Basketball
Scottie Gives Back: Lewis Hosts Hoops for Homeless
Prior to his jump into college basketball with the Florida Gators, Scottie Lewis brought some of the area’s top basketball players to Ranney for his second annual Hoops for Homeless. Lewis was inspired to use his status as one of the top basketball players in the country to give back. The event featured a number of high profile future college basketball stars including Louisville’s Aidan Igiehon, UConn’s Jalen Gaffney, Rutgers Paul Mulcahy and Xavier’s Zach Freemantle to name just a few. The dunk contest saw Scottie’s younger brother, Jaylen Smith, a junior at Raritan High steal the show with some big throwdowns. The McDonald’s All-American is about to become a household name across the country in college basketball and eventually the NBA, but as you’ll learn in our feature, Lewis is determined to use his basketball platform to make a difference in people’s lives: Proceeds from Saturday night’s game which included a raffle went to Lunch Break, which provides food, clothing, life skills and fellowship to those in need in Monmouth County and beyond. Click here if you want to help
Recruiting Heating Up for Roselle Catholic 2020 Center Cliff Omoruyi
It didn’t take long for Cliff Omoruyi to become a household name in the New Jersey basketball scene and now the 6’11” Roselle Catholic center is making waves as a major Class of 2020 recruit. Omoruyi, who played alongside Kentucky commit Kahlil Whitney and Temple-bound guard Josh Pierre-Louis this past season, is becoming one of the hottest recruits in America. The Nigerian-native has begun piling up some major offers after his junior season and also playing in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders showcase. Watch JSZ’s highlight reel of Cliff Omoruyi’s junior season here: Here’s just some of the most recent recruiting news featuring Omoruyi: #Pittsburgh will host fast-rising 4 ⭐️6’11” Cliff Omoruyi’20 of @rc_basketball & @NY_Lightning for an unofficial visit Friday. He has a 7’6” wingspan 👀#H2P 📷 @brandondorf5 pic.twitter.com/IgMSMcEGJu— Andrew Slater (@Andrew__Slater) April 19, 2019 Kentucky just offered top-60 junior big man Cliff Omoruyi, a source tells @Rivals @RowlandRIVALS https://t.co/5wmT93evNh— Corey Evans (@coreyevans_10) April 12, 2019 Omoruyi exploded onto the scene this season and was arguably the most dominant paint player across the Garden State. He averaged 10.2 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per contest on a Roselle Catholic team that went 28-4 and won New Jersey’s Non-Public “B” North sectional title. His list of offers already includes (in no particular order): Seton Hall, UCLA, Kentucky, Virginia, Pitt, Xavier, Illinois, UMass, UConn, South Carolina, Ohio State, Georgia Tech, Cincinnati, NC State, Syracuse, Florida, Rutgers, Miami, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, Butler, Western Kentucky, Auburn, Georgia and Indiana. Omoruyi was named to Jersey Sports Zone’s 2019 All-Zone team, a collection of the best 40 players in New Jersey. Stay tuned in with Jersey Sports Zone as we follow Omoruyi’s recruitment, along with the other top Class of 2020 players from the Garden State.
RC’s Josh Pierre-Louis to Reunite with Brother at Temple
Roselle Catholic guard and JSZ Player of the Year finalist Josh Pierre-Louis is officially back off the market. Pierre-Louis has given a verbal commitment to play Division I basketball in Philadelphia for Temple University and new head coach Aaron McKie. Noted for his thunderous high-flying dunks and competitive demeanor, Pierre-Louis teamed with Kentucky-commit Kahlil Whitney to create one of the most dynamic one-two punches in New Jersey basketball. He averaged 14.2 points per game in his senior season at Roselle Catholic and was a major reason why they won repeat titles in the Union County Championship and Non-Public B North sectional finals. Watch JSZ’s highlight reel from Pierre-Louis’ explosive senior season: Josh will reunite with his brother, Nate Pierre-Louis, who averaged 13.3 points per game as a sophomore at Temple. Josh was originally committed to UNLV but recently reopened his commitment following the dismissal of former head coach Marvin Mensies. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez also profiled Josh Pierre-Louis earlier this month. Learn everything about the future Temple Owl: Josh and Nate both shared the news on their social media accounts: PHILLY YALL READY🤷🏽♂️?? pic.twitter.com/nFgzBZafs2— Nate Pierre-Louis (@Nate_PL) March 29, 2019
Scottie Lewis Brings Home Fourth Shore Dunk Title!
