Boys Basketball Preview – Class A North

In most Shore Conference boys basketball seasons, you can pencil CBA into the top spot in the Class A North division and fill in the rest. That has not been the case in any of the past three seasons because the Colts have either finished tied for first place or did not win the division. It is rare enough to find a season in which CBA does not win an outright division title, so a three-year period like this is unprecedented.

It appears as though the streak will end at three because CBA returns four starters and seven members of the regular rotation in a division that lost a lot of senior talent from a year ago. Either the race for the public championship will be highly contested or some team will have a good enough season to push and perhaps overtake CBA.

Christian Brothers Academy

Head Coach: Geoff Billet, seventh season
Record Last Year: 16-9 (10-4 in Class A North)
Returning Players: Louie Pillari (Sr., 6-4, Guard), Pat Andree (So., 6-7, Forward), Rob Kennedy (Sr., 6-1, Guard), Jack Laffey (Junior, 6-3, Forward), Evan Gordinier (Sr., 6-5, Forward), Shaun Belbey (Jr., 5-10, Guard), Luke O’Shaughnessy (Jr., 6-1, Guard)
Key Losses: Kevin Neller (Guard), Tom Aldridge (Guard)
Newcomers: Chimaechi Ekekeugbor (Sr., 6-4, Forward), Connor Aldridge (Jr., 6-1, Forward), Derek Loehner (Jr., 6-1, Guard), Jack McGuire (So., 6-6, Forward), John Salcedo (So., 5-10, Guard)

For the last two seasons, CBA has been a solid Shore Conference team, going 30-19 during that span. At the Academy, however, those results do not meet the lofty expectations that have become commonplace over the last four decades. Looking at it from afar, two years of rebuilding following a great run that still nets a 30-19 mark is not too shabby. The key for the program will be whether or not this particular group of returnees can return the Colts to prominence, which includes a Class A North championship, a Shore Conference Tournament semifinal appearance and a team capable of competing in the NJSIAA Non-Public A Tournament.

Senior Louie Pillari committed to the Naval Academy over the offseason and has one of the best skill sets of any guard in the conference. Pillari will lead the way while 6-foot-7 sophomore Pat Andree looks to build off arguably the greatest season by any freshman in CBA history. Jack Laffey, Rob Kennedy, Evan Gordinier and Shaun Belbey all played key roles last year and that group gives the Colts plenty of depth behind Pillari and Andree. With so much talent graduating from the other teams and the Colts returning some impressive talent, 2014 should be a return to glory for CBA, at least within the division.

Freehold Township

Head Coach: Brian Golub, 19th season
Record Last Year: 11-15 (7-7)
Returning Players: Chris Talbott (Sr., 6-1, Forward), Jason Czajkowski (Jr., 5-10, Guard), Dan Saunders (Jr., 6-1, Forward), Kyle Czajkowski (Jr., 6-10, Guard), Brian Dziobak (Sr., 6-5, Center)
Key Losses: John Horrigan (Center), Keith Clark (Guard), Dylan Burns (Guard)
Newcomers: Mike Alexander (Sr., 6-4, Forward), Nick Facendo (So., 5-9, Guard), Jordan McGill (Sr., 5-10, Guard), Tyree Wilson (Jr., 6-2, Guard) – Transfer from Freehold Boro, Mike Staklinski (Jr., 6-1, Guard), Jack O’Brien (So., 6-0, Guard), Terrence Burdge (Jr., 6-5, Center), Austin Ramos (Jr., 5-10, Guard), Brandon Tajfel (Jr., 6-1, Forward), C.J. Stenftennagel (Jr., 6-0, Guard)

The race for the Class A North public division title is wide open and it would not be outside the realm of possibility for a team to push CBA to the end for the outright title. Freehold Township profiles as the team that could give the Colts the most trouble because of a host of players who return from last year’s deep roster of contributors. While losing skilled big man John Horrigan is an obstacle, the Patriots return five significant contributors from last year in Chris Talbott, Jason Czajkowski, Dan Saunders, Kyle Czajkowski and Brian Dziobak. Throw in a long list of strong newcomers, which includes a proven varsity scorer in Freehold transfer Tyree Wilson, and the Patriots should be a team that is in the Class A North mix until the end.

