Boys Basketball – 2023-24 Freshman of the Year: Rey Weinseimer, Manasquan

Manasquan has turned into one of the state’s best public-school programs over the last six seasons and in that time, the Warriors have not been shy about running talented freshmen out onto the court in big games. In these last six seasons, Manasquan has relied on five different freshmen to play key minutes, including four as starters.

The most recent of those freshman breakthrough stories happened this past season and it resulted out of dire necessity.

Down two All-Shore guards from its 2022-23 NJSIAA Group II championship team, Manasquan needed anyone and everyone in its program to raise their game and among the group that delivered was freshman guard Rey Weinseimer.

With four-star junior guard Darius Adams transferring to La Lumiere in Indiana and First-Team All-Shore guard Ryan Frauenheim suffering a torn ACL in the summer, there were two job openings in the starting backcourt and in his first year of high-school basketball, Weinseimer grabbed one of them and ran with it. After emerging as a well-rounded guard for the No. 2 team in the Shore Conference and No. 20 team in New Jersey, Weinseimer is the 2023-24 Shore Sports Network Boys Basketball Freshman of the Year.

Weinseimer was part of the Manasquan starting five from opening night and when the Warriors got off to a red-hot start, its six-foot freshman was a key figure. The Warriors opened the season 13-1 with 10 victories by double-figure scoring margins and Weinseimer reached double-figure scoring in nine of those games while averaging 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals.

Manasquan won two games by one-score margins and one of them was a win over Christian Brothers Academy – the No. 6 team in the final Shore Sports Network Shore 16 rankings – at the Hoop Group Boardwalk Classic. Weinseimer delivered that win for Manasquan with one of the Warriors’ biggest shots of the season – a three-pointer as time expired in regulation to tie the game and send it to overtime, where Manasquan pulled out a 42-40 win over the Colts.

For the season, Weinseimer averaged 8.1 points, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals and his scoring production ticked up in Manasquan’s seven postseason wins. Weinseimer posted 9.1 points, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals over three Shore Conference Tournament and four NJSIAA Group II playoff wins. He poured in 13 points in a win over Holmdel in the SCT semifinals and his scoring spurt in the third quarter helped his team escape with a 45-43 win over Delaware Valley in the Central Group II semifinals.

Weinseimer follows in the footsteps of Ben Roy, Frauenheim, Adams and Griffin Linstra as impact freshmen during Manasquan’s six-year run of SCT championship appearances and NJSIAA sectional finals. Among that group, Weinseimer’s 8.1 points per game was third, trailing Adams (14.3) and Roy (9.2).

Along with Linstra, Weinseimer is one of two starters due back in 2024-25 for Manasquan, which will be seeking to reach its seventh consecutive Shore Conference Tournament final and to win its sixth straight NJSIAA sectional championship.

Shore Sports Network 2023-24 All-Freshman Honors

Freshman of the Year: Rey Weinseimer, Manasquan

SSN All-Freshman Team

Avery Lynch, 6-4, St. Rose

Noah Perna, 6-1, Southern

JoJo Newell, 6-3, Henry Hudson

Brody Mauro, 6-3, Ranney

Nolan Gong, 5-10, Marlboro

Honorable Mention: Joe Farino, Manalapan; Amare Walker, Donovan Catholic; Justin Togans, St. John Vianney; John O’Neill, Freehold Twp.; Hunter Hynes, Point Boro; Danny Cavanaugh, Point Beach; Justin Valentino, Red Bank; Gabe Feliciano, Toms River East; Derek Roth, Lacey; Tyler Preston, Point Beach; Jamel Pitts, Brick; Sean Nausedas, Brick; Aidan Kelly, Jackson Liberty; Christian Brown, Matawan; Jake Schultzel, Freehold Twp.; George Breckenridge, Point Beach; Anthony Stevens, Asbury Park