branch for the last game today just to see those two in action.

—Lakewood trailed 26-19 at half to Point Boro, but roared back for a 13-point win by making a key adjustment. The Piners went to a box-and-one on Point Boro star point guard Shaun Cooke to cool him off in the second half, and the Panthers could not find anyone to step up and make Lakewood pay for that change. Cooke scored 15 points in the loss and is now six shy of 1,000 for his career.

—I thought Point Beach might get caught looking ahead to Saturday’s meeting with Christian Brothers Academy and could be in for a game with Freehold, but the Garnet Gulls routed the Colonials. The trio of Matt Farrell, Riley Calzonetti and PJ Kineavy has continued to improve and accounted for 69 of the team’s 72 points against Freehold. It’s scary to think that this entire triumvirate returns intact next season as Kineavy and Calzonetti are juniors and Farrell is a sophomore. They are showing that Point Beach is much more than just Jarelle Reischel and that head coach Nick Catania is building a solid foundation there.

 

Thursday Rewind

Posted by Scott Stump

Now that I have freed up a little more time, I will try to take a look back at each day’s action with some thoughts/notes from the night. What better place to start than with a full Thursday slate that featured a showdown between Middletown North and Christian Brothers Academy, a couple of overtime games and more.

Click here for the full scoreboard with details from each game.

Click here for my game story and video highlights from Middletown North’s win over CBA.

Click here for a full preview of Saturday’s Hoop Group Boardwalk Showcase at Long Branch

Player of the Night

Mike Aaman, Sr., F/C, Raritan: The Rockets’ senior exploded for a career-high 41 points to go with 16 rebounds in a 9-point win over Red Bank. In the process, he scored his 1,000th career point while keeping Raritan tied for first place in Class A Central, where the Rockets are the defending champs. His 41 points are the single-game season high for any Shore Conference player this season and one shy of the school record. He needed 32 points to get 1,000, so Raritan coach Denis Caruano figured he would most likely hit the milestone on Saturday against Neptune in the Boardwalk Showcase, so he didn’t tell Red Bank coach Scott Martin that it was a possibility. So when Aaman hit the mark during a 12-point fourth quarter that helped bring home the win, they did not stop the game or recognize the achievement.

I could see how that’s a strange situation. You’re on the road, locked in a tight game, and I’ve seen it a bunch of times where a player on the team that’s winning gets his 1,000th point, the game is stopped for 5 or 10 minutes and then the other team regroups because it kills the momentum of the winning team. Hopefully Aaman will be recognized before the Neptune game on the big stage Saturday. I have covered the Wagner-bound senior for four years and he was incredibly awkward as a 6-7 freshman playing on varsity and is now a much more fluid player who has worked relentlessly on his game, adding extra pieces every season. He was so raw offensively as a freshman he looked like his ceiling might just be as a rebounder/shot blocker, but he has made himself into an offensive force with range out to 17 feet. One thing he has always had that you can’t teach is extreme aggressiveness. Even when he was 15 years old, he went up to crush every shot of anyone coming in the lane and snatch every rebound. Congrats on the accomplishment.

Notes/Thoughts

—Next up on the 1,000-point list is Point Boro senior point guard Shaun Cooke, who is 21 points shy heading into a showdown with Lakewood on Friday night.

—Jackson Memorial’s 6-7 senior forward Brandon McDonnell was offered by Dartmouth after Tuesday night’s win over Toms River South, according to Jackson coach Joe Fagan. He added that to previous offers from Navy, New Hampshire and Division II Stonehill.

—A few thoughts from Middletown North’s 65-46 win over CBA.

Most teams are going to have to go zone against Middletown North. They are just too explosive off the dribble and have four guys who can put it on the floor and get into the lane, and five guys who can hit 3-pointers because center Tim Rhatigan is also capable. I was surprised CBA tried to go man-to-man. Middletown North senior Jason Huelbig could not be contained (as this baseline dunk illustrates), and you would rather force this team to beat you from behind the 3-point line than slashing into the lane at will. If you get behind against the Lions have to go to a fullcourt press, you are in a lot of trouble because the Lions want to do nothing more than get out and run and use their athleticism to take apart the press behind senior point guard Eric Youncofski, who had 7 assists yesterday.

The most underrated player on Middletown North is junior guard Will Boman. He completely took CBA standout junior point guard Tom Aldridge out of the game yesterday because he has good anticipation and puts forth maximum effort. He did a good job of sensing the high screens coming and worked hard to get his body in between Aldridge and the screen to ruin its effectiveness. He also kept Aldridge in front of him the whole time.

Cody Thompson has been a revelation for Middletown North. The junior guard didn’t even start as coach Mike Iasparro juggled the lineup in the first three games, finally cementing his spot in a rout of Freehold Township. Despite being 5-9, he is fearless off the dribble and will take it up in the lane against anyone. He also has 3-point range. His presence makes it much harder to double Huelbig and senior Tim Frawley. Thompson could be the key to the whole season.

