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2019-20 All-Shore Teams Boys Basketball Teams

Teams Selected by Shore Sports Network Boys Basketball Editor Matt Manley

First Team

Ben Roy, So., Guard, Manasquan

Key 2019-20 Stats: 18.1 points per game, 2.5 assists, 1.87 steals, 77% FT, 65 3-pt made

Signature Game: One year after losing in the championship game, Manasquan returned to the Shore Conference Tournament final at OceanFirst Bank Center at Monmouth University and seized the moment. No Warriors player flipped the script more than Roy, who went from a four-point game as a freshman in the 2019 final to pouring in a career-high 31 points in this year’s game. The sophomore’s superb performance in leading Manasquan to a 75-49 rout of No. 4 Toms River North cemented his status as the Shore’s top guard and one of the state’s up-and-coming stars.

Roy’s ascent to the top spot on the list of best players in the Shore Conference is not a surprise to anyone who saw him flash his greatness-to-come as a freshman, but it is somewhat surprising that he became a Player of the Year winner so quickly. He finished 10th in the Shore Conference in per-game scoring but that only puts a number on a style and skillset that not many high-school players – let alone high-school sophomores – can flash.

Roy also stepped up on big stages, most notably the 31-point game vs. Toms River North but also in two other tournament runs by Manasquan. The six-foot sophomore was the MVP of the WOBM Christmas Classic in December, scoring 53 combined points in the last two rounds against No. 3 Middletown South and Toms River North and averaging 20.5 for the tournament. Roy again averaged 20.5 points during the Shore Conference Tournament and 21 over the last three games over Manasquan’s run to the Central Jersey Group II title (he played limited minutes in a round-one rout of Metuchen, which was Manasquan’s Senior Night).

Prior to going off for 31 points in the SCT championship, Roy scored 11 second-half points and finished with 14 to help lead Manasquan’s comeback in a hard-fought, 44-40 semifinal win over Holmdel. In the CJ II semifinals, Roy erupted for another 31 points to lead Manasquan to a win over fifth-seeded Bordentown. He also helped shoulder the load for the 13 games senior forward Alex Galvan missed due to two separate injuries and by the end of his decorated season, Roy emerged with a scholarship offer from Monmouth University.

Read more about Roy's season in his Player of the Year Profile.

 

Alex Galvan, Sr., Forward, Manasquan

Key 2019-20 Stats: 18.3 points per game, 9.5 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 2.05 blocks

Signature Game: Galvan twice returned from injury to jumpstart Manasquan, particularly in its heated battles with Holmdel for supremacy in the Class A Central division, the Shore Conference Tournament and Central Jersey Group II. Before he got hurt – first his ankle, then his shin – however, Galvan showed off his full range of dominance and athleticism at 6-7 in a December showdown with then-reigning Group IV champion Newark East Side. Against the Red Raiders, Galvan posted 32 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks and three steals to spark an early-season statement win for Manasquan, 74-67.

With a scholarship to play baseball at Louisville in hand, two NJSIAA sectional championships to his credit and a 2020 Shore Conference Tournament title to add to his resume, Galvan has a lot to look forward to after an accomplished high-school career. Still, his two-sport career also leaves behind plenty of “what if” questions. What if he had not gotten hurt twice this season – would he have run away with the Shore Conference Player of the Year award? Would Manasquan have beaten Roselle Catholic and finished the year 32-0? What if a global pandemic did not break out – would Manasquan have had a chance to upset Camden and make a run at the Tournament of Champions Title? With the spring season in jeopardy, Galvan could head to Louisville as a pitching prospect for one of the nation’s best programs despite throwing only 11 2/3 innings during his high school career. What would Galvan’s senior season on the mound have looked like and is any of it at all salvageable?

For an athlete with so many what if�������s that are well beyond his control, Galvan sure made the most of his last two years as a standout athlete at Manasquan. He is now a two-time First-Team All-Shore selection by Shore Sports Network, played in two Shore Conference Tournament championship games and in his last year, returned from two different injuries to lead his team to its first SCT championship since 1957 and second straight Central Jersey Group II title.