Colts Neck

Head Coach: Lou Piccola, 15th season
Record Last Year: 23-6 (13-1)
Returning Players: Chris O’Reilly (Jr., 6-1, Guard), Jake Mullaney (Sr., 5-10, Guard)
Key Losses: Brandon Federici (Guard), James Sobieski (Center), Tim Vangelas (Guard), Luke LaLima (Guard), Ed Romanick (Forward)
Newcomers: Kyle Gordon (So., 6-1, Forward), Tom O’Reilly (So., 6-4, Forward), Colton LaLima (Jr., 5-8, Guard), Lloyd Daniels (So., 6-0, Forward), Pat Sheehan (Jr., 5-9, Guard), Michael Lamb (Jr., 6-6, Center), Jon Mojica (Jr., 5-10, Forward), Dennis McDermott (Jr., 6-1, Guard/Forward), Josh Brown (Sr.)

The Cougars appeared to be a lock to win the Central Jersey Group IV title last year until leading scorer Brandon Federici went down with an injury in a pick-up game against Roselle Catholic just prior to the tournament. While Colts Neck got an unexpectedly early start on life without Federici, there are a number of other key players that left holes on this year’s roster and how the Cougars fill those holes are the obvious key to the season.

Junior Chris O’Reilly was a top scoring option for Colts Neck as a sophomore and will move into the role of primary scorer as a junior. Senior Jake Mullaney, meanwhile, was a solid role player last season and played well with Federici sidelined, but will be only one of two seniors on the roster. Sophomores Kyle Gordon, Tom O’Reilly and Lloyd Daniels figure to contribute right away and juniors Pat Sheehan, Colton LaLima and Michael Lamb should do the same. This is a talented young group that might be a year away, but there is some potential for Colts Neck to make a run at another division title a year ahead of schedule.

Middletown North

Head Coach: Mike Iasparro, seventh season
Record Last Year: 16-12 (9-5)
Returning Players: Ian Wyckoff (Sr., 6-2, Guard), Brian Esser (Sr., 6-2, Guard)
Key Losses: Cody Thompson (Guard), Will Boman (Guard), John Dini (Forward), Mike Barber (Forward)
Newcomers: Dylan Frawley (Jr., 6-6, Forward), Tristan Hook (Sr., 6-6, Forward), Matt Dieckmann (Sr., 6-0, Forward), Jimmy Coppa (Sr., 6-2, Guard), Troy Thompson (Jr., 6-2, Guard), Jordan Pitts (Sr., 6-1, Guard), Dylan Hallard (Jr., 5-10, Guard), Colin Frawley (So., 6-4, Forward)

Since a resurgent season in 2010-11, the Middletown North program has been able to successfully turn over the talent from year to year thanks to a few players who were able to take on larger roles. Last year, Cody Thompson and Will Boman were those players for the 16-12 Lions, who fell one win short of a Central Jersey Group III final appearance. This year, Ian Wyckoff and Brian Esser will have the responsibility of leading the team after each were solid regulars in the rotation last year.

Middletown North’s best chance for another top-four finish in Class A North is with its size. Junior Dylan Frawley, who had a part-time role last year, is a 6-foot-6 forward with a good shooting touch, while Tristan Hook (6-6) and Colin Frawley (6-4) also bring some size to the roster. Wyckoff and Esser also offer some size in the backcourt, so if the Lions are able to use that length on the defensive end and on the glass, they could re-invent themselves into a different kind of contender in A North.

