Vianney boys hoops team off to a solid 2-0 start
Five seniors look to lead team to post-season
A little experience can go a long way toward helping a talented team reach its potential.
Five players with varsity experience return as the St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, boys’ basketball team looks to improve upon last year’s 11-13 record.
Coach David Emery said quickness and speed are his team’s strengths, and that the Lancers will try to play an up-tempo game whenever possible.
"We have some talented guys coming back this year, so I expect that our scoring will be by committee with different guys picking it up on different nights," he said. "That’s the kind of balance I like, but I will be looking for someone to step up and become the guy we go to late in the game."
That someone is likely to come from the five returning seniors — forwards Josh Grgas and Mike Collins, and guards Zak Cook, Jon Bill and Danny DiMino.
Cook will be the point guard, and the 6-7 Grgas gives the Lancers a solid presence in the pivot.
Bill and DiMino are solid from the outside, while Collins, a strong rebounder, can score underneath.
Other key players include 6-4 junior forward Tom Putnoky and sophomore point guard Gerard Genevieve, who gives the Lancers a three-point threat off the bench.
Emery will also work juniors Chris Soria and Jim Oliver, both guards, into the lineup.
As part of his plan to increase the tempo, Emery said St. John’s will press often. Otherwise, the Lancers will employ a man-to-man defensive setup.
"We’re going to go after teams," the fifth-year coach said. "Our goal is to make other teams play our game. To do that, we’ll have to stay away from injuries and out of foul trouble."
The Lancers already have had their share of minor injuries. Cook and Bill are both nursing sprained fingers, DiMino suffered a six-stitch gash under his chin during a scrimmage, and Collins and Grgas have foot injuries.
But the squad has overcome those injuries to get off to a 2-0 start. After beating Matawan in their season-opener, the Lancers took on Red Bank Regional on Tuesday, and came home with a 53-47 win.
Dimino hit a pair of free throws in the final minute to secure the win.
Vianney got 14 points from Grgas and 11 from Dimino in the win. The Lancers fell behind early, and found themselves down 40-34 entering the fourth quarter. But they turned up their defensive pressure, holding the Bucs to just seven fourth-quarter points, while they scored 19 to seal the win.
The Lancers will look to make it 3-0 today when they host a very strong Monmouth Regional team in what will be their final warm-up for the annual Bayshore Holiday Christmas Tournament.
The Falcons are off to a 2-0 start, and are fresh off Tuesday’s dominating win over Holmdel 59-43. Monmouth looks to be the top team in the Shore’s Class A Central, and should provide SJV with a good early-season test.
While Emery believes his team has what it takes to qualify for the Shore Conference and NJSIAA Parochial A tourneys, the coach is not looking that far ahead.
"We have to take each game as it comes and be focused as a team," he said.
Playing in Class B North means they will by vying for a division title with quality teams such as Raritan, Red Bank Catholic, Ocean and Long Branch. Their two division wins early one could go a long way toward catapulting them to a competitive year.
The Lancers are hoping their fast start will propel them to the type of successful season they feel they are capable of. With some early wins and a solid appearance in the holiday tournament, St. John Vianney could be well on its way to a return to the state play-offs.