Maryland Football Coaches Association | Archive | December, 2007

By Scott Stump – Senior Editor

GIRLS BASKETBALL TOP 10

     Red Bank Catholic rules the roost right now, as the mighty Caseys already have a win over rival St. John Vianney to their credit and handled a Mt. St. Dominic team with little problem in a nonconference victory.
     Having seen St. John Vianney, I think the Lancers could be the No. 2 team right now and will only get scarier under Dawn Werner as the season progresses because they play so many freshmen. However, Freehold has not lost and doesn’t deserve to get jumped just yet, although the Colonials’ schedule could hurt them because they won’t have played as many quality opponents as the Rumson, RBC, SJV triumvirate.
     The big splash the first week was by Raritan, which knocked off Holmdel and Howell, with the victory over the Rebels looking even bigger when they went on to topple Colts Neck.

      1. Red Bank Catholic (4-0) – Last week: No. 2. The Caseys edged St. John Vianney by four points, and the two Kristinas, Danella and Coppolino, have been a force. Coppolino, in particular, has been outstanding as she is back to 100 percent and looks to be fully recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament tear suffered in July of 2006. The Caseys are down at the Diamond State Classic in Delaware for their holiday tournament.

      2. Freehold (3-0) – Last week: No. 3. The Colonials fought off a young and pesky Neptune squad in the opener and have looked good heading into a Jack Kuhnert Tournament where they are expected to repeat as champions. Will they be battle tested enough before they run into the likes of RBC, SJV and Rumson?

      3. St. John Vianney (2-1) – Last week: No. 5. Junior guard Katelyn Linney and an army of talented freshmen have this team at their customary spot among the Shore’s elite. They pushed RBC hard in a 62-58 loss, and will be playing Paterson-Kennedy at the Marist Christmas Tournament on Wednesday.

     4. Rumson-FH (3-1) – Last week: No. 1. Rumson lost to St. John Vianney in the opener and fought off a quality Raritan team in overtime. This team traditionally gets better as the season progresses, and a potential meeting with a good Colts Neck team could be in their future as the top seed and defending champion in the WOBM Classic.

     5. Raritan (2-1) – Last week: Unranked. The Rockets opened the season with a bang with consecutive wins over the preseason No. 7 team (Howell) and No. 9 team (Holmdel) before taking Rumson-Fair Haven to overtime in a 40-32 loss. The Rockets now head to Florida to play in their Christmas tournament.

     6. Howell (2-1) – Last week: No. 7. The Rebels took down the preseason No. 4 team, Colts Neck, for an impressive victory and a huge one in Class A North. Their one loss is a three-point setback against Raritan in the season opener.

     7. Colts Neck (3-1) – Last week: No. 4. The tandem of Brooke Hampton and Lauren Clarke is a dangerous one, but the Cougars did suffer a loss to Howell. Class A North looks like it should be a great dogfight for the title.

     8. St. Rose (3-0) – Last week: No. 6. This is where early-season rankings can get ridiculous. The Purple Roses haven’t lost a game and when I worked it out, they ended up dropping two spots. You could certainly argue they could be ranked as high as five or more, but they will need to just keep winning or get that signature, nondivisional win that Class B Central teams always seem to need.

    9. Lacey (4-0) – Last week: No. 8. Stephanie Mayfield has led the way as the Lions look like a favorite to bring home the Class A South title. They will have their chance to make a statement against a higher-ranked team, as they could potentially face No. 7 Colts Neck if both teams advance to the WOBM Classic semifinals.

  10. Middletown South (4-0) – Last week: No. 10. The Eagles have started strong but haven’t run into another Top 10 team yet, so we’ll see how they do in the Mustang Invitational, which they have the capability of winning.

Knocking on the door:
Holmdel (2-1):  The Hornets lone loss is to Raritan, and with a Class A Central division chocked full of top 10 teams, there are plenty of opporunities to break in.

Point Boro (4-0): The Panthers picked up a big win over a solid Manchester team in Class B South, and now can make a big statement with a win over No. 7 Colts Neck in the WOBM Classic quarterfinals.

Southern (4-0): The Rams are off to a great start and will have their shot to prove they are one of Ocean County’s top teams if they can get a win over No. 9 Lacey in the WOBM Classic quarterfinals.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Alexa Ryan, Jr., G/F, Raritan

    Ryan helped the Rockets open the season with a bang with 17 points in a 37-34 win over a highly-regarded Howell team in the opener, 10 points in a win over another solid team in Holmdel and then 10 points in an overtime loss in which the Rockets pushed No. 4 Rumson-Fair Haven to the brink.

Honorable mention: Kristina Coppolino (Red Bank Catholic); Jill Gannon and Danielle Pankey (Middletown South); Lauren Lucy (Howell); Kate Miller (Rumson-FH); Katelyn Linney (St. John Vianney); Lauren Clark (St. Rose); Stephanie Mayfield (Lacey); Danielle Thomas (Toms River East); Becky Metzger (Point Boro); Tia Curtis (Monmouth); Syessence Davis (Neptune).

HOLIDAY HOOPS GUIDE

     The day after Christmas kicks off the madness of holiday hoops, so here is everything you need to know from players and plotlines to watch for, tournament schedules and more to get your basketball fix over the holidays.
     The main tournaments on the girls side (sites in parentheses) are the WOBM Classic (Ritacco Center at Toms River North); Mustang Invitational (at Brick Memorial and Lake Riviera School); Jack Kuhnert Memorial Tournament (Freehold Twp./Howell/Freehold); and Bayshore Holiday Tournament (Holmdel).

Top tandems you want to see at the local tournaments (holiday tournaments in parentheses)

Kate Miller, Jr., G/F; Candice Green, Sr., PG, Rumson-FH (WOBM Classic): Miller is one of the top all-around players in the Shore, with the ability to put it in on the floor, hit the intermediate drummer and hit from long range. Green is quick off the dribble and can push the ball with the best of them in the Shore.

Brooke Hampton, So., G; Lauren Clarke, So., G, Colts Neck (WOBM Classic): Hampton is one of the best pure scorers in the Shore, and if she ends up being matched against Rumson’s Green in the final it could be fun to watch. Clarke is another skilled 3-point bomber who can change the entire complexion of a game if she gets rolling on kickouts for threes.

Camille Valmon, Jr., F; Gabrielle Valmon, Fr., G, Manchester (WOBM Classic): There seems to be a never-ending supply of Valmons at Manchester, and Camille and Gabrielle are able to push the ball up the floor and score in bunches in Manchester’s fast-paced game.

Shawna Hagen, Sr., C; Danielle Pankey, Jr., G/F, Middletown South (Mustang Invitational): A good inside-outside combo, Hagen can score in the post and is a rugged rebounder, while Pankey is quick off the dribble and is a good leaper.

Shannon Mayrose, Jr., F; Sehmonyeh Allen, So., G/F, Freehold (Kuhnert Tournament): Mayrose is one of the top all-around athletes in the Shore and Allen is another great athlete who can get to the rim and hit threes. Both players can create offense on their own.

Kim Fiorentino, Sr. G; Dana Graziano, Sr., G, Holmdel (Bayshore Tournament):  A solid guard combo, these two need to play well for the Hornets to take home the Bayshore title.

Lauren Lucey, Jr., F; Denise Crudup, Sr., G, Howell (Bayshore Tournament): Lucey already has a big game against Colts Neck to her credit and is a solid inside presence, while Crudup is a good defensive guard who also can score. Senior guard Michelle Blum is another to watch.

Top young players/newcomers/players you may not have heard about to watch

Lacey’s trio (WOBM Classic): Sisters Amanda and Tara Malkiewicz and senior forward Stephanie Mayfield are out to get some respect for Ocean County by making waves in the WOBM Classic.

Syessence Davis, Fr., F; Shakena Richardson, Fr., G, Neptune (Mustang Invitational):
Those names should ring a bell, as they are the younger sisters of
graduated Neptune stars Cyialece Davis and Shareese Richardson, and
both have had a big impact right away. Syessence Davis had a 30-point
game in the tournament’s first round, and the two should only get
better with more experience.

Kristen Sharkey, So., F, Southern (WOBM Classic): She’s had some big games for the 4-0 Rams and can really help them make an early statement with a win over Lacey in the WOBM Classic quarterfinals.

Kathryn Campbell, So., G, Wall (WOBM Classic): She had 12 points in a win over Jackson in the first round and will get a serious test against Rumson’s backcourt in the quarterfinals. She is capable of playing multiple positions, from point guard to swing.

Point Boro’s veterans (WOBM Classic): Returners like Elena Metzger, Becky Metzger, Laura Foray and Sara Mincey have the Panthers off to a great start. We’ll see how great when they take on Colts Neck.

Danielle Thomas, Sr., G Toms River East (WOBM Classic): The Raiders may have been knocked into the consolation bracket, but if you get a minute, go check out one of the top scorers in the Shore Conference.

Alex Diekmann, So., F/C, Holmdel (Bayshore Tournament): Diekmann has had some solid games inside thus far, and she could be a real key to Holmdel’s run in the Bayshore Tournament. She is better known as one of the top field hockey goalies in the Shore.

Lauren Florio, Sr., G, Mater Dei (Mustang Invitational): She already had a big game in a win over Lakewood in the first round and will try and help the Seraphs turn some heads in the quarterfinals.

Kate Benedit, Sr., G, Shore (WOBM Classic):  Headed to FDU-Florham,  Benedit is a veteran on a team loaded with sophomores, and she and the Blue Devils are hoping to make a run to the WOBM semifinals, wher they could potentially meet Rumson.

FIVE CRAZY DAYS AND NIGHTS
If you’re going to try and pack in a bunch of games each day, here’s one way to go:

Wednesday, Dec. 26
     You can check start out the day at Holmdel by watching a Bayshore Tournament quarterfinal at 1 p.m. between the host Hornets and Middletown North, or you can wait to kick off your day by going to a WOBM Classic quarterfinal at 2:30 p.m. between Lacey and Southern. The two teams haven’t played yet in Class A South and both are undefeated, so this is a battle for Ocean County supremacy right now. That game will be followed by another quarterfinal between undefeated Point Boro and Colts Neck at 4:15 p.m., which should also be a solid game. The quarterfinals run all day, with the final tip-off at 7:45 p.m. for the Rumson-Wall game. Another option for this day in the afternoon are Jack Kuhnert quarterfinals.

Thursday, Dec. 27
You can start your day as early as 10 a.m. at the Mustang Invitational  at Lake Riviera Middle School in Brick by checking out a young Neptune team in its quarterfinal game and stick around for part of the Cherokee-Brick Memorial quarterfinal if you want. Then you’re going to want to work your way up to Holmdel for a 1 p.m. Bayshore Tournament semifinal that will most likely be between Howell and defending tournament champion Monmouth.  You can either stay for the other semifinal or  go grab something to eat and then head over to Freehold Township to check out a Jack Kuhnert semifinal at 5 p.m. that will most likely feature undefeated Freehold, the defending tournament champ and one of the top teams in the Shore.

