The Shore Daily, 2/16/15
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Brick Memorial wrestling took home its ninth NJSIAA Group title, the most of any program in Shore Conference history, and the Shore Conference Tournament brackets for boys and girls basketball were released to highlight Sunday.
The Mustangs left no doubt in wiping out Hunterdon Central 53-15, winning 10 of 14 bouts to capture the inaugural Group V title. Jackson Memorial made a great run to the Group IV final, winning a sectional championship, then beating Clearview in the semifinals before falling 38-12 to defending champion Phillipsburg in the championship match. A match everyone would have liked to have seen was Brick Memorial-Phillipsburg, which certainly could have happened in Group IV if wrestling didn't expand to Group V because the NJSIAA's membership likes to hand out more trophies than a third-grade soccer rec league.
As Bob Badders noted in his story, whichever team got out of that South Jersey Group V bracket alive between Brick Memorial, Howell and Southern was going to probably clean up at Sun National Bank Arena in Trenton and that was certainly the case. It's a real testament to Brick Memorial's program that even when great coaches like Tony Caravella and Dan O'Cone have left, the machine keeps humming along, now under the tutelage of coach Mike Denver. Between their feeder system and their assistant coaching staff, they make sure there is no drop-off.
The Mustangs have several individual stars like returning state place-winner Alec Donovan and defending Region VI champion Gianni Ghione among others who will now turn their sights on making a run to Atlantic City and the NJSIAA Individual Championships.
BASKETBALL
The girls and boys Shore Conference Tournament brackets were released by the seeding committees on Sunday, including a three-hour meeting for the boys side as they tried to make sense of a season where few teams have emerged from the pack.
You can check out the seeds, brackets and schedule for the first two rounds for the boys and girls right here. Here are some initial thoughts on each side:
Boys
There are a lot of potentially fun match-ups in the Round of 16. The best first-round game to me looks to be Matawan at Point Beach. Matawan has played some of its best basketball with its back against the wall just to qualify, while Point Beach is back at full strength with Jimmy Panzini having returned, and Jesse Hill has been on fire. Another good one is Toms River South-Central just because those are two neighboring schools where the players all know each other from growing up.
As for potential Round-of-16 games, we could have Christian Brothers Academy hosting Red Bank Catholic, which is always a fun rivalry. Also, there could be The Battle of Ridge Road Part 2 between Rumson-Fair Haven and Red Bank after the Bucs won a regular-season meeting. Lakewood and Point Beach have played some classics in recent seasons, including Lakewood winning on a 3-pointer at the buzzer this season, and the Piners could host the Garnet Gulls in the second round if Point Beach can knock off Matawan.
I like Lakewood's chances to make it to the championship game for the second time in three years, but predictions during this season have been a fairly futile exercise, as you don't know what's going to happen because there is so much parity. Of course, I will have made so much about parity all season and watch, the top four seeds will advance to the semifinals.
Girls
I don't see there being a whole lot of surprises before we hit the quarterfinal round at Brookdale Community College on Saturday. There looks to be some great games that day. We could have St. John Vianney-RBC, Manasquan-Neptune, and perhaps the most-anticipated quarterfinal if it happens, Middletown South-Rumson in the 4-5 game. Top-seeded St. Rose should probably roll into the semifinals, and Manasquan is a safe bet to do the same.
St. John Vianney has already beaten RBC twice, so if that game materialized, the Lancers would be the heavy favorite. That leaves Middletown South-Rumson as potentially the best game of the day between two great public school programs. The common wisdom is that St. John Vianney, Manasquan and St. Rose have all separated themselves this season, so the only question is whether that fourth semifinal spot will be the Bulldogs or Eagles. St. John Vianney and Manasquan split in Class A Central this season, so that could be an epic semifinal.
More on Monday:
- John Calipari was in the house to watch his recruit, Roselle Catholic's Isaiah Briscoe, in a win over Our Savior New American in New York City yesterday.
