JV BOYS BASKETBALL: The junior varsity Rams compiled an unblemished home record in 12 games.
By: Neil Hay
With 19 wins this season, a great story was written this winter by the Hightstown High School boys’ junior varsity basketball team.
Playing for new coach Gary Salerno, the Rams compiled an outstanding campaign. Over the course of the season the Rams dropped only four of their 23 games. Playing in the friendly confines of the Hightstown gym, the jayvee were undefeated in 12 home games. Among their wins this season the locals swept Trenton both home and away, and posted a solid win over Notre Dame.
Salerno made good use of his 13-man roster. The squad consisted of junior forwards Chris McKinley, Ben McBride, Mike Wisniewski, Jeff Modica and Blake Fleming, junior center Phil Strauss, junior guard Brandon Verrault, sophomore guards Anthony Harden, Marquis Brown and Nate Kostar, and sophomore forwards Eric Franzo, Karl Burrowes, and Derek Kichula.
Harden, a transfer from Allentown, was the Rams’ leading scorer with 344 points, a 15-point per game average. In each Trenton game Harden netted 29 points. Burrowes was the team’s second leading scorer, also averaging about 15 a game.
"The offense was led by Harden and Burrowes. We are looking for them to really contribute on the varsity next year," said Salerno.
Salerno’s formula for success was easy to grasp.
"We were a team that focused on our defense and defensive rebounding. When we did that, we would win. We’d get out on a fast break and get points.
"This was a good group of kids, easy to work with. They played well together, and responded to big games."
The players who came up from the freshman team the year before to become this jayvee squad really developed. Said Salerno. "They had an average year at the freshman level. As this season went on the players got better and better. They were a good practice team too. They really prepared themselves for a big game."
During one stretch this winter the Rams won 13 games in a row. Not once during the streak did the team have a letdown. Then, against West Windsor-South, the team did. In that game, a loss, the team failed to play defense or rebound on the defensive board. Other defeats were to Ewing, Sayreville and Immaculata.
Salerno expects to see several of his jayveers move up to the varsity, "probably all the juniors and the sophomores Harden and Burrowes," of whom Salerno says, "They are the bright spots of the program."
"I inherited a nice group of players," said Salerno, who made the most of a good situation.