After returning from his second injury stint – a five-game absence due to a bruised shin – Galvan averaged 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds over final six games of the season to give the Warriors a huge lift in the paint. Twice during the season, he returned from an injury hiatus against Holmdel and helped carry Manasquan to wins over the Hornets with 18 points and nine rebounds in the regular-season installment and 16 points and nine boards in the SCT semifinal. Before gutting out the last six games, Galvan was averaging 20.4 points 11.6 rebounds over Manasquan’s first 13. Those stats might have looked more robust were Galvan healthy, but his toughness in finishing out the season and leading his team to two championships say a lot more about what kind of competitor Louisville Baseball is getting in the fall.

 

Jakari Spence, Sr., Guard, Toms River North

Key 2019-20 Stats: 21.2 points per game, 4.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.28 steals, 77 3-pt made

Signature Game: Spence had plenty of high-scoring performances (five 30-plus-point games, including one vs. Manasquan) and all-around stat-sheet-stuffers (a 26-11-10 triple-double vs. New Brunswick) but no game better encapsulated Toms River North’s ability on full-blast like its Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinal win vs. Marlboro. In that game, Spence posted 21 points, six rebounds, 15 assists and four steals to help key a 114-85 Mariners win over a high-scoring Mustangs team that had no shot of keeping up on that Sunday morning.

The SCT quarterfinal explosion vs. Marlboro illustrated Spence’s growth as a point guard and a leader during the course of his high-school career and the finished product – as much as a high-school senior can be a “finished product” – is a 6-1 combo guard who can score with the best players in the Shore Conference while also leading the entire conference with 6.1 assists per game. That is an improvement of nearly three points and two assists from a year ago, when Spence was a second-teamer on the All-Shore Team.

Toms River North’s shocking loss as a No. 1 seed to No. 16 Egg Harbor in the first round of the South Jersey Group IV Playoffs masks that the Mariners still turned in a historic season with Spence at the helm. With Spence and fellow seniors Najae Hallenbeck, Colin Baker and Mike Vansprang leading the way, Toms River North won its sixth straight Class A South division championship, extended its divisional winning streak to 74, and reached the Shore Conference Tournament final for the first time since 1996.

Spence hit the 30-point plateau against Toms River East (33), Manasquan (30), Matawan (30) and twice vs. Southern (32 and 31), posted 20 or more points and 10 or more assists five times and was actually a better scorer against teams with a winning record (23.7 per game) than he was against the schedule as a whole (21.2). Spence also finished his career as Toms River North’s all-time leading scorer and between his freshman season at Manchester and his three standout years with the Mariners, he scored a total of 1,529 points.

 

Alex Ratner, Sr., Guard, Marlboro

Key 2019-20 Stats: 22.6 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.59 steals, 45 3-pt made

Signature Game: Ratner set a career-high with 36 points in a December win over Wall and matched it two more times over the course of the season. In that first game, however, Ratner was at his most brilliant, scoring 35 points over the first three quarters to stake the Mustangs to a big lead and lead them into the semifinals of the WOBM Christmas Classic. The six-foot senior also added four rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals in the win over the Crimson Knights.

During Ratner’s four years at Marlboro, the program climbed to heights not seen during its history. He played sparingly as a freshman on the Mustangs team that reached the Shore Conference Tournament final for the first time ever and three years and more than 1,000 points later, he led a young Marlboro squad to its first ever NJSIAA sectional final while also becoming the first Marlboro player ever to win the single-season Shore Conference scoring title.

Within his standout season scoring the ball, Ratner hit the 30-point mark six times and scored at least 35 points four times – all against teams that spent extended time in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 (Wall, CBA, Manalapan and Toms River North). His 36 points and 10 rebounds sparked a 71-68 win over Manalapan in a key A North win, which came after scoring 23 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter in a loss to CBA. His other 35-point game came in the 114-85 SCT loss to Toms River North and his two 30-point outings were against Neptune and Mater Dei Prep.

