Impastato, DeCorso, Sheridan top All-District First Team
Brown and Schechter round out squad
Todd Burach Manalapan
Freehold Township started the season as the best boys’ basketball team in the area and remained there throughout the season. Brian Golub’s Pats were ranked higher in the Shore (No. 5 at the peak) than any previous Township five has ever been. The caldron that is A North finally took its toll on the team, but it didn’t keep them out of the postseason or from winning a game in the state playoffs.
Seniors Andrew Impastato (who surpassed 1,000 career points) and Ryan Brown led a team whose strengths were its balance and its athleticism.
While the Pats (runners-up in the Kuhnert Holiday Tournament to Manasquan) were in the area’s top five, Manalapan and Colts Neck enjoyed very good seasons as well.
Rick Garretson’s Braves returned to the state playoffs after a year’s absence, and at Colts Neck, Lou Piccola’s Cougars made the state playoffs for the first time ever.
FARRAH MAFFAI Colts Neck’s Mike DeCorso came back from a back injury to help lead the Cougars to a state playoff berth, and earned himself a spot on the All-District Team.
Impastato, Brown, Ryan Sheridan, Matt Schechter and Mike DeCorso make up the News Transcript’s 2002 All-Freehold Regional District First Team. On the Second Team are Manalapan’s Todd Burach, Colts Neck’s Tyler Bennett and Brian Burton, Howell’s Nick Aldiero and Freehold Township’s Walter Roberson.
The scoring numbers were down for Impastato this winter, but it was a good sign for the Patriots. It meant that more players were involved in the offense and that is exactly what Impastato, the point guard, wanted. It was not unusual to have four Pats in double-figures in a game, and that is what made Township the area’s best team.
Impastato was among the leading playmakers in the Shore (4.5 assists per game). The senior’s scoring was still an important part of the mix and led the team, averaging 16 a game while joining the select 1,000 career points club (1,021). He was the area’s top three-point shooter. The Pats excelled in close games because of Impastato’s 81 percent shooting from the foul stripe. The Pats put the ball in his hands at the end of the game and more often than not he delivered the clutch free throws that delivered a victory.
Brown is as good a two-way player as the District has. He was solid offensively, contributing 12 points a game, and he led the team in rebounding at 8.0 per contest. His greatest asset was his tenacious defense which he used to shut down the opposition’s top scorer. Brown had the size (6-3) to guard inside players and the quickness to defend smaller players who like to drive to the basket. That versatility made him a defensive plus.
Sheridan is a player whose numbers won’t overwhelm you. What the Brave senior has are the intangibles that make him a winner. He’s a leader and an unselfish player who will do all the little things that are the difference between winning and losing. He averaged nine points and seven rebounds a game and was among the Shore’s best in making steals (3.1 a game). His all-around play helped Manalapan return to the state playoffs.
Colts Neck got over the hump this winter and made the state playoffs. There is plenty to be optimistic about in the Cougar camp because of the youth of the squad. The program could be ready to go after the Shore’s best.
Piccola is looking forward to having DeCorso back for another year. A back injury sidelined the junior forward early in the year, and it wasn’t until mid-season that he was playing at 100 percent, but when he was the floor, he made a difference. A versatile player who has an impact on both ends of the floor, he averaged 12.7 points and game and shot 76 percent from the foul line.
Schechter played out of position at center this winter. At 6-3, he wasn’t an ideal center, but the Braves needed someone who could give them a presence inside. In a tribute to his versatility, Schechter played big for the Braves averaged 13 points a game and a team-high 8 caroms.
Bennett is the only point guard the Cougars have had. A starter since the school first fielded a varsity team three years ago, Bennett provided backcourt stability with his ability to distribute the ball and score. He was a three-point threat and dangerous as a passer or shooter while driving the lane. He averaged 11 points a game and topped the team in assists.
Burton is one of the many talented underclassmen who have the Cougars on the way up. The junior forward led the Cougars in rebounding (7.5) and steals (2.5) per game. He was also a scoring presence for the Cougars, averaging close to double-figures, as Colts Neck relied on an all-around offensive attack this year.
Roberson showed signs of potential as a freshman, and he began to deliver on that promise this year. The sophomore came into his own as an offensive force and that helped the Patriots become a more complete team. He was third in scoring and second in rebounding this year and will no doubt be one of the hubs of the Patriots over the next three years.
Manalapan’s future is in very good hands in Burach, the junior forward. A complete player who runs the floor well, handles the ball well and can shoot from long range, he led Manalapan in scoring at 13.6 a game and pulled down seven rebounds a game.
Aldiero was one of the top long-range shooters in the Shore, knocking down 61 during the season. He had seemingly unlimited range with his jump shot. The Rebel captain averaged 15 points a game and shot 70 percent from the foul line.
Those earning honorable mention for 2002 are: Tom Domenico and Giuliano Cristino, Colts Neck; Tyrell Budd, Freehold Borough; Mike Sales, Howell; Mike Popek and Manny Ubilla, Freehold Township; and Matt Presby, Manalapan.