As if he doesn’t already have enough hardware from his high school career, Ranney’s Scottie Lewis captured his fourth straight Shore All-Star Dunk Contest Title Thursday night. The University of Florida commit that helped lead his team to their first ever Tournament of Champions Crown this season was the act to beat in Toms River. Lewis having won the previous three years automatically advanced to the final round as his colleagues got three dunks and two rounds to face off with him. Wall’s Quinn Calabrese made his presence known as he reached the Championship, but it was the McDonald’s All-American that walked away with his last Shore Dunk Title to end his high school career a perfect 4-0. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the story:
Antoine and Miller take home top honors at 2019 JSZ Hoop Zone Banquet
Nearly 90 high school basketball players around the state came to the Renaissance Hotel in Woodbridge to celebrate a fantastic 2018-19 season. Ranney’s Bryan Antoine is JSZ’s 2019 Mister Hoop Zone and Franklin’s Diamond Miller is Miss Hoop Zone 2019. Jersey Sports Zone thanks everyone for attending from every part of the state! All-Americans Antoine and Miller Steal the Show with Top Awards Villanova-commit Bryan Antoine and future Maryland Terrapin Diamond Miller decisively won the Mister Hoop Zone and Miss Hoop Zone awards, respectively. Both players take their newly-minted honors with them to Atlanta next week when they’ll both compete in the McDonald’s All-American Game. JSZ’s Jay Cook and Mike Frankel have the story: Sights and Sounds from the Banquet Before the players, coaches and family sat down for dinner and watch our videos, JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez and Madison Bess were in our social media zone talking with the honorees and getting the festivities started. Bryan Antoine wins 2019 JSZ Mister Hoop Zone With a podium featuring three McDonald’s All-Americans, Ranney’s Bryan Antoine won the vote among coaches and statewide media. The Villanova signee closed out his high school career as the Shore Conference’s all-time leading scorer with over 2,500 points and teamed with fellow finalist Scottie Lewis to lead the Panthers first ever Tournament of Champions title. Antoine won the vote over Lewis, the Roselle Catholic duo of Kahlil Whitney and Josh Pierre-Louis and Gill St. Bernard’s Paul Mulcahy, who’s on his way to Rutgers. 2019 Mr. Hoop Zone Balloting Coaches: Kevin Diviero – Don Bosco Prep, Anthony Tavares – Newark East Side, Daniele Crincoli – St. Mary’s Elizabeth, Ben Gamble – Marist, Justin Salton – Watchung Hills, Mike Clemente – Central Regional, Mike Jones – Millville, Cameron Bell – Egg Harbor, Kevin Principe – River Dell, Billy Armstrong – Bergen Catholic, Ryan McKeever – Immaculata, Matt Bloom – Rutgers Prep, Dave Boff – Roselle Catholic, Daryl Young – Trenton, Chris Raba – Nottingham, Rich Roche – Notre Dame, Randy Holmes – Lakewood, Mike Puorro – Barnegat, Mergin Sina – Gill St. Bernard’s Media: Richard Greco – NJ.Com, Adam Zagoria – NY Times, Dave’s Joint, Sherlon Christie – Asbury Park Press, Mike Kinney – NJ.Com, Phil Anastasia – Philadelphia Inquirer, Rich Chrampanis – JSZ, Jay Cook – JSZ, Nery Rodriguez – JSZ Name High School 1st 2nd 3rd Total Bryan AntoineRanney193366 Scottie LewisRanney212737 Kahlil WhitneyRoselle Catholic191130 Paul MulcahyGill St. Bernard's63529 Diamond Miller wins 2019 JSZ Miss Hoop Zone Franklin guard Diamond Miller had a perfect season and a perfect ending to her high school career when she won JSZ’s 2019 Miss Hoop Zone. The McDonald’s All-American will represent New Jersey in the national showcase in Atlanta. Miller is signed with the University of Maryland. Future teammate Faith Masonius of Manasquan was a fellow finalist along with Saddle River Day’s Michelle Sidor (Michigan), Gloucester Catholic’s Azana Baines (Duke) and Manchester’s Leilani Correa (West Virginia). 2019 Miss Hoop Zone Balloting Coaches: Mark Knapp – Gill St. Bernard’s, Kathy Matthews – Union Catholic, Dawn Karpell – Saint John Vianney, Lisa Gedaka – Gloucester Catholic, Jacquelyn Dyer – Cranford, Bob Fusik – Trenton Catholic, John Truhan – Red Bank Regional, Michael Lazur – Ocean, Scott Beston – Mainland, Tammy Nicolini – Barnegat, Joe Montano – Red Bank Catholic, David Drew – Point Pleasant Boro, Lisa Kukoda – Manasquan, Jason Lantz – Atlantic City – Pete Vincent – Hudson Catholic, Audrey Taylor – Franklin, Steve Silver – Immaculate Heart Academy Media: Gregg Lerner – Shore Sports Network, Danny LoGuidice – Asbury Park Press, Brian Deakyne – NJ.com, Rich Chrampanis – JSZ, Jay Cook – JSZ, Nery Rodriguez – JSZ Name High School 1st 2nd 3rd Total Diamond MillerFranklin183161 Faith MasoniusManasquan27424 Leilani CorreaManchester16518 Michelle SidorSaddle River Day14615 Meet the 2019 JSZ All-Zone Boys Team NameSchoolName SchoolName School Jabri Abdur-RahimSeton Hall PrepVictor KonopkaDon Bosco PrepCJ WilcherSt. Benedict's Prep Babatunde AjikeCamden CatholicZach Martini Gill St. Bernard'sMatt ZonaBergen Catholic Dexter AkannoBlair AcademyBrad McCabeManasquan Anas AmosNewark East SideKyle McGeeSt. Mary's-ElizabethBryan AntoineRanney, 2019 JSZ Mr. Hoop Zone Khalif BattleTrenton CatholicGreg MeyersNew ProvidenceScottie LewisRanney, Mr. HSZ Finalist Dylan BedderNew ProvidenceAshton MillerSeton Hall PrepKahlil WhitneyRoselle Catholic, Mr. HZ Finalist Stephen BraunsteinCBAIan O'ConnorRumson-Fair HavenPaul MulcahyGill St. Bernard's - Mr. HZ Finalist Nick Cartwright-AtkinsMoorestownCliff OmoruyiRoselle CatholicJosh Pierre-LouisRoselle Catholic - Mr. HZ Finalist Jack Cavanaugh SpartaTrey PattersonRutgers Prep Jonah CharlesRutgers PrepNeal QuinnRamapo Josh CohenCBAAlexander RicePatrick School Al-Amir DawesPatrick SchoolColby RogersRoselle Catholic Mike DePersiaHaddonfieldAhmadu SarnorRanney Jordan DingleBlair AcademyDaniel SofieldJackson Liberty Doug EdertBergen CatholicTaj ThweattWildwood Catholic Elijah Hutchins-EverettMontclair ImmaculateLance WareCamden Dan FlemingHaddonfieldJesiah WestElizabeth Zach FreemantleBergen CatholicPhil WheelerRanney Rob HigginsMiddletown NorthJahlil WhiteWildwood Catholic Alex KlatskyRanneyDerrick WhitakerSouth River Meet the 2019 JSZ All Zone Girls Team NameSchoolName SchoolNameSchool Dakota AdamsManchester Twp.Jenna JordanSaddle River DayKylee WatsonMainland Destiny AdamsManchester Twp.Sarah KarpellSaint John Vianney Brelynn BellamySaint John VianneyLauren LithgowSaint RoseDiamond MillerFranklin - JSZ 2019 Miss Hoop Zone Mya BembryWest OrangeOlivia MilesBlair AcademyFaith MasoniusManasquan - Miss HZ Finalist Brielle BisognoToms River NorthAnna MorrisImmaculate Heart AcademyLeilani Correa Manchester- Miss HZ Finalist Taylor BluntPenningtonCortlyn MorrisBound BrookMichelle SidorSaddle River Day - Miss HZ Finalist Sajada BonnerSaint John VianneyLola MullaneyManasquanAzana BainesGloucester Catholic - Miss HZ Finalist Emma BosletBishop AhrOlivia MullinsRutgers Prep Isla BrennanMiddletown SouthShannon MulroyLenape Syndei CaldwellSaddle River DayJaida PatrickSaddle River Day Maniya CustisTrenton CatholicJenna PaulToms River North Daniya DarbyLincolnMariah PerezNewark Tech Dominique DariusBlair AcademyKelsey RansomBishop Ahr Emma DuerrMorris CatholicKemari ReynoldsManchester Twp. LaShae DwyerPatrick SchoolKennady SchenckFranklin Brynn FarrellSaint RoseKeona ShenckFranklin Breyanna FrazierMaristKira SidesMiddle Township Brazil Harvey-CarrLeap AcademyKenna SquierPope John Rahmena HendersonSaint John VianneyTaneshia TuckerUniversity Giana Hernandez-BouldenTrenton CatholicAmanda UlrichSecaucus Leah JohnsonPenningtonCaileigh WalshGill St. Bernard's Dezonie, Wright win JSZ Hoops Plays of the Year Thanks to everyone who voted for our JSZ Plays of the Year. Hudson Catholic’s Shane Dezonie won Dunk of the Year and Red Bank Catholic’s MJ Wright won clutch play of the year for his buzzer beater against Marlboro at the WOBM Christmas Classic. Take Our Poll Take Our Poll
Meet the JSZ 2019 Mr. Hoop Zone Finalists!
