By: Rudy Brandl
The Shubiak sisters are having a great time playing basketball together this summer, but they realize this could be the last time they’re on the same team.
Last week, 14-year-old Melissa and 16-year-old Kristen led the Manville summer squad to a 49-42 victory over Somerville for the team’s first triumph of the season in the Hillsborough Recreation League, where games are played twice a week on the outdoor courts at Ann Van Middlesworth Park. The Shubiaks combined for 29 points and made several key plays to help Manville erase a 10-point deficit.
That’s not the first time the Shubiak girls have teamed up on the hardwood. Melissa and Kristen have grown up playing ball together in the Manville, starting with their middle school years at Christ the King.
They spent three seasons together before Kristen became a varsity player at Manville High. Melissa continued to hone her considerable talents on her youth teams and also became a talented AAU player.
It soon became clear that Melissa was a serious basketball player. She’s won three consecutive Elks Hoop Shoot competitions, hitting a high of 21-for-25 free throws in the heat of competition.
Melissa is set to enter ninth grade in September, but she won’t be wearing a Manville High uniform. The younger Shubiak will attend Immaculata, where she and her family believe she’ll have a better chance to become a college athlete.
"It was a no-brainer all the way around," said John Shubiak, Sr., the father who also coaches his daughters on the summer team. "Manville is struggling and anywhere we go is a step up. Nobody gets (college) scholarships out of Manville."
The MHS program will begin the 2000-2001 season with its sixth different coach in the last decade. The Lady Mustangs haven’t qualified for the state playoffs since 1990.
Immaculata, on the other hand, makes the states every year and plays for the Somerset County title almost every winter. The Lady Spartans have won the county championship the last two seasons.
Melissa attended the Immaculata basketball camp last summer and caught girls’ head coach Pam Balogh’s eye. Balogh invited Melissa to return to camp this summer and the Manville youngster decided to go one step further.
"In the end, it’s all going to pay off even though I’m leaving my friends," said Melissa, who scored a career-high 30 points in an AAU game in Delaware earlier this year. "It’s going to be hard because I’ve been playing with Kristen all these years."
Of course, Kristen would love to spend her final two years of high school playing with her talented little sister. Kristen is intelligent enough to understand the decision and knows Melissa made the right move.
"Our team will be hurting next year, but it’s in her best interest to go there," said Kristen, who hit her career-best of 18 points in a Christ the King game. "Although it would really help us if she came to Manville, it’s better for her to go (to Immaculata)."
And there are no sour grapes coming from older siblings, including John, who graduated from Manville High last month.
"Even my brother John is really happy about it," Kristen said. "We can’t wait to go sit in the Immaculata crowd and watch our sister play."
There’s a good chance the Shubiaks will get the opportunity to watch the youngest member of their family play in some huge games. There’s nothing Melissa would love more than playing in front of a jam-packed Bridgewater gymnasium in late February with a county title on the line.
"I want to see what it’s like to play in front of a big crowd with everyone watching me," Melissa said.
There weren’t too many folks around to see last week’s Shubiak Show at AVM, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a wonderful display of basketball. It was also a special night for both sisters because they got an opportunity to win a game together.
Melissa led all scorers with 20 points. She hit her only 3-pointer near the end of the game to ice the victory. Kristen contributed nine points and six rebounds to the winning cause.
"We kept a little more contact defensively and we scored some baskets," Coach Shubiak said. "It’s always much more fun to win."
The Shubiak sisters love to win almost as much as they enjoy being teammates.
"I think it’s good because we work together and we know each other’s skills," Melissa said. "If I don’t have anything, I’ll dish it to her or she’ll set a screen for me."
Although they won’t be wearing the same high school uniform, they’ll still play friendly games of 1-on-1, OUT and 21 on the hoop at home. While that may not be the same as practicing, traveling and playing together, both sisters believe in the decision.
Who knows? Manville and Immaculata could wind up playing each other in the early rounds of county tournament. If that happens, rest assured that the Shubiak family battle will be friendly.
"We’re never in competition with each other," Kristen said. "We’re always working together. It’s never like we’re rivals, but more like friends. We’re pretty close, not just on the court but also at home."