Middletown South

Head Coach: Kevin Cullen, eighth season
Record Last Year: 12-13 (4-10)
Returning Players: John Whalen (Sr., 6-3, Guard), Matt Gray (Sr., 6-0, Guard)
Key Losses: Sam Brodsky (Guard), Tom DiMeo (Guard), Mike Diorio (Center), Matt Mauro (Forward)
Newcomers: Patrick Campbell (Sr., Forward), J.J. Larkins (Jr., Forward), Tim Zero (Jr., 5-11, Guard), Kevin Naughton (Jr., 5-11, Guard), Dan Roibal (Jr., 6-2, Guard/Forward), Nick Wiley (Jr., 5-9, Guard), Alex Mrusek (So., 6-4, Center), John Zega (So., 6-0, Guard), Kevin Zega (Fr., 5-11, Guard)

The 12-13 record and 4-10 mark within Class A North are not overly impressive, but Middletown South was a tough team outside the division (8-3) and the Eagles nearly took out eventual Central Jersey Group III champion Lawrence in the first round of the sectional playoffs. Replacing Mike Diorio and Tom DiMeo will be a tall order, but a handful of key contributors return this year, led by senior guard John Whalen. Down the stretch last season, Whalen caught up to DiMeo as a scoring option and could be a sleeper to contend for a Shore Conference scoring title. Among the new varsity players, Dan Roibal has some varsity experience and had his best game of the season in the loss to Lawrence. There are some holes to fill, but Middletown South should be good enough to have a season similar to 2012-13, maybe with a few more wins inside the division.

Marlboro

Head Coach: Michael Nausedus, second season
Record Last Year: 7-14 (2-12)
Returning Players: Justin Markowitz (Sr., 6-1, Guard), George Elghoul (Jr., 5-10, Guard), Mike Fasano (Sr., 5-5, Guard), Kenny LaRocca (Jr., 5-10, Guard), Matt Ringel (Jr., 6-4, Center), Robert Jastrzebski (Sr., 6-3, Forward), Stephen Luppino (Sr., 6-1, Forward), Sumit Dulal (Sr., 6-1, Guard)
Key Losses: Matt Vogel (Center), Dylan Anslow (Guard), Bryan Fontanetta (Guard)
Newcomers: Joshua Zemlock (Jr., 6-0, Guard/Forward), Daniel Weiss (Fr., 6-4, Forward), P.J. Ringel (Fr., 5-9, Guard), Steven Johnson (Jr., 6-0, Guard), Corey Goldstein (Sr., 5-11, Guard)

The Mustangs finished tied for last place (or seventh place if you prefer the glass half-full perspective) but they had some good moments over the course of the season. In addition to some quality performances at different points, Marlboro returns a good group of players that began to step forward last year. Justin Markowitz was the team’s top scorer and junior George Elghoul had a number of big games, particularly in Marlboro’s wins. Kenny LaRocca also had a handful of good shooting nights during a solid sophomore campaign and if Marlboro’s front court can complement that trio of guards, the Mustangs should be ready to take a step forward.

Manalapan

Head Coach: Rick Garretson, 20th season
Record Last Year: 14-10 (9-5)
Returning Players: Joe Pisciotti (Sr., 5-10, Guard), Quentin Hodge-Grant (Sr., 5-10, Guard), Matt Colella (Sr., 6-5, Center), Kyle Mullen (Jr., 6-5, Forward), Gerard Hodge-Rocourt (Jr., 6-0, Guard), Zach Misischia (Jr., 6-3, Forward), Scott Scheer (So., Forward)
Key Losses: Anthony Firkser (Guard), Dennis Girolamo (Center), Mike Pyzik (Guard), Mike Busto (Guard), Chris DeBenedetto (Guard)
Newcomers: Zach Koenig (Sr., 6-1, Guard), Jordan Vance (Jr., 5-11, Guard), Brian Conforth (Jr., 5-11, Guard)

No team in the division lost as much production as Manalapan did, with its top four scorers moving on to graduation. Tops among those four players is Anthony Firsker, a first-team All-Shore selection from a year ago who might have had more impact on his team than any other player in the conference last year. This season, the Braves will rely on a group of players that practiced with last year’s team, but mostly observed on game night as the senior core carried the load. Joey Pisciotti saw significant minutes and Quentin Hodge-Grant and Matt Colella each saw some spurts of playing time as well. There are plenty of Class A North teams looking to replace key players, but Manalapan has more to replace than any other team in the division, which might be too much to overcome when it comes to competing for the public division title.

