1/29/2013 - H/W/S Boys Hoops Preview
Jermaine Lawrence was a man amongst boys last year in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex boys basketball championship game.
The 6-9 Pope John power forward was a one-man wrecking crew against Hunterdon Central as he poured in 25 points grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked an astounding 11 shots en route to being named the tourney’s MVP in the Lions’ 89-77 win.
Lawrence, who is being heavily recruited by Cincinnati, St. John’s and UNLV, transferred from Queens (N.Y.) last year and when he became eligible he helped the Lions finish the season as the top team in the area.
This year, the senior has been sidelined with a wrist injury for most of the season, but he was cleared last week and returned to score 16 points in PJ’s 58-36 win over Morris Hills.
With Lawrence back in the fold, the Lions (8-5, 8-0 American) are poised to defend their title as they received the No. 1 seed in Sussex for the tri-county tourney which gets under way this week.
The tourney starts Wednesday with four play-in games with first-round action Saturday. Quarterfinals are Feb. 9, semis Feb. 16 and the final is set for Hopatcong on Feb. 22 as part of a boys/girls doubleheader.
The following are the seedings for this year’s tourney:
(9) Sussex Tech at No. (8) Voorhees winner at (1) Pope John, (10) Phillipsburg at (7) Lenape Valley winner at (2) Hunterdon Central, (10) Kittatinny at (7) Belvidere winner at (2) Sparta, (9) Voorhees at (8) Hopatcong winner at (1) North Hunterdon.
(5) Vernon at (4) Hackettstown, (6) North Warren at (3) Newton, (6) Wallkill Valley at (3) Delaware Valley, (5) Warren Hills at (4) High Point.
Here is a breakdown of the tournament.
(9) Sussex Tech at (8) South Hunterdon---Dan Gibson has done a good job with Tech this year as the Mustangs are 7-8 after winning just two games all last season.
Bryce Lewis at the point, Jimmy DeCaro down low and the outside shooting of Chris Manzi and Chris McNulty give the Mustangs a well-balanced attack.
South (4-9) is a very scrappy squad as we saw last year in its loss to PJ. It will look to Jake Phillips, Devon Troutman and Jake Whitaker all key players back from last year’s club to lead the way.
Although Tech is much improved, home-court advantage will prevail and South will move on to face PJ.
The Lions gained the top seed without Lawrence and have played a killer non-league schedule with games against Roselle Catholic and Hudson Catholic to name a few.
Jason Hasson’s club has been paced by terrific freshman Bryce Aiken and super sophomore 6-7 Moustapha Diagne from the Senegal. Steve Zignorski, Noah Brown and Ryan Izzo are also outstanding players for the Lions.
(10) Phillipsburg at (7) LenapeValley---Lenape is 5-10 and suffered a tough blow when their top-notch point guard Scott Brady left the team for personal reasons. Dan Healy’s squad counts on Tom Hoyt and Ryan Peach down low and Dwight Miko who can take it to the basket.
P-burg (1-14) is just three years removed from falling to Warren Hills in the H/W/S final, but has struggled this season. Davy Martin and Tyler Troxell head the Liners.
Despite not having Brady, I feel the Pats will find a way to win in a close one. Lenape Valley would then travel to Hunterdon Central, the No. 2 seed.
It is a new era for the Red Devils (9-7), winners of 10 county titles. Hall-of Fame coach Brian Glennon has retired after 300-plus wins and former The College of New Jersey assistant coach Mike Falco has taken over.
The Red Devils, who play in the very rugged Skyland Conference, look to Mike Knight, Eric Adams and Jason Cabinda. They are trying to make up void left by the graduation of Evan Klimchak, who seemed like he was at HC for 10 years.
(10) Kittatinny at (7) Belvidere---Well, there will be no secrets here as Belvidere (6-9) has topped Kittatinny (0-14) twice this season, 56-37 and 56-51.
Kittatinny has struggled offensively all year and will need good efforts from Dan Leppert and Kevin Hills to pull the upset.
Noah Barofski and Ed Biegag pace the Seaters who will complete the season sweep with a win and take on No. 2 Sparta on Saturday.
Sparta (14-2 is having a great season having only lost to PJ 48-43 and to a very explosive Mount Olive team 68-61.
Zach Frick is just 22 points from scoring 1,000 points and the terrific senior sparks the attack with his outstanding all-around game at the point. Jake Melville looks like he his healthy and is a standout No. 2 guard.