Friday, Dec. 28
The only real game in town on the girls side this day is at Ritacco Center, so go check out the WOBM Classic semifinals. The first one is at 6:15 p.m. for the bottom bracket headlined by second-seeded Colts Neck, followed by an 8 p.m. semifinal for the upper bracket that features defending WOBM champ Rumson-Fair Haven.

Saturday, Dec. 29
There are some Mustang Invitational semifinals early in the day, but the best bet is to go to the Bayshore Tournament final at 1 p.m., and then roll over to Freehold Boro for the Jack Kuhnert girls final at 5 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 30
Take a ride to BrickMemorial for the 1:30 p.m. final of the Mustang Invitational, then go hang out at the Ocean County Mall or something before making a trip to the Ritacco Center for the 6 p.m. championship game of the WOBM Classic, which could be the best of any local finals.

Top 10 things we want to find out from the local tournaments
1. Who is better between Colts Neck and Rumson-Fair Haven right now? The two teams are on a collision course for the WOBM Classic title, although there’s certainly plenty of land mines out there. This is the game people want to see and it would be a good early test for both teams.

2. Will Freehold get complacent? The Colonials are heavy favorites to repeat as Jack Kuhnert Tournament champs, so will they continue to play at a high level despite being expected to win each game by a solid margin?

3. How good is Middletown South? The Eagles are off to an unbeaten start but have yet to be seriously tested. They could run into Neptune and some solid nonconference teams in the Mustang Invitational that could give us further clues.

4. Can Tia Curtis carry Monmouth? The Falcons have owned the Bayshore Tournament in recent seasons, but with Howell and host Holmdel among the contenders in the field, it will not be easy for Monmouth. It’s basically a whole new team built around Curtis, a Monmouth University recruit who is one of the top returning players in the Shore.

5. Is Neptune ready to make a leap up? The Scarlet Fliers have looked solid in the early going, and with a team that relies heavily on its freshmen, can they finish the job and take home the Mustang Invitatational title for the second straight year?

6. Was Howell’s win over Colts Neck a sign of things to come? The Rebels definitely opened some eyes with that victory, and now we’ll find out if they can keep it going by winning the Bayshore Tournament.

7. Can anyone get in the way of a Rumson-Colts Neck final in the WOBM Classic? The winner of the Lacey-Southern game would definitely be my pick to potentially throw a monkey wrench into Colts Neck’s run if the Cougars get by unbeaten Point Boro.

8. Is there a sleeper team that will surprise some people with a deep run?  I think Monmouth could be that team if it repeats as Bayshore Tournament champs given who else is among the field.  Middletown South also could continue its early-season roll.

9.  What Ocean County team will make the most noise?  Well, at least one Ocean County team is guaranteed to make the semifinals of the WOBM Classic and face a good team, and watch out for 12th-seeded Manchester, which could prove to be a tough out for Shore.

10. What is that next tier of players under known stars like Kate Miller, Candice Green, Kristina Coppolino, Kristina Danella, Shannon Mayrose, Tia Curtis and others? That’s what the all-tournament teams and MVPs will hopefully tell us.

THE SCHEDULES
Jack Kuhnert Tournament
Wednesday, Dec. 26
at Marlboro H.S.
Quaterfinals
Freehold Township vs  E. Brunswick        11:00am
Sommerville vs. Manasquan            1:00pm
Hamilton West vs. Sayreville          3:00pm
Freehold Boro vs. Pope John XXIII        5:00pm

Thursday December 27th
at Freehold Township H.S.
Consolation A vs. B                  11:00am
Consolation C vs. D                1:00pm
Semi Final  2/7 winner vs. 3/6 winner    3:00pm
Semi Final  1/8 winner vs. 4/5 winner     5:00pm

Saturday December 29th
Consolations and Finals at Freehold High School
Girls 3rd place game    1:00pm
Girls Finals          5:00pm

Bayshore Tournament
at Holmdel
Wednesday, December 26
Middletown North vs. Holmdel 1 p.m.
Red Bank vs. Howell 3 p.m.
Losers play at 11 a.m. on the 27th

Thursday, December 27
Howell/Red Bank vs. Monmouth 1 p.m.
Midd. North/Holmdel vs. Cardinal McCarrick 3 p.m.

Saturday, December 29
3rd place game at 11 a.m.
championship game at 1 p.m.

Mustang Invitational
Thursday, December 27
Quarterfinals
At Lake Riviera Middle School, Brick
Neptune vs. Marlboro, 10 a.m.
Cherokee vs. Brick Memorial, 11:30 a.m.
Hunterdon Central vs. Mater Dei, 1 p.m.
Middletown South vs. Steinert, 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 29
Semifinals
At Brick Memorial
Neptune/Marlboro vs. Middletown South/Steinert, noon
Hunterdon Central/Mater Dei vs. Cherokee/Brick Memorial, 1:30 p.m.

Sunday, December 30
At Brick Memorial
Consolation final, noon
Championship game, 1:30 p.m.

WOBM Classic
At Ritacco Center, Toms River
Wednesday, December 26
Quarterfinals
Lacey vs. Southern, 2:30 p.m.
Colts Neck vs. Point Boro, 4:15 p.m.
Shore vs. Manchester, 6 p.m.
Rumson vs. Wall, 7:45 p.m.

Friday, December 28
Semifinals
Lacey/Southern vs. Colts Neck/Point Boro, 6:15 p.m.
Rumson/Wall vs. Shore/Manchester, 8 p.m.

Sunday, December 30
Final, 6 p.m.

And finally, Merry Christmas to everybody out there!

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   Just have some time for a quick post before beginning an odyssey in which I’ll be covering about five games between boys and girls on Saturday.
   First, I have to congratulate the Pinelands boys for making what is believed to be school history with their first win ever over perennial Ocean County power Lakewood in Class B South. That division is shaping up to be nuts, as Lakewood was coming off an impressive win over Central, which was coming off an impressive win over Monsignor Donovan. Try ranking those teams at this point. It’s nearly impossible, so hopefully the Christmas tournaments will give us some more insight. Stilll, that’s a mind-boggling win and a great accomplishment for the Wildcats. Hopefully they can keep it going, as nobody will be taking them lightly after seeing that. It also overshadowed a great win by Barnegat, which knocked off Point Boro to throw the division into even more of a tailspin.
   As for those holiday tournaments, I’ll have a preview of all of them by Sunday/Monday with players you want to see and games you’ll want to check out. I know the Round of 16 in the WOBM Classic and Mustang Invitational started today on the girls side, but the real tournament week doesn’t get into full swing until Wednesday, Dec. 26, so I’ll have plenty of stuff for that.
   We also will have video coverage from numerous WOBM games this weekend as well as more stuff you can check out on Christmas Eve if you get a minute.

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By Scott Stump – Senior Editor

     With the tournaments hopefully ready to give us more insight into to the top 10, or drive me even crazier when trying to do these rankings, here is the latest top 10 heading into tournament time. Right now, it’s Colts Neck followed by “Put these names in a hat and pick them out in a random order,” as well as other scientific processes that were used to determine an ever-shuffling group. Also, if you can tell me who the best team is in the parity-riddled Class B South, I’d love to know. I cheated a little bit with the No. 10 spot because it’s early in the season, but from here on out I’ll make a firm decision.
     Also, I’ll have expanded players of the week heading forward, but I didn’t want to leave out the standout players from the opening week.

     1. Colts Neck (3-0) – Last week: No. 5. Led by point guard Mitchell Kates and forward Steve Spinella as well as much-improved guard Craig Perry, the Cougars toppled last week’s No. 1, Christian Brothers Academy, and have looked as good as anyone during the opening week.

     2. Manasquan (3-0) – Last week: No. 6. Another one of the few unbeaten teams left in the Shore, the Warriors have looked solid in the early going, and we’ll see if they can keep it rolling in the Jack Kuhnert Tournament. They might be a little high at this spot right now, but I’ll give them a shot to prove they deserve it, as they also have a good win over a solid Academy Charter team that could be a top 10 team if the school was part of the Shore Conference.

     3. Christian Brothers Academy (4-1) – Last week: No. 1. Despite the loss to Colts Neck and a one-point victory over St. Rose, I still think this is a quality team that will improve as the season goes along, particularly if players like Travis Farrell and others step up to help the top tandem of Mike Kuhn and Brian Neller.

     4. Freehold (2-1) – Last week: Unranked. The Colonials beat Neptune on a buzzer-beater in the season opener, and any win over the Scarlet Fliers is a quality win. Also, their only loss is to a solid Central team on a 3-pointer with one second left in the game. We’ll see how they deal with the attention after looking good in the early going.

     5. Neptune (3-1) – Last week: No. 2. Yes, they started in an 0-2 hole, but that was with losses on a shot at the buzzer and in overtime. They picked up a quality win over a good Monmouth team and will look to keep building momentum in their own Holiday Jubilee Tournament.

     6. Monmouth (2-1) – Last week: No. 3. A two-point loss to Neptune showed that the Falcons can play with anyone, and with a very good starting lineup, this team should only get better.

     7. St. Rose (4-1) – Last week Unranked: I know their best game came in a loss, but the Purple Roses and center Sean McPaul showed they can play with anyone when they pushed CBA to the brink. I know they almost got picked off by Brick in the WOBM Classic first round, but with the parity of the Shore this season, a win is a win. We’ll see if they can win the title as the No. 1 seed in WOBM.

     8. Freehold Township (2-1) – Last week: The Patriots’ only loss is to CBA, and they have a nice win over Middletown South to their credit.

     9. Rumson-FH (3-0) – Last week: Unranked. The Bulldogs are off to their best start in years, with their best win coming over one of last week’s ranked teams, Red Bank. Let’s see if they can keep it going in the Bayshore Tournament, where they could run into Middletown South.

  10a. Middletown South (2-1)  – Last week: No. 10. The Eagles lost a close one to Freehold Township, but can make a move in the rankings this weekend by taking home the Bayshore Tournament title as the top seed.

  10b. Central (3-1)  – Last week: Unranked. The heart-attack kids, this team has won a game over Freehold with one second remaining, lost a game to Lakewood in the final seconds, and won a game against Brick Memorial in the WOBM Classic in the final seconds. They also have a quality win over Monsignor Donovan to their credit. The loss to Lakewood also stung a little bit more after the Piners were subsequently upset by Pinelands.

Knocking on the door
Asbury Park (3-0): The Blue Bishops are gaining steam, and just need that signature win or a great game against a ranked team to be considered.

Monsignor Donovan (2-1): The Griffins appear to have bounced back from an opening-game loss to Central, so we’ll see how they do in the loaded Holiday Jubilee Tournament.

Toms River South (3-1): In Class A South, where parity reigns, the Indians have been solid thus far.

Red Bank (2-1): The Bucs got knocked out of the Top 10 by Rumson-Fair Haven, but are still a dangerous team.