Howell

Head Coach: Patrick Ramsay, first season
Record Last Year: 3-17 (2-12)
Returning Players: Aaron Trimble (Jr., 6-3, Guard), Donovan Griffiths (Sr., 6-3, Guard), A.J. Barreto (Sr., 6-0, Forward), Zack Rovner (Jr., 5-9, Guard)
Key Losses: John Quinlan (Center), Luke Sorge (Guard), Jason Bower (Guard), Luke Weber (Guard/Forward), Joe Purcaro (Forward), James Carraher (Guard), Jake Ernst (Forward)
Newcomers: Will Koscis (Jr., 6-5, Forward), Greg McManus (Jr., 6-4, Forward), Matt Morton (So., 5-9, Guard), Dontrell Jones (Sr., 6-1, Forward), Tom Carraher (Jr., 5-9, Guard)

After a tough 3-17 season in 2012-13, the Rebels return this season with a new coach and some new faces around a talented junior swingman in Aaron Trimble. In Trimble, new coach Patrick Ramsay has a player around which he can build his offensive system over the next two seasons, especially if some of the other returning players take a step forward this season. Seniors Donovan Griffiths and A.J. Barreto return after playing some last year and are likely candidates to produce this season. Although Howell returns its top scorer in Trimble, contending for a public division championship with teams like Freehold Township, Colts Neck, and the Middletowns will be difficult considering that all of them return as many or more players from teams that finished higher in the standings.

Players to Watch

Louie Pillari, CBA – The Navy recruit had a breakout season as a junior and could be primed for even bigger things in 2013-14.

Pat Andree, CBA – Andree was already one of the top players in the division as a freshman, so barring a sophomore slump, this year should be even better.

Chris O’Reilly, Colts Neck – While O’Reilly has been more of a role player during his first two years, he showed his scoring ability at times last year and will undoubtedly be one of the division's best scorers.

Aaron Trimble, Howell – The junior has already proven himself in A North and now he will try to help his team prove it can contend for the public title.

Dan Saunders, Freehold Twp. – Emerged as a second scorer to then-senior John Horrigan and will lead a balanced group of returnees during his junior season.

Breakout Players to Watch

John Whalen, Middletown South – Averaged nearly 10 points per game last year after emerging as a top perimeter scorer for the Eagles and will now be the go-to guy at Middletown South.

George Elghoul, Marlboro – An ideal complement to sharp-shooter Justin Markowitz, Elghoul fills up a box score while running the offense.

Dylan Frawley, Middletown North – The Lions will look to replace the lost back court production with a slew of size, led by Frawley, who can score from a lot of different spots on the floor.

Burning Questions

Is CBA “back”?

There were moments during last season when the Colts appeared to be on the way back after a couple of mediocre seasons by their standards. In the end though, they came up short in the Class A North race and lost a Shore Conference Tournament game on their home floor to 24^th-seeded Matawan, unthinkable for a traditional CBA team. The good news for the Colts is that they return some serious talent in a division that lost a lot of senior talent from a year ago. There are some roadblocks in different divisions around the conference, but Class A North appears to be CBA’s to lose.

Does any Class A North public school pose a threat to CBA?

There is a real chance that CBA runs the table in Class A North because there is no loaded public school roster in the division. There are, however, a bunch of solid, balanced rosters that will all get a shot at CBA on their respective home floors, which means the Colts will most certainly have to earn a division title. Freehold Township played a deep lineup last year and has the most experience back, while Middletown North offers plenty of size. Colts Neck and Middletown South each have a potential top scorer to go with some new faces and even Marlboro could pose a threat with a lot of returning talent back from a team that had some high points last year.

Have graduation losses at Middletown North, Colts Neck and Manalapan opened the door for Middletown South, Marlboro and Howell to flip the standings?

The obvious answer is “Yes, the door is open.” To be more specific, at least one of Middletown South, Marlboro or Howell could very well break into the top half of the standings because of the lack of experience at Manalapan and Colts Neck. There is no rule, however, that stipulates a team must have experience to be successful and it could very well be that both the Braves and Cougars are ready to reload. In the end though, don’t be surprised to see one of last year’s bottom three teams crack the top four in a balanced group of public school squads.