During Marlboro’s push to its first ever Central Jersey Group IV final, Ratner averaged 19 points, eight rebounds, 6.3 assists and four steals in his team’s three wins over Hillsborough, North Brunswick and New Brunswick. In each of the first two rounds, Ratner made a run at a triple-double – putting up 22 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists vs. Hillsborough, followed by 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in a win over North Brunswick. With his eight points in the championship loss to South Brunswick, Ratner capped his record-setting career with an all-time-program-best 1,350 points.

 

Najae Hallenbeck, Sr., Center, Toms River North

Key 2019-20 Stats: 21.3 points per game, 12.2 rebounds

Signature Game: When you average 21 points and 12 rebounds, there are a bunch of 20-and-10 games from which to choose – 18 to be exact. Hallenbeck’s season-high in points and rebounds came in the same game and, coincidentally, it was the most infamous game of Toms River North’s season. Hallenbeck scored 34 points and hauled in 18 rebounds in an effort to carry his team across the finish line on March 3, but Egg Harbor withstood the monster night from Hallenbeck to win, 67-61, in one of the biggest upsets of this year’s state tournament. If you prefer your signature performances to come in wins, Hallenbeck averaged 29.5 points and 14 rebounds in two wins over No. 5 Marlboro.

At 6-6, 285 pounds, Hallenbeck’s size is a key source of his dominance but that is not his only asset. The Mariners center exhibited great touch around the basket with an ability to step out and knock down shots from distance to keep defenses honest. Ultimately though, Hallenbeck was indeed dominant in the paint, finishing fourth in the Shore Conference in scoring and first in rebounding on a per-game basis. His 619 total points trailed only Ratner among Shore Conference players and those 18 20-and-10 games dwarfed the field.

The knock on Toms River North was that it played in a weak Class A South division and that ultimately caught up to the Mariners in the form of a first-round state-tournament loss to 16th-seeded Egg Harbor, but regardless of whether or not that particular theory holds water, Hallenbeck posted big numbers against his team’s best competition. On top of the two big games vs. Marlboro and the 34-point-18-rebound game in the state tournament, Hallenbeck put up major numbers against No. 7 in N.J. Rutgers Prep (25 points, 15 rebounds), Manasquan (20 and 12), Mainland (20 and 11), Wall (27 and 14), Toms River East (30 and 15), New Brunswick (22 and 16), Matawan (27 and 11) and Red Bank Catholic (22 and eight).

Hallenbeck’s big senior season pushed him past the 1,200-point plateau for his four-year varsity career at Toms River North. These past four years will best be remembered for the dominance Toms River North flexed against the rest of Class A North while making regular appearances in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals. In his last year, he helped Toms River North get to the SCT final for the first time in 24 years and in his team’s final defeat, Hallenbeck went out with one of his best offensive performances.

 

James Anderson, Sr., Guard, Middletown South

Key 2019-20 Stats: 18.0 points per game, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.96 steals, 96 3-pt made

Signature Game: With a chance to win the program’s first outright Shore Conference division championship since 1979, Middletown South took a 12-point lead into halftime at Marlboro but playing against the highest-scoring team in the Shore Conference, the championship wasn’t in the bag. After scoring five points in that first half, Anderson caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 14 points in the third and 22 in the second half. Anderson’s 27 points highlighted 100-84 win that clinched the A North title for the Eagles and completed a three-game sweep of the Mustangs in 2019-20.

Middletown South ramped up into an offensive juggernaut during a 19-game winning streak that spanned most of its 29-game season and did it with a well-rounded six-man rotation. All five Middletown South starters averaged at least 10 points per game – the only Shore Conference team to exhibit that kind of balance – but the Eagles still had their go-to guy. Anderson led the way at just a hair under 18 points per game, which put him 11th in the conference, just behind Player of the Year Ben Roy. Over the past two seasons, Anderson’s M.O. has been his three-point shooting and it was his standout skill again this year. The Eagles sharpshooter knocked down a Shore-best 96 three-pointers and shot 35 percent from beyond the arc for the season – highlighted by a 35-point, nine-three-pointer game against Long Branch.

