Boys Basketball Friday Scoreboard, 12/16/16

Class A North

Colts Neck 65, Howell 56

Junior Danny Gaines scored 25 points in his first varsity start and the new-look Cougars beat the Rebels to open their season and Central Jersey Group IV title defense. Junior Rob Hill also added 12 points and senior Brendan Clarke and junior Ben Bosland each chipped in 10 points for Colts Neck.

Junior Nasiem Brantley also poured in 25 points to lead Howell while adding five rebounds and four assists. Junior Alex Morton pitched in 13 points and senior Dan Cacciatore added eight points and six steals.

No. 6 Freehold Twp. 58, Freehold Boro 39

Senior Steve Staklinski scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and the Patriots rolled past the crosstown rival Colonials for an opening-night win. Senior Ryan Zyskowski chipped in 10 points, eight rebounds and five steals for Freehold Township and senior Ryan Cardone contributed eight points and six rebounds.

Junior Ashante Worthy led Freehold Boro with 12 points while senior Chris Cassandra netted 11.

No. 9 CBA 62, Manalapan 33

Sophomore Josh Cohen scored 15 points in his varsity debut and the Colts rode a balanced offensive effort to an opening-night rout of the Braves. Junior Ron Meehan added 10 points and sophomore Liam Kennedy chipped in eight as well.

Junior Matan Zucker scored 23 of Manalapan's 33 points.

No. 7 Marlboro 39, Neptune 38

Class A Central

St. John Vianney 46, Raritan 32

Senior Dan Dinneny scored a game-high 16 points and the Lancers beat the Rockets to give coach Ryan Finch his firs career win. Senior Ryan Simmonds also added eight rebounds, eight assists and five steals to go with his four points.

Sophomore Tim Hayes led Raritan with 10 points.

Holmdel 47, Shore 39

Junior Tim Zhu scored 13 points and senior Nick Harris added 10 to lead the Hornets to an opening-night win over the Blue Devils. Senior Mike Simurro also added nine points and senior Joe Sciacca contributed eight in the win.

Sophomore Chris Panduri led Shore with a game-high 14 points, while sophomore Kyle Koob and senior Tom Mannino chipped in nine each.

Red Bank 43, Matawan 40

Senior Nasir Williams scored 16 points and sophomore Liam Joyce poured in 13 to lead the Bucs past the Huskies on opening night. Joyce also knocked down two free throws with one second left to seal the victory.

Junior Michael Dunne led Matawan with 13 points and classmate Reggie Tawiah added 12 in defeat.

Class A South

Central 57, Brick 55 (OT)

Senior Maks Gruszecki scored a team-high 17 points and the Golden Eagles erased a four-point deficit in the final 1:20 of the fourth to force overtime and pull out an opening-night road win over the Green Dragons. Senior Denis Corbin added 14 points and junior Xavier Jackson pitched in 10 for Central.

Senior Anthony DeStefano led Brick with a game-high 21 points to go with 14 rebounds and four blocks. Senior Brandon Williams added 13 points and five assists while sophomore Shane Williams blocked six shots.

Class B North

Middletown South 55, Long Branch 50

Juniors Ryan Purcell and David Gervase combined for 41 points and the Eagles picked up a big opening-night win over the Green Wave. Purcell led the way with 21 points, while Gervase poured in 20

No. 5 Manasquan 72, Ocean 55

Senior Devin Jensen scored 19 points and hauled in six boards as the Warriors topped the Spartans to open the season. Senior Brian Paturzo also posted 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Senior Tyler Hobbie also contributed 10 points, sophomore Brian McCabe had nine and junior Ryan Flanagan dropped eight as part of a deep Manasquan offense.

Senior Darius Brown led Ocean with 10 points, while junior Andrew Seager, junior David Yatcilla and senior Tim McMahon all had nine in the loss.

Red Bank Catholic 51, No. 4 Middletown North 46

Senior Terrence Calandrillo scored 16 points and the Caseys knocked off the Lions to give Tyler Schmelz his first win as head coach of his alma mater. Junior Matt Ansell added 13 points and senior Mike Conley poured in 12 for RBC.

