The boys basketball teams at Jackson Memorial High School and Jackson Liberty High School are looking to bounce back from subpar seasons under new coaches while they begin preseason preparations for their home openers Dec. 18.
JACKSON MEMORIAL
Under coach Kevin McQuade, Jackson Memorial will rely heavily on senior forward Chris Hawryluk and junior guard Calvin Blue as it looks to improve on last year’s seven-win season. Hawryluk is headed to Monmouth University for a college career in baseball starting next fall.
“Individually, we lacked physical strength, and it affected us last year,” McQuade said.
The guard-heavy team opens its season at home against Brick Township High School and plays in the WOBM Classic the following day. It played its first scrimmage Dec. 7 against Point Pleasant Borough High School and has an upcoming scrimmage against Wall High School Dec. 10. The team plays a tri-scrimmage with Red Bank Catholic High School and Middletown High School South Dec. 12.
Jackson Memorial will rely largely on the junior class led by Blue, whose older brother, D.J., was among the graduates along with Jim Markham, who is a walk-on player at Immaculata University. Shooting guard Ed Landi and power forward Andre Davis also graduated.
For the Jaguars to regain the high stature set by a string of four 20-win seasons prior to last year, they will turn to the leadership of Hawryluk. Junior Ryal Lucas will complement Blue as a good shooting off guard, and there also are juniors John Pitlak at guard and 6-foot-6 forward Andrew Trent, who could be a reliable scorer behind Hawryluk. There’s also Nick Barba, who McQuade said is “sneaky good” and will potentially play a big role.
Some seniors who also could fill in at important roles are Malcolm Johnson, who plays the physical style that McQuade believes the team needs as a 6-foot-2 swing player, and good shooters Mike Allen and Austin Boyle. Sophomore Alex Cabrera also should get in the mix, and Sean Klog can play multiple roles.
Sophomore Michael Dimino has transferred back to Jackson Memorial from Donovan Catholic, and sophomore A.J. Tolmachewich, who played quarterback for part of the football season for the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV championship team at Jackson Memorial, also could work his way into the rotation.
According to McQuade, the versatility of many players who are able to play two and even three different positions on the floor is a reflection of the trend of basketball all the way up to the NBA, where many big players do not play with their backs to the basket but step out for outside shots.
“This team always seems willing to compete,” McQuade said. “We’re looking for a way to create a culture for basketball in the town where wrestling, football and baseball are the main sports — even soccer. It’s a matter of if the kids can buy into it and get into a structured environment to make themselves better in the weight room and the work they do in the offseason.”
McQuade, who stresses a defense first approach, said making free throws also is important, as is limiting turnovers.
“We have to make opportunities count,” McQuade said. “We did a poor job of shooting free throws, especially meaningful ones, so we put kids in [simulated] pressure situations over the summer.”
JACKSON LIBERTY
Jackson Liberty returns only one starter from last year’s five-win team: senior small forward Lateef Foster, who is 6 feet 2 inches tall.
“This is the deepest we’ve been at the guard position,” said coach David Zwirz, who was an assistant coach at Jackson Liberty for seven seasons prior to last season. “I expect us to bring a lot of energy. I like our athleticism and speed.”
Jackson Liberty had scrimmages Dec. 7 against New Egypt High School and Dec. 9 at Lacey Township High School. The team is at home Dec. 14 against Toms River High School South and visits Manalapan Dec. 16. After opening the season at home against Donovan Catholic, Jackson Liberty plays the following day in the Score at the Shore Tournament at Southern Regional High School.
Zwirz plans to turn to juniors Alonzo Aponte and Joe Albero, who he said improved a lot as they step up from the junior varsity team. Seniors Somto Emenuga, a 6-foot-1 forward, and guards Zach Amatty and Julson Badushov also could play leading roles.
Freshman Dan Sofield, whose brother, James, was the first 1,000-point scorer at Jackson Liberty before graduating two years ago and embarking on a baseball career at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, could earn playing time as a 6-foot-3 freshman forward along with Miles Neal at guard.
Zwirz expects his players to follow the lead of Foster’s dedication to defense, although he also can be a reliable scorer.
“At this level, you have to take pride in defense, and the offense will work off that,” Zwirz said. “I think our offense is good, but our defense is the starting point.”