Anderson’s game grew around his shooting as well, as he became a defensive stopper and an improved rebounder and passer. On top of the two steals per game, Anderson took 15 charges to lead his team. His last 20-plus point game of the season came in the SCT round-of-16 loss to Mater Dei Prep, but he turned in a stellar all-around game in a round-one win over Howell in the Central Jersey Group IV Playoffs. In the third win of the season over the Rebels, Anderson posted 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and six steals to get the Eagles into the quarterfinal round.

The 35-point game vs. Long Branch kicked off a 13-game stretch in which Anderson averaged 20.8 points. In the stunning loss to Mater Dei in the SCT, Anderson came through with a huge game-tying three-pointer with 12 seconds left before Mater Dei’s Peter Gorman won it at the buzzer. That 23-point showing was the last major scoring outing for Anderson but the Eagles still made it to the sectional semifinals in Central Jersey Group IV to cap a banner 26-win season. Anderson will continue his career at Drew University after stepping up as the leading scorer on the Shore’s No. 3 team of 2019-20.

 

Second Team

Kieran Flanagan, Sr., Guard, Manasquan

2019-20 Stats: 10.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.47 steals

While Alex Galvan and Ben Roy were the headliners on Manasquan’s 31-win outfit in 2019-20, Flanagan was the personification of the team as a whole. He posted well-rounded numbers that likely would have been more robust on other teams on which he was a No. 1 scoring option but with Roy and Galvan playing prominent offensive roles, Flanagan threw his energy into locking up the best scorers of opposing teams on Manasquan’s loaded schedule. During the 13-game sample in which Galvan was hurt, Flanagan was the team’s second-best player and stepped up with 11.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.5 steals in helping the Warriors go 12-1 in that stretch.

Ryan Savoy, Sr., Forward, Lakewood

2019-20 Stats: 16.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, 4.18 blocks

Statistically speaking, Savoy’s senior year was actually a step down from his junior season. The versatile 6-4 senior put up better than 20 points and 12 rebounds while blocking just under five shots per game in 2018-19 but the impressive numbers came as his team had one of the worst seasons in the illustrious history of Lakewood boys basketball. This year, Savoy played the role of leader and mentor for a team that started two freshmen and made his still-impressive numbers go farther. The Piners went from 7-19 last year to 20-8 in 2019-20, including an outright Class B South championship. Savoy was a beast in Lakewood’s four postseason games as well, averaging 18.25 points, 15.25 rebounds and 4.25 blocks between the SCT and Central Group III Tournament.

Ryan Knorr, Sr., Guard, Manalapan

2019-20 Stats: 21.6 points, 4.8 assists, 85 3-pt made

Heading into 2020, it had been four seasons since Manalapan qualified for the Shore Conference Tournament, six since it had a 1,000-point scorer and seven since it won an NJSIAA Tournament game. All three droughts ended this season thanks to the play of Knorr. The elusive, sharpshooting senior guard carried the Braves throughout this past season, finishing second in the Shore Conference in scoring, No. 7 in assists and second in three-pointers made. He passed Tennessee Titans tight end Anthony Firkser on the Manalapan all-time scoring list with 1,176 points, got Manalapan to the round of 16 of the SCT and helped rally the Braves to a Central Jersey Group IV first-round win over Princeton – their first NJSIAA Tournament win since 2012.

Alex Baker, Jr., Forward, Holmdel

2019-20 Stats: 12.9 points, 10.8 rebounds

Holmdel had its best season since the turn of the century, winning 23 games, reaching the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals for the first time since 1999 and earning a spot in the Central Jersey Group II championship game for the first time since 2012. Powered by a balanced, unselfish, versatile rotation the Hornets finished No. 2 in the final Shore Sports Network Top 10 with four of their five losses coming vs. No. 1 Manasquan. If any player stepped up as the go-to guy for Holmdel it was, Baker – an athletic, 6-5 front-court presence who routinely picked up his scoring in big games and battled against top forwards and centers throughout the year. Baker stood out in Holmdel’s two biggest wins of the year, with 17 points and 11 boards in an SCT quarterfinal win over Wall and 22 points and seven rebounds in a Central Jersey Group II semifinal win over Lincoln.