Honorable mention: Mitchell Kates (Colts Neck); James LeCardi (Rumson-FH); Sean McPaul (St. Rose); Mike Kuhn (CBA); Kyle Wehner (Manasquan); Brandon Carter (Freehold); Max Lit (Freehold Twp.); Ibn Moye (Central); Robert McClintock (Howell); Matt Pebole (Red Bank); Nyrahn Smith (Lakewood).

HOLIDAY HOOPS GUIDE


     With approximately a million boys basketball tournament games being played between Wednesday and Sunday, here is your guide to the hoops junkie’s heavenly five-day stretch.
     It’s the equivalent of the bowl season for college football fans. It also can be a little crazy just figuring out where to go and how to see a bunch of games with all that’s going on, so that’s where I come in. Here is your guide to the boys action that you will want to check out, including the players, teams, plotlines and anticipated match-ups as well as my basketball lunatic’s guide to seeing as much as you can each day.
     The main tournaments on the boys’ side (sites in parentheses) are the WOBM Classic (at Toms River North/Ritacco Center); Holiday Jubilee Tournament (Neptune); Bayshore Tournament (St. John Vianney); Jack Kuhnert Memorial Tournament (Freehold Twp./Howell/Freehold); and Buc Classic (Red Bank).

Top tandems you want to see (respective tournaments in parentheses):

Mike Kuhn, Sr., G; Brian Neller, Jr., G/F, Christian Brothers Academy (Holiday Jubilee): Kuhn has emerged as one of the top scorers in the Shore Conference and will help the Colts try to bounce back from their first loss of the season. Neller is the other primary threat and both have had big games in all of CBA’s wins, and need to play well for the Colts to make a run at the tournament title.

Garret Theil, Sr., G; Kyle Cancillieri, So., F, Middletown South (Bayshore): One of the better guards in Monmouth County, Theil and the top-seeded Eagles will look to continue their rise under coach Kevin Cullen and recover from their first loss of the season. A 6-foot-4 force, Cancillieri is one of the better young players in the Shore and is coming off a 20-point game.

Anthony Gibson, Jr., PG; Joe Willman, Jr., C, Monmouth (Holiday Jubilee): Gibson forms a nice inside-outside combo with Willman and has stepped up his offense to become the team’s main scoring threat thus far. He is physical for a point guard and is a good offensive rebounder. Willman is 6-5 but will let it fly from 3-point range and is also a good offensive rebounder. He just needs to avoid foul trouble.

Gary Foster, Sr., F; Thomas Jones, Jr., G, Neptune (Holiday Jubilee): Foster is smooth off the dribble and is a good offensive rebounder but needs the outside shooting of players like Jones to loosen things up inside. Both players are capable of taking over games for stretches with their scoring.

Ibn Moye, Jr., G; James Plummer, Sr., C, Central (WOBM Classic): One of the more exciting inside-outside combos in the Shore thus far, these two have made a threat out of a Golden Eagles team that has struggled in recent seasons. Moye transferred back to Central after spending a season at St. Benedict’s Prep and is very quick off the dribble and will pull the trigger on threes with a defender right on him. Plummer has good post moves, passing ability and decent range, while also serving as a shot-blocking force on defense.

Kyle Milana, Sr., F; Tom Carter, Sr., F, Monsignor Donovan (Holiday Jubilee): Milana is one of the most experienced players in the Shore and plays much bigger than his 6-foot-2 size. Carter is another scoring option for the Griffins and a solid defensive player.

Matt Pebole, Sr., F; Will Sanborn, Sr., G, Red Bank (Buc Classic): Pebole showed against Red Bank Catholic that he has as much explosive scoring capability as Sanborn with 28 points in a win. Pebole has matured from an offensive rebounder/garbageman type during the Kyle Fitzgerald/Casey Peters era into a dependable scorer and all-around strong player. When Sanborn’s shot is on, he is capable of putting 40 on someone, and his step back 3-point shot is difficult to guard.

Max Lit, Sr., C; Matt Devine, Jr., G, Freehold Township (Jack Kuhnert): Lit has emerged as a solid presence in the paint, while Devine is one of the better outside shooters in the Shore. Both are also getting the first major minutes of their careers after the graduation of the best senior class in program history.

Young players/newcomers/players you haven’t heard about that you’ll want to check out

James LeCardi, Jr., G, Rumson-FH (Bayshore Tournament): LeCardi has been a strong scorer for the surprising Bulldogs in the early going, teaming with junior guard Matt Blumel to form a good guard tandem for a team that already has three wins after winning four games all of last season.

Neil Thompson, So., G, Monmouth (Holiday Jubilee): Explosive off the dribble, Thompson plays with a lot of fire and can get to the rim in traffic. He’s at his best when he’s pushing the ball down the floor in transition.

Sean Grennan, Fr., G, Monsignor Donovan (Holiday Jubilee): Highly touted coming into high school, Grennan is a starter on a team with division title aspirations and beyond. He is a solid shooter and runs the offense efficiently.

Nyrahn Smith, Sr., G, Lakewood (Holiday Jubilee): Not exactly a newcomer, but after playing for half of the programs in the Northern Hemisphere, he has landed at Lakewood and made an immediate impact with 28 points in the season opener against Central. He is a good leaper and will pull the trigger on a 3-pointer at any time. He is most effective when he is slashing to the rim.

Ludner Innocent, Sr., G, Academy Charter (Bayshore Tournament): He’s not a newcomer, but to many Shore Conference fans, the quicksilver scorer hasn’t been seen much because Academy Charter only plays a handful of games against Shore Conference competition. He had 18 points against Manasquan in a loss this week, but is an exciting player.

Kyle Wehner, Jr., G, Manasquan (Jack Kuhnert): Not totally a newcomer, he saw time last year, but has emerged as the best scorer on one of the few unbeaten Shore Conference teams left.

Scott Nelson, Jr., G, Ocean (WOBM Classic): Also saw time last season, but has brought is offense up a notch this season with a 20-point game and some other big scoring nights for a team that has lost several close games.

Robert McClintock, Sr., C, Howell (Jack Kuhnert): He exploded for 31 points in a victory over Middletown North, so opposing coaches had to sit up and take notice of a performance like that.

Brandon Carter, Sr., C/F, Freehold (Jack Kuhnert): Better known as a lineman on the football field, he has been a stabilizing force in the paint for the suprising Colonials, who are looking to bounce back from a buzzer-beater loss to Central. Andrew Gerbehy and Brandon Brown are also ones to watch for the Colonials.

Sean McPaul, Jr., F, St. Rose (WOBM Classic): After being stuck behind graduated star Anthony Ranaudo, McPaul is now the main threat in the paint for the Purple Roses, who are the top seed in the tournament. If he scores inside, it opens things up for St. Rose’s guards to bomb away from outside.

Marvin Brodie, Sr., G, Manchester (WOBM Classic): He has the ability to rattle off eight or 10 points in a hurry, particularly from 3-point range, which could make Manchester trouble for an early-round opponent.

Corey Hahn, Jr., G, Raritan (WOBM Classic): He has emerged as the top scorer for last year’s WOBM champs, and is an efficient offensive player who runs the Rockets’ precise sets well and gets points with hustle.

Five Crazy Days and Nights
If you’re going to try and see a bunch of games in a given day, here’s one way to go.

Wednesday, Dec. 26
     Not a ton of juicy match-ups on this day as most Shore teams are facing nonconference teams in their tournament openers, but here you go: You’re definitely going to want to start your day at 11 a.m. at Neptune with Monmouth vs. Christian Brothers Academy in the Holiday Jubilee, and from there you can either get some lunch or watch some of Monsignor Donovan’s game against an always-tough Irvington team at the Holiday Jubilee. Then pop over to Freehold Township to check out the Freehold Boro team that has made some waves in the early season as it takes on Bayonne at 3 p.m. in the Jack Kuhnert Tournament. After that, roll to St. John Vianney to see another team off to a good start, Rumson-Fair Haven, as it takes on Middletown North at 5:30 p.m. in the Bayshore Tournament. That can either be the capper to your day, or you can stay at the Bayshore and watch the 7 p.m. game between top-seeded Middletown South and new varsity program Jackson Liberty.

Thursday, Dec. 27
Most of the early match-ups on this day are consolation games or involve nonconference teams, but if you want to take a gander at the team that knocked last season’s powerhouse Freehold Township team out of the state playoffs, head to Red Bank for South Brunswick’s Buc Classic game against Matawan at 12:30 p.m. From there, you can either stay and watch a little of Manalapan-Franklin in the 4-5 game of the Buc Classic, or head to Howell for the Jack Kuhnert Tournament semifinals, which start at 3 p.m. with what could be a Manasquan-Long Branch match-up followed by a Freehold vs. Freehold Township game at 5 p.m. I like the second game here if it comes to fruition, although another option in this time slot could be a WOBM Classic quarterfinal between defending WOBM champion Raritan and second-seeded Central at 4:15 p.m. at the Ritacco Center. I would lean toward the Kuhnert games just because they are semifinals, not quarterfinals, but Raritan scrimmaged Central in the preseason and this could be a quality game. Once you’re done at Howell or Ritacco Center, run up to St. John Vianney to watch the second Bayshore Tournament semifinal at 7 p.m. to cap your night. If the seeds hold true, this game would be between Middletown South and Rumson-Fair Haven, which should be a good match-up.

Friday, Dec. 28
The Holiday Jubilee Tournament at Neptune is so good, you might want to check out some consolation games here to start your day. The loser of the Monmouth-CBA game plays the loser of the Monsignor Donovan-Irvington game at 11 a.m., so that should be a good game. If you want a start a little later, go to the first Jubilee semifinal at 2:30 p.m. between the winners of those aforementioned games. After that, you can either stay for the 4:15 p.m. semifinal between the winner of Lakewood-Hudson Catholic and Lehman (N.Y.)-Neptune, which local fans are hoping will be a Neptune-Lakewood game. If you want to watch a little bit of that second game and then take a chance to potentially go see Red Bank play, there is a Buc Classic semifinal at 5 p.m. that would be between the host Bucs and state-ranked Elizabeth if the seeds hold true. That wraps your day up so that you can park yourself in front of the television for some college hoops or football.

Saturday, Dec. 29
OK, you’re going to have to make some decisions here, but that will probably come down to the match-ups. The Jack Kuhnert Tournament final is at Freehold Boro at 3 p.m., so maybe you can watch a chunk of that and then hustle to Neptune for the 4:15 p.m. tip-off of the Holiday Jubilee final, which should be good no matter which teams are in it. After that, you have two choices because it’s a lot of driving to try and do both. You have WOBM Classic semifinals at 6:15 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Ritacco Center, or you can go watch the Bayshore Tournament championship at St. John Vianney at 7 p.m. to polish off the day.

Sunday, Dec. 30
This day is pretty simple. You can go to Red Bank to watch the Buc Classic final at 5 p.m., and even take in the consolation final at 3:30 p.m. if you feel like it. Then you roll from there down to Toms River for an 8 p.m. tip-off at the WOBM Classic final, thus concluding your hoops-addled journey.

