Boys Basketball – Jersey Mike’s Week 7 Team of the Week: Holmdel

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Heading into last week, the Holmdel boys basketball team had already conceded the Shore Conference Class A Central championship to Manasquan, but there was still plenty the Hornets could earn with a good week.

Holmdel kept its collective foot on the gas last week with wins over Monmouth Regional, Red Bank Catholic and Manalapan to finish off its case for a top-four seed in the Shore Conference Tournament and also earn the latest Jersey Mike's Team of the Week Award.

While a win over a 4-18 Monmouth squad might not seem like much, the Falcons were coming off an upset of Red Bank Catholic three days earlier and Holmdel stomped them, 72-28. Senior Doug Chan scored 20 points, twin brother Derek added 12 and the Hornets stormed out to a whopping 46-8 halftime lead.

Three nights later, the Hornets appeared to have a road win over Red Bank Catholic in hand early in the fourth quarter, but the Caseys cut the Holmdel lead to one point with under a minute to go. Junior Alex Baker hit a pair of free throws to cap a 14-point night and a 53-50 Holmdel win to complete a 12-2 season in Class A Central play.

The No. 4 seed in the Shore Conference Tournament was up for grabs heading into Saturday and Holmdel left little doubt by beating a top-10 team in Manalapan by a convincing score of 79-60. Senior Jack Giamanco scored 19 points and Baker dropped 18 to lead the way in that one.

Holmdel indeed drew the No. 4 seed in the Shore Conference Tournament and it's not hard to figure out why. The Hornets enter Thursday with an 18-3 record that includes two losses to No. 1 Manasquan and a December loss to Carteret, while they have beaten RBC twice, Rumson-Fair Haven twice, Manalapan, Freehold Township and Matawan.

The Hornets will host No. 20 Ocean on Thursday and is trying to reach the SCT semifinals for the first time since 1999.

2020 Team of the Week Winners

Week 1: Barnegat

Week 2: Middletown South

Week 3: Manalapan

Week 4: Point Boro

Week 5: Lakewood

Week 6: Monmouth