CBA needs to get more aggressive offensively. Senior forward Kieran Hughes is much better offensively this season and was the only one really challenging Middletown North’s defense off the dribble and forcing the action. Senior Eric Shaw needs to get involved in the offense earlier. He was invisible until the fourth quarter. Sophomore Evan Gordinier showed a nice touch from deep for a  big man, scoring all 8 of his points in the fourth quarter, and he is a weapon that should be used more. The Colts also have to get more out of their 3-point shooters as they went 0-for-10 from 3-point range in the first three quarters and by that time it was a 22-point game.

I think Middletown North showed that when it is really on its game, there might not be a team in the Shore that can beat them, although I’m sure Neptune and others would disagree. As for CBA, Saturday against Point Beach at the Boardwalk represents an opportunity to get back in the saddle and start generating some positives from a rough 5-4 start. Last season, Middletown North beat the Colts convincingly in their first meeting only to have things come unraveled in the second meeting, although I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that none of the Lions’ stars are going to quit in the middle of the second game this year.

As for Shilique Calhoun, who deservedly took a ton of criticism for the way last season went off the rails for Middletown North after he was dismissed from the team, he is doing great on the football team at Michigan State. He redshirted this season and was reportedly unblockable in practice as a 240-pound defensive end. He could be a breakout star next season, and it seems like he learned from the situation during basketball last year and is moving in a positive direction.

—Manalapan is looking a little shaky right now after a strong start. The Braves lost by 11 to Holmdel on Tuesday and then had to go to triple overtime to beat a sub-.500 Howell team yesterday. The good news is that senior forward Bryan Adams looks like a very solid second scorer to junior guard Anthony Firkser. He can put it on the floor and get to the rim with good leaping ability, so he creates mismatches. The main question still remains of whether this team has enough scoring to win a big tournament game if Firkser doesn’t go off.

—Rumson-Fair Haven and Matawan played a double-overtime classic that Rumson won 75-67, and a big reason was senior guard Jack Donnelly putting the Bulldogs on his back. He had 12 of his 28 in the overtime periods and had five crucial points in the final minute of regulation  to get them to overtime. If he can consistently get his shooting stroke going, this team will be tough.

—Make sure to check out the montage of the four dunks by high-flying Southern sophomore Mike Gesicki against Toms River North Tuesday night by clicking here.

“He is just so tough,” Matawan coach Tom Stead said. “We had him under wraps for a good part of the game but then he got hot, and once we had some of our guards foul out, he was too tough to stop.”

Matawan still went the distance despite being without second-leading scorer Kashaun Barnes, a sophomore guard. Barnes has been suspended for 15 days for a violation of school rules, according to Stead. The Huskies had to start a freshman, Jason Dunne, in his place, and he scored a career-high 13 points. Another freshman, guard Joe Piscopo, added 10 points. Matawan has weathered star senior Larry Alston III not coming out for the team in order to focus on football and now the loss of Barnes, yet is still in the hunt in Class A Central. A big reason is senior guard Larry Smith, one of the most underrated and quickest guards in the Shore Conference.

—Long Branch has quietly worked its way to the .500 mark at 5-5 after a victory over winless Monmouth yesterday. This is a team of the future as its top three players are sophomore forward Hassan Foster, sophomore guard Terrell Cox and junior guard Dwight Clark. Coach Don Covin, who brought Long Branch to the Tournament of the Champions in the late 1990s, was brought back for a second stint to right the ship at one of the Shore’s traditionally proud programs. The athletic director at Long Branch, Jason Corley, played for Covin in the early 1990s and wanted to bring in the retired administrator to get things back on track. Looks like it’s headed in that direction. We’ll see more on Saturday when they play Manasquan in the final game on their home floor at the Boardwalk Showcase. Long Branch is only two wins shy of tying its entire total (7) from last season.

—Don’t look now, but Keansburg is off to an 8-2 start on the heels of a six-win season. It took a 3-pointer by senior Brian Woods with 3 seconds left to beat one-win Henry Hudson, but the Titans are still off to their best start in ages. They have a very solid core of junior guard Tyler Walters, junior forward Danny Markulin and Woods at the tiny Group I school. They took Point Beach to the wire in a one-point loss and hung with Asbury Park for a half. Head coach Jim McCarthy is helping this program turn things around in his third season. This team kind of reminds me of what Jackson Liberty was last year – a young team that played a fairly soft schedule in order to gain confidence and get wins that will be poised to make another leap forward the following season to become a contender in the division.

—Lacey entered the season under the radar but is now 8-1 after a good nondivisional win over Toms River North, which has come back to earth a little bit in dropping to 5-5. The Lions are hard to defend because all five starters can score and they don’t rely on one guy. Plus, their zone defense stifles most teams and slows the game down. They have a big one for sole possession of first place against Barnegat on Friday.