Jersey Sports Zone is proud to announce the five finalists for the 2019 Mr. Hoop Zone Award, our boys basketball Player of the Year voted on by various coaches and media from across the Garden State. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, March 20 during JSZ’s second annual All-Zone Basketball Banquet at the Renaissance Hotel in Woodbridge. Watch our profiles of these five outstanding players and learn more about JSZ’s top basketball honor. Be sure to check out our Miss Hoop Zone finalists as well! Last Year’s Winner: Bryan Antoine – Ranney This Villanova University bound four year starter has been the hype surrounding one of the most up and coming programs in New Jersey. Bryan Antoine dazzles fans with his electrifying dunks and quick scoring, but it’s his play in games that matters most. Antoine capped of a season in which he received McDonald’s All-American honors, became the Shore Conferece’s All-Time leading scorer with 2,481 points and led Ranney to a State Title with the program’s first ever Tournament of Champions crown. Kahlil Whitney – Roselle Catholic When Kahlil Whitney takes the floor, the price of admission feels like a steal. One of the state’s three McDonald’s All-Americans this year, Whitney is a versatile player that is willing to do whatever to help his team win. After making the move from Chicago to NJ to play for Roselle Catholic, Kahlil put the country on notice with his heart stopping slams and signature spin move to the basket, even earring an offer from the University of Kentucky. He will continue his basketball career as a Wildcat after leading RC to back to back Union County and State Sectional Titles. Scottie Lewis – Ranney One half of “The Greatest Show in Monmouth County” Scottie Lewis was the other key component in Tournament of Champions winners Ranney’s historical run. Lewis much like his counterpart Bryan Antoine has spoiled the Garden State the last four seasons with a barrage of dunks that will forever be embedded in the minds of high school basketball fans. The McDonald’s All-American will continue his college career as a Gator at the University of Florida. Josh Pierre-Louis – Roselle Catholic Not often two sets of teammates share the podium for our highest basketball honor, but this year it was undeniable that Josh Pierre Louis was a game changer in New Jersey. Roselle Catholic’s point guard who garnered national attention this season helped lead the Lions to another County and Sectional Title with his 69 steals and 14.2 PPG. After recently de-committing from the University of Las Vegas, Pierre-Louis has reopened up his college recruitment and has offers from Georgia, Temple, Rutgers, Seton Hall and many more! Paul Mulcahy – Gill St. Bernard’s Two words say it all about this next nominee, “Headband Highlights”. 6’6 Paul Mulcahy is one of the most interesting players on our list for the simple reason you don’t see consistency like this every day. Mulcahy led Gill St. Bernard’s to the Non-Public North Final in a season in which he averaged a Triple Double! The Bayonne native plans to keep exciting New Jersey in his college career when he laces it up for Rutgers University next year.
Meet the JSZ 2019 Miss Hoop Zone Finalists!
Jersey Sports Zone is proud to announce the five finalists for the 2019 Miss Hoop Zone Award, our girls basketball Player of the Year voted on by various coaches and media from across the Garden State. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, March 20 during JSZ’s second annual All-Zone Basketball Banquet at the Renaissance Hotel in Woodbridge. Watch our profiles of these five outstanding players and learn more about JSZ’s top basketball honor. Be sure to check out our Mr. Hoop Zone finalists as well! Last Year’s Winner: Diamond Miller – Franklin Making her second consecutive appearance on the banquet podium, University of Maryland commit Diamond Miller in no stranger to our Miss Hoop Zone process. Fresh off an undefeated season that landed Franklin its second Tournament of Champions Crown, Miller is a five-star recruit that earned Mc Donald’s All-American honors for her overwhelming style of play on both ends of the floor during her Senior season where she averaged 22 PPG and eight rebounds. Michelle Sidor – Saddle River Day Despite standing just 5’7, Michelle Sidor is one of the biggest threats New Jersey has seen in some time. The Michigan bound guard led Saddle River Day to the Tournament of Champions in a season where she averaged 26.5 PPG. JSZ was there earlier this season when Sidor scored her 3,000th career point. Faith Masonious – Manasquan This Shore Conference familiar face has much in common with fellow nominee Diamond Miller, the duo are both nominated for our prestiges award for a second straight year and they will continue their basketball careers as Maryland Terps. Faith Masonious is a team player in every aspect of the game, she’s won a Tournament of Champions Title and helped continue Manasquan’s reign as they captured their third straight State Sectional Championship. In her final season with the Warriors, Masonious switched from Forward to Point Guard to help lead a young ’Squan team through another year in the NJ Top 20. Leilani Correa – Manchester After transferring from Rutgers Prep to Manchester for her Senior year, Leilani Correa quickly made an impact on the small Group 2 program. Correa averaging 16.8 PPG and 7.5 rebounds helped lead the Hawks to their first Shore Conference Tournament Crown and Group 2 State Championship. Leilani will continue her career at West Virginia University. Azana Baines – Gloucester Catholic Making the trip from South Jersey is the pride of Gloucester Catholic, Azana Baines. Baines is a 6’1 Guard that caught the attention of many for her dazzling scoring performances this season that allowed her to finish with 512 points total on the year. Azana will continue turning heads in the ACC next season as a member of the Duke Women’s Basketball team.
