By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
The man who coined the phrase You gotta finish at the Community Park basketball courts in Princeton is closing in on the day when he’ll be finished.
After a 23-year association with the Princeton Recreation Men’s Summer Basketball League as a player, coach and commissioner, Ben Stentz will be overseeing his final championship series for the league next week.
Since 1996, Stentz has served as commissioner of the popular summer basketball league while also being the voice of the league on the public address system — popularizing such phrases as Don’t let him heat up, Play him to shoot, and Unofficial, of course. But with his elevation to Executive Director of the Princeton Recreation Department, Stentz will be moving away from the day-to-day of the basketball league.
”It’s time to move on,” said Stentz, who had shared commissioner duties with Evan Moorhead for more than a decade. “It’s been pretty impressive with what has happened on these courts with the men’s league and the kids league. We’ve had people that have played in the kids league, then played in the men’s league as part of Princeton Youth Sports, and now they’re back as adults still playing in the league.
”The University Radiology team is all guys who played for Jason (Carter) in high school. A lot of them are coaching or have coached in our kids league. It all comes around full circle. I think it means we have created something unique here.”
The league, which is in its 23rd year, still draws top players to the court. It also serves as a gathering place for community members on weeknights throughout the summer.
”I’ve said many times that this is the best summer league around and I really believe that,” Stentz said. “It’s not just because of the play on the court, but the way the community has taken to the league. We still get great crowds out here. And when we had the Division I players in the league we had some great matchups and great play.
”But what has really impressed me is that even after we stopped allowing the Division I players, we still kept it up with the level of play.”
Stentz has seen some great moments on the Community Park courts over the years. There have been dynasty runs of championships by different groups of players, as well as some incredible individual performances by the likes of Montgomery High graduate Derrick Grant and Princeton University graduates Noah Savage and Gabe Lewullis.
”I’ll never forget the night Derrick Grant scored 56 points out here,” Stentz said of the current member of the Harlem Globetrotters. “He could not miss. And then the next year he and Noah had a back and forth where they both kept making 3s and each scored over 30.”
Beginning on Monday night, Stentz will be courtside for his final championship series. He’s hoping it provides a few more lasting memories.
The playoff semifinals will be held tonight at CP courts, with a pair of interesting matchups. In the opener, second-seeded University Radiology will face the third-seeded PA Blue Devils. UR reached the semis with a 51-44 win over Team TB. DeQuan Holman scored 18 points and Skye Ettin added 14 in the win, while Wonny Carter had 11 in the loss. The PA Blue Devils topped defending champion Ivy Inn, 53-50, as Jesse Krasna scored 16 points. Zack Seibel and Zak Kumer added 11 each in the win, while Shahid Abdul-Karim had 14 in the loss. Bobby Davison and Avery Robinson add 11 each for Ivy Inn.
In the second semifinal, top-seeded Winberie’s/Miller-Lite will face SMB. The top seed knocked off Princeton Youth Sports, 77-50, while SMB topped Dr. Palmer/SportsMedicine, 46-39. Darryl Frazier had 21 points and Al Jerido added 15 for Winberie’s/Miller-Lite, while Davon Black scored 11 points and Andrew Braverman added 10 for PYS. In the SMB win, Maurice Hobbs led the way with 13 points and Terence Carpenter added 11. In the loss, Gary Wilson scored 11 points and Freddie Young added 10.
PYS had reached the quarterfinals with a 52-39 win over YoDOM as Jason Carter and Matt Hoffman scored 12 each points each and Black added 11. Jim Hartzel had 15 in the loss.
The league announced its annual All-League teams on Wednesday night. The All-League first team consists of Greg Ford (Dr. Palmer/SportsMedicine), Jesse Krasna (PA Blue Devils), DeQuan Holman (University Radiology), Evan Johnson (Winberie’s/Miller-Lite), and Chris Hatchell (Winberie’s/Miller-Lite).
The second team consisted of Davon Black, Maurice Hobbs, Terence Carpenter, Skye Ettin and Chris Edwards. The members of the third team were Brian Halligan, Shahid Abdul-Karim, Daniel Waynic, Brian Dunlap and DeQuan Basnight.
The All-Underrated team consists of Dan Balevski, Matt Hoffman, Taariq Parker, Devon Holman and Kevin Bullinger. While spots on the always popular All-Gunner team went to Brian Petrone, Kyle Burke, Jason Carter, the Carpenter twins, Anthony Brown, Brian Dunlap, Al Jerido, Ike Davis, Mark Rosenthal, Joe Marrolli and Derrick Grant.
The General Manager/Coach of the Year went to Mark Rosenthal of Winberie’s/Miller-Lite.