Ten things we want to find out from the tournaments

1. Who is the best team right now out of the Holiday Jubilee trio of Neptune, Christian Brothers Academy and Monmouth? Neptune already beat Monmouth, but hopefully the Holiday Jubilee will give us the answer and maybe deliver a CBA-Neptune final as well.

2. How good is Manasquan? The Warriors could potentially run into Freehold or Freehold Township if that scenario works out for the final of the Jack Kuhnert Tournament, and then we’ll see how Manasquan does against another ranked team.

3. Is Freehold for real? Speaking of the Kuhnert, it’s another good chance for Freehold to prove that its opening-night win over Neptune was no fluke and that it will be a top 10 team that is here to stay.

4. How valid is Rumson-Fair Haven’s 3-0 start? The Bulldogs are only one win shy of their entire win total from last season and have a victory over Red Bank to their credit. Can they keep it going by winning the Bayshore Tournament?

5. Who is the best team in Class B South right now?  You can’t even call a win by any team in that division an upset at this point, as they have all been knocking one another off. Central, Point Boro, and Manchester are still alive in the  WOBM Classic, while Monsignor Donovan is looking to turn some heads at the Holiday Jubilee Tournament.

6. Was St. Rose’s one-point loss to CBA indicative of the Purple Roses’ potential? Jacked up by a raucous home crowd, St. Rose played great and nearly toppled the Colts, then almost got stunned by 16th-seeded Brick as the top seed in the WOBM Classic. Which one is the real St. Rose team?

7. Is Freehold Township a team that will keep getting better and better? The young Patriots have a slew of players seeing their first significant varsity time and have a solid win over Middletown South to their credit. Can they take out Freehold and possibly Manasquan in the Jack Kuhnert Tournament and declare themselves a force right now?

8. Will Neptune find its shooting stroke? The Scarlet Fliers have plenty of experienced guards who have struggled with their jumpshots in the early going, reducing the effectiveness inside of forward Gary Foster. Teams like Freehold and Monmouth employed zones to great effect in close games, and more and more teams will follow that blueprint until someone breaks out and starts canning threes. Can they get back in a rhythm in the Holiday Jubilee Tournament on their home floor?

9. Who is the best team in Class A South right now? Hopefully the WOBM Classic can tell us if teams like Toms River North or Toms River South are a cut above in a division where no team is without at least one divisional loss.

10. Who are the top five players in the Shore right now? Hopefully, the all-tournament teams and tournament MVPs can help kick this argument into high gear.

THE SCHEDULES
Bayshore Tournament
At St. John Vianney  
Wednesday, Dec. 26
(Game #1)= (3) St. John Vianney vs. (6) Shore, 1 p.m.
(Game #2)= (2) Academy Charter vs (7) Mater Dei, 2:30 p.m.
(Game #3)= (4) Rumson-Fair Haven vs (5) Middletown North, 5:30 p.m.
(Game #4)= (1) Middletown South vs (8) Jackson Liberty, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 27
(Game 5)=Game #1 Loser vs Game #2 Loser, 1 p.m.
(Game 6)=Game #3 Loser vs Game #4 Loser, 2:30 p.m.
(Game 7)=Game #1 Winner vs Game #2 Winner, 5:30 p.m.
(Game 8)=Game #3 Winner vs Game #4 Winner, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 29
(Game 9)=Game #5 Loser vs Game #6 Loser, 1 p.m.
(Game 10)=Game #5 Winner vs Game #6 Winner, 2:30 p.m.
(Game 11)=Game #7 Loser vs Game #8 Loser, 5:30 p.m.
(Game 12)=Game #7 Winner vs Game #8 Winner, 7 p.m.

Neptune Holiday Jubilee
At Neptune High School

Wednesday, Dec. 26
11 a.m. Monmouth vs CBA (Game 1)
12:45 p.m. Monsignor Donovan vs Irvington (Game 2)
2:30 p.m. Hudson Catholic vs Lakewood (Game 3)
4:15 p.m. Neptune vs Lehman, N.Y. (Game 4)

Friday, Dec. 28
11 a.m. Loser of Game #1 vs Loser of Game #2 (Game 5)
12:45 p.m. Loser of Game #3 vs Loser of Game #4 (Game 6)
2:30 p.m. Winner of Game #1 vs Winner of Game #2 (Game 7)
4:15 p.m. Winner of Game #3 vs Winner of Game #4 (Game 8)

Saturday, Dec. 29
2:30 p.m. Consolation Game (Loser of Game #7 vs Loser of Game #8)
4:15 p.m. Championship Game (Winner of Game #7 vs Winner of Game 8)

BUC CLASSIC
At Red Bank

Schedule
Thursday, Dec. 27
(1) South Brunswick vs (8) Matawan, 12:30 p.m.
(4) Franklin vs (5) Manalapan, 2 p.m.
(3) Elizabeth vs (6) Peddie, 3:30 p.m.
(2) Red Bank vs (7) Marlboro, 5 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 28
South Brunswick/Matwan winner vs Franklin/Manalapan winner, 3:30 p.m.
Elizabeth/Peddie winner vs Red Bank/Marlboro winner, 5 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 30
Consolation game, 3:30 p.m.
Championship game, 5 p.m.

Jack Kuhnert Memorial Tournament
Wednesday December 26th
at Freehold Township High School

Manasquan vs. Howell, 11 am (Game D)
Columbia vs. Long Branch, 1 pm (Game C)
Freehold Boro vs. Bayonne, 3 pm (Game B)
Freehold Township vs. Hamilton West, 5 pm (Game A)

Thursday December 27th
at Howell High School
Consolation A vs. B, 11 am
Consolation C vs. D, 1 pm
Semi Final D winner vs. C winner, 3 pm
Semi Final A winner vs B winner , 5 pm

Saturday December 29th
Consolations and Finals
at Freehold High School
3rd place game, 11 am
Final, 3 pm

WOBM CLASSIC
At Ritacco Center

Thursday, Dec. 27
Quarterfinals
(3) TR North vs. (11) TR South, 2:30 p.m.
(7) Raritan vs. (2) Central, 4:15 p.m.
(4) Point Boro vs. (12) Manchester, 6 p.m.
(1) St. Rose vs. (8) TR East, 7:45 p.m.

Satuday, Dec. 29
Semifinals
TR North/TR South vs. Raritan/Central, 6:15 p.m.
St. Rose/TR East vs. Point Boro/Manchester, 8 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 30
Championship game, 8 p.m.

And finally….Merry Christmas to everybody out there!

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     Sorry for the two-day hiatus on the blog. Unfortunately, Christmas gifts don’t buy themselves and the Spring Lake mansion doesn’t clean itself, so I had to use Wednesday to catch up on some things because it’s a light hoops day.
     Anyway, let’s get to the Thursday night stuff, as it was a particularly wild night on the boys side. Also, real quick, if you’re looking for a game to go to on Friday, check out Manchester boys at Monsignor Donovan, 6:30 p.m. Good Class B South game between two teams jockeying for position and a Manchester (Marvin Brodie) team and Mon Don (Kyle Milana) team with some star power. Also, any Class A South game should be good at this point because all of the teams are so close.
     As for girls, it’s mainly a day between teams trying to move up and challenge division leaders.

BOYS
First things first. There will be a new No. 1 in the next DigitalSports Top 10, as current No. 1 Christian Brothers Academy went down 56-47 to No. 5 Colts Neck. The Cougars are looking like they will slide into that No. 1 spot, as they are unbeaten and took down the previous No. 1. Point guard Mitchell Kates dropped in 24 points, but the real key was that CBA’s Brian Neller was held to 10 points byt the Cougars. It’s become apparent in the early going that if Neller and senior guard Mike Kuhn (23 points) don’t both have big games, there isn’t that other scorer emerging to have a 15-20 point night. Still, it’s CBA, so you know the Colts will be there in the end, and it will be interesting to see how new coach Geoff Billet tries to scheme against teams focusing all their defensive energy on slowing down Kuhn or Neller.

This also marks the second straight season that the Cougars have beaten CBA during the regular season. Kates showed explosiveness off the dribble when I saw him last season, but it looks like he is starting to finish his drives and knock down open shots, which makes Colts Neck very dangerous. Steve Spinella (15 points) also has been solid, and seems to play well against CBA particularly, as he did a good defensive job on Neller. Great win for the Cougars, who will now have the target on their backs.

I took in a thriller of my own as Neptune edged Monmouth, 55-53, for a big win in Class B North. The Scarlet Fliers are still struggling with their outside shooting, which is surprising given the amount of veteran guards they have, but I liked their aggressiveness in the second half. I thought point guard D.J. Gutridge did a nice job of jumpstarting a stagnant offense by getting into the lane and finishing or dishing off for one of his seven assists. He has a nice crossover dribble, as you can see in the video highlights.

I wonder if Neptune will see more of the 3-2 zone that Monmouth coach Larry Cirignano threw at them, because in the first half, the Fliers were settling for 3’s and were barely looking for Gary Foster, one of their top offensive weapons, in the paint. That zone almost made Foster invisible, and it wasn’t until the guards starting getting into the lane that Foster started making things happen by taking passes and scoring or grabbing offensive rebounds. Senior swingman Terry Hicks also made things happen by forcing the issue and being aggressive, and junior guard Thomas Jones is always good for two or three 3-point bombs.

Neither team shot the ball particularly well, and Neptune was building a house from the foul line (14-for-28), but it’s still early in the season and I expect them to get better. Both of these teams are definitely talented and have some depth, particularly at the guard spots, so there’s no reason either one of them couldn’t make a deep run in the postseason.

As for Monmouth, point guard Anthony Gibson has really improved in the past season, and that’s a big development, particularly in the scoring department, because they lost junior Derek Pruitt, a solid scorer and defensive stopper, to transfer, as Pruitt is from a military family. Gibson has a good burst off the dribble and is a particularly impressive rebounder for a point guard, as he had 10 boards to go with his 19 points in the game. Also, sophomore guard Neil Thompson (14 points) is another one to watch, as he has a good spin move and can blow by most defenders and finish. Center Joe Willman was dealing with foul trouble all night, and it’s clear that teams see him as a big key for the Falcons and will be going at him, trying to get him on the bench early with fouls. All in all, Monmouth has a very solid team.

Finally, one quick Neptune tidbit. Former Neptune and Monmouth University standout Marques Alston, part of one of the best boys basketball teams in recent Shore history along with Taquan Dean and Terrance Todd, is now a police officer in Neptune after finishing up at Monmouth U. Marques is one of the quietest players I can remember, but one menacing look from him and I totally would spill the beans about where the contraband was hidden in the car.

In the other games, another thriller was between Central and Freehold, as Central point guard Ibn Moye hit a 3-pointer with one second left to win the game and hand the Colonials their first loss. Freehold might have been able to argue for the No. 1 spot in the Shore with Colts Neck if it won this game, but the Golden Eagles are awfully tough with the 1-2 combination of Moye (26 pts) and center James Plummer (18 points).