Legacy Complete: Ranney wins 1st Tournament of Champions crown
Over 6,800 fans packed the RAC at Rutgers University to watch the Ranney Panthers become the first Shore Conference boys team to earn the Tournament of Champions title. In the final game for McDonald’s All-Americans Bryan Antoine and Scottie Lewis, the Panthers rallied from an 11 point deficit in the third quarter and held on in the final seconds. JSZ has the full highlights and post-game reaction: Ranney 67 Bergen Catholic 63 – Tournament of Champions Boys Final Scottie Lewis scored 20 points and hauled in 11 rebounds and Bryan Antoine scored 17 as Ranney rallied from an 11 point third quarter deficit to win its first ever Touranment of Champions title. Bergen Catholic raced out to a 10-2 lead early and held a 30-21 halftime advantage after a Zach Freemantle slam on an ally-oop to close out the first half. With Antoine and Lewis scoring 18 of Ranney’s 21 first half points, the Panthers supporting cast stepped up in the second half. Phil Wheeler had 14 points and Ahmadu Sarnor added 13. Sarnor broke a 63-63 tie with a free throw and Wheeler brought in a rebound on Bergen’s attempt to win the game. JSZ has the highlights and post-game reaction from a game with plenty of twists and turns:
The Perfect Year: Franklin Finishes 34-0, Wins 2019 TOC Title
It’s as good as any storybook ending you’ll find in high school sports around the country. Franklin was the consensus No. 1 team in the Garden State all season long, they had the consensus No. 1 player lead the way and ended a remarkable 2019 season with the first 34-0 record ever in N.J. girls basketball history. Franklin 65 Saddle River Day 57 – 2019 Tournament of Champions Final In her final high school game at Franklin High School, McDonald’s All-American Diamond Miller put together a game for the ages on the biggest stage of them all. Miller — a University of Maryland commit — stuffed the stat sheet with 25 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 blocks to lead the Warriors to a perfect 34-0 record. Franklin is the first team in N.J. girls hoops history to ever reach a 34-0 record and is the first team since Shabazz in 2006 to finish undefeated. JSZ’s Jay Cook has all the highlights and post-game reaction from Toms River:
Watch Friday 3.15 JSZ Boys Basketball TOC Semifinal Round Highlights
The four top teams left in New Jersey still had one round to duke it out and figure out who will head to Rutgers University on Sunday afternoon for the 2019 Tournament of Champions finals. JSZ has full highlights and post-game reaction from the two semifinal games held in Toms River on Friday night. Stay tuned and enjoy the highlights! Ranney 62 Moorestown 40 – Tournament of Champions Semifinal Bryan Antoine scored 16 points and Scottie Lewis had 14 including a thunderous dunk in the fourth quarter to give Ranney its first ever spot in the Tournament of Champions final and a matchup with Bergen Catholic at Rutgers University on Sunday. Moorestown sank four three-pointers in the first quarter and had a 13-10 lead at the end of one, but Ranney clamped down on perimeter defense and held Moorestown to just one point in the second quarter. JSZ has the highlights and post-game reaction from Toms River: Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Moorestown is brought to you by NJM Insurance. Congratulations to the Quakers on winning their first state title in 60 years! Bergen Catholic 79 East Side 75 – Tournament of Champions Semifinal This game produced two career performances from two of the top senior players in the Garden State. Bergen Catholic forward and Xavier commit powered the Crusaders to the win via a career-high 36 points along with 14 rebounds. On the other end, East Side star Anas Amos closed out his high school career with a career-best 31 points in the loss. This game was a gritty battle with two teams leaving it all on the floor. JSZ’s Jay Cook has the highlights from Toms River :
Watch Thursday 3.15 JSZ Girls Basketball TOC Semifinal Round Highlights
Just like that, we are down to four teams. Jersey Sports Zone has you covered from the girls Tournament of Champions semifinal round where Saddle River Day punched their ticket to a first-ever TOC final and Franklin now reaches their third-straight. Saddle River Day 76 Manchester 63 This Saddle River Day team is loaded with Division-I talent and those playmakers showed up Thursday as Duke-commit Jaida Patrick scored a career-high 24 points and future Michigan Wolverine Michelle Sidor dropped 20. The Rebels now advance to their first TOC final in school history. JSZ’s Jay Cook has all the highlights: Franklin 55 St. Rose 50 The Warriors survived a tough test from the Purple Roses to advance to the TOC title game. Maryland commit Diamond Miller scored a game-high 20 points for Franklin, while Kennedy Schenck chipped in with 14. Brynn Farrell scored a team-high 18 points for St. Rose in the loss. JSZ’s Mike Frankel has the highlights:
Watch Tuesday 3.12 JSZ Girls TOC Opening Round Basketball Highlights
#3 Manchester 74 #6 Mainland 44 For the first time in program history Manchester advances to the Tournament of Champions Semifinals with a 74-44 win over phenom Kylee Watson and Group 3 State Champs Mainland. The Hawks led by West Virginia University commit Leilani Correa and 6’3 sophomore Destiny Adams took a commanding 28 point lead at halftime. The duo combine for 40 points on the night, Correa with 24 and Adams finished with 16. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the highlights: #4 Saint Rose 61 #5 University 45 The Purple Roses opened the Tournament of Champions with a 61-45 win over the Phoenix. Brynn Farrell led the way with 20 points in the victory. Abigail Antognoli chipped in with 12 points, and Makayla Andrews added 11 points off the bench. Taneshia Tucker scored a team-high 20 points for University in the loss. JSZ’s Mike Frankel has the highlights from Toms River, as St. Rose advances to face #1 Franklin on Thursday night:
Vote now for JSZ Basketball Plays of the Year!
