Boys Basketball – Shore Conference Tournament Semifinal Preview/Picks

Shore Conference Tournament Semifinals

Wednesday, Feb. 25

At Collins Arena, Brookdale Community College

No. 1 Christian Brothers Academy (19-4) vs. No. 4 Toms River North (19-4), 6 p.m.

The first of the two Shore Conference Tournament semifinals features two teams looking to end streaks of different degrees. CBA is looking to end its longest stretch without a Shore Conference Tournament title since winning its first championship back in 1984, which it can do with two more wins this week. Of course, a CBA drought is measured differently than droughts everywhere else, and this drought is only five years.

Toms River North, on the other hand, has not been to the SCT championship game since 1996, when it lost to CBA. That is also the only time the Mariners have been to the championship game, and this year’s team might represent the best chance Toms River North has had to win the whole thing. While CBA has looked like the best team in the tournament over the course of the season, the Colts have also looked vulnerable at times. To their credit, however, they have only been picked off once by a Shore Conference team, and when the Colts have been in close games late, they have usually been able to pull away.

Athletically, Toms River North matches up well with CBA. Jordan Craig is fresh off a double-double with 20 points, 12 boards and three blocks, and while CBA should provide more resistance than a smaller Wall team could, Craig can still be a menace on the boards while challenging shots in the paint. He does not need to score like he did against Wall as long as Toms River North's guards have their usual scoring games.

Sophomore Mike Nyisztor and senior Evan Martin combined for 19 points against Wall and the Mariners still beat a good Crimson Knights team by double-figures. With a big shooting night from Nyisztor, Martin’s usual dose of energy, and a healthier Pat Marinaccio (10 points and nine rebounds Sunday), that will be a lot for which to account for CBA.

Although Toms River North can give CBA trouble at different spots on the floor, the probability still favors the Colts. Pat Andree showed off his defensive ability in CBA’s win over Manasquan Sunday, while point guard Shaun Belbey gave CBA a fourth scorer to go with Andree, Jack Laffey and Jack McGuire. Toms River North will have to do a better job than Manasquan did containing Belbey while Marinaccio and Craig will be key in keeping CBA’s big three perimeter-oriented. Even if Toms River North can contain CBA’s interior offensive game, the Colts are the best shooting team in the tournament as well. Toms River North has a shot, but CBA is still the safe pick.

The Pick: CBA, 63-56

No. 10 Neptune (15-9) vs. No. 11 Rumson-Fair Haven (19-4), 7:45 p.m.

Two double-digit seeds will meet in the nightcap of Wednesday’s double-header, and yet there probably aren’t too many people surprised to see either one of Rumson or Neptune in the final four. The only reason each team was seeded where they were was because of some close losses earlier in the season. Rumson, in particular, lost some tough games, and they all happened to come against the best teams on its schedule.

Fortune now favors the Bulldogs, as they have won two straight games against teams that beat them in the regular season – Red Bank and Freehold Township. Rumson has had balanced attack during the tournament after junior Brendan Barry averaged better than 23 points per game during the regular season. During the tournament, Barry is averaging a more modest 14.3 points per game in three SCT games, although he is coming off a 14-point second half in a 19-point outing against Freehold Township on Sunday.

While Morgan Maguire, Alex Geiger, and Thomas Famulary have done their part offensively, Rumson’s defense has been the source of this deep run. After completely suffocating St. Rose in the opening round, Rumson held capable offensive teams Red Bank and Freehold Township in the low-40-point range. Six-foot-6 freshman center Elijah McAllister has been dominant on the defensive end, both rebounding and blocking shots, while the guards have been able to apply more pressure on the perimeter with McAllister as a safety net in the paint.

Like Rumson, Neptune fell victim to some close losses earlier in the year, but with a loaded schedule, it showed in the Scarlet Fliers’ early-season record. Neptune began the season 3-7 and has since won 12 out of 14 games against one of the toughest schedules in the Shore Conference. Also like Rumson, Neptune has been mostly dominant during their tournament run, routing Howell in round one, jumping out to a 20-point lead before holding on for round-of-16 win over Manalapan, and handling Point Pleasant Beach by 17 points.

The Scarlet Fliers went from a team with 11 or 12 capable players to an eight-to-nine man rotation of players with defined roles after the team parted ways with four players who started the year as contributors. The three-headed backcourt of Kerry and Keishawn Kirkwood and sophomore Barry Brown has carried the Neptune offense, but Micah Kerr and Marcque Ellington have been instrumental in making Neptune a dominant team in the paint. Senior Sean McMillan has also emerged as one of the top sixth men in the conference as a significant contributor on both ends of the floor, particularly as a versatile defender.

Neptune has been tough to guard with anywhere from three-to-four shooters on the floor at one time, but Rumson can counter with five shooters when Maguire plays the five. Rumson’s willingness to look away from Barry when the situation calls for it has strengthened the offense in a more defense-heavy Shore Conference Tournament, and with Neptune’s tenacious defense, that ability to share the ball will be even more important. Neptune is very likely to win the glass in this game, but Rumson can still make some headway by working for quality shots and running down some rebounds on offense while forcing Neptune to take contested shots on the offensive end.

Both teams are clicking right now, but only one has been consistently competitive game in and game out. While Neptune has looked like the team with the higher ceiling, few Shore Conference teams have brought it every single night like the Bulldogs have.

The Pick: Rumson, 56-53

Quarterfinal Picks Record: 4-0

Total SCT Picks Record: 16-5