Boys Basketball – Week 7 Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey Player of the Week: Jack Velcamp, Rumson
Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey Week 7 Player of the Week
Jack Velcamp, Rumson-Fair Haven
For eight years, Jack Velcamp has served as team manager for the Rumson-Fair Haven boys basketball team, but last Thursday night, for the first time, he got to suit up and start for the Bulldogs.
The 4-foot-2 senior heard his name announced as a starter, received a star's cheer from the home crowd and blew the roof off of the home gym when he scored on a drive to the basket midway through the first quarter.
Velcamp is an accomplished basketball player in his own right, having represented the United States in basketball at the World Dwarf Games last summer. Last week, he got to show his Rumson teammates what he could do on a varsity court in a key Class A Central game against Holmdel, which put winning aside for four minutes to give Velcamp a chance to get in the scoring column.
Since he was in fifth grade, Velcamp has been part of the Rumson-Fair Haven program as a manager and has seen the Bulldogs reach two Shore Conference Tournament finals, win one and win an NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II title last year.
Velcamp won a majority of the more than 14,000 votes cast, coming in a 51 percent. He beat out second-place Tyree Morris of Long Branch, who collected 30 percent, and third place Ahmadu Sarnor of Ranney, who drew 11.
Neptune senior Jared Kimbrough got three percent of the vote, but played a key role in determining the winner when he attempted to sway potential voters toward voting for Velcamp through his Twitter account.
2017-18 Players of the Week
Week 1: Carl Swensen, Lacey
Week 2: Mark Mogarte, Toms River North
Week 3: Chris Mikos, St. John Vianney
Week 4: Vinnie Deck, Southern
Week 5: Doug Chan, Holmdel