Posted by Tim McCollum
Follow me on twitter @nep84s
I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to the annual edition of the “Stumpy’s” from the recently completed football season.
The reason is very simple and it has nothing to do with the awards themselves. Of course I like to see who receives a Stumpy and see the wacky award categories he makes but that’s not the reason.
After the Stumpy’s are awarded IT’S OFFICIALLY BASKETBALL SEASON!
Sing along hoops fans …. it’s the most wonderful time of the year …
Think about this for a minute. So more freezing my ninnies off sitting on an ice cold bleacher a half mile away from the hot chocolate wishing I could light myself on fire to keep warm.
Basketball has gyms with heat. I don’t need my glasses to see the game. I don’t need to wear every coat I’ve ever owned.
I know it’s the little things in life that matter.
There is a big difference between an avid XYZ fan and being a well known XYZ junkie, where XYZ represents your sport of choice. He’s right I am an avid football fan. I spend my Sundays religiously watching my fantasy teams on the gamecast (I have several championship contenders). As much as I enjoyed chasing the football Fliers all over creation there is nothing like the beginning of the high school basketball season.
I may not be a NBA junkie (is the lockout over or not?), and while I might have a mild Tar Heel obsession disorder there is no greater obsession than the rush of a great high school basketball game.
So let’s dive right in shall we.
In this edition of the ShoreLine I’m going to break down every division in the conference and predict the order of finish. We’ll see how I did in March.
I’m also going to most my controversial pre-season top 10. Why is it controversial you ask? Read on MacDuff…..
A North
When was the last time you didn’t say CBA and pre season first team all shore in the same sentence? For me it was about 10 seconds ago when I typed this. You? I’m not about to write off the Colts however. CBA is CBA and they will find someone, somewhere. Plus Shaw might be the best catch and shoot mad bomber in the Shore.
Some of you may be wondering “Who is this year’s Howell?” “Who is this year’s Ryan Keegan?” I got a hunch the answer to those questions may very well be Manalapan and Anthony Firkser.
These are the two biggest threats to Middletown North’s chances at the division. North is returning steady PG Eric Youncofsky and human jumping jack Jason Huelbig. Add an improved Frawley into the picture and you have a nice core.
Don’t sleep on the Patriots. I have a funny feeling Coach Golub has something brewing atFreeholdTownship.
Predicted order of finish: Middletown North, Manalapan, CBA, Freehold, Howell, Middletown South, Marlboro
A Central
This isRaritan’s division to lose. It doesn’t matter that you return only one starter when that starter is Mike Aaman.
Matawan because of Larry Alston III and RFH because of Donnelly and Coach Schempy are the biggest threats to the Rockets. If Alston III plays defense on the hardwood like he does on the gridiron Matawan may pitch a shutout all season.
Sleeper pick here is Holmdel. They looked improved in the summer. They looked improved in the fall.
Predicted order of finish: Raritan, Matawan, Rumson-Fair Haven, Holmdel, Shore, Vianney, Red Bank
A South
Brian Kenney completes the Jaguars. Throwing him into a lineup containing super-swingman Brandon McDonnell, post presence Holup and what seems like an army of forwards and you have something special down inJackson. They are big, quick and can shoot the rock. They made a good showing in the SCT last year and are poised to follow that up with a great season.
Their biggest competition I think comes from my two sleeper teams in the division. Southern had the terrific freshman Mike Geisicki last season. Freshmen big men turn into bigger, stronger, and more experienced sophomore big men. That bodes well for Southern.
Speaking of big men remember this name. Bill Wrightson. This kid along with sophomore guards Cleveland and Carrington will make some mad noise all over the conference. Watch out for this team when they put it all together.
Predicted order of finish: Jackson Memorial. TRN, Southern, TRS, Brick Memorial, TRE
B North
Are you ready for a good ole fashioned slobberknocker of a division race that will be heated and hard fought from beginning to end? Get ready for Colts Neck and Neptune because this is going to be shore conference basketball’s version of Ali-Frazier this season.
Neptune is absolutely loaded. Calderon, Woods,Holland, and mad bomber Shakeem Richardson make a formidable backcourt. Pair them with Josh Jenkins, scoring machine Fuquan McDonald and Keith Kirkwood and you have a team that should, and will play well into the postseason.
Hunter Wysocki is a beast. He was a man among boys two seasons ago. He will at times be un-guardable this season. Add in human foul pole Faust and you have a formidable front court. How do they replace the aforementionedJacksonguard Brian Kenney? You add a second blur named O’Reilly to the back court. You may need to DVR the game and watch it in super slo mo to even see these O’Reilly kids.
Monmouth,Long Branch, and RBC won’t be a pushover but this race will be one for the ages.
Predicted order of finish: Neptune, Colts Neck, Monmouth, Long Branch, RBC, Freehold, Ocean
B- Central
Asbury will be tough again this year withKobe, Lebron, Superman, and the Green Hornet in the backcourt.
I really have to stop reading bluestone’s posts.
I meant to say they will be tough again with Armond and Amir Conover and perhaps one of the most underrated players of the year last year in swingman Hammory.
Beach loses too much to graduation (even though they still have Riley Calzonetti) and I have a hard time believing Kukoda and an army of purple and gold guards will stop them.
