Jackson Memorial High School’s boys basketball team heads into the summer preseason unexpectedly short-handed when towering 6-foot-10 returnees Ryan and Parker Ormslaer transferred to St. Peter’s Preparatory School.
Both rising juniors were expected to take on leading roles for next season’s Jackson Memorial team that looks to rebound from a 7-17 season. The team began summer league play this week in the Hoop Group League in Neptune. And with leading players Jimmy Markham, Charlie Blue, Ed Landi and Andre Davis graduated, it will be an even steeper rebuilding climb.
That puts more responsibility on the shoulders of Chris Hawryluk, a rising 6- foot-5 senior who averaged 16.5 points and more than six rebounds a game last season. Hawryluk comes off a shoulder injury but was a major contributor to Jackson Memorial’s baseball team that won the Ocean County championship and strung together another 20-win season.
Kevin McQuade, who succeeded longtime coach Joe Fagan last season when Fagan took over Neptune High School’s program, harbors no resentment over the decision of the Ormslaers.
“They decided on a one-in-a-million academic and athletic opportunity, and I hope they do nothing but succeed,” said Mc- Quade, who also coaches Jackson Memorial’s freshman soccer team.
It will make for a different scheme for the Jaguars for the upcoming season.
“It’ll be 180 degrees in the opposite direction,” McQuade said. “When you put both of those guys in the lineup at their size, you’re telling teams that ‘You are not able to stop us.’ Ryan is a physical player, and Parker is more of a shooter who can step out deep. You can’t defend that, and then we’d put guys around them in strong [supporting] roles.”
McQuade, in his first season last year, had the same problem of having two returning players expected to push for starting spots transfer out — Jesse Hill to Point Pleasant Beach High School and Gino Palumbo to Howell High School.
“That was in August. At least this time, we have a little more time to prepare our players,” McQuade said.
There remains a good supporting cast around Hawryluk, now the big player in the post.
“He’s 100 percent back from his injury,” McQuade said of Hawryluk, who also is playing baseball these days in the Carpenter Cup. “He thrives on competition. It’s a blessing to have him on the team. He always gives his all.”
As a first baseman and pitcher for the Jaguars’ baseball team in the spring, Hawryluk batted .444 with three home runs and 21 RBIs. He was 3-1 as a pitcher with a 2.91 ERA.
McQuade said rising senior Andrew Trent is “very dynamic,” posting inside and shooting from long range. Smooth ball-handler Calvin Blue, versatile outside scorer John Pitlak and tough defender Ryan Lucas are guards. All will be juniors this fall.
“We need all five guys now to dribble, shoot and score,” McQuade said “This team has the ability to naturally score the basketball.” That will be needed with a much shorter lineup that will get far fewer second-shot opportunities. McQuade said inconsistency hurt last year’s team.
“They never put together a full game,” Mc- Quade said. “In seven games, we went to the final two minutes and then imploded.”
The first focus of McQuade and his returning staff of assistant coach Bob Gutkowski, who coaches the junior varsity, and Sam Bayha, who coaches the freshmen, is on the defensive end and rebounding. McQuade said the defense will shift from pressure and man-to-man to a mix of zones to keep opponents off guard, and he believes the summer league will give them the opportunity to get better command of that part of the game.
“They have to put in the time and learn what team defense is, better than last year’s team did,” McQuade said. “Cheap baskets are what hurts you. Joe Fagan’s teams always ranked in the top 20 in team defense. We need that because we don’t have big scoring players. We can’t allow second and third opportunities on defense, and the players are starting to see that.”
Although he said he could not yet single out young prospects who may fit into the rotation, McQuade said the summer will give him a chance to take a good look at them and what they can contribute.
“If the younger guys can do what they’re asked to do well, they can boost that other group,” McQuade said. “To compete, you have to play a role and do things well.”