By: Lance Manion
Devon Young’s coming out party may have come last week when the junior guard scored a career-high 23 points in leading the South Brunswick boys basketball team to a win over North Brunswick last week.
"Maybe as far as the newspapers and the rest of (Middlesex County) getting to know what he’s capable of, it was (a coming out party)," Vikings coach Chris Balent said. "But to the coaching staff, we’ve kind of known what he could do since the beginning of the season. And he’s been a consistent performer for us throughout the season so he’s pretty much capable of that on any given night."
Indeed, Young has been South Brunswick’s most consistent performer this season, averaging a team-high 14 points for a Vikings squad that is just starting to establish itself among the Greater Middlesex Conference’s elite. In addition to his 23-point effort in a 70-57 win over North Brunswick, Young scored a game-high 16 points in the Vikings’ 61-40 victory over J.P. Stevens in GMC Red Division action last week.
Winners of three straight, the Vikings (7-3 overall, 4-2 in the Red) are playing their best basketball of the season.
"The last few games," Balent said, "I’ve really been happy with the improvement."
While Young and Martin Soaries (20 points against North Brunswick) have generated plenty of headlines this season, Balent said players like point guard Tommy Hill and shooting guard Ray Dasant have contributed in ways that don’t always show up in the boxscore.
"Tommy is doing all the things we’ve asked for him," Balent said. "It may not necessarily be scoring, but he’s been finding other ways to contribute whether it’s creating for others or stepping up on the defensive end.
"And I’ve really been happy with the play of Ray Dasant. The defense and the energy he brings is a great help to us."