I saw Central lose a nail-biter to Lakewood on Tuesday, and Moye is the real deal. He takes some questionable shots occasionally, but he can get by just about anyone, although Lakewood’s Nyrahn Smith did a nice job on him in the fourth quarter. He has what every coach wants in a point guard – the ability to get anywhere on the court that he wants. Teams will have to double him to get Central out of running its stuff because one defender can’t force Moye to a certain area. Also, Plummer might be the best big man in the Shore right now. He has some solid post moves, good hands, a soft touch, and is a good passer out of the post, particularly when Central runs a high-low game with Plummer at the elbow. He has improved by leaps and bounds from last season, and will command a double team almost every time he catches it down low. That’s huge because Mo Ibrahim, Moye and Central’s other guards can all bury the three.

Freehold will rebound from this loss, and is playing in the Jack Kuhnert Memorial Tournament, where it could see Freehold Township, Manasquan and others. Also, it was a nondivisional loss, so the Colonials still sit atop the Class B North standings with Monmouth having suffered its first loss.

Freehold Township knocked Middletown South from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 62-59 win thanks to a big game by center Max Lit (20 points), who obviously learned a thing or two in playing behind Marcus Roberson and Brian Brikowski last season. I was telling people in the offseason that the Patriots would be better than people think even after all the graduation losses, and they are right there in Class A North. As for the Eagles, sophomore Kyle Cancillieri is emerging as one of the better young players in the Shore, as he had 23 points. He adds more scoring ability to a team that struggled to win high-scoring games last season.

Wall and Manalapan each picked up their first victories, and scoring explosion of the night honors go to Red Bank’s Matt Pebole (28 points), who shouldered the load in a win over Red Bank Catholic, and how about Howell’s Robert McClintock? He erupted for a career-high 31 points to put the Rebels in the win column with a 58-45 win over Middletown North.

Asbury Park keeps moving toward a showdown with St. Rose for Class B Central supremacy, as the Blue Bishops downed Keansburg 60-47 to stay unbeaten. Manasquan remained unbeaten by knocking off SJV and Rumson-Fair Haven is off to a 3-0 start for the first time in several years after a 45-40 win over Raritan in which the Bulldogs prematurely aged new coach James Young by going 7-for-21 from the foul line but still pulling out the victory. As for the Rockets, junior guard Corey Hahn has been drawing praise from several opposing coaches, and he had a game-high 22 points. Raritan is hoping to get sophomore guard Bennett Jackson back from an injury soon, and could be dangerous in the coming weeks.

GIRLS

Mostly routs on the girls side, but the big game was Rumson-Fair Haven’s 40-32 overtime victory against Raritan in Class A Central. The Rockets gave the Bulldogs a tough game for the second straight time after pushing them in the Central Jersey Group II playoffs last season. However, the usual suspects, junior Kate Miller (22 points) and senior point guard Candice Green, came up big when they were needed the most. Brielle O’Brien hit a big 3-pointer to kick off overtime, and RFH outscored the Rockets 10-2 in the extra session. Rumson seems to still be tinkering and searching for the right combinations in its lineups, but with that coaching staff, you can rest assured the Bulldogs will get it right by the time the tournament games roll around.

Still, Raritan showed that its two early victories over quality opponents, Howell and Holmdel, were no fluke, and it should be a dark horse in the state’s most loaded division. We also have video highlights from this game, so be sure to check those out.

Toms River North picked up a 44-34 win over Jackson to try and keep pace with Lacey in Class A South, while Monmouth topped Neptune in Class B North thanks to 19 points by Tia Curtis.

Middletown South is rolling right now after a 58-35 win over Freehold Township kept the Eagles unbeaten, and that three-way dogfight for the Class A North title between South, Howell and Colts Neck looks like it’s going to be a good one.

Southern edged Toms River East, 45-40, thanks to 21 points from Kristen Sharkey, but an emerging story in the early going is the scoring prowess of Toms River East’s Danielle Thomas. She had 21 in defeat, marking her third 20-point game in four games this season, including a 28-point night in the season opener, so she is one to keep an eye on.

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Today is more of an Ocean County day on both sides, so here are some games to check out:

GIRLS
Manchester at Point Boro, 6:30 p.m.: Last season, Manchester ruled Class B South with an iron fist, but lost a lot to graduation. However, the Hawks still have talented forward Camille Valmon in the fold, who has the ability to take over games. Meanwhile, Point Boro returned almost its entire lineup and is looking to wrest the Class B South title from the Hawks.

Ocean at Neptune, 5:30 p.m.: This is a key game in the early going of the Class B North race, as a veteran Ocean team takes on a precocious Neptune squad that pushed division favorite Freehold in the opener and features standout freshman Syessence Davis and Shakena Richardson, the younger sisters of graduated stars Cyialece Davis and Shareese Richardson.

Toms River North at Toms River East, 6:30 p.m.: This is an important early Class A South game between rivals, with East’s Danielle Thomas coming into the game as one of the Shore’s best scorers in the early going, and a young, but experienced, Mariners team looking to improve to 2-0 in the division.

BOYS
Lakewood at Central, 6:30 p.m.: Central is coming off an impressive win over a well-regarded Monsignor Donovan team, and the tandem of James Plummer and point guard Ibn Moye will look to keep it going against a Lakewood team trying to show that it has returned as one of Ocean County’s standard-bearers. It’s the upstarts against the old powerhouse, and it will be interesting to see how much damage Moye can do in what should be a wide open, up-tempo game.

Asbury Park at Keyport, 5:15 p.m.: The Blue Bishops have two exciting scorers back in Steve Raymond and Darryl Jefferson and could be St. Rose’s main competition in Class B Central. Keyport has a host of returners and won its season opener, so we’ll see how the Red Raiders stack up.

Point Boro at Manchester, 6:30 p.m.: The Panthers are always tough, while the Hawks return guard Marvin Brodie, one of the better streaky scorers in the Shore, capable of dropping eight or 10 in the span of five minutes. This game should show who will step up to Central and Monsignor Donovan and possibly Lakewood as a fourth horse in the Class B South race.

Toms River South at Southern, 6:30 p.m.: The Indians upended Toms River North to get a nice Class A South victory in their season opener, and now Tyler Gebner and Co. roll into Ram country for another battle in the parity-filled A South.

Toms River East at Toms River North, 6:30 p.m.: The two cross-town rivals duke it out to stay afloat in the early going in Class A South as teams jockey for position at the beginning. The Raiders lost a lot to graduation and return big man Mike Murphy, a football standout. The Mariners are trying to recover from a season-opening loss and give new coach Andrew Bilodeau his first win at North.

Here are some tidbits from Monday night’s action:

GIRLS
I was at the St. John Vianney-Red Bank Catholic game, where RBC’s Kristina Coppolino brought home the victory with 22 points and 10 boards. Her mobility now that she is more than a full year removed from ACL surgery is really noticeable. She is quicker to the ball and does a good job of anticipating where the ball is going to carom off the rim on missed shots. It seems like no matter which side it bounces to, Coppolino is always in the scrum for the rebound, particularly on the offensive glass. I was a little surprised that some of RBC’s veteran guards had so much trouble with St. John Vianney’s press, simply because they’ve been in these big games before, but found themselves out of position at times or dribbling to much. In any event, they are talented and it’s early, so I’m sure some of the rust will be off now and they will only get better.

Plus, RBC is working some young, inexperienced talent into the backcourt, so they were learning on the job last night as well. One thing they did a great job of was run-outs in transition off made baskets. They get the ball out of the net and go.

RBC senior Kristina Danella struggled with her shot all night, not knowing when to pull the trigger on a jumper and when to take it up in traffic. However, she did a good job of keeping her composure at the foul line, going 9-for-10 and making some big free throws down the stretch. She didn’t let a rough night from the field affect her ability to help her team at the charity stripe. Coppolino, meanwhile, was everywhere. She plays as hard or harder than any post player in the Shore. She gets points and rebounds by sheer will against girls who can match her athletically.

As for SJV, this team is going to be scary by the middle to end of the season. Their freshmen don’t play like freshmen at all. Missy Repoli, Arron Zimmerman, Katie O’Reilly and Jackie Kates all played some big minutes, and Repoli looked especially impressive in going for 14 points with an array of drives and deep jumpers. They are absolutely fearless, considering it was a heightened atmosphere and an arch-rival, yet they never folded or got intimidated by RBC’s veterans. This whole team just attacks the rim a lot more than last year, when they often settled for jumpers, or stood around and hoped for Alisa Apo to make a play.

Also, SJV junior guard Katelyn Linney looks like she has put some work into her offensive game in the offseason. Last year, she was tentative on offense, and on Monday, she was way more aggressive in going for 19 points by putting it on the floor and also hitting mid-range jumpers. “She has worked a lot on that side of the ball in the offseason, and once the other girls get up to speed on offense, that will only make her more dangerous,” SJV coach Dawn Werner said afterwards.

Plus, SJV’s trademark, swarming press looked alive and well last night in causing 23 turnovers. When the Lancers are at their best, their defense creates easy offense, which especially helps when you have freshmen playing, as a few lay-ups off steals can give them confidence early on in big games.

As for the other games, the obvious one was Howell’s upset over Colts Neck. Howell guard Denise Crudup apparently did a strong defensive job on Brooke Hampton in the second half, and the Rebels went to work on the offensive glass against Colts Neck’s young pivot players. Howell has now assumed the early mantle of Hardest Team to Rank after falling to Raritan in the season opener and then coming back and stunning a Colts Neck team that looked impressive in its first two games. I still think Colts Neck will be fine, and with a ridiculously talented sophomore class, this team will be slugging it out with usual suspects like RFH, RBC and SJV for the next two years at least.

Speaking of Raritan, the Rockets beat Holmdel, 45-37, to improve to 2-0 with two quality wins, thanks to 10 points by junior Alexa Ryan. The Rockets have emerged as the main challenger to the Class A Central triumvirate of RFH, SJV and RBC and also have a win over Howell, so their game against Rumson on Thursday certainly has some intrigue to it. Especially because Raritan gave Rumson a tough game in their last meeting, a Central Jersey Group II playoff victory for the eventual Group II-champion Bulldogs last season.

Middletown South is 2-0 after a 61-31 win over Manalapan, and it was the first home game for Eagles season Jill Gannon, who I’m sure you’ve heard (or watched the videos on our site) has made a great recovery from a skull fracture suffered last season. Just like in the season opener, Gannon scored the first points of the game, this time on two free throws.

Wall edged Monmouth in what become a common theme this season – a group effort by one team to overcome the singular effort of Monmouth senior Tia Curtis, who had 27 points in the loss. Curtis kind of has to be a one-woman gang as the Falcons lost nearly all of their other experience to graduation.

BOYS
As Bob Badders reported to me after covering Christian Brothers Academy’s 76-65 win over Freehold Township, the Colts look like the team to beat and Mike Kuhn looks like an early DigitalSports Player of the Year candidate, while the Patriots will be better than people think. CBA also showed a little more depth after Kuhn and Brian Neller really carried the load early on, which will be important as the season progresses and teams begin devoting more and more attention to shutting down either Neller or Kuhn and forcing another scorer to step up. The Colts are also playing at a faster tempo under new coach Geoff Billet, getting out and running on the break for easy baskets.