With the state champions crowned, we look back on the best plays captured by JSZ cameras and ask for your vote. The winner of the Dunk of the Year and the Clutch Play of the Year will be presented a JSZ Game Ball at the 2nd annual JSZ Basketball banquet on March 20th at the Renaissance Hotel in Woodbridge. The polls are open NOW and you can cast your vote through Thursday at 3:00 pm We have 20 nominees for Dunk of the Year. Check out all the great jams from around the state and cast your vote! Take Our Poll Our Clutch Plays category features half-court shots, buzzer beaters and some amazing individual plays on both the boys and girls side. Cast your vote now! Take Our Poll
Watch Saturday 3.9 JSZ State Final Basketball Highlights
State championship Saturday did not disappoint! Jersey Sports Zone spent all day at the RWJ Barnabas Arena in Toms River and has four non-public state championship highlights ready to go. Saturday’s coverage includes the first state championship in Ranney history; Saddle River Day grabbing back-to-back titles; Bergen Catholic reigning supreme in the Non-Public A bracket and St. Rose showing New Jersey they are no joke. Enjoy the action! Ranney 56 Roselle Catholic 50 – Boys Non-Public B State Final Four years of hard work and dedication finally paid off for Ranney School as the Panthers made school history by winning their first ever basketball state championship. Bryan Antoine led Ranney with 21 points, while Ahmadu Sarnor (15 points) and Scottie Lewis (8 points, 6 rebounds) helped secure the win. This title game was a rematch of last year’s final that Roselle Catholic won dramatically won in the final seconds. JSZ’s Jay Cook has the highlights: Saddle River Day 79 Trenton Catholic 67 – Girls Non-Public B State Final For the second year in a row Saddle River Day captured the Non-Public B Title. The Rebels after a slow first quarter were led by Michigan commit Michelle Sidor outscored TCA in the second quarter 21-3 to take a 43-37 lead at halftime. Sidor finished the game with 30 points. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the highlights: Sponsor! Thank you to Princeton Orthopaedic Associates for sponsoring our Trenton Catholic coverage! No. 4 St. Rose 45 No. 12 Immaculate Heart 42 – Girls Non-Public A State Final The St. Rose Purple Roses won their second straight Non-Public A State Title on Saturday afternoon, punching their ticket to next week’s Tournament of Champions. Junior Brynn Farrell made 13 foul shots during the game, and she scored the game-high with 22 points. Sophomore Abigail Antognoli sealed the deal for the Purple Roses, breaking the tie in the last minute of the game. She scored the second highest number of points for St. Rose with 14. JSZ’s Madison Bess has the highlights and post-game reactions from Toms River: Sponsor! Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of St. Rose is being brought to you by Reach Your Potential Training in Tinton Falls! Bergen Catholic 78 Camden Catholic 61 – Boys Non-Public A State Final Bergen Catholic captured its first state title since 2002 with a 78-61 win over Camden Catholic. The Crusaders raced out to 23-8 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. Doug Edert pumped in 19 points to lead all scorers. Matt Zona went for 17 points and Zach Freemantle scored 16 points in the win for Bergen Catholic. Baba Ajike scored 17 points and Valen Tejeda added 16 points for the Irish in the loss. JSZ’s Mike Frankel has the highlights and reaction from Toms River: Sponsor! Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Camden Catholic is brought to you by NJM Insurance Group!
Watch Tuesday 3.5 JSZ Playoff Basketball Highlights
Sectional champions are crowned throughout New Jersey on Tuesday and JSZ has more state playoff basketball highlights. We’ve got Roselle Catholic taking one step closer to a state crown, plus a Manasquan sweep in Central Jersey Group 2 along with an OT thriller from the Middletown South girls! Roselle Catholic 66 Hudson Catholic 54 – Non-Public B North Semifinal It was business as usual for Roselle Catholic as the Lions jumped out to an 11-point lead at halftime and displayed their usual show-stopping skills to take down Hudson Catholic. Kahlil Whitney scored 17, Josh Pierre-Louis dropped 16 and Cliff Omoruyi chipped in 15 points. Roselle Catholic has a date with Gill St. Bernard’s tomorrow at Franklin High School, 8.pm., for the Non-Public B North sectional crown. JSZ’s Jay Cook has the highlights from Roselle: Moorestown 61 Mainland 43 – Boys South Group 3 Final Moorestown captured its first sectional championship in 21 years with a 61-43 victory over Mainland. The Quakers led by senior Jagger Zrada were able to explode on offense in the first two quarters to take a 36-20 lead at halftime. To make the win even more emotional it was redemption after Moorestown fell in the Central Group 3 Final at home a year ago. Zrada finished with 16 points while Nick Cartwright-Atkins had 14 and eight rebounds. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the highlights: Sponsor! Thank you to NJM Insurance for sponsoring our Moorestown coverage! Manasquan 78 Lincoln 42 – Central Jersey Group 2 Final Brad McCabe scored 23 points to pace four Warriors in double figures as Manasquan avenges last year’s playoff loss to Lincoln with a convincing home win one year later. Manasquan raced out to a 22-6 first quarter lead and never looked back. JSZ has the highlights and post-game reaction from the Jersey Shore: Clayton 64 Wildwood 63 – South Jersey Group 1 Final Clayton captured its first sectional title since 1980 with a comeback win over Wildwood. Dorien DePina paced the Clippers with 15 points, while Max Cruz and Joshua Jones each scored 12. Tyler Tomlin erupted for six three-pointers and a game-high 23 points for the Warriors in the loss. JSZ’s Mike Frankel has the thrilling highlights and reaction from Clayton: Middletown South 80 Marlboro 77 (OT) – Central Jersey Group 4 Girls Final The Middletown South Eagles made a fourth quarter and overtime comeback on Tuesday night against Marlboro, winning the Central Jersey Group 4 Sectional Title. The Mustangs led by 11 points going into the fourth quarter, but it was Kayla Richardson who led the team to victory. She scored the game-high of 23 points, all of which came in the second half and overtime. Sam Keenan scored the second highest number of points with 20. In addition to this title win, this was Head Coach Tom Brennan’s 400th career win. The Eagles will face Lenape on Mar. 7 for the Group 4 Tournament Semifinal. JSZ’s Madison Bess has the highlights and post-game reaction from Middletown: Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Middletown South is being brought to you by Monmouth Building Center! Manasquan 60 Rumson-Fair Haven 38 – Central Jersey Group 2 Girls Final Faith Masonius had 26 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists and Lola Mullaney added 21 points and 7 boards as the Warriors made it six straight Central Jersey Group 2 championships. Manasquan will face Manchester in the Group 2 state semifinals. JSZ has the highlights and post-game reaction from another sectional title for the Lady Warriors: Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Rumson-Fair Haven is brought to you by Gold Coast Cadillac
Watch Monday 3.4 JSZ Playoff Basketball Highlights
