Many high school basketball teams around New Jersey play in a summer league, but Jackson Liberty High School coach Mark Lax says his players enjoy working out on their own on a schedule that includes one scrimmage against another school team a week.
“The kids get so much more out of it because that way they can play six, seven, eight quarters,” Lax said. “We can work on what we wanted to work on.”
Alumni now in college have come back to play against the upcoming varsity hopefuls. This summer Jackson Liberty has scrimmaged Brick Memorial, Toms River South, Howell and Raritan.
“Attendance has been pretty good for this. We are definitely getting better,” Lax said. “Some of my players are involved in baseball showcases, and that’s fine. We are making steady progress over the summer.”
The Lions’ program made some noise in 2011-12 when the team went 15-8 and knocked off Lakewood, the No. 1 ranked team in the Shore Conference at the time, 53-51, before a spirited home crowd.
“We’ve set our expectations higher,” Lax said.
The 2011-12 Lions lost their Shore Conference Tournament opener to Manasquan, 54-47. For the second straight year, the Lions lost their Central Jersey Group III state sectional tournament opener to Hamilton West High School of Mercer County. Manasquan competed with Jackson Liberty in the Shore Conference C Central Division in the past, but the Big Blue Warriors and Wall High School are moving to a different division this season as part of a conference realignment.
Barnegat, Pinelands Regional and Central Regional are newcomers to the C Central Division along with returning teams Jackson Liberty, Monsignor Donovan, Lakewood and Point Pleasant Borough.
Last season Jackson Liberty beat Monsignor Donovan for the first time.
When the 2012-13 season begins, Jackson Liberty will look to fill the void in the backcourt left by the departure of graduated players Ahmed Shalabi and Bob Brown, as well as Dan Johnson, who drew the defensive assignment on the opposing team’s best player.
Lax said he is impressed with Jayson Clark, who will be a sophomore. Robert DelValle and Mike Healey, who will be seniors, have shown promise in summer workouts as guards.
Two bulwarks under the boards last season return in rising juniors James Sofield and Dan Niblack, who was the team’s leading rebounder.
Jeremy Sousa has been participating in summer workouts and is expected to be out for the team as a forward after not playing last season.