Boys Basketball – Week 3 Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey Player of the Week: Niles Haliburton, Matawan

Week 3 Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey Player of the Week

Niles Haliburton, Matawan

Matawan has proved it has real staying power as a quality Shore Conference program this season by once again playing at a 20-win pace despite losing three starters to graduation and another to a health issue. The secret has been a balanced, versatile starting lineup that has size, shooting and passing across the board.

Haliburton has been the leading scorer of the group, checking in at 13.7 points per game through the Huskies' first 12 games. The junior is also one of the Shore leaders in three-pointers with 34 made and he contributed heavily to that number last week.

Haliburton scored 12 in a home win over Middletown North, then turned in a career effort in scoring 29 points to help the Huskies beat the Bucs on the road in overtime, which ended on a game-winning three by senior Trevor Garland in the final seconds of the extra period. Haliburton hit six three-pointers in the win over Red Bank and hit two while also handing out five assists in the win over Middletown North.

Haliburton won this week's vote with better than a quarter of the votes cast, which edged out Mater Dei Prep junior Peter Gorman. Matawan teammate Quincy Wathington was the Week 1 winner and Mater Dei junior Tahaj Parland won the Week 2 award, so the Huskies and Seraphs fan bases continued to turn out to support their peers.

Manchester junior Josh Hayes (13 percent) and Freehold Township sophomore Zach Orrico (10) received at least 10 percent of the vote.

2019 Players of the Week Winners

Week 1: Quincy Wathington, Matawan

Week 2: Tahaj Parland, Mater Dei Prep