Meanwhile, the cupboard is far from bare at Freehold Township as junior Matt Devine has emerged as one of the better outside shooters in the Shore in the early going, and guards Corey Csakai, Tyler McKinnon and Kevin Fischer are a solid trio with speed. Badders also said that Fischer, the younger brother of last year’s DigitalSports Player of the Year, since-graduated Ed Fischer, was getting the business from the Colt Crazies. Ed Fischer was one of their favorite targets last year, so I see that it runs in the family.

In the other games, it looks like Rumson-Fair Haven is turning it around under first-year head coach James Young, as they improved to 2-0 with a 52-47 win over Red Bank in Class A Central. The Bulldogs only won four games all of last season, but thanks to a big game by junior guard Matt Blumel (25 points) they took down the Bucs to start emerging from the pack in Class A Central. Red Bank still will always be dangerous with the combination of forward Matt Pebole and guard Will Sanborn, whose step-back 3-pointer might be the toughest shot to defend in the Shore and one of the most lethal.

Also, congrats to new Middletown North coach Mike Iasparro, who picked up his first career victory in a 60-50 win over Marlboro in Class A North.

Red Bank Catholic recovered from a tough loss to Manasquan to roll past St. John Vianney in Class A Central, and Freehold is taking its Cardiac Kid reputation from football and applying it to basketball as it edged Long Branch, 39-35, one game after beating Neptune at the buzzer.

Manasquan’s Kyle Wehner is looking like one of the better emerging scorers in the Shore as he had 23 in a 66-59 win over Academy Charter, which is quietly one of the better teams in the area.

Finally, congrats to Jackson Liberty for picking up its first varsity win in school history, a 46-43 win over Pinelands in a nondivisional game.

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Here are some games to check out for Monday on the boys and girls side

BOYS

Freehold Twp. at Christian Brothers Academy, 4 p.m.: These are two of the most fervent fan bases in the Shore Conference, so the crowd is always lively. Freehold Twp. doesn’t have the firepower it had last season, and I’m sure CBA hasn’t forgotten the three losses to the Patriots last year. Mike Kuhn and Brian Neller have helped the Colts look impressive thus far, while Freehold Township got off to a good start. How will the newcomers on the Patriots handle the raucous atmosphere in Colt Crazy-land?

Red Bank at Rumson-FH, 6:30 p.m.: Two teams coming off wins in their openers lock horns in Class A Central. It’s the free form Bucs and scorer Will Sanborn against the balanced Bulldogs in a game that will give one team some early separation in one of the Shore’s toughest divisions.

Raritan at Holmdel, 6:30 p.m.: This is another solid Class A Central game that pits neighboring towns and a pair of friends together in that Hornets head coach Sean Devaney used to be at Raritan, where he led the Rockets to their only NJSIAA Group title in school history in the heyday of Qa’rraan Calhoun and Marques Johnson. Devaney’s head assistant during that time was current Rockets coach Dennis Caruano, so these teams play a similar style and know one another’s playbook.

Academy Charter at Manasquan, 6:30 p.m.: This is a nonconference game, but Academy Charter has one of its better teams this season and loves to play the run-and-gun, up-tempo attack, while Manasquan is coming off a double-digit win over Red Bank Catholic and also likes to push the tempo. Could be a fun game to watch.

Long Branch at Freehold, 5:30 p.m.: The target is now on Freehold in Class B North after stunning Neptune in the season opener, while Long Branch is coming off a loss to Raritan in the opener. There are some great athletes, many of them football stars, in this game, so we’ll see if the Colonials can continue their early momentum.

GIRLS

Red Bank Catholic at St. John Vianney, 7 p.m.: The millionth installment of the Shore’s most ongoing grudge match between superpowers. The Lancers already have a win over Rumson-Fair Haven in their pocket, so if they take down the Caseys, who look like the No. 1 team in the Shore right now, that would be a huge step toward the Class A Central title only two games into the season.

Colts Neck at Howell, 5:30 p.m.: A pivotal Class A North game between a Colts Neck team that has trampled two opponents, including state-ranked Woodrow Wilson, and a Howell squad coming off a three-point, nondivisional loss to Raritan in the season opener. Can anyone slow down Colts Neck’s offense? We’ll see tonight.

Holmdel at Raritan, 5:30 p.m.: Another key Class A Central game between a Raritan team that surprised Howell and a Holmdel team that cruised in its season opener. This game will be a good barometer as to who the next closest challenger will be to the trio of Rumson, RBC and SJV in Class A Central.

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     I didn’t get a chance to take in any of the opening night action thanks to a corporate function that had me down at our home base in Maryland on Friday night and earlier today, but it did not disappoint as far as the usual wild scores from opening night of the basketball season. Here’s some quick observations and stuff I may have overlooked in the preview.

BOYS

Obviously, the big game was Freehold taking down No. 2 Neptune, which is now in an 0-2 hole in the span of two days after losing 80-76 in overtime to Scotch Plains at The Hoop Group Tip-Off Classic at Seton Hall University on Saturday afternoon. Freehold took its lumps with a young team last year, but returned a bunch of players. It was the usual suspects from the football team who made big plays, as senior forward Brandon Carter, better known as one of the Shore’s top linemen but also looking like one of the top pivot presences in the conference on the hardwood, had a strong game. The player who hit the game-winning 3-pointer, junior Brandon Brown, exploded on to the scene during football as one of the best athletes in the Shore.

It’s not time to panic for Neptune, considering the two losses were by a combined five points, one in the final seconds and the other in overtime. This team looks like it will need a little time to mesh, but will be dangerous in the end as always. As for Freehold, the Colonials won’t be sneaking up on anyone from here on out, but it looks like they have the talent to handle their new status.

I talked to Central coach Mike Clemente in the preseason and he said that the talent was there, but his team hadn’t played in any big games yet. Well, consider that changed, as they took down No. 4 Monsignor Donovan for a huge early-season win in the race for the Class B South title. (I know there are those public and parochial titles, but I mean in the race for the real title).

Manasquan sent a message in Class A Central with a 16-point win over a Red Bank Catholic team expected to contend for the division title as well. Also in A Central, congrats to new Rumson-Fair Haven head coach James Young, who got his first career win in the Bulldogs’ first game of the season as they knocked off St. John Vianney. Another big game in Class A Central was Red Bank’s three-point win over Holmdel. That’s the second straight year that the Hornets have dropped a heartbreaker to the Bucs in the season opener, but it shows that this division is deep. Yet another solid Class A Central team is Raritan, which opened some eyes with a nondivisional win over Long Branch.

Toms River South edged Toms River North to take an early lead in the Class A South race, which should be an absolute dogfight. I don’t think there is much separating all the teams in that division, but North looked like a possible favorite, so good win for the Indians.

GIRLS

The No. 1 squad, Rumson-Fair Haven, fell to St. John Vianney, and I see the reports of a talented freshman class coming into Lancers-land were true as four of them helped contribute to a victory. That’s a great confidence-builder for the Lancers after starting slowly last year and having everyone pile on them before regrouping for a nice run in the Shore Conference Tournament. As for Rumson, the Bulldogs will be back and when they have their full lineup, they’ll be tough as always.

The other big win was Raritan’s three-point nondivisional victory over Howell in what was a glorified foul-shooting contest in which junior Alexa Ryan led the way with 17 points. Great win for the Rockets, who showed that Class A Central should be a monster this year with the capability to have five teams and maybe more ranked in the top 10. Holmdel opened with a big win over Red Bank, and the Hornets look like another team to be reckoned with in the division. Sophomore Alex Diekmann, the star goalie of the field hockey team, had 22 points.

St. Rose made a big statement in Class B Central with a 13-point win over Shore, which looks like the Purple Roses closest pursuer for the division title.

Another big story was the return of Middletown South’s Jill Gannon, and you can check out Bob Badders’ story and highlights of her comeback from a frightening skull injury last year. Good to see her back, and very productive as well, as she stuffed the stat sheet last night. I also think I blew it by not putting Shawna Hagen, South’s center, as one of the “On the rise” players in my preview. She looks like she could be one of the better post players in the Shore. I might have to retroactively add her in there.

The eye-opener of Saturday was Colts Neck’s detonation of Woodrow Wilson, a 50-point win over one of the usual powers in the state. With some height underneath now, the Cougars clearly have the offensive firepower to win the Shore Conference Tournament this year. They are the No. 2 seed in the WOBM Classic and could run into No. 1 Rumson in the final for the second straight year, so we may get a great barometer before the New Year.

Also, congrats to Jackson Liberty, which picked up its first varsity win in school history with a 50-39 win over Pinelands.

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By Scott Stump – Senior Editor

     As has been the case for the past few seasons, the first question when it comes to who is No. 1 in girls basketball has come down to two choices in the preseason. Red Bank Catholic or Rumson-Fair Haven? The two have wrestled over division and Shore Conference titles as well as having met up in Tournament of Champions games, so the two teams that know each other inside-and-out are always seemingly bound to collide. I’ll give the Bulldogs the nod because they finished last season ranked No. 1, so the Caseys or anyone else (like opening-night opponent St. John Vianney) will have to take it from them.
    
     Preseason Top 10

     1. Rumson-Fair Haven: When you have one of the Shore’s top all-around players in Kate Miller, and top point guards in Candice Green, you know you’re in good shape. Gabby DePalo and Kara Abbot also return as key players in George Sourlis’ rotation, with DePalo supplying an inside and rebounding presence and Abbot suppling scoring and clutch shots. The defending Group II champs will rely on defense as always, and Miller is carving out a career that will put her among the greats.

    2. Red Bank Catholic: The Caseys return a pair of Division I-A talents in senior guard/forward Kristina Danella (UMass) and senior power forward Kristina Coppolino (Northeastern), so their interior is as good as any in the state. Guards Kathryn Fox, Megan Spanarkel and Kim Talbot return to run the show and pressure opposing guards, and watch out for freshman newcomers Kasey Hobbie and 6-foot-1 center Chyna Golden.

    3. Freehold: The Colonials return almost their entire starting lineup from last season and are looking to get over the hump in the big games againt ranked opponents. They are led by junior Shannon Mayrose, a great all-around athlete who was recently named the DigitalSports Girls Soccer Player of the Year. She can put it on the floor and is a good offensive rebounder. Guards Ashley Lewis and Alex Eagle return to supply timely scoring and defense, while sophomore Sehmonyeh Allen has the capability of forming a formidable 1-2 scoring punch with Mayrose.

    4. Colts Neck: The Cougars return one of the Shore’s top point guards, scoring machine Brooke Hampton, as well as two solid scorers in guards Lauren Clarke and Tiffany DeTulio. Their main problem last season was a lack of height and inside presence that spelled doom on the boards. Guess what? Six-foot-1 sophomore Leeann Lanza and 6-foot-2 sophomore Brittany Howes should be able to help with that.

