Boys Basketball – 2024 SSN Coach of the Year Finalists

Since the 2019-20, two men have accounted for the four Shore Sports Network Coach of the Year awards, so it may be time to start spreading the wealth among the many capable coaches in the Shore Conference.

Or, perhaps not? Below is a list of the five finalists for the 2024 SSN Boys Basketball Coach of the Year and first on the list (ordered alphabetically, not by odds to win) is one of the coaches who has won the award twice in the last two years. Read on to find out the four other finalists and keep an eye out for the reveal of the 2024 Coach of the Year early during the coming week.

2024 Shore Sports Network Coach of the Year Finalists

Andrew Bilodeau, Manasquan

With a program that has now made it to 13 straight Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals, played in six straight Shore Conference championship games and won five consecutive NJSIAA sectional titles, Bilodeau and his staff have put themselves in the conversation as one of the best groups in the state. The two-time SSN Coach of the Year winner might have just finished off his best job yet: Manasquan overcame the loss of two First-Team All-Shore guards – Darius Adams (transfer) and Ryan Frauenheim (injury) – to finish No. 2 in the Shore Conference, win that fifth straight sectional title and nearly shock Camden in the Group II final if not for an incorrect call on the game’s final play.

Sean Devaney, Holmdel

Holmdel continues to churn out competitive teams under the instruction of Devaney, who has gotten the most out of the Holmdel program during his time on the Hornets bench. Coming off a losing season in which Holmdel lost Evan Romano to St. Rose, James Vallillo to a foot injury and did not have a senior, the Hornets came back with a vengeance this season. Holmdel racked up 21 wins, won the outright Class A Coastal division championship and reached the semifinals of both the Shore Conference Tournament and Central Jersey Group II Playoffs. Holmdel’s four losses this season came vs. the top three teams in the SSN rankings: No. 1 St. Rose, No. 2 Manasquan (twice) and No. 3 Rumson-Fair Haven.

Ben DiBiase, Freehold Boro

Freehold Boro’s transformation from a Shore Conference bottom-dweller to a sectional champion happened quickly, but certainly not overnight. The Colonials started the season as a far-improved team from the one that went 0-21 in 2021-22, but did not hit their stride right away. That came in February, when Freehold Boro won its first Shore Conference Tournament game in 14 years by beating Ranney, then rampaged to its first NJSIAA sectional championship since 1973 by winning the Group III title. DiBiase helped turn Freehold Boro into a championship contender during his first stint in the 2000’s and 2010’s and in his second stint with the program – which began in 2017-18 – he has built the Colonials into actual champions.

Brian Kelly, Henry Hudson

Henry Hudson never quite bottomed out at 0-21 like Freehold Boro did, but no Shore Conference boys basketball program has undergone a greater culture change than Henry Hudson has under Kelly. The Admirals had not won a division championship since 1989, had not won 20 games in more than 30 years and had not been to an NJSIAA sectional semifinal since 1997. One year removed from going winless in divisional play, Henry Hudson accomplished every one of those goals, finishing the season 21-5, winning the Class A Central division championship, earning the No. 1 seed in the Central Jersey Group I bracket of the NJSIAA Tournament and reaching the sectional semifinals. Henry Hudson is due to bring back all but two players from a roster that got contributions from eight players on most nights.

Brian Lynch, St. Rose

While St. Rose is no longer a plucky underdog story, Lynch’s efforts in transforming the Purple Roses into a powerhouse over the last three years should not go unnoticed. The connections he made while playing and coaching professionally in Belgium not only made him into a high-level coach, but they led to the arrival of three high-level European players in Matt and Jayden Hodge, plus Bryan Ebeling. St. Rose was talented a year ago, but the improvement the team worked toward over the last year is undeniable. St. Rose went from a promising group that had its moments of brilliance in 2022-23 to a take-no-prisoners juggernaut that finished No. 1 in New Jersey in 2023-24.