Jersey Sports Zone is thrilled to bring you statewide playoff basketball coverage from 3.4. Stay tuned for Bound Brook and Middlesex’s Central, Group 1 Final showdown and an epic South Jersey battle between Camden vs. Haddonfield in the South, Group 2 Championship. Check back in as we continue to post games! Ranney 76 Rutgers Prep 62 – Boys Non-Public South B Semifinal No. 1 Ranney advanced to their second consecutive Non-Public, South B Tournament Semifinal with a 76-62 win over Rutgers Prep. McDonald’s All-American’s Bryan Antoine and Scottie Lewis in their final high school home game gave fans a warm send off with some of their signature explosive style of basketball. Villanova bound Antoine finished 16 points while Lewis, a University of Florida commit dropped 17. However, top performance went to Junior Phillip Wheeler who ended the evening with 18 points. Ranney moves on to face either top seeded Wildwood Catholic or Immaculatta in the Championship on 3.6 at Jackson Liberty. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the highlights: Haddonfield 69 Camden 67 (OT) – Boys South Jersey Group 2 Final Haddonfield stormed back from a double-digit deficit late in the fourth quarter to force overtime, beating Camden for the South Jersey Group 2 title for the second year in a row. Dan Fleming caught fire down the stretch to lead the Haddons with 28 points. Mike DePersia also had a big game with 19 points in the win. JSZ’s Mike Frankel has the highlights and reaction from a thriller in Cherry Hill. Bound Brook 45 Middlesex 31 – Girls Central Jersey Group 1 Final The #1 Bound Brook Crusaders defeated the #2 Middlesex Blue Jays on Monday night, winning their fourth straight Sectional Title. Bound Brook’s Cortlyn Morris not only scored the game-high of 19 points, but she also walked away with a triple-double. She had 12 blocks and 10 rebounds. Arianna McCleod and Cameron Ward also scored in the double digits. McCleod scored 12 points, and Ward scored 11 and had 15 rebounds with a double-double. The Crusaders will take on Haddon Township for the Group 1 Tournament on Mar. 6. JSZ’s Madison Bess has the highlights from Bound Brook:
Bergen Catholic takes down Bosco to reach Non-Public North A Final!
(1) Bergen Catholic 69 (4) Don Bosco 52 – Boys Non-Public North A Semifinal It’s never a dull moment when Don Bosco and Bergen Catholic meet so why would a Semifinal game be any different? The two just recently met in the Bergen County Jamboree Final and the fire between these two was very much still burning. A close first quarter that saw both teams exchange threes ended 18-18, in the second quarter BC briefly started pulling away thanks to Raejon Figures and Doug Edert to go ahead 37-26 at halftime. In the third and fourth quarter Jayson Earle would make his presence known thanks to the defense being drawn to 6’8 Junior Matt Zona and Xavier Commit Zach Freemantle. Matt Zona and Freemantle combined for 19 points and 13 rebounds, Doug Edert had 11 points, Jayson Earle finished with 15 points and 9 rebounds while Raejon Figures had 16. The Crusaders move onto the Non-Public North A Final to face St. Joe’s (Montvale) on March 6th. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the highlights:
Watch Friday 3.1 JSZ Playoff Basketball Highlights
What’s better than playoff basketball? Not much! Jersey Sports Zone had cameras up and down the state for Friday action on both the boys and girls side. We’ll have highlights coming from Ranney’s dominant win over Trenton Catholic; Gill St. Bernard’s scoring a blowout win at home; Freehold Township exploding in the 2nd half over Monroe; Lincoln knocking off defending section champ RFH; Cherokee outlasting Toms River North and Middletown South sending a message with a double-digit win over Princeton. Enjoy the action! Gill St. Bernard’s 60 St. Mary’s (Elizabeth) 38 – Boys Non-Public North B Quarterfinals Despite it being a playoff game it was just another day at the office for No. 3 in the NJ Top 20, Gill St. Bernard’s. After a close first half the Knights led by Rutgers commit Paul Mulcahy put on an impressive offensive performance to walk away with a 60-38 victory over No. 17 St. Mary’s (Elizabeth). Mulcahy finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists while Tristian Jeffries had 15 points. GSB will face Montclair Immaculate in the Non-Public North B Semifinals. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the highlights: Ranney 68 Trenton Catholic 54 – Boys Non-Public “B” South 2nd Round Bryan Antoine led four Panthers in double digits with 19 as the Panthers sizzled in the first quarter with seven three-pointers to build a lead they never surrendered. Scottie Lewis scored 17, Phil Wheeler added 16 and Alex Klatsky had four triples for 12. Ranney will host Rutgers Prep on Monday in the sectional semifinals. JSZ has the highlights from Tinton Falls: Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Trenton Catholic is made possible thanks to Princeton Orthopaedic Associates Freehold Township 58 Monroe 47 – Boys Central Jersey Group 4 Semifinal Freehold Township had trouble finding the basket in the first half, but came out in the third quarter with a new defensive gameplan to take down Monroe. Greg Billups led the Patriots with 22 points in the win. Freehold Township will face off against No. 1 seed Trenton in the sectional final. JSZ’s Jay Cook has the highlights from Freehold: Sponsor Shoutout! Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of all Monroe athletics is brought to you by Princeton Orthopaedic Associates. Cherokee 53 Toms River North 47 – Boys South Jersey Group 4 Semifinal Cherokee played a total team game Friday night against Toms River North by playing tough defense and scoring well in transition to get past the Mariners and into the South Jersey Group 4 finale. The Chiefs were led by Damian Smith and Anthony DiCaro in the win, who each scored 13 points. JSZ’s Mike Frankel has all the highlights from Marlton: Sponsor Shoutout! Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of all Toms River North athletics is proudly brought to you by CJA Construction! Lincoln 49 Rumson-Fair Haven 44 – Boys Central Jersey Group 2 Semifinal Donte Darby had 15 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Lions to a win over the defending sectional champ. Darby hauled down two critical rebounds in the final minute and went three of four from the free throw line in that span. Ian O’Connor led all scorers with 26 points for RFH in his final high school game. Lincoln will face Manasquan in the Central Jersey Group 2 final on Monday. JSZ has the highlights and post-game reaction from a wild fourth quarter in Rumson: Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Rumson-Fair Haven is brought to you by Gold Coast Cadillac (1) Middletown South 53 (4) Princeton 31 – Girls Central Jersey Group 4 Semifinal The Middletown South Eagles defeated Princeton in a blowout win on Friday night, advancing to the Central Jersey Group 4 Final. Middletown South’s Kayla Richardson scored the game-high of 17 points. Stephanie Mayerhofer was right behind her with 16 points. The Eagles will take on #1 Marlboro on Mar. 5 for the Final. JSZ’s Madison Bess has the full highlights from Middletown: Sponsors! Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Middletown South is being brought to you by Monmouth Building Center! Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Princeton High School is being brought to you by Princeton Orthopaedic Associates!