    5. St. John Vianney: The Lancers graduated their centerpiece, Alisa Apo, last year’s DigitalSports Player of the Year, but junior guard Katelyn Linney returns along with forward Jen Mulvey and others who saw time last year along with some newcomers. This program is always in the mix.

   6. St. Rose: Senior center Kelly Clark leads the way along with sharpshooter Janine Mullin for the Class B Central favorites, who are looking to break into the final four in the Shore Conference Tournament.

   7. Howell: Senior guards Denise Crudup and Michelle Blum lead an experienced Rebels team that showed flashes of being a top 10 squad last year and now will look to get it done consistently.

   8. Lacey: Stephanie Mayfield, a 5-foot-7 swing and one of Ocean County’s top returning players, is hoping to lead the Lions to the Class A South title that they challenged for last season, while also making a dent in the Shore Conference Tournament. The Malkiewiczs, Tara and Amanda, will also pitch in.
  
    9. Holmdel: In the ultra-deep Class A Central, which also features a tough Raritan team, the Hornets will try to make headway under new coach Kelly Burns. Helping them do so will be senior guards Mary Beth Lesbirel, Kim Fiorentino and Dana Graziano and sophomores Melissa Martorelli and Alex Diekmann.

   10. Middletown South: Center Shawna Hagen, swing Danielle Pankey and guard Jill Gannon are the main returners on a team that was hit hard by graduation but always seems to be among the top 10 squads in the Shore. They should be able to defend, so the main question is whether they will get enough scoring to hang with the upper-echelon teams.

Teams that I may look like an ***** for not ranking:

Shore: This team may be young, but it is experienced after a host of freshmen saw time last year under head man Mark Truhan. Led by senior guard Katelyn Benedit and sophomores Rachel Halpern and Liz West, the Blue Devils have the ingredients to challenge St. Rose in Class B Central.

Raritan: Yet another quality team in Class A Central, the Rockets return leading scorer Alexa Ryan and guard Kandace Johnson from a team that gave some quality opponents fits last year.

Neptune: The Scarlet Fliers pretty much lost everyone to graduation, but the younger sisters of stars Shareese Richardson and Cyialece Davis are coming in as freshmen, so they could be dangerous.

Monmouth: Monmouth University-bound senior Tia Curtis is going to have to pretty much be the whole show for the Falcons, who were also hit hard by graduation.

Ocean: The Spartans have a large group of returners from a team that played well toward the end of last season.

Sleepers: Toms River East, Southern, Red Bank, Wall.

Players to watch:

Kate Miller, Jr., G/F, Rumson-FH: A three-year varsity starter, Miller is one of the top all-around players in the Shore. She is a good defender, a good foul shooter and good at coming off screens and hitting jumpers. She also can put it on the floor and get to the basket, while also doing a good job of getting down the floor in transition when the opening is there.

Kristina Danella, Sr., F, Red Bank Catholic: Already committed to UMass, Danella has the size to post up inside and the ability to step out and hit the ‘3.’ Her main problem was dealing with double- and triple-teams last year, and her ability to find open scorers out of the post could be a big key to RBC’s hopes of a Tournament of Champions title.

Candice Green, Sr., PG, Rumson-FH: A good defender and decision-maker, she also has shown the ability to pick up the scoring slack when Miller is being blanketed or having an off night.

Kristina Coppolino, Sr., F, Red Bank Catholic: Bound for Northeastern, she is as a rugged a defender and rebounder as there is in the Shore. Known for hustle plays and mixing it up inside, Coppolino is a force on the offensive glass. If she can consistently score from 15 feet in, RBC will be very tough to beat.

Shannon Mayrose, Jr., G/F, Freehold: The feisty heart of the Colonials, Mayrose is a player who attacks from the opening whistle. She has a good spin move, and also is good at following her own misses for putbacks. Her size and ability to pull defenders away from the basket and then blow by them causes a lot of problems.

Brooke Hampton, So., G, Colts Neck: Perhaps the best pure scorer in the Shore Conference, Hampton can do it all – hit 3-pointers off the dribble or off screens, blow by defenders and get to the basket, or drop a little floater in the lane. Her only problem at times last season was her 5-foot-6 size, but she is still a handful for any opposing team. She also is a better passer than people think.

Kelly Clark, Sr., C, St. Rose: Headed for Wagner, Clark is one of the better pivot players in the Shore, and her presence should open it up behind the 3-point arc for the Purple Roses’ guards.

Stephanie Mayfield, Sr., G, Lacey: She hit 40 3-pointers last year and averaged nearly 15 points per game, so she certainly looks like one of Ocean County’s top players and is hoping to lead the Lions to a Class A South title.

Deanna Mendelson, Sr., G, Red Bank: Right up there with Hampton among the pure scorers in the Shore Conference, the 6-foot Mendelson averaged over 20 points per game last year and is out to help the Bucs make some noise in the brutal Class A Central division.

Tia Curtis, Sr., G/F, Monmouth: Already committed to Monmouth University, Curtis is the main returner on a team ravaged by graduation. She has the power to cause problems underneath but also the soft touch to knock down the trifecta.

On the rise:

Sehmonyeh Allen, So., G/F, Freehold: An electric offensive player who is capable of scoring in bunches, Allen has the leaping ability to grab offensive rebounds in traffic, and also is a solid 3-point shooter. When she is playing under control, there aren’t too many defenders in the Shore who can match her one-on-one.

Lauren Clarke, So., G, Colts Neck: The Cougars’ second scoring option is a good one, as Clarke can take over games with her 3-point shooting ability. If Hampton is consistently getting into the lane and kicking it out to her behind the arc, opponents are in a world of trouble.

Katelyn Linney, Jr., G, St. John Vianney: She will have to step up and help fill the scoring void vacated by Alisa Apo’s graduation.

Dana Graziano, Sr., G, Holmdel: If the Hornets are going to break into the higher regions of Class A Central, Graziano will be have to be a big reason why.

Danielle Pankey, Jr., G/F, Middletown South: Played out of control at times last season, but also showed the ability to score in bunches when under control. She will be counted on to supply more offense with some graduation losses.

Alexa Ryan, Jr., C/F, Raritan: A versatile pivot player who can score from all over the court, Ryan needs to bring it up a notch to help the Rockets make headway in the state’s toughest division, Class A Central.

Top 10 Burning Preseason Questions

1. Will anyone interrupt a Red Bank Catholic vs. Rumson-Fair Haven match-up in the Shore Conference Tournament final for the third year in a row? Just like CBA-Neptune on the boys side, this appears to be another season where two perennially tough programs are on a collision course, but Freehold and Colts Neck, as well as usual suspect St. John Vianney, are among those that can’t be counted out.

2. Will Freehold win the big ones this year? A young Colonials team was right there in plenty of big games against top five opponents last year, notably an SCT game against St. John Vianney, but didn’t come away with the ‘W.’ Have they learned to finish?

3. Has Colts Neck found the missing ingredients? The Cougars have as good a backcourt as anyone in the Shore, but got hurt on the boards in just about every big game because of a lack of height. With a pair of six-foot sophomores now in the fold, the Cougars might have enough to make a push for No. 1.

4. Can St. John Vianney replace Alisa Apo? The Sacred Heart freshman was seemingly the whole offense for the Lancers last year, so with her graduation, somebody needs to step up. The cupboard is never bare in Lancers-land, but they will have to prove it on the big stage.

5. Will Ocean County make a dent in the upper reaches of the Top 10? Right now, it looks like Lacey is the best Ocean County team on paper, but will the Lions be able to crack the final eight or final four in the Shore Conference Tournament?

6. Will the fifth- or sixth-best team in Class A Central be better than the division champions or runners-up in other divisions? With a division that includes juggernauts Red Bank Catholic, Rumson-Fair Haven and St. John Vianney, as well as talented teams in Holmdel and Raritan, an improving Manasquan team and a Red Bank team that features scoring machine Deanna Mendelson, this division is ridiculous. It has to be the best division in the state.

7. Who will be the DigitalSports Player of the Year? The Shore is absolutely stocked with stars this year, including Kristina Danella, Kate Miller, Kristinan Coppolino, Shannon Mayrose and Brooke Hampton. Who will be the one to rise out of that talented pack as the best?

8. Who will recover the best from graduation losses? Middletown South, Monmouth, Neptune and Manchester spring to mind immediately as teams that watched a lot of talent walk out the door. I think the Eagles might be best equipped to handle it, although Neptune does have promising freshmen.

9.  Can St. Rose and Shore win ones for the little guys? The small-school Class B Central often gets shoved into the corner in the discussion of top teams, so we’ll see if the top two contenders can make some waves in their nondivisional games.

10. Who will win the final game this season between Rumson and Red Bank Catholic? With two teams that expect to be in the Tournament of Champions every year, they want this game more than any of the other divisional or SCT showdowns.

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By Scott Stump – Senior Editor

     There are few things more confounding than the preseason boys basketball Top 10 in the parity-filled Shore Conference, where there are the usual suspects, Neptune and Christian Brothers Academy, and then there is everyone else fighting for their piece of turf. Just ask any of the coaches trying to seed these holiday tournaments in the preseason. With that said, let’s throw some names up against the wall and see what sticks as the season progresses. Also, below the top 10, check out some extra info as the season is set to kick off on Friday night. All this season, we’ll be bringing you video highlights, features, game coverage, stats and whatever else we can think of in promoting Shore Conference hoops.

     Preseason Top 10

     1. Christian Brothers Academy: Number One with a Billet. I’ve been waiting too long to use that bad pun, but the Colts return senior guard Mike Kuhn and junior swingman Brian Neller as standouts under new head coach Geoff Billet, a former Colts Star and Seton Hall assistant who became just the third CBA head coach since the 1960s when he took over this past summer after legendary coach Ed Wicelinski stepped down. We’ll see if Billet throws any wrinkles in the methodical, backdoor-cutting CBA offense that has been a staple for eons. The Colts open up with Howell and then have a game scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday against Chatham at Seton Hall Prep as part of The Hoop Group’s Tip-Off Classic, but we’ll see if that even gets played with a big snowstorm expected to roll in earlier in the day.

     2. Neptune: Senior forward Gary Foster is one of the top returning players in the Shore, a scoring force who gets into the lane and causes trouble while also hitting the offensive glass like a madman. Junior guard Thomas Jones is a fearless player and top scorer who can light it up from 3-point range. They are joined by returning guards Jabari Joiner and D.J. Gutridge, as well as transfer Terry Hicks, a swingman from Monmouth Academy who is suited to Neptune’s pressing, trapping, up-tempo attack. When Neptune coach Ken O’Donnell thinks he really has something, he ratchets up a usually tough schedule into brutal territory. After they meet Freehold on opening night, they will face Scotch Plains in the Tip-Off Class at noon at Seton Hall on Saturday, and then later in the season will face Linden, St. Anthony and New Brunswick, as well as potentially seeing CBA in their Holiday Jubilee Tournament.

