Marlboro High School’s George Elghoul slides through the St. Anthony High School defense to put up a shot during the March 1 game played in Marlboro. The Mustangs were prepping for the state playoffs by playing the national power from Jersey City. St. Anthony won the game, 63-35. FRANK GALIPO March basketball has not meant anything over the last few years to the Marlboro High School boys basketball team. By the time the state playoffs began, the Mustangs had already handed in their uniforms.
Things have changed at Marlboro, though, and the Mustangs are riding high after attaining their goals of qualifying for both the Shore Conference Tournament (SCT) and NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV playoffs.
“I’m really happy for these guys,” head coach Mike Nausedas said. “It’s fun when you have something to play for in March.”
The Mustangs are the No. 16 seed in their state sectional, and they opened play on March 4 at No. 1-seed Montgomery High School.
The top-seed Cougars should not take the Mustangs lightly. They just need to ask Shore Regional High School.
The Blue Devils were 17-3, seeded eighth and looking to make some noise in the SCT, when Marlboro proved to be anything but a No. 23 seed. Marlboro went into West Long Branch on Feb. 18 and beat Shore Regional, 52-50, letting the Blue Devils and everyone else know that the Mustangs weren’t happy just to be in the postseason.
“It was a great game,” Nausedas said. “We were up 10, down five, up three and they tied it with 12 seconds left.”
Marlboro won the first-round game with no time on the clock. Robert Jastrzebski pulled down an offensive rebound and was fouled on the putback. He would sink both free throws in front of a partisan Shore Regional crowd to give Marlboro its biggest win since the team went deep into the state sectional playoffs in 2010.
Nausedas credited the upset to the team’s best defensive effort of the season. Its 2-3 zone took away what Shore Regional does best — the 3-point shot.
Guards George Elghoul, Mike Fasano and Kenny LaRocca put great pressure on the Blue Devils’ shooters, and center Matt Ringel prevented Shore Regional’s guards from driving the lane and kicking out to an open shooter.
Back in December, when the Mustangs started the season 1-5 and had the rugged A North Division schedule ahead of them, the playoffs didn’t seem very likely. However, a five-game winning streak changed the season outlook dramatically. “We started playing better together,” Nausedas said. “The kids learned how to win. “It changes everything when you win,” the second-year coach added. “They believe they can win now.
“We’re no longer a doormat,” he added. “People respect us.”
Senior Justin Markowitz and Elghoul, a junior, were expected to shoulder the scoring load, and they have this year with each averaging 12.6 points per game. Elghoul is the floor general, leading the team is assists (50) and steals (33).
What has made Marlboro so effective on offense is the help it has been getting. Ringel (nine points per game), a center, can give the team a double-double on any night. His defense also can’t be overlooked. He’s averaging two blocks a game and alters even more shots.
LaRocca is a big 3-point threat. Markowitz and he have combined for 50 treys, led by Markowitz’s 27.
Corey Goldstein, Dan Weiss, Phillip Ringel and Jastrzebski have all made contributions during the season and given Nausedas some depth.
Marlboro (12-12) is certainly ready for the playoffs. Besides breaking even in the challenging A North (7-7), the Mustangs prepped for the state tournament by hosting national power St. Anthony High School, led by legendary head coach Bob Hurley, on March 1.
Nausedas is most pleased for the seniors on the team. When they were sophomores, Marlboro was 1-22. Two short years later, they are playing on a playoff team.
Freehold Township, Colts Neck are in
Freehold Township High School (15-8), which won the Shore Conference A North Division public school title, is the highestseeded Freehold Regional High School District team. The Patriots, who have been led by senior Chris Talbott, are the No. 7 seed in Central Jersey Group IV and were scheduled to host 10th-seed Brick Memorial High School on March 4.
Colts Neck High School (12-8) received the No. 13 seed and, like Marlboro, was slated to hit the road for its first-round game with fourth-seed Hillsborough High School on March 4.
The Cougars relied heavily on the scoring of Chris O’Reilly to make the postseason.