BORDENTOWN – There is a big change at the helm of the Bordentown Regional High School boys basketball team entering the 2021-22 season with longtime Coach John Myers stepping away from the program during the offseason.
Coming in to replace Myers as the new voice of the Scotties this winter is AJ Foy, who graduated from Doane Academy in nearby Burlington Township.
This will be Foy’s second stint as a varsity basketball coach, having experience leading The Cross Christian Academy boys basketball program based in Seaford, Delaware.
Foy is excited for the opportunity to coach Bordentown this season, he said, and has enjoyed his time with the program so far.
“It’s been a great experience,” said Foy. “I have a great group of guys. I’m still learning them a bit. They’re still learning my style. They battle and play hard for me. I can’t ask for anything else from what they’ve given me so far.”
Foy will have some big shoes to fill in taking over for Myers, who won 131 games as head coach of the Scotties, including six Burlington County Scholastic League championships and a NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group II title during the 2015-16 season.
That’s the least of Foy’s worries, however, as he focuses on getting his players accustomed to his coaching philosophies and helping the Scotties rebound from their 1-10 mark during last year’s shortened COVID-19 season.
“We’re still trying to figure ourselves out,” Foy said. “Every scrimmage has been a little bit better and a step in the right direction. We’re just trying to get better every day. That’s all we can do.”
The lone starter returning from last year’s team for Bordentown is sophomore Myles Hansford.
As a freshman, Hansford tallied six points a game and showed off his strong ability to knock down the three-point ball, swishing in nine three-pointers.
Hansford feels he’s ready to take his game to the next level as he enters his sophomore season and wants to help the Scotties get back to their winning ways.
“I feel like I can bring the same things to the table that a senior can,” Hansford said. “I hope we can get more wins this year and show that we’re a good team.”
Seniors Earl Buensalida and Zach Matthews both return from last year’s squad and will man the back court for the Scotties.
Buensalida has been with the program the past four years, bringing some much needed experience to a Bordentown squad that will have a lot of newcomers seeing time at the varsity level this winter.
“I’m hoping to be more of a leader,” Buensalida said. “I try to be as vocal as I can to set up the young guys for more success this year and to help the program push forward.”
Matthews has also been with the program the last four years. Foy says Matthews has done a good job so far running his flex style offense from the point guard position during the preseason and is excited to see what the senior can accomplish on the floor this season.
“I think we will be able to run our offenses and score a lot of points,” Matthews said. “I think it’s going to be a good season.”
Senior Cameron McDuffie and sophomore Andrew DaCosta round out the Bordentown starting five in the front court.
Junior Isiah Florence and seniors Lucas Harnum, Arion Owes and Maurice Cicca are all expected to make key contributions on the floor for Bordentown over the course of the season.
Foy does expect his squad to go through some challenges during the early goings of the season, but believes it will help them grow into a way better team than they are right now.
“The team we are now wouldn’t be anywhere close to the team we will be a month from now or at the end of the season,” Foy said.
Bordentown hosts Burlington Township to open up the season on Dec. 17 and will then quickly gear up to face Haddon Heights the following day on Dec. 18.
Going by their team motto “I’m All In,” Foy expects his players to support and play for one another in each game and do what they do best, which is battle, he said.
“They just battle,” Foy said of his players. “Win or lose, the team we play that night is gonna know we battled. That’s all I can ask of my guys. I want that positive energy. We’re trying to build a culture here about positivity and being a family through thick and thin.”