    3. Monmouth: On paper, the Falcons look as talented as anyone, but have looked a little shaky in the preseason under new coach Larry Cirignano, an assistant last year who replaced since-retired coach T.O. Brunson. The Falcons lost leading scorer Brandon Cohen to graduation and another top player, guard Derek Pruitt, to transfer, but return 6-foot-5 junior center Joe Willman, who can stick the ‘3’ and play inside. They also have point guard Derrick Gibson, sophomore swingman Neil Thompson, junior Austin Whitehurst and senior forward Kyle Fagan back in the fold. Will the experience translate into results on the heels of their first NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III title in school history? We’ll see.

    4. Monsignor Donovan: Rugged senior forward Kyle Milana, who seemingly has been playing for the Griffins for the past eight years, is back for his fourth varsity season to lead what looks like Ocean County’s best team. Despite the transfer of swingman Nick Lopez, the Griffins still have Tom Carter along with newcomer point guard Sean Grennan, a freshman. We’ll see if the new parts can mesh together to keep them right near the top of the pack, and with one of the most underrated head coaches in the Shore in Mike Kearney, they have the staff to make it work.

    5. Colts Neck: Losing guard Brian Baker to graduation is a big void, but the return of forward Steve Spinella and point guard Mitchell Kates has the Cougars looking to push CBA in Class A North and make a splash in the Shore Conference Tournament. Spinella has improved greatly in the last two seasons, and will need to shoulder more of the scoring load for this team to be successful. They also need to have some 3-point bombers step up to give Spinella room to operate on the wing or under the basket.

   6. Manasquan: A team that played well toward the end of last season returns plenty of experience under coach Kurt Fenchel, and looks to contend for the Class A Central title. A team that looked good in the summer should have a 10-deep rotation that includes seniors Keirnan Halton, Ben Tumas, and Jim Barnickle. Junior guard Kyle Wehner is another to watch for the Warriors, who only lost three seniors to graduation.

   7. Freehold Township: Yes, the Patriots lost a ton of firepower and experience to graduation from a team that did not lose to a Shore Conference opponent in finishing No. 1 last year. However, they still have senior guards Kevin Fischer and Corey Csakai and big man Max Lit, as well as a bunch of newcomers, including Matt Devine and Tyler McKinnon.

   8. Red Bank Catholic: Much like Monmouth, the Caseys look good on paper, and we’ll get an indication on Friday night how the results might turn out when they face Manasquan in a pivotal early-season Class A Central clash. Joe Nappo’s squad includes returner Andrew Walsh, a scoring swingman, as well as speedy point guard David Reeves and forward Glenn Ford, as well as shooter Dan Calandrillo. This team will look to fire away from 3-point range by getting into the lane and kicking it out behind the arc. The faster the tempo they play at, the better.

   9. Red Bank: With Class A Central looking like one of the deeper divisions in the Shore, the Bucs are the third team in the mix thanks to the return of guard Will Sanborn and forward Matt Pebole. Sanborn is capable of going for 40 on a given night, but he also has shown the tendency to shoot the Bucs out of some games. If he plays under control and distributes when necessary, this team will be very dangerous. Pebole will have to shoulder more of the offensive load after serving as the clean-up man on offensive rebounds the last few seasons, and he will have to try and replace the presence of Harvard freshman Kyle Fitzgerald in the paint.

  10. Middletown South: The Eagles took a big step forward last season, and return talented sophomore Kyle Cancillieri as well as senior guard Garret Thiel. Last season, they were able to sneak up on some teams, but this year they are a known entity, so we’ll see how they handle it in the always-competitive Class A North.

The teams that I may look like an ***** for not ranking:

St. Rose: The No. 1 seed in the WOBM Classic, the Purple Roses lose a huge presence in Anthony Ranaudo to graduation, but return a solid rotation of guards and some size.

Central: With point guard Ibn Moye having transferred back from St. Benedict’s Prep, the Golden Eagles have one of the better players in Ocean County. They also have size in 6-foot-5 forward/center James Plummer.

Lakewood: With an influx of transfers and rising talent that took its lumps last season, the Piners may be ready to return to their customary spot in the Shore’s elite under new coach Randy Holmes. Chris Jordan and Tyquan Strand return, and former Asbury Park guard Nyrahn Smith is now with the Piners.

Rumson-Fair Haven: This team could be vastly improved under new head coach James Young, and is led by junior guard Matt Blumel.

St. John Vianney: For the second straight year, the Lancers lose a centerpiece scorer, Eric Johannesen, but will try to compensate with their up-tempo game and 3-point shooting ability.

Asbury Park: With Darryl Jefferson and Steve Raymond expected to return, the Blue Bishops will have two of the top players in Class B Central.

Toms River North: Pat Szukics, Steve Nyisztor and others are back on an athletic team with a new head coach, Andrew Bilodeau, who previously brought Manchester to new heights.

Point Boro: The Panthers lost a ton to graduation, but Kevin Hynes always seems to have them in the hunt. The main problem in the early going may be that several of their top players are football players whose season ended less than two weeks ago.

Long Branch: Same as Point Boro, the Green Wave will be counting on a football star, senior guard Donte Gilliard, who will quickly need to get into the swing of things on the hardwood.

Sleepers: Freehold, Raritan, Holmdel, Lacey, Keyport, Ocean, Manchester, Middletown North, Southern.

Players to watch

Gary Foster, Sr., F, Neptune: A four-year varsity player, Foster will have to assume a leadership role this season. Not a big rah-rah player, he leads more by example and hustle. He is tough off the dribble and is an offensive rebounding machine. He is 165 points away from 1,000 for his career.

Thomas Jones, Jr., G, Neptune: When he steps out of the car in the parking lot, he is in shooting range. As scary a streak shooter as there is in the Shore Conference, Jones can hit from NBA range, but needs to work on when to let it fly. He also has improved when it comes to putting it on the floor and getting to the rim.

Mike Kuhn, Sr., G, Christian Brothers Academy: A clutch scorer, he was one of the Colts’ best players by the end of last season. He can hit the ‘3,’ put it on the floor and get to the rim.

Brian Neller, Jr., G/F, Christian Brothers Academy: When he gets rolling, he can be as dangerous a shooter as anyone in the Shore. He is good coming off picks and shooting immediately, and we’ll see if he has improved off the dribble.

Will Sanborn, Sr., G, Red Bank: Perhaps the best pure scorer in the Shore, his step-back 3-pointer can be lethal, and his leaping ability is among the best in the conference. Sometimes he settles too much for the jumper rather than exploding past his man with his athletic ability. Teammate Matt Pebole, a forward, is also one to watch.

Joe Willman, Jr., C, Monmouth: With the ability to hit the 3-pointer, particularly from the top of the key, as well as rebound, the 6-foot-5 Willman is one of the more versatile players in the Shore. We’ll see if he has added a little muscle to his finesse game this year.

Kyle Milana, Sr., F, Monsignor Donovan: Now in his fourth varsity season, Milana is right there among the top rebounders in the Shore. A rugged forward who plays bigger than he is (6-2), Milana has also showed improved scoring polish. He is relentless on the offensive glass and will defend anyone from a shooting guard to a 6-6 center.

Steve Spinella, Sr., F, Colts Neck: He showed the ability to fill it up when guard Brian Baker was blanketed at times last year, and his ability to finish when he gets in the lane will determine whether he makes a big leap forward in a season where the Cougars will rely on him for offense.

Marvin Brodie, Sr., G, Manchester: Nearing the 1,000-point mark, Brodie can light it up from behind the arc and is quick off the dribble.

On the rise:

Garret Thiel, Sr., G, Middletown South: He showed flashes early last season of being a potent offensive force and now just has to be more consistent for an Eagles team looking to continue its ascent. He can hit the ‘3’ and is physical for a point guard/two guard.

Andrew Walsh, Sr., G, Red Bank Catholic: A swingman with good length and long arms, he will be counted upon to consistently knock down jumpers on kickouts off penetration as well as get to the basket.

Matt Devine, Jr., G, Freehold Township: Stuck behind some of the Shore’s top players last year, the athletic swingman will need to provide some offense for a team that returns only one real proven scorer in a big spot, senior guard Kevin Fischer.

Ibn Moye, Jr., G, Central: He disappeared from the Shore scene for a season while attending national powerhouse St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, but the speedy point guard is back to direct what he hopes is a Golden Eagles resurgence.

Matt Blumel, Jr., G, Rumson-FH: A summer of working out with Minnesota Timberwolves guard Randy Foye can’t hurt, and now we’ll see if Blumel is ready to make a quantum leap and help pull the Bulldogs up near the top of Class A Central.

Sean McPaul, Sr., C, St. Rose: At 6-foot-7, he will be counted on to replace the gaping void left by last year’s center, Anthony Ranaudo, who averaged 20 points and 11 boards a game. If he can consistently do damage inside, it will open things up for the Purple Roses’ army of guards to launch from 3-point land.

Top 10 Burning Preseason Questions

1. Will Geoff Billet keep things rolling along at Christian Brothers Academy? All indications are to yes, but we’ll see how Billet fares in one of the most high-pressure jobs in the state.

2. Will there be enough basketballs to go around for Neptune? With six or seven players who are capable scorers, with the Scarlet Fliers be able to share the ball enough to keep everyone happy? It’s a nice problem for coach Ken O’Donnell to have.

3. Will Red Bank’s Will Sanborn lead the Shore in scoring? He looks to have the best chance, but will it be the best thing for his team?

4. Will Monsignor Donovan carry the torch for Ocean County? Right now, the Griffins look like the class of the county, so it remains to be seen if Lakewood can re-assert its dominance and Central and others can make some noise.

5. Can Monmouth keep the momentum going from last year? Monmouth snuck up on some teams last year and made a Cinderella run to its first sectional title, but now with a ton of talent back, the target is on the Falcons’ back. How will they respond?

6. Can Middletown South make “The Leap”? It’s easy to win games when the expectations are low. Now it’s time to produce when you’re expected to win.

7. Who will win Class A Central? There is no clear favorite, although Manasquan and Red Bank Catholic seem to be the division coaches’ picks to duke it out. However, Red Bank, St. John Vianney, Holmdel, Rumson-Fair Haven and Raritan may have something to say about that in a division that looks like the Shore’s deepest.

8. Has Freehold Township lost too much to graduation? On paper, you would think the bottom would fall out because the Patriots graduated the best senior class in school history. However, this has become a solid program year-in and year-out, so they will be eager to prove that they are still a top 10 team in the Shore.

9. Will anyone get between a meeting between CBA and Neptune in the Shore Conference Tournament final? Right now, it’s not looking that way, but it’s all about match-ups come tournament time.

10.  Has there ever been more parity in the Shore?  Each year, teams seem to be bunched tighter in the pack among the top 10. Seemingly anyone has a shot to be ranked this season.

Who did I leave out? What are your biggest preseason questions? E-mail me at [email protected].

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    Barnegat right-hander Matt McNeal, one of the top returning pitchers in the Shore Conference, has verbally committed to play for Kean University, the defending Division III national champs, according to Bengals coach Tom Sutaris.
    McNeal is a strikeout pitcher who has a mid- to high-80s fastball and finished 2-5 with an ERA under 2.00 for the Bengals last season.
  

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