- There are no more undefeated boys basketball teams left in New Jersey after Rutgers Prep beat Cardinal McCarrick yesterday.
- The top scorer in major college basketball wasn't recruited by anyone out of high school.
- A plane carrying the Oregon State men's basketball team had to return to the gate at LAX because a woman got stung by a scorpion that was in the carry-on bag of a passenger who had been in Mexico. That's a new one.
- Technology has helped a man with ALS speak for the first time in 15 years.
The week ahead:
The NJSIAA individual wrestling tournament starts Friday and Saturday with the four district tournaments (Districts 21-24) involving Shore Conference teams at four sites. District 21 is at Manalapan, District 22 is at Red Bank Regional, District 23 is at Brick Memorial, and District 24 is at Pine Belt Arena in Toms River.
Also, the Shore Conference Tournament for the boys and girls kicks off tomorrow. Here is the schedule for this week:
BOYS
Opening Round
Tuesday, Feb. 17
(17) Manchester at (16) Red Bank Catholic, 5 p.m.
(23) Howell at (10) Neptune, 6 p.m.
(18) Matawan at (15) Point Beach, 6 p.m.
(25) Asbury Park at (8) Manasquan, 6:30 p.m.
(24) Pinelands at (9) Colts Neck, 6:30 p.m.
(21) Donovan Catholic at (12) Southern, 6:30 p.m.
(20) Marlboro at (13) Shore, 6:30 p.m.
(19) Central at (14) Toms River South, 6:30 p.m.
(22) St. Rose at (11) Rumson-Fair Haven, 7 p.m.
Round of 16
Thursday, Feb. 19
(23) Howell/(10) Neptune winner at (7) Manalapan, 4 p.m.
(19) Central/(14) Toms River South winner at (3) Freehold Twp., 5:30 p.m.
(17) Manchester/(16) Red Bank Catholic winner at (1) CBA, 6 p.m.
(18) Matawan/(15) Point Beach winner at (2) Lakewood, 6:30 p.m.
(20) Marlboro/(13) Shore winner at (4) Toms River North, 6:30 p.m.
(21) Donovan Catholic/(12) Southern at (5) Wall, 6:30 p.m.
(22) St. Rose/(11) Rumson-Fair Haven winner at (6) Red Bank, 6:30 p.m.
(24) Pinelands/(9) Colts Neck winner vs. (25) Asbury Park/(8) Manasquan winner, TBA
Quarterfinals are Feb. 22 at Brookdale Community College. Times are 11 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:15 p.m.
GIRLS
Opening Round
Tuesday, Feb. 18
(24) Asbury Park at (9) Southern, 4 p.m.
(23) Ranney at (10) Donovan Catholic, 5 p.m.
(22) Long Branch at (11) Freehold Twp., 5:30 p.m.
(21) Toms River East at (12) Marlboro, 4 p.m.
(20) Mater Dei Prep at (13) Point Boro, 6 p.m.
(18) Manchester at (15) Toms River North, 6:30 p.m.
(17) Central at (16) Ocean, 6:30 p.m.
(19) Matawan at (14) Brick Memorial, 7 p.m.
Round of 16
Thursday, Feb. 19
(22) Long Branch/(11) Freehold Twp. at (6) Red Bank Catholic, 5 p.m.
(23) Ranney/(10) Donovan Catholic at (7) Neptune, 5:30 p.m.
(17) Central/(16) Ocean winner at (1) St. Rose, 6 p.m.
(19) Matawan/(14) Brick Memorial winner at (3) St. John Vianney, 6 p.m.
(21) Toms River East/(12) Marlboro at (5) Middletown South, 6 p.m.
(24) Asbury Park/(9) Southern at (8) Holmdel, 6 p.m.
(20) Mater Dei/(13) Point Boro winner at (4) Rumson-Fair Haven, 7 p.m.
(18) Manchester/(15) Toms River North winner at (2) Manasquan, TBA
Quarterfinals are Saturday at Brookdale Community College. Times are 11 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:15 p.m.
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