Perhaps the only one who isn’t surprised with the Monroe Township High School boys basketball team’s 7-1 record is Nick Puleio.
That’s because the second-year head coach knew if his players remained true to his team-oriented approach preached during the off-season, the wins would come.
“I saw what others didn’t,” said Puleio, whose Falcons finished 9-15 in his first season. “I knew these kids had talent and that if they worked hard in the off-season at learning to play as a team, we would be successful.”
That formula has pushed Monroe into the Greater Middlesex Conference spotlight following its fast start, and it has served to make the Falcons a legitimate contender for the White Division.
Nobody has demonstrated that more than leading scorer Ryan Genevieve (24.5 points per game). The 6-1 senior has played with a confidence that Puleio says has energized the rest of the rotation. Senior 6-1 guard Victor Sorrento has developed into a player who his coach says can deliver the “knockout punch” in close games. Sorrento is averaging 18.3 ppg.
Junior 6-3 forward Nick Isola (8.3 ppg) has been a presence in the post and leads the team in rebounds with eight per game. Junior guard Ryan Stolte has been effective with his 7 ppg average, and 6-2 senior forward Josh Polefka has complemented Isola with his physical play.
“Our original goal was to win the White Division,” says Puleio, “and that hasn’t changed. I’m not sure what others thought about that, but I believed the teams who played team-oriented basketball would bewho challenged for the title. That still holds true.”
MTHS was on the road against Highland Park yesterday and return home tomorrow night to host strong Cardinal McCarrick. Then it’s on the road again for five games. The Falcons meet Willingboro on Monday in the Martin Luther King Roundball Classic at New Brunswick. That will be followed by visits to Sayreville on Tuesday, North Brunswick on Thursday, Long Branch on Jan. 21, and Edison on Jan. 24.
Perhaps Spotswood High School’s boys basketball team hasn’t been a surprise, but the Chargers’ record (6-1) still represents a turnaround from last year’s 7-18 mark. According to Steve Mate, Spotswood coach, it’s been the team’s renewed commitment that has made the difference.
“Last Friday night,” he said, “we returned from a road game at Middlesex [a 53-35 win] and came back to the gym the following morning at 8:15 a.m. to look at film of the opponent we would play in a few hours [at Mater Dei]. The kids had on their shirts and ties [standard attire for Charger away games] and were totally focused.”
Spotswood returned with a 61-42 victory over the Monmouth County team.
In addition to a returning nucleus, new faces have contributed to the team’s success. Sophomore transfer 6-0 Jake Dadika has been the perfect addition to direct the offense at point guard and has deposited 11 ppg. The chief scoring threat continues to be senior 6-2 guard Tom Soulias, who has averaged nearly 22 ppg. Two others, 6-1 junior guard Dalonte Grant (12.6) and 6-2 junior forward Jamal Lewis (10.1), have averaged in double figures, while 6-1 junior guard Corey Brown has been effective off the bench.
The Chargers have also received outstanding leadership from scrappy senior 5-11 guard Dean Vitale and 6-2 senior forward Naurimas Zumida, who has filled in for injured post player 6-5 senior Ike Ejikeme, sidelined with a concussion.
Spotswood traveled to Highland Park last night for a Blue Division game and will host strong Bishop Ahr on Friday night. Then it’s on the road again for five consecutive games: Monday at South Amboy, Wednesday at Metuchen, Thursday at Carteret, Jan. 21 at North Brunswick, and Jan. 23 at South River.