Boys hoops snaps losing skid
By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
Mike Reilly and the Hillsborough High School boys basketball team have put their struggles behind them.
The senior guard’s shooting heated back up with three 3-pointers on his way to 13 points to help the Raiders get back to winning, 67-51, over Phillipsburg last Thursday.
”I think it was a pretty big win for us,” Reilly said. “Coming off a couple games where we came up short, we fought hard, and to come out like we did against Phillipsburg with all that energy, we had something to show. I think we’ll be ready the next time we play those teams.”
The Raiders are gearing up for a second-half run. They had dropped three in a row after a win over Raritan before the win over Phillipsburg got them back on track.
”I was happy with how we played at Ridge and Rutgers Prep,” said Raiders head coach Ian Progin. “If we did a couple things better, we could have won. Gill is the only game we got blown out. They’re a better team than we were. If we play better, we’ll have a chance to be more competitive.
”The Phillipsburg game started a little slow. We were actually down. In the second quarter, we picked it up, and in the third quarter we pretty much put it away. That was a good win. It was good to get that winning feeling back.”
Reilly returned to form with the win. His 13 points matched the 13 he had in back-to-back games before the Raiders slumped.
”I struggled a little bit there, but I’m trying to get back into it,” he said. “I’ve been working on it in practice.
”My whole life, I’ve been a good shooter. This year, I’ve been leaning forward too much. I’ve been working on relaxing and staying back on my shot.”
When Reilly shoots like he has his whole life, the Raiders are a better team. He provides an outside lift and helps to balance the offense. Rob Askes led the scoring against Phillipsburg with 20 points. Joe Suseck had nine points, Jimmy Suseck had eight points and Jackson Parham continued to develop with seven points. Dylan Finer had four points and Kyle Jeney, John Clifford and Mike DeCicco all had two points apiece as the Raiders improved to 7-5.
”Dylan Finer, our point guard, I have to give him a lot of credit,” Progin said. “He was JV last year. He’s been thrown in the fire. He’s been really good defensively. When we do go man-to-man, we put him against other team’s best scorer.
”Jackson Parham, a freshman, has picked it up and played better. He had eight against Gill and seven against Phillipsburg. He’s playing more aggressive and getting more playing time. We saw that in him and it’s coming out.”
Parham will be away from the team to represent the United States against Canada in a football showcase, and the Raiders are hoping that they can continue to build steam as they head toward the Somerset County Tournament. They had games against North Hunterdon and Bridgewater-Raritan postponed due to weather, but tonight begin to see teams for a second time when they host Franklin.
”We came out pretty slow against them,” Reilly recalled. “We weren’t sure what to expect. The shots started to fall and we were able to play the 3-2 zone well against them, and we were able to let the game come to us and we hit a bunch of shots. First half, we were timid. Coach was not happy. He ignited the fire and we went out and got the job done.”
Reilly is hoping that the Raiders can take it upon themselves to start faster this time around, and he is one of the leaders that has responsibility to jump start the team. He sees that being bigger than bringing them some outside scoring.
”As a player, I don’t really feel the pressure,” Reilly said. “I’m confident. I don’t feel pressure to score. I know guys around me will score. I’ve been focusing on leading this year while I’m playing. I think that’s really important.”
Reilly is one of the few members of the team who saw significant playing time on the varsity last year. He was ready to step in this season with the graduation of five starters.
”Last year, I really learned a lot from those guys,” Reilly said. “I knew coming in as a senior I needed to be in a leadership role. I knew I had to be positive and help our guys develop. I came in a little anxious last year. Those guys helped me out in practice every day last year, and I knew I had to help some guys this year. That was my new role.”
He and the Raiders are growing into their roles. It has taken some time, but progress is there. Hillsborough was the victim of some bad decisions, late-game turnovers and missed shots, but they are figuring out the keys to success.
”I think playing against teams as good as Ridge, Rutgers Prep and Gill, and being in close games, that’s definitely going to help,” Reilly said. “I see the difference in all the guys. The guys coming in, providing a couple minutes here and there, it’s more prominent now than it was.
”I’m pretty confident actually,” he added. “The experience we’re getting from these tough games, it’s going to come together for us. I saw it in the Phillipsburg game. Everybody had the confidence throughout the game. The second half of the season, I’m really optimistic about it.”
Even veterans like Reilly and Askes needed more big-game experience at the varsity level. The first half of the season provided it, and they are moving forward. The Raiders are hoping that Reilly can be even steadier in the month ahead.
”He got back on track,” Progin said. “That was good to see. He’s been a little more consistent now. I just want him to be more consistent.”
Reilly is settled into his role. He knows what he can provide for the team, and he already has a season-high 20 points early in a win over Lawrence. In that game, he made six 3-pointers.
”For me personally, I play best when I let the game come to me,” Reilly said. “Every night, I know those guys are going to come out and put everything on the line. I know when I’m feeling it, they’ll get me the ball. And when I’m not, I get someone else the ball.”
The options are developing for Hillsborough. They can use each other’s strengths to orchestrate wins, and they are hopeful that happens down the stretch. It’s been a season-long process to build the group.
”The confidence was there in the guys that had experience last year, and the younger guys, they were a little timid on the court at first and didn’t know what to do,” Reilly said. “But now everyone is coming along. They’re playing with a lot of confidence. Jackson came out with a ton of confidence last game. It caught everyone by surprise.
”We’ve been really emphasizing cutting down on turnovers and making better decisions late in games,” he added. “If we can cut down on turnovers and get all the loose balls and make those plays, I think the ball will start to bounce in our direction.”