Boys established new mark for wins, captured first county title
By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
Special.
It’s the one word that keeps cropping up when the Hillsborough High School boys basketball team thinks about is history-making season.
It was special for everyone involved, and there is enough credit to go around, beginning with the seven seniors. Five of them — Matt Hornich, Jack Panagos, Jalen Parham, James Smith and Matt Westphal — where starters, and Pat Crossan and Scott Timko were critical in their roles as well.
”Most of this group had played together from a young age, from at least middle school,” said HHS head coach Ian Progin. “Matt Hornich was a four-year starter, Jalen was a three-year letter winner. James and Scott were two-year letter winners.
”One of my concerns was leadership but it got better as the year went on. The chemistry came together as the year went on too. It’s going to be very hard to duplicate. On top of that, having some really strong players was important. On any given night a guy would step up and be a difference maker.”
Over and over, the Raiders came up big during the year. They had won a program-record 21 games last year, but they went one better this year to exit with a new record of 22-3. Among those 22 wins were some of the biggest in program history. They topped Gill St. Bernards for their first Somerset County Tournament after they had sewed up their first Skyland Conference Delaware Division championship in 10 years. Their season ended with a 38-35 loss to East Brunswick in the Central Jersey Group IV quarterfinals.
”This is the best team I’ve had in terms of wins,” Progin said. “We had 22 wins, the most in school history. They won our first county championship, and the conference too, which hasn’t been done in a decade. This is a special team, led by some solid seniors. It’s a special team, which is why it hurt (to lose to East Brunswick).”
The Raiders had hoped to win another championship before their season ended. Hillsborough led, 35-33, on a huge dunk by Parham, his second spectacular finish of the game, with 3:22 left, but wouldn’t score again.
”It was just two very solid defenses,” Progin said. “It was a defensive battle the whole game. We held their best player, Amir Bell, to two points. We played a real solid defensive game, rebounded the ball well, and they also played a solid defensive game. It was just a low-scoring defensive battle. Unfortunately we struggled scoring the ball.”
Even with East Brunswick holding a three-point lead in the final minute, the Raiders had chances but two 3-point attempts in the final 30 seconds of the game both came off the rim.
”It’s obviously a tough loss,” Progin said. “They’re a very good team. I thought we were a solid team as well. We just couldn’t find a way to score down the stretch. We had all year.
”This time we didn’t/couldn’t. They did a good job of getting stops, but we had some good looks.”
Parham finished with 14 points to lead the Raiders. Hornich had nine points and 12 rebounds. In the end, it was tough to console a team that had won so much during the season.
”I had to put my feelings aside after the game for them and try to remind them of all the good things we accomplished,” Progin said. “The fact that we lost by three and lost there doesn’t mean anything when it comes to the year we had. There were so many other great things we had this year.
”The next day, it hit me hard. When I had time to sit and recall some things, I grew to like this team and love these players. They bought in. Their chemistry was real solid. That doesn’t always happen.”
At the banquet the Monday after the loss, it wasn’t much easier. The loss and the realization that they wouldn’t be playing any more together made it tough.
”Having the memories of all the accomplishments, as the days go on, you appreciate it,” Progin said. “I was fortunate to have such good players and such a great team. I don’t want to say a cliché, but my coaching staff, they’re great. If it wasn’t for them helping me and helping my players, we wouldn’t have accomplished all we did. It was a special year. You hate to see it end. That state loss doesn’t take away from all the things we did accomplish.”
The Raiders would not have gotten to that point if they didn’t improve after last year. Enjoying a program record for wins could have had them relaxing, but they pushed forward to better it this year.
”They progressed a lot from last offseason,” Progin said. “I knew with the returning experience we had between Matt Hornich and Jalen and James, particularly those three, I knew those would be a strong three-man group. Then I had a lot of faith in Jack Panagos that he could step in and be a starter, and I felt strongly about Matt Westphal. Scott Timko eventually got hurt, but either way, Scott and Matt were going to play a lot. After tryouts, I felt like Scott and Matt were equal. They were getting similar playing time. When Scott got hurt, Matt became starter. He did such a good job.”
Hillsborough had contributions up and down its lineup, part of the key to becoming a team that was hard to stop. If two or three Raiders weren’t up to their usual averages, others were there to pick up the slack.
”When we needed them to come up with big shots, or rebounds or coming up with loose balls, they did it,” Progin said. “The guys that are the top scorers gave us a lot, and this team wouldn’t have accomplished what it did without those other guys.
”You need the whole. We were fortunate to have that. They were friends not just on the court, but off the court. That plays into it as well.”
Even if the Raiders weren’t on offensively, their defense was strong enough that it kept them in any contest.
”This group could play three defenses and win playing three defenses,” Progin said. “We were effective in all three. We could play 2-3, or 1-3-1 and man-to-man. Defense and rebounding, I think that’s what wins. You can have an off night any time offensively. If you have defense, you’ll have a chance every game. The kids bought into that.
”I knew we could have a good team. I knew we had a good group. But it all has to come together. It’s a process. We grew together as the year went on. We got the most out of each other. We really enjoyed each other.”
Next year’s Raiders team will have a new look. Gone will be seven seniors, who left enormous shoe to fill.
”If everybody comes back, we’ll have seven seniors next year too,” Progin said. “The experience will be a bit different. Rob Askes and Joe Suseck got our most experience. Rob Askes is a guard and Joe Suseck is forward. And we have Mike Reilly. Those three guys were key off the bench for us and they’re returning. They got good minutes and they’ll have the opportunity to fill three of the five starting spots.
”I’m looking at a whole new starting five. Mike Decicco and Kyle Bergen and Dylan Finer will be back, and we have a couple JV guys that were sophomores and juniors. It’s a wide open competition. Guys have to really put in work in the offseason. It’s all about improvement. Guys have to put in time between now and next season. They have to improve their game. It has to be competitive and they have to improve.”
The returning Raiders will not have to remember back far to know where improvement can carry them. It took Hillsborough to a pair of significant championships and a record number of wins.
”This group set the bar,” Progin said. “It gave them an example of what needs to be done and that you need to sacrifice and make goals if you want get to this point. They have the perfect role models to look up to.”
Hillsborough will always be able to look up in its gym to see what a special season it was. A banner will commemorate the SCT championship and conference titles and serve only as a reminder of the thrills of a season that finally ended in the state tournament.
”The finality of it is just painful,” Progin said. “I’m going to miss these guys. I’m sure these guys are going to miss it too. They’re going to go on to college and have their experiences and make new friends. I’m not going to have these guys back. That’s fine. That’s what coaching is.
”I’m looking forward to the day when we get together again and walk out on court and look up at our banner and see our conference and county championships. We’ll set a night when they can all be there and enjoy that. As the years go on, hopefully this is a group that will have those special memories.”