Predicted order of finish: Asbury, St Rose, Keyport, Point Beach, Mater Dei, Keansburg, Henry Hudson
B South
This is the most wide open division in the conference again this year.
I’m going to double down with Anthony McGugan and Ryan Morris. I saw Barnegat last year and these kids were flat out fun to watch.
Manchesteris always going to throw a good game at you and Central has Wozniak but in the end Barnegat will be left standing.
Predicted order of finish: Barnegat, Manchester, Central, Lacey, Brick, Pinelands
C Central
Tyrece Beverette is a special athlete. He and Jameer Jones is not a bad starting point to start the first year of the post Jarrod Davis, Anthony Walker era.LakewoodisLakewoodmeaning so long as the coaching is solid the talent is there. The coaching is solid.
Point Boro is always a tough team and with Shaun Cooke returning they are guaranteed good guard play which means a lot in today’s basketball. They lose Malleck but last I checked there were plenty more trees where that came from.
Manasquan and MonDon are the wildcards. Squan returns Jimmy Walsh (maybe they should suit up the Mabrey’s …. just saying) and both clubs have great coaching.
Predicted order of finish: Point Boro, Lakewood, Manasquan, MonDon, Wall, Jackson Liberty
Now I’m going to get ahead of the APP, the Star Ledger, MSG Varsity, the rest of us here on All Shore Media, Ed Sarlucca, the Shore “Human Posting Machine” Scout who posts year round, and the millions of bloggers on the forums with the first top 10 of the new year.
When I sat down to think about this I had 7 teams firmly in my top 10 and bunch of contenders for three spots. I had three tough decisions.
1. Who is #1
2. Where is CBA
3. Who do I roll the dice with in spots 7-10.
I’m going count down to keep the controversy until the end.
Shame on you for skipping ahead and then coming back here! You don’t read the last page of the book first.
10. Point Boro – This is a reputation pick. I love the guard play. Love the mental toughness of the team. Their hot box of a home floor always helps them.
9. Manalapan – I have a hunch this team is going to surprise some folks this year. They may fall in and out while they get it together but I would not want to see this kids in my bracket come SCT time.
8. Barnegat – These kids are my sleepers of the year. If I head to day 1 of the WOBM this year it will be to see these kids play.
7. CBA – Controversy number 1 and another reputation pick. I can’t remember the last time CBA didn’t have a returning stud the world wasn’t gushing over in the offseason. There are rumblings out there this is a “bad” CBA team. If that’s true then ranking a bad CBA team this high in a poll either makes me crazy or speaks volumes to exactly how good they have been.
6. – Jackson Memorial – This team is solid from top to bottom. They remind me a lot of the Middletown South team that beatNeptune in the CJ III finals not too long ago. Brian Kenney was the last piece to a very good looking puzzle.
5. Asbury Park – The defending group I champions return 3 starts but lost Dickerson and Britt. That keeps them high in the top 10 but not with the conference elite.
4. Colts Neck – Here is where I think the dividing lines are in my pre-season poll. Teams 1-4 for the first tier of teams. Asbury, Jackson and CBA the second tier, and then you have your large group of nippers biting at their heels. Hunter Wysocki will be one of the few players who have the ability to challenge Mike Aaman for player of the year.
3. Middletown North – Here is where the controversy is going to start. They have one of the best point guards in the conference, one of the best players in the conference, and improving big man, good role players and good coaching. These kids have been on the cusp for 2 seasons running now. They are perfectly capable of beating anyone in the shore.
2. Neptune – I’m going to take a bunch of heat on this. I’m also probably going way against the grain here too. The consensus is going to sayNeptune is pre-season #1 because they are loaded. I don’t disagree they are not only loaded but VERY loaded. I’m setting the expectations very high for this team in fact. Why are they #2 then?
1. Raritan – Because I can’t get 34 points and 23 rebounds out of my head. And that was only in the semifinals. Mike Aaman and four competent varsity players dominated the SCT last year. They rarely used their bench. What Aaman did at the MAC one of the most dominant performances I’ve ever seen in Shore Conference basketball. The Rockets were underrated all season last year by pollsters including myself and proved everyone wrong. I’m going to assume the probability of them finding another four quality varsity players is pretty good. There is nothing to suggest they can’t prove everyone wrong again. You wanted the target on your backs? Show us what ya got kid.
On the bubble (in no particular order)
Toms River North – Will be one of the surprise teams of the year.
Freehold Township – Can’t keep Golub and the Pats down too long. They looked good in the Fall League. There is sleeper potential here.
Lakewood – Flip floppedLakewood and Point Boro at the last minute. These teams are very close.
Manchester – I was thinking the loss of a strong bunch of seniors brings them down until I saw the WOBM seedings. I’m not sold yet.
Manasquan – Jimmy Walsh good coaching and strong pipelines keep Manasquan in the mix year in and year out.
RFH – Perennial top 10 program now with Schempy a the helm.
Matawan – Larry Alston III was a surprise player last year. No more.
Southern – Check out the big kid Gesicki now before you need an airplane to find him playing.
St Rose – Kukoda is a great way to start a club. Will they have enough inside game? Will they have enough scoring?
I’m Nep84 and I’ll see you soon … On the ShoreLine.