Sophomore Rob Higgins led Middletown North with a game-high 22 points and all six of his field goals with three-pointers. Senior Marc Cerbo also had nine points on three threes, but the Lions made only three two-point field goals in the entire game.

Wall 65, Monmouth 42

Junior Steve Geis connected on five three-pointers and buried a game-high 27 points to lead the Crimson Knights to a convincing opening-night win over the Falcons. Geis also pitched in six rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Senior Clarence Celius contributed 12 points and eight rebounds for Wall, while senior Gene Scott added nine points, nine rebounds and three assists in the win.

Senior Jalen Gates led Monmouth with eight points.

Class B Central

No. 1 Mater Dei Prep 77, Keansburg 22

Junior guard and Roselle Catholic transfer Yasin Pretlow scored 16 points in his Mater Dei debut the Seraphs coasted by the Titans to open their SCT title defense. Howell transfer Brandon Wilson also added 11 points, as did senior Elijah Mitchell to go with four steals as well.

Junior guard Kennny Jones also chipped in 10 points, eight assists and five steals, while senior Maleek McKnight also had 10 points.

St. Rose 85, Keyport 40

Senior Brendan Hueth and junior John Crowley scored 14 points apiece and the Purple Roses stormed past the Red Raiders for a season-opening win. Junior Dave Calloway added 13 points and junior Jared Scheininger pitched in 12 for St. Rose.

Junior Brendan O'Brien led Keyport with a game-high 19 points.

Asbury Park 85, Henry Hudson 64

Sophomore Kaysaun Rice scored 22 points and senior Josmere Taylor poured in 18 to pace the Blue Bishops past the Admirals on opening night.

Junior Ja'King Agostini added 14 points and senior Xavier Hundley scored 10 in the win.

Senior Tom Fennell led Henry Hudson with a game-high 29 points, while sophomore Jay Anthony added 13 in the loss.

No. 2 Ranney 79, No. 8 Point Beach 44

Sophomores Amadu Sarnor and Bryan Antoine scored 20 points each and the Panthers blew open the game with a 19-0 run to close the first quarter en route to a win over the Garnet Gulls. In his first game with Ranney, Sarnor - a transfer from Collegium Charter in Pa. - also had four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Antoine added nine rebounds, four assists and six steals.

Sophomore Scottie Lewis pitched in 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks for Ranney. Sophomore Alex Klatsky also had nine points and three assists, while sophomore Chris Autino pitched in eight points and six boards.

Juniors Danny Frauenheim and Trevor Covey scored 10 points each while senior Steve Flanders scored nine for Point Beach.

Class B South

No. 10 Lakewood 51, Point Boro 37

Junior Kevin Dent - a transfer from Delaware - scored 17 points in his Lakewood debut to help lead the Piners past the Panthers. Senior Adi Palmer added 15 points and junior Jyheir Jones poured in 14 in the win.

Manchester 51, Lacey 45

Senior L.J. Robinson scored a game-high 23 points and the Hawks topped the Lions to open the season. Junior Markese Davis added 10 points in the win.

Junior Tanner Miick led Lacey with 10 points.

Barnegat 51, Pinelands 39

Juniors Mike Revello and Alex Grogan scored 16 points each and combined for eight of Barnegat's nine three-pointers as the Bengals jumped on the Wildcats in the first quarter and never looked back.

Revello and Grogan combined for six first-half threes, with Grogan finishing the game with five and Revello with three. Carson Francisco hit the other Barnegat three and finished with nine points.

Sophomore Anthony Diaz led Pinelands with 10 points and four assists.

Donovan Catholic 56, Jackson Liberty 44

Senior Jared Small hit four three-pointers and poured in 17 points as the Griffins beat the Lions to open the season. Junior Anthony Silvestrone added 12 points and sophomore Matt Melon added nine in the win.

Sophomore Daniel Sofield hit five three-pointers and finished with a game-high 22 points to lead Jackson Liberty.