Watch Thursday 2.28 JSZ Playoff Basketball Highlights
Jersey Sports Zone is pleased to bring you exciting state playoff basketball coverage from Red Bank Catholic’s 53-52 win over Bishop Air and Red Bank Regional’s 40-30 victory against Steinert! (3) Red Bank Catholic 53 (6) Bishop Air 52 – Non-Public South A Tournament Quarterfinal Red Bank Catholic advanced to the Non-Public South A Semifinals with an exciting 53-52 victory over Bishop Ahr. RBC trailed for three quarters after not being able to match the Trojan’s physical style of play. However thanks to a great push from Notre Dame football commit Kevin Bauman the Caseys were able to fight back from a nine point deficit to take a 41-40 lead heading into the fourth quarter. In the home stretch Bauman, who finished with 21 points continued his impressive scoring performance and Red Bank Catholic was able to hold off Bishop Ahr’s last attempt effort in the closing seconds to hang on for the win. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the highlights: Sponsor! Thank you to Playa Bowls of Red Bank for sponsoring our Red Bank Catholic coverage! 4) Red Bank Regional 40 (5) Steinert 30 – Central Group 3 Tournament Semifinal The Red Bank Regional Bucs are headed to the Semifinals after defeating the Steinert Spartans on Thursday night. The Bucs held a significant lead going into the second half. In the middle of the fourth quarter, the Spartans were behind by just two points after scoring foul shots. Red Bank’s Amelia Mendolla scored two foul shots with just over a minute left in regulation, putting RBR up by four. Those two free throws kept the Bucs ahead for the rest of the game, and the Bucs sealed the deal. RBR’s Meghan Murray scored the game-high 16 points for the Bucs. JSZ’s Madison Bess has the highlights and post-game reactions from Red Bank: Sponsors! Thank you to Ryser’s Landscape Supply for sponsoring Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Red Bank Regional!! Thank you to Princeton Orthopaedic Associates for sponsoring Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Steinert High School!
Sahmir Jones paces Pleasantville into South Jersey Group 2 Semis
The high school basketball state playoffs continued on Wednesday. JSZ’s Mike Frankel brings us highlights from the South Jersey Group 2 bracket and a huge night for Pleasantville’s Sahmir Jones (3) Pleasantville 80 (6) Cinnaminson 68 – South Jersey Group 2 Quarterfinals Sahmir Jones dropped a season high 29 points to pace the Greyhounds to the South Jersey Group 2 Semifinals and a showdown with 2nd seed Camden. JSZ’s Mike Frankel has the highlights from Wednesday night: Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Cinnaminson is made possible thanks to the support of NJM Insurance
Watch JSZ 2.26 Playoff Basketball Highlights
We’re in Day Two of the state playoff tournament and JSZ has plenty of action from up and down the state. Highlights are coming from Carteret’s late come-from-behind win; a battle between all-state scorers Rob Higgins and Daniel Sofield; Colonia advancing with a big double-digit win and the RBC girls advancing thanks to a star freshman. Enjoy all the action! (6) Carteret 55 (11) Parsippany Hills 54 – Boys North 2 Group 3 First Round Carteret held off Parsippany Hills to advance to the second round of the North 2 Group 3 tournament. Despite being down as many as 12, the Ramblers battled back to tie the game and with 5.7 seconds remaining. Senior Tim Ellis then put Carteret ahead on a late free throw to seal the victory. Ellis finished the night with 18 points, six rebounds and two steals. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the highlights: Sponsor! Thank you to Campazino restaurant for sponsoring our Carteret coverage! (4) Colonia 56 (13) Cranford 36 – Boys North 2 Group 3 First Round Chad Baker had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Luke Valeriano scored his 1000th career point on a free throw late in the third quarter as the Patriots used a 20 point 4th quarter to pull away in a first round state playoff win. Colonia will host #5 seed Snyder in the quarterfinals. JSZ has the highlights and post-game reaction from the Patriots 21st victory of the season: (9) Middletown North 47 (8) Jackson Liberty 42 – Boys Central Jersey Group 3 First Round A testy battle between two of the Shore Conference’s most pure scorers did not disappoint, but it was Middletown North’s Rob Higgins getting the upper hand on Jackson Liberty’s Daniel Sofield. Higgins scored a game-high 22 points, but it was his defensive efforts limiting Sofield that stood out most. JSZ’s Jay Cook has all the highlights from Jackson: (7) Red Bank Catholic 62 (10) Camden Catholic 47 – Girls Non-Public South A First Round The Red Bank Catholic Caseys punched their ticket to the quarterfinal of the Non-Public South A Tournament on Tuesday night, defeating the Camden Catholic Fighting Irish. RBC’s freshman standout, Justine Pissott, scored the game-high 19 points. Sophia Sabino and Julia Setaro also scored in the double digits with 11 and 12 points, respectively. RBC will take on St. John Vianney in the quarterfinal on Thursday, Feb. 28. JSZ’s Madison Bess has the highlights from Red Bank: Sponsor! Thank you to Playa Bowls in Red Bank for sponsoring Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Red Bank Catholic! Sponsor! Thank you to NJM Insurance for sponsoring Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Camden Catholic!
