Holmdel boys look to rebound in state playoffs
Six local teams take the courts in next week’s opening rounds
The Holmdel High School boys’ basketball team will have an opportunity to even things with Rumson-Fair Haven in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II tournament.
Rumson, seeded 21st, eliminated 12th-seeded Holmdel, 51-38, in the second round of the Shore Conference Tournament Feb. 13.
"They played very well, and we could never really get going," Holmdel coach Tom Stead said. "They beat us in our building, and now we have to go down there and try do the same thing."
Holmdel, 13-8, has had an up-and-down campaign. After starting out with a 2-5 mark, the Hornets won 10 of their next 11 to qualify for both the Shore and state tourneys. Since then, Holmdel is 1-2.
"This is a fairly young team, and at times our inexperience hurts us," Stead said. "Now our backs will be against the wall, but this team showed what it can do after the slow start."
One key reason is the presence of Anthony Addonizio, who averages 13 points and 10 rebounds. The senior forward is the Hornets’ floor leader and go-to guy.
Offensive help comes from senior center Steve McGuckin and junior forward Willie Grato, who both average eight points and about five rebounds.
Junior guard Brian Walsh is having an excellent season; he averaged nearly 10 points during Holmdel’s 10-1 run. Point guard Jamie Magale is getting better with each game and is a threat from beyond the three-point line.
Another guard, senior Eddie McGee, is an outstanding defensive player, who averages six points, four assists and four steals. Senior forward Bob Mariano, who recently earned a starting spot, is averaging four points and four rebounds, and freshman guard Francis Anamaria has shown promise in limited action.
The Hornets had a pair of non-conference games remaining before the state tourney. Holmdel played host to Middletown North Monday and visits Long Branch Friday.
"We’re looking forward to playing Rumson again," Stead said. "It should be a good game. Both teams want to prove themselves."
However, the Hornets are not the only local boys’ team gearing up for a state playoff run. A total of six local teams have qualified, with the Colts of Christian Brothers Academy leading the way once again.
CBA, which faced Red Bank Regional in the quarterfinal round of the Shore Conference Tournament Monday, will start their run at a Parochial South title Feb. 28 when they travel to Absecon to take on fourth-seeded Holy Spirit. The Colts are the fifth seed, a lower seed than they’re accustomed to, but remain one of the favorites to emerge with a sectional title.
But before they worry about the states, the Colts are keeping their eyes on a date Saturday for the SCT final at Brookdale. If they could get by RBR Monday, and tomorrow’s semifinal game against the winner of the Mater Dei-Manasquan quarterfinal match-up, they may earn another shot at top-seeded Neptune, a squad that has already beaten the Colts twice this year.
But the Colts are sharing the parochial spotlight with the Seraphs this year, as Mater Dei continues to surprise teams with their solid play. The Seraphs knocked off Middletown North Friday in SCT play, 66-60, to earn a trip to the tournament’s quarterfinal round. If they could beat third-seeded Manasquan Monday, they would earn a trip to the semifinals, where they would likely meet CBA.
Mater Dei, a solid overall team that has really turned it on in the last couple of months, has also earned the No. 2 seed in the Parochial B South tournament, where they will host No. 7 McCorristin March 1. The Seraphs are a deep and talented team that is poised to make a run at a sectional title.
Middletown North’s boys were disappointed with the loss to the Seraphs Friday, but will look to bounce back when they take on the winner of the East Brunswick-Hunterdon Central play-in game in the Central Jersey Group IV tournament Feb. 27.
The Lions earned the No. 4 seed, and should be one of the favorites to emerge from that bracket a winner.
South Brunswick earned the top seed, but has faced only teams from the Greater Middlesex Conference this year, and will get its first look at a Shore Conference team in the state tournament, as will No. 3 seed Piscataway.
The Raritan Rockets lost a tough second-round SCT game to Monmouth Friday, 50-44, but will look to extend their season with their CJ Group II play-in game against North Plainfield Monday. The Rockets are the No. 9 seed, and hope to get past North Plainfield to earn a shot at top-seeded New Brunswick Feb. 27. New Brunswick is another of the GMC teams that has not seed a Shore Conference opponent yet this year, which many feel makes them vunerable to an upset.
Raritan is a dangerous team in this bracket, capable of pulling off some upsets and securing a sectional title.
The only other local team that will still be in action after this weekend is the St. John Vianney Lancers, the No. 8 seed in the Parochial A South bracket.
They face the daunting task of taking on top-seeded Camden Catholic Monday. With an upset there, they could potentially face CBA in the next round.