Boys Basketball – VOTE: Week 8 Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey Player of the Week

Each week, Shore Sports Network senior basketball editor Matt Manley picks the top boys basketball players in each of the six Shore Conference divisions and you, the reader, have a chance to vote for the top performer as the Seaview Orthopaedic Institute Shore Sports Network Player of the Week. In addition to the six divisional players of the week, there are also two “wild card” candidates, who can come from any of the six divisions.

This week’s candidates are nominated based on their play from Monday, Feb. 4 through Sunday, Feb. 11.

Read about this week's candidates and vote at the bottom of the page. Voting will close on Wednesday night at 10 p.m. Vote early, vote often and check back Friday morning to find out the Shore Sports Network Player of the Week from week six of the 2017-18 season.

Class A North Player of the Week

Eddie Paladino, Marlboro

Of Marlboro’s five starters, Paladino entered the year with the least amount of big-game experience, slightly behind sophomore Alex Ratner. His week last week is evidence that Marlboro now has five players on the court who are threats on offense, which is why the Mustangs look so dangerous heading into the SCT. The senior scored a career-high 19 points in a win over Freehold Township and 15 in the big win at CBA, hitting five three-pointers in each game.

A North Honorable Mention: Greg Billups, Freehold Twp.; Eddie Paladino, Marlboro; Alex Purzynski, Manalapan; Dwaine Jones, Neptune; Brian Broderick, Manalapan; Stephen Braunstein, CBA

Class A Central Player of the Week

Tyrese Bryant, Raritan

The Rockets needed a strong finish heading toward the SCT cutoff and got it with wins over Red Bank and Shore – the latter of which was an overtime thriller. Bryant played a supporting role as a scorer in both games, with the junior scored 17 in the win over Red Bank and 11 in the double-overtime victory over Shore.

A Central Honorable Mention: Phillip Wheeler, Rumson-Fair Haven; Justyn Coleman, Matawan; Mike Dunne, Matawan; Matt Weidman, Red Bank; Kyle Koob, Shore

Class A South Player of the Week

Nick Silvia, Toms River East

With a Shore Conference Tournament berth on the line, the Raiders delivered a 3-0 week with Silvia coming up big in all three games. His week included 17 points and eight rebounds in a rout of Jackson Memorial, 11 points and eight boards in a win over Central, and 19 points and 10 rebounds in a big win over Brick to cap the week.

A South Honorable Mention: Folsom, Toms River South; Jake DuBois, Southern; Holden Petrick, Toms River North; Nick Shortino, Toms River East

Class B North Player of the Week

Steve Geis, Wall

One of the state’s top scorers had, arguably, his best week for the Crimson Knights with a postseason berth on the line and that is saying something considering he scored 47 and 35 points in back-to-back games earlier in the season. He scored 30 points to lead Wall past Long Branch in a must-win game, then scored 38 in consecutive games against Middletown North and West Windsor-Plainsboro North. He hit eight three-pointers and shot 14-for-27 from the field vs. Middletown North, but the Lions edged Wall 84-83 to knock the Crimson Knights out of the Shore Conference Tournament.

B North Honorable Mention: Rob Higgins, Middletown North; Dave Campbell, Middletown North; Alex Galvan, Manasquan; Andrew Seager, Ocean; Dave Gervase, Middletown South; Matt Conley, Red Bank Catholic

Class B Central Player of the Week

Kyle Cardaci, Mater Dei Prep

Cardaci enjoyed another solid all-around week and capped it by joining the 1,000-point club on Saturday at Point Beach. He also scored 18 points apiece in a loss to Ranney and a win over St. Rose, including a hot-shooting fourth-quarter that nearly helped the Seraphs rally past the Shore’s No. 1 team. Cardaci also added 11 points on Sunday in a loss to Montclair Immaculate.

B Central Honorable Mention: Bryan Antoine, Ranney; Kyle Cardaci, Mater Dei; Ja’King Agostini, Asbury Park; Alexx Harbour, Asbury Park; Kenny Jones, Mater Dei; Paul Eckleberry, Keansburg; Jay Anthony, Henry Hudson; Dave Calloway, St. Rose; John Crowley, St. Rose

Class B South Player of the Week

Andrew Schulz, Pinelands

The Wildcats finished their regular season strong by beating Lacey, Manchester and Point Boro. The last of the three wins capped an undefeated regular-season at home for Pinelands and Schulz led the way with 14 points to help take down the Panthers. He also started the week with 23 points in a win over Lacey that officially clinched the Wildcats a spot in the SCT.

B South Honorable Mention: Alex Grogan, Barnegat; Kevin Dent, Lakewood; Sean Morris, Barnegat; Connor Costigan, Point Boro

Wild Cards

Dwaine Jones, Neptune

Sticking with the theme of secondary scorers like Paladino and Bryant, Jones came up big for Neptune in big wins over CBA and Colts Neck last week and his play is a big reason the Scarlet Fliers locked up the No. 4 seed in the Shore Conference Tournament. The junior put up 15 points and seven rebounds in a win over CBA on Tuesday, then posted 12 points, four rebounds, five assists and five steals against the Cougars – which turned out to be the win that clinched Neptune the outright Class A North championship.

Dave Campbell, Middletown North

Campbell is another second-leading scorer who gets a tip of the cap this week after scoring 20-plus points in both of Middletown South’s must-win games. He scored 22 in a road win over Manasquan on Tuesday, then hit six three-pointers and poured in 20 points in an 84-83 win over Wall on Senior Night that clinched the Lions a spot in the Shore Conference Tournament.