Elijah Perkins, So., Guard, Ranney

2019-20 Stats: 15.1 points, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals

After serving various roles throughout the course of his freshman season on Ranney’s Tournament-of-Champions-winning team, Perkins took over as the man for the Panthers as a sophomore. With a team full of inexperience and without a single senior, Perkins had to grow up quickly and helped Ranney go unbeaten once again in Class B Central play. He played particularly well in a competitive loss to Roselle Catholic – the No. 3 team in N.J. to end the season – when he scored 14 points and dished out 11 assists. He also capped his team’s division-clinching win vs. Mater Dei with the undisputed dunk of the year in the Shore Conference.

Mike Goodall, Sr., Guard, Toms River East

2019-20 Stats: 21.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.93 steals, 58 3-pt made

Goodall’s senior season started off with him and his team battling the injury bug and ended with a pair of strong showings in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group III Tournament. Within a span of a week, Goodall scored 40 points to go with 10 rebounds in a game twice, scoring 46 in a Senior-Night win over Lacey and going for 40, 10 and six assists in a first-round win at Highland Regional in the South Group III bracket. Goodall was one of six Shore Conference players to average 20 or more points per game this season and he wrapped up his high-school career with 1,475 career points.

 

Third Team

Mike Dabas, Sr., Forward, Middletown South

2019-20 Stats: 13.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.65 steals

On any given gameday, Middletown South could jump on the back of any one of its starters – all of whom brought unique games to the table. Dabas was the team’s second-leading scorer, second-leading rebounder and best slasher, with an ability to guard multiple positions as well. Dabas logged six double-doubles on the season, highlighted by 19 points and 16 rebounds in a regular-season win over No. 10 Mater Dei Prep. He also drove the Eagles to a third-place finish in the WOBM Christmas Classic by averaging 14.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in the tournament.

Jack Seidler, So., Forward, Marlboro

2019-20 Stats: 18.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists

Seidler burst onto the Shore scene from game one of his sophomore year, when he scored 27 points to go with nine rebounds in Marlboro’s statement win over Christian Brothers Academy. Over his first 13 games of the season – his first as a varsity starter – Seidler averaged 21.8 points and 9.5 rebounds, which included 23.3 points and 9.5 rebounds over the first six games. The 6-5 forward also finished strong with an average of 17 points and 8.5 rebounds during Marlboro’s run to the Central Jersey Group IV championship game. Seidler hit the go-ahead shot with 12 seconds left before South Brunswick won the sectional final at the buzzer and denied the Mustangs and Seidler and championship-winning memory.

Quinn Calabrese, Sr., Guard, Wall

2019-20 Stats: 14.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.06 steals, 69 3-pt made

For the second straight year, Calabrese snagged the B North Player of the Year honor from both the division coaches and Shore Sports Network as Wall stampeded to a second straight Central Jersey Group III championship. During the state tournament, he averaged 16 points, scored 22 in a sectional quarterfinal win over Hamilton West and hit a crucial three-pointer in the final minute of the sectional final vs. Neptune. Calabrese graduates with 1,388 points to cap his decorated career at Wall, which is highlighted with the first sectional title for Wall boys basketball since 1973 and a second championship to finish it off.

Peter Gorman, Sr., Guard, Mater Dei Prep

2019-20 Stats: 17.8 points, 2.3 assists, 2.43 steals, 56 3-pt made

After a rocky rebuilding season last year, Mater Dei battled its way back into the Shore Sports Network Top 10, the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals and the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public B semifinals. The Seraphs were led by the senior backcourt trio of Gorman, Tahaj Parland and Sean Turner, with Gorman assuming the role of leading scorer for the second straight year. Gorman finished 12th in the Shore Conference in scoring and came up big in three postseason wins by the Seraphs. He hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer to help Mater Dei stun second-seeded Middletown South in the SCT round of 16, scored 21 points in an opening-round win over Doane Academy in South Jersey Non-Public B, then poured in 23 in the Seraphs’ sectional quarterfinal upset of third-seeded Immaculata.

