Playoff picture becomes clearer for local teams Slew of local teams heading to the upcoming postseason

Staff Writer

By doug mckenzie

Playoff picture becomes clearer for local teams
Slew of local teams heading to the upcoming postseason

With Friday’s deadline for teams to qualify for the state playoff’s out of the way, teams can begin to concentrate on the upcoming postseason tournaments with a better idea of just how much more basketball they have to look forward to this season.

On the boys’ side, the list of local teams who had accumulated the .500 or better record needed to qualify for the state playoffs is topped once again by the Colts of Christian Brothers Academy, Middletown. The No. 2-ranked team in the Shore (behind only Neptune) is 15-3, coming off a 60-49 win over a solid Shawnee team (also 15-3) on Saturday, and is poised to reclaim its title as the Shore Conference’s elite team.

CBA will face Neptune for a second time on Thursday in Neptune in what will be the teams’ second meeting of the season (the Scarlet Fliers took the first game, 48-28). The Colts will be looking to redeem themselves against the high-flying squad from Neptune and to send a message to everyone they are not at all willing to give up their spot atop the Shore Conference as the postseason nears.

Right behind the Colts are the Lions from Middletown North, who are in the midst of a stellar season themselves. The Lions are 13-5, with four of those losses coming to Neptune and CBA. North has been steady all season, and could be the dark horse once the SCT gets under way.

Speaking of dark horses, Middletown’s Mater Dei Seraphs are another team having an exceptional season, entering the week at an impressive 13-3 mark. The Seraphs are leading the Shore’s B Central Division, and could be a difficult outcome playoff time.

The Holmdel Hornets have gotten hot of late, and stand with an 11-6 record as the postseason approaches. The Hornets are another dangerous team and are playing their best ball of the season right now.

Another 11-6 squad looking to make some noise this postseason is the Raritan Rockets. Raritan has an experienced squad which appears to be ready to challenge some of the conference’s top teams.

The only other local team heading to the state playoffs is the squad from St. John Vianney, Holmdel, which at 9-8 has earned its trip with some recent wins. The Lancers have played like a .500 club, but could be dangerous if they find some more consistency on both ends of the floor.

The boys’ teams from Middletown South (6-12), Matawan (4-11) and Keyport (8-9) failed to reach the .500 mark by the end of Friday’s play.

On the girls’ side, some familiar names appear at the top of the list of teams heading to the state playoffs, headed, of course, by St. John Vianney. The Lancers, at 15-2 off Sunday’s 60-48 win over rival Red Bank Catholic, are in the midst of another stellar season and should be considered the favorite to challenge top-ranked Marlboro for a Tournament of Champions title this season.

The Mustangs won round one on Saturday, edging the Lancers’ 45-43 in a classic match-up of the state’s No. 1 vs. No. 2.

Behind the Lancers, Middletown North’s girls are the top local team, entering the week at an impressive 13-5 ledger. The Lions are a savvy team, capable of playing with anybody in CJ Group IV.

Across town, the Middletown South Eagles are also having a solid year, and at 9-6, have qualified for the state playoffs. The Eagles have played well this year, despite playing in the ultracompetitive A North Division, where they have faced Marlboro, Freehold Township (14-5) and Middletown North a couple of times each.

The Raritan Rockets will also be returning to the postseason after posting a 10-7 mark. Raritan is another team that has found enough wins to qualify despite playing premier competition. The Rockets play in the B North division, which also includes perennial powerhouses like St. John Vianney and Red Bank Catholic.

The only other local team that has earned a ticket to the state playoffs is the Holmdel Hornets, who just sneaked in at 9-9. The Hornets have some quality wins under their belts and have faced a very tough schedule in the Shore’s A Central division. Facing quality squads such as Wall (15-2), Manasquan (13-3), Monmouth (12-5) and Colts Neck (10-6) twice each should help the Hornets prepare for the type of quality teams they are sure to face in the post-season.

Among the local teams that failed to reach the .500 mark by Friday’s cutoff are Keyport (5-12), Matawan (3-12) and Mater Dei (5-8).

The state playoffs are scheduled to get under way on Feb. 25, with first-round games being played at the home of the higher seeds.