By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
Jeff Dzierzawiec is hoping a solid summer in the Princeton Recreation Men’s Summer Basketball League helps to jump start his career at Susquehanna University.
The Hunterdon Central High School graduate had hoped last year would be his breakout season for the Crusaders, who recently changed their nickname to the River Hawks. But after coming off the bench for 19 games as a freshman, injuries limited Dzierzawiec to just 10 games last season.
“I was hurt last year,” Dzierzawiec. “My first year, I was getting accustom to the program and didn’t play that much and then last year I was hurt.”
Dzierzawiec hopes this year will give him a chance to contribute more on the court at Susquehanna. He’s certainly putting himself in good position to do that, as he currently leads the Princeton league in scoring at 15.7 points a game for Rouge’s Gallery, which knocked off previously undefeated Majeski Foundation last Friday night.
The Princeton league has offered a perfect opportunity for Dzierzawiec to work himself back into playing shape and get ready for the upcoming college season.
“Nick Santaluccia, who is on our team, has been playing in the league for a couple years and he just asked me if I was interested,” Dzierzawiec said. “I kind of grew up with him and he knew I played basketball.
“Our coach (at Susquehanna) told us throughout the whole summer to stay in shape and keep working out and especially to keep playing basketball.”
Dzierzawiec scored 18 points in a 69-64 win over Majeski Foundation. Chris Bellofatto scored 20 in the win, while Mike Rubayo had 14 and Mark Monks added 12. Corey Stanford had 28 points in the loss.
“The competition is really good,” Dzierzawiec said of the Princeton league. “There is a lot of college competition. Corey Stanford, who we just played against, we played against him last year when he was at Catholic. There are a lot of guys in the league in the same position I am trying to get ready for the next season in college.
“The most important thing is just getting back in shape and getting ready for next season. I try to keep doing what our coach wants me to do.”
Dzierzawiec is getting used to his Rougue’s Gallery teammates as the season goes on. He knew some of them from his high school playing days and the team seems to be coming together well.
“I know Mike (Rubayo) because we played on an AAU team together and the other guys are a little bit older,” said Dzierzawiec, a Readington resident. “Most of the guys here are from North (Hunterdon). We were rivals. But we all live close to each other.”
Rogue’s improved to 4-2 with the win over Majeski and trails both Majeski and Jesse Krasna Hoops Training by one game in the standings.
In other games last Friday, Jesse Krasna Hoops Training topped Ivy Inn, 61-53, as Matt Margolis scored 19 points, John Coolahan had 17 and Zach Sibel added 12. Mark Aziz had 19 and Skye Ettin added 15 in the loss. Kurt Simmons scored a basket with 15 seconds left to give Dr. Palmer a 54-53 win over Pediatric Therapy Solutions. Chris Edwards led the scoring with 15 points, while Brandon Johnson had 13 and Cliff Pollard added 12. Anthony Brown had 17 and John Barbour added 14 in the loss.
After taking July 4 off, the league resumed Wednesday with three games.
Clarke Insurance topped King’s Pizza, 51-46, as Davon Black scored 23 points. Dontae Jones had 13 points in the loss. Majeski Foundation topped Pediatric Therapy, 62-47, as Eric Klacik scored 15 points and Kevin Bloodgood added 11. Nick Brackett had 16 and Anthony Brown added 12 in the loss. Jesse Krasna Hoops Training kept pace with Majeski Foundation at the top of the standings with a 63-42 win over Dr. Palmer Tim Guers had 18, John Coolahan had 12, and Matt Margolis added 11 in the win. Cliff Pollard had 20 points in the loss.
