Boys Basketball – Week 8 Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey Player of the Week: Eddie Paladino, Marlboro
Week 8 Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey 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 last three games are evidence that Marlboro now has five players on the court who are threats on offense, which is why the Mustangs are 6-2 over their last eight games heading into Thursday's Shore Conference Tournament game at Manasquan.
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 against the Patriots and three in the big win at CBA. Paladino continued his hot shooting into this week, knocking down five three-pointers in a 17-point game vs. Brick Memorial in the SCT, including four during Marlboro's 30-point fourth quarter.
Paladino won one of the closest Player of the Week votes in the two years of the contest, edging out Middletown North senior by two percentage points. Paladino collected 34.57 percent of the more than 22,000 votes cast while Campbell came in at 32.55.
Raritan's Tyrese Bryant and Pinelands' Andrew Schulz also racked up double-digit percentages of the vote, with Bryant drawing 16 percent and Schulz 12.
2017-18 Player of the Week Winners
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
Week 7: Jack Velcamp, Rumson-Fair Haven