Howell High School boys basketball coach Brian Quick has a seniorladen team that is coming off a 2009-10 state tournament campaign in which the Rebels upset Trenton Central and that victory has the Rebels looking to build on that success.
Point guard Ryan Keegan, Kendall Simmons, Brian Jordan, Mike Porter and Shawn McClintock are returners and all are seniors.
Keegan is one of the best players in the Shore Conference and it was his ball-handling skill that allowed the Rebels to beat Trenton Central’s press and pull off the upset in last year’s state tournament. The senior averaged 16.4 ppg. and is closing in on 1,000 career points.
Simmons, who can play at shooting guard or small forward, is a very strong allaround player who has worked well with Keegan in the backcourt.
For Howell to duplicate its postseason run of last year, Porter, Jordan and McClintock, who were key players coming off the bench, have to establish themselves as starters this season.
Howell’s inside game took a big hit when center Tim Donahue tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. He is out for the season.
Help is on the way with the addition of St. John Vianney High School transfer student Mike Murphy, a senior forward, but he has to sit out the first 30 days of the basketball season according to state athletic rules.
Quick said it will be important for the Rebels to play .500 ball until Murphy can play.
Newcomers to the squad include forwards Connor Mannion (senior), Tory Robinson (sophomore) and John Quinn (sophomore), and guards Will Riepe (senior), Hector Comoli (senior), Dylan Abolafia (junior) and Raquan Haynes (junior).
With the ball in Keegan’s hands directing the offense, Howell will be dangerous, and the Rebels could take off when Murphy becomes eligible.