The Shore Daily, 3/4/15
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It was a light night of state playoff basketball action on Tuesday because of the dreaded wintry mix, but there were still several things that stood out.
Leading off is Wall, which fought off 11th-seeded JFK-Iselin 46-44 to reach the Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals thanks to a game-winning 3-pointer by Joe Tashjy with 21 seconds remaining. Senior guard Brendan Barcas poured in 23 points as the Crimson Knights rallied from a 13-point hole to start the fourth quarter by shutting out JFK for the final four minutes of the game. When you can defend, you've always got a chance. Plus, never underestimate a senior-laden team that doesn't want it to end, especially a team like Wall that is having its best season since 1974.
Barcas scored his 1,000th career point in the process, giving Wall three 1,000-point scorers on one team as he joined fellow senior guards Trent Mitchell and Ryan Janeczek. I can't remember the last Shore team that had three 1,000-point scorers in the same season, so that's a rare feat for Wall to savor. The Taquan Dean-Terrance Todd-Marques Alston Neptune teams of the early 2000s had those three, but Alston got his after the other two graduated. The Freehold Township team of 2007 had T.J. LaFalce and Marcus Roberson, but star point guard Ed Fischer finished short of 1,000 as he was busy piling up assists to get the other two to 1,000.
Update: It looks like the last senior class to have three 1,000-point scorers was the 1999 Red Bank Regional squad with Tahj Holden, Sean Axani and Ryan Johnson. Well done by Red Bank coach Scott Martin, who texted me about that trio.
Speaking of the 1,000-point milestone, Shore Regional senior Dan Largey is now just 33 away after pouring in 34 in a 59-45 win over Metuchen in Central Jersey Group I last night. He can join teammate Kevin Bloodgood in the club when the Blue Devils face tonight's Florence-Manville winner tomorrow in the quarterfinals. Shore is a good bet to reach the final and possibly beyond, so Largey should have a couple games to get to 1,000 if even he needs them.
The best season in Pinelands history came to an end with an 84-49 loss on the road to Highland in South Jersey Group III. The Wildcats finished with a school-record 14 wins and reached their first Shore Conference Tournament this season.
On the girls side, 11th-seeded Ocean edged sixth-seeded Wall 37-34 thanks to 24 points by Luciana Thomas to reach the Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals. No. 10 Shore also picked up a win on the road over No. 7 Metuchen thanks to 19 points by Erika Ruscil in Central Jersey Group I. Donovan Catholic, Keyport, and Neptune also advanced to the quarterfinals.
Late last night, the Shore Basketball Coaches Association released its selections for Player of Year, Coach of the Year, All-Shore and All-Division for the boys and the girls. I think everyone can agree that choosing Rumson's Brendan Barry and Manasquan's Marina Mabrey as the Players of the Year are no-brainers. Rumson's Chris Champeau as the boys Coach of the Year is also a clear pick, with Tom Brennan of Middletown South winning the girls award. I think the girls award is still up for debate because if Manasquan wins the Tournament of Champions and finishes No. 1 in the state, you have to consider Lisa Kukoda. However, if Middletown South can repeat as Central Jersey Group III champions, win Group III and do it all with a Division I recruit, senior Jill Falvey, having missed the whole season with a torn ACL, Brennan is a great choice as well.
As for the boys' selections, the one that was mentioned immediately by many was Southern junior Peyton Wejnert being named first-team All-Shore yet second-team All-Division in Class A South. Apparently the reasoning, according to SBCA president Mike Puorro of Barnegat, is that the coaches outside his division saw him as an All-Shore talent, while the ones in A South didn't even give him enough votes for first-team All-Division. Okay, then. There's always some head-scratchers with these coaches' picks, and that is this year's version.
As for the player selections for the boys and girls, I like to wait until the season is completely over before agreeing or disagreeing with these picks because you never know what can happen between now and the end of this month in the state playoffs.
The SBCA also released the rosters for the boys and girls Senior All-Star Games on March 25 at Wall High School. The girls game will be at 6 p.m., followed by the boys at 8 p.m. All of the players on each roster were selected by the coaches.
FOOTBALL
Two more commitments for today, as Toms River North senior Joe Fantozzi, a second-team All-Shore pick by SSN and the top lineman on a Mariners' team that produced two 1,000-yard rushers, will continue his career at Albright College, according to coach Dave Oizerowitz.
Also, Jackson Memorial senior Ryan Frasier, the starting center on the Shore's No. 1 squad and another team that produced two 1,000-yard rushers this fall, announced that he will continue his career at Ave Maria University.
More on Wednesday:
- Toms River East grad and UFC star Frankie Edgar says his upcoming Urijah Faber fight in Manila is "absolutely a super fight" despite not getting his desired crack at champion Jose Aldo.
- Former Colts Neck star Anthony DeSclafani will start the Reds' spring training game on Wednesday as he gets first crack at making the starting rotation.
- The Los Angeles-area girls basketball team that got kicked out of the state playoffs for wearing illegal jerseys with pink in them for breast cancer awareness has been reinstated a day later.
- A University of San Diego women's basketball standout is getting her career back on track after taking a year off to give birth to her son at 19.
- Rasool Hinson is starring for Camden boys basketball, 10 years after his mother was tragically killed by stray gunfire.
- Two high school baseball teammates in the Tampa area remain friends after one accidentally shot the other one and nearly killed him.
- The rare cheerleader and dance team brawl went down at a college basketball game yesterday.
- The Nationals have designated Rick Ankiel as their "life skills coordinator."
- Interesting profile of Matt Sandusky, the son of you-know-who and an abuse survivor.
- Some cool pics of a volcano erupting yesterday in Chile. Wonder what it's like to be a real estate agent in volcano areas. And over here we have....oh my God, run for your life!
- Tom Hanks! Tom Hanks!
On tap for tonight: Between the postponements from yesterday and the scheduled quarterfinal action for today, it's a big slate of basketball. There are three All-Shore match-ups, with No. 5 Manchester going to No. 4 seed Rumson-Fair Haven in a Central Jersey Group II quarterfinal, Point Beach welcoming Henry Hudson in Central Jersey Group I, and Holmdel traveling to Red Bank in a Central Jersey Group III first-round game.
Also, Howell will host No. 13 Hillsborough in the Central Jersey Group IV quarterfinals in the first home state playoff game in Rebels' history. Also, senior guard Aaron Trimble enters the game one point shy of 1,000 for his career.
Still can't believe there's more snow on the way. Baseball practice is scheduled to start tomorrow. By the time they get their first outdoor practice in, the season opener will probably be the next day.
I'll end with a Big Ten classic from last night by the mighty Northwestern Wildcats. Tre Demps all day.