Pat Lacey, Jr., Guard, Wall

2019-20 Stats: 13.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 42 3-pt made, 74.7 FT%

While Calabrese earned the individual awards over the past two years, Lacey has emerged as another go-to option on offense for the two-time Central Jersey Group III champions. The 6-3 junior also came through during the most important stretch of the season, averaging 17.7 points during the postseason and 19 points in five NJSIAA Tournament games. In the sectional semifinals vs. Allentown, Lacey exploded for a career-high 33 points to propel the Crimson Knights into the championship game and later put up a game-high 21 in the state semifinal loss to Timber Creek. Lacey will lead a strong returning group in 2020-21 that will try to make it a three-peat in Class B North and CJ III.

Bobby Pirie, Sr., Forward, Middletown South

2019-20 Stats: 12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.86 blocks, 37 3-pt made

Among Middletown South’s five returning starters, Pirie was fifth in scoring last season. This year, he emerged as Middletown South’s third-leading scorer, top rebounder and a matchup problem because of his size (6-4), athleticism and ability to knock down the three-point shot. He also played exceptionally against good competition – against the A North trio of Marlboro, CBA and Manalapan, Pirie averaged 16.25 points and 10.6 rebounds, including three double-doubles against No. 5 Marlboro. Pirie also won the MVP of Middletown South’s Boardwalk Showcase win over Ranney with 18 points and 13 boards and averaged a team-high 20 points and nine rebounds in three NJSIAA Tournament games.

 

Luke Albrecht, Jr., Guard, Middletown South

2019-20 Stats: 10.7 points per game, 3.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.1 steals

Middletown South junior Luke Albrecht defended by Manalapan senior Dan Kamen. (Photo by Paula Lopez)
Middletown South junior Luke Albrecht defended by Manalapan senior Dan Kamen. (Photo by Paula Lopez)
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Albrecht battled through a minor hip injury through the early part of his junior season, according to head coach Jim Anderson, but once the calendar turned to February, Albecht found his A-game. In Middletown South’s 13 games from Feb. 1 through the end of the season, Albrecht averaged 12.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists and registered all three of his games of 20 points or more. The junior guard came up just shy of a triple-double (11 points, nine rebounds, 12 assists) in Middletown South’s 100-84, Class-A-North-clinching win over Marlboro and averaged 21 points and three assists in the Eagles’ two NJSIAA Tournament wins.

Jalen Folsom, Sr., Guard, Toms River South

2019-20 Stats: 14.9 points per game

It has been five years since a Toms River South boys basketball player has either scored 1,000 points or joined the All-Shore picture and Folsom ended the wait on both counts. He reached the 1,000-point plateau in a February game vs. Hooper-Ave. rival Donovan Catholic and was selected as one of the two All-Shore Final Vote winners. Not since Tymere Berry – a Monmouth University football standout and NFL hopeful – graduated in 2015 has a Toms River South basketball player made that much noise. Like Berry, Folsom is a multi-sport standout, having made the All-Shore First Team as a goalkeeper on Toms River South’s boys soccer team.

D.J. Thomson, So., Guard, Keyport

2019-20 Stats: 21.4 points per game, 6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists

On a per-game basis, only two players in the Shore Conference – Alex Ratner of Marlboro and Ryan Knorr of Manalapan – scored more points than Thomson. In the first seven games of the season, the 6-3 sophomore hit the 30-point plateau four times and added a career-high 36 later in the season in a win over Somerset Tech. Thomson turned in a dominant all-around performance in a win over rival Keansburg (27 points and 16 rebounds), and produced in three postseason games as well (18.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists in three games). In just two high school seasons, Thomson has already racked up 836 points and if he continues to improve along with the sophomore-heavy Red Raiders, 2,000 points is not out of the question.

 

 

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