Mitch Cohen has become one of the top big men in West Jersey, while Kevin Foulds has really come on for Sparta. Matt Chemis, Austin Unglaub and Mike Walsh are also key for Sparta.
(9) Voorhees at (8) Hopatcong---Hopatcong may be 5-10 but the Chiefs are playing much better basketball for veteran coach Jim Tobin, one of the top coaches around.
Ryan Clarke uses his big body down low to lead the way while Pat McNamara is a tough as nails do it all player on the floor.
The Vikings (2-12) have struggled and look to Ryan Wall, Mitch Palmer and Sam Caffrey, but it won’t be enough as Hopatcong will oust the Vikes in order to earn a date with No. 1 North Hunterdon.
The Lions (11-6) won the tourney in 2011 with a thrilling double OT win over Vernon. Kyle Rehrig’s club plays a tough schedule and is paced by its outstanding players Graham Senour, and Matt Jarvis.
Alex Westlin and Ryan McDowell are also rock solid for the Lions.
(5) Vernon at (4) Hackettstown---The Vikings (3-11) and the Tigers (10-3) played a memorable county game two years ago as the Vikes pulled out a squeaker en route to making the final.
Hackettstown is tied for first in the Freedom Division with Jefferson and owns a 71-69 OT win over the Falcons. Freshman James Britt has been super while Austin Gibbs, Jeremy DeValle and Tyler Callahan make the Tigers a tough out.
Vernon has struggled with injuries and inexperience, but when it comes to tourney time don’t count out Matt Ferguson. The Vikes will need good games from Kevin Ufferflige, John Lipari, Luke Venskus and Tyler Kart to pull off the win.
It will be a good one but Hackettstown will hold off the depleted Vikes to advance.
(6) North Warren at (3) Newton—These two freedom Division rivals have played once this season with North pulling off a 58-53 win earlier in the season.
But things have changed for the Pats (8-7) as Hunter Ackerson, a 6-3 combo player, has been lost to an ankle injury. Coach Mike Farrell said there is chance he could return before the end of the season.
Without Ackerson, star forward Glenn Nanius will have to carry the load for the Pats. Nanius, who just scored his 1,000th career point as a junior, is one of the top scorers in the state at nearly 25 points per game.
Matt Olah and Dave Wilbur will need to step up if the Pats, who stunned Newton in the first round last year, for them to advance.
Newton (9-4) will be looking for revenge after falling this season and in the tourney last year, a game Newton played without top scorer Nate Sammans.
Junior Steven Kelly has really emerged as a star for the Braves as he can do it inside and out. But the supporting cast of Jalil Tajiddin, Brady Castle and Danny Griffin must play like they did in the Braves’ split with Hackettstown.
Going with the Braves in this one, but they must limit the players around Nanius to single digits or low teens.
(6) WallkillValley at (3) DelawareValley—New Wallkill coach Billy Connors has brought an exciting attack and hard-nosed attitude to the Rangers who are 6-8. Wallkill’s backcourt of Koide Hilbert and Frankie Rios is flashy and high-scoring, while Jason Decker and Bobby Russell provide muscle up front.
Del Val (10-4) hung tough in a 57-45 loss to Hunterdon Central and counts on its top players Peter Christ and Anthony Capone. If Wallkill’s guards excel they can play with the Terriers, but I’m going with Del Val in this one.
(5) WarrenHills at (4) High Point---Hats off to Jesse Strehl and the Wildcats (4-9) for gaining the No. 4 seed in Sussex.
The Wildcats are much improved and have played well in two losses to Pope John. Adam Walton has been a big part of the High Point resurgence but he has been injured and the Cats hope to get him back in time for the tourney.
Kyle Adams runs the point and John Mutch has shown big-time scoring capability. Mike Ragnetti and Durango Petit have also played well for the Cats.
Warren Hills (5-9) won the tourney three years ago and the Blue Streaks look to Ryan Callahan and John Bamford.
If Walton plays, the Cats win.
As I stated before with Lawrence back PJ should cruise to the final where I hope it sees Sparta for a third time for an all-Sussex championship. And in that final look for PJ to defend its throne and then make a deep run in the Non-Public A state playoffs.
In Morris County Tournament play, Jefferson (11-2, 8-1 Freedom) is the No. 5 seed and will host No. 12 Randolph this week. Joe DeGennaro’s gang is deep, talented and ready to make a run in the tourney.
J.R. Reese, Tyler Jones, Bryan Langan and company have what it takes to make some noise.
That’s it for now, see you on the sidelines.
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