Watch JSZ 2.25 Playoff Basketball Highlights
Let’s not forget about playoff basketball, too! Monday marked the first day of opening round games in the state tournament. JSZ has highlights coming from Atlantic City’s win in the South Jersey Group 4 bracket and Holmdel advancing to the Central Jersey Group 2 quarters thanks to a blowout win. Atlantic City 60 Egg Harbor 49 – South Jersey Group 4 Opening Round Zaire Teague led Atlantic City to an opening round playoff win on the road after a 17-point, seven-rebound, six-block performance over Egg Harbor. AC is back on the road again for the quarterfinals where they’ll face off against top-seeded Eastern. JSZ’s Mike Frankel has the highlights: (8) Holmdel 82 (9) South River 48 – Central Jersey Group 2 First Round The Holmdel Hornets dropped 82 points against the South River Rams on Monday night, advancing to the next round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 2 Tournament. The Hornets scored 27 points in the first quarter, putting them ahead by 21 points going into the second. Doug Chan led the Hornets in points, scoring the game-high of 16. Peter Cannizzo was right behind him with 14 points. Derek Chan and Alex Baker also reached the double digits in points, each of them scoring 11. The Hornets will take on No.1 seed Manasquan on Wednesday. JSZ’s Madison Bess has the highlights from Holmdel: Sponsor! Thank you to Campozino Restaurant for sponsoring our coverage of South River!!
Colby Rogers of Roselle Catholic Joins 1,000 Point Club!
Champion, Mc Donald’s All-American nominee and now Roselle Catholic’s Colby Rogers can add 1,000 points to his resume. The 6’4 Georgia native has been a constant contributing member to the reigning tournament of Champion Lions. Earlier this year against Top 10 opponent Gill St. Bernard’s, Rogers dropped 24 points including A pair of clutch free throws with 7. 8 seconds left in the game to help RC come out on top 48-47. In the Union County Tournament Final he reached the 1k club with a jumper to begin the third quarter as Roselle Catholic captured it’s second consecutive UCT Title. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the story:
Watch JSZ 2.23 Basketball County Finals Highlights
Let the high stakes action continue! Saturday was the final day of the county basketball finals and JSZ had cameras all over the state for the action. We’ll have highlights from Ranney’s second-straight Shore Conference Tournament win, Roselle Catholic defending their Union County crown against Patrick School, East Side nabbing its third consecutive ECT win in a nail biter, the West Orange girls capturing their first ever Essex County title and Ocean City’s late push to win a Cape Atlantic League title. Stay tuned throughout the night for the highlights! Ranney 70 Manasquan 60 – Shore Conference Tournament Boys Final Scottie Lewis delivered a 27 point, 10 rebounds, 5 steal, 4 blocked shot night that featured a 360 dunk as Ranney successfully defended its Shore Conference title. Manasquan’s Brad McCabe had a sensational 33 point effort featuring 9 of 10 shooting from beyond the arc. The Warriors kept the game close for the entire four quarters, but Ranney got a huge second half spark from Ahmadu Sarnor (16 of his 18 in the 2nd half) and Bryan Antoine added 17 in the victory. JSZ has all the big moments and post-game reaction from Monmouth University: Roselle Catholic 71 The Patrick School 66 – Union County Tournament Final For a second straight year the current No. 2 team in the NJ Top 20, Roselle Catholic took home a Union County Tournament Championship with a win over rival The Patrick School. After a slow first half the Lions were able to come alive in the third quarter thanks to some outstanding play from UNLV commit Josh Pierre-Louis to take a 44-40 lead entering the fourth. Despite being held to just five points, future University of Kentucky Wildcat Kahlil Whitney scored 11 in the fourth quarter to win MVP honors. It’s the Lions second overall UCT Title and to make things better Senior Colby Rogers scored his 1,000th point. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the highlights: Newark East Side 69 Montclair Immaculate 66 – Essex County Tournament Boys Final Anas Amos has been the unquestioned leader of East Side basketball, and the senior point guard notched a pair of big accomplishments Saturday has he won his 100th career game and East Side captured its third-consecutive Essex County title in a nail biting win against Montclair Immaculate. Nasir Johnson scored a team-high 23 points in the win. JSZ’s Jay Cook has the highlights from Essex County College: (3) Manchester Township 58 (1) Saint John Vianney 42 – Shore Conference Tournament Girls Final Sophomore Destiny Adams had 19 points and 10 rebounds to earn MVP honors as the Hawks won their first ever Shore Conference girls basketball championship. Manchester broke open a 35-33 third quarter lead with an 11-0 run to start the fourth. Leilani Correa was a big catalyst in the final eight minutes as she finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Dakota Adams added 12 points as the Hawks won their 17th straight game. Watch the highlights and post-game reaction from Monmouth University: (3) West Orange 36 (5) Montclair Immaculate 25 – Essex County Tournament Girls Final The West Orange Mountaineers defeated the Montclair Immaculate Lions on at Essex County College on Saturday afternoon, winning their first ever county title. Both teams started off slow, but two of West Orange’s players ended up scoring in the double digits. Freshman Kiley Capstraw led the team, scoring the game-high 18 points. Penn State commit, Mya Bembry, walked away with a double-double: 11 points and 11 rebounds. JSZ’s Madison Bess has the highlights from Newark: Ocean City 39 Middle Township 33 – Cape Atlantic League Girls Final Despite only scoring four points, it was Tori Rolls’ defensive prowess that made Ocean City six-time CAL champs. Rolls had a steal and breakaway layup late in the fourth quarter to secure the win. Danielle Donoghue led the Red Raiders with 12 points. JSZ’s Mike Frankel has the highlights from Stockton University: