Shore Sports Insider Boys Basketball Top 10 — Week 5
Sponsored by Atlantic Physical Therapy Center
It is the ultimate week of January and the No. 1 workforce within the Shore Conference has not modified because the preseason rankings dropped on the morning of the primary recreation on the convention. That reality doesn’t do justice to how shut Christian Brothers Academy has are available in latest weeks to dropping a recreation and, doubtlessly, its spot at No. 1 — even when the Colts stay the consensus favourite for the Shore Conference Tournament, which begins two weeks from Tuesday. What was as soon as a convention that could possibly be described as “CBA and everybody else” can now be described as “CBA, then Wall, then everybody else” and we’re a pair bounces of the ball away from CBA and Wall, then everyone else.
As for the “everybody else” half, the free-for-all has solely intensified because the begin of the season, with groups all through the highest 20 or so beating each other and taking part in aggressive video games. Wall has remained above the fray thus far, which suggests until the Crimson Knights wrestle over the following two weeks, the competitors because it pertains to the Shore Conference Tournament will probably be most heated for the No. 3 spot.
1. Christian Brothers Academy (14-3, 6-0) Last Week: 1
Following a scare vs. Red Bank Catholic on Jan. 17, CBA confronted one other problem from a Shore Conference workforce on Tuesday, when Manasquan reduce a 17-point deficit to 1 within the last three minutes earlier than CBA finally pulled out a 50-46 win. Following a win over Holmdel, the Colts then ended their week with a loss to Gill St. Bernard’s, however they nonetheless got here out of the week with a slight edge over Wall for the highest power-point mark within the Shore Conference. As CBA tries to rediscover its kind, it’s going to sort out St. Rose, Rumson-Fair Haven and Middle Township at Stockton within the Metro Classic this week.
2. Wall (13-0, 6-0) Last Week: 2
In beating Howell for a second time this season Thursday, Wall took a large step towards profitable the Class A Central division. The Crimson Knights maintain a two-game lead over the second-place Rebels and can enter the ultimate week of January because the final remaining undefeated workforce within the Shore Conference. If Wall is to move into February nonetheless good, it should deal with its enterprise on the highway vs. each St. John Vianney and Middletown South.
Red Bank Catholic junior Gavin Biasi defended by Rumson-Fair Haven freshman Clint Martin. (Photo: Patrick Olivero)
3. Red Bank Catholic (12-4, 5-1) Last Week: 4
This is the place it will get difficult. For the primary time this season, RBC has a loss in opposition to a workforce ranked decrease within the high 10. Marlboro knocked off the Caseys in a well-played, tightly-contested, time beyond regulation recreation that earned the Mustangs a season break up with RBC to go along with a one-point victory for RBC in its health club earlier this month. The different loss is to Rumson, which has occupied both the No. 2 or No. 3 spot all season, however RBC’s consistency – together with a near-upset of CBA – offers the Caseys a bump ahead regardless of struggling a loss this season. Games in opposition to Ranney and Colts Neck will seemingly maintain RBC’s division-championship destiny in Class B North and the primary of these video games comes Tuesday vs. Ranney.
4. Marlboro (12-3, 4-2) Last Week: 8
The Mustangs stampede into the highest 5 this week on the heels of its time beyond regulation win over Red Bank Catholic, which is a part of a 7-1 stretch that features solely a five-point highway loss to Colts Neck. That loss to the unranked Cougars is what’s maintaining Marlboro from the No. 3 spot in the meanwhile, nevertheless it was not sufficient to maintain the Mustangs behind Howell – one other workforce with which they break up a two-game set. One admirable trait of Marlboro thus far is the Mustangs haven’t misplaced a recreation by greater than 5 factors, with shut losses to RBC and Howell to go along with the Colts Neck loss. Winning a share of Class B North would require some assist, plus the rematch with Colts Neck is arising on Friday.
Marlboro senior Ajay Mathews drives in opposition to Middletown South senior Beckett Oliver. (Photo: Patrick Olivero)
5. Howell (11-3, 4-2) Last Week: 5
If high quality losses are a deciding consider rating groups two-through-six, Howell has the strongest case to be No. 3. The Rebels misplaced a four-point recreation to Marlboro of their opener and their solely two losses since are to undefeated Wall. Where Howell comes up brief vs. Marlboro is these two losses to Wall had been by a median of 20 factors and Howell’s subsequent greatest win throughout the Shore Conference (apart from in opposition to Marlboro) is in opposition to Freehold Township. A win over East Brunswick (15-3) is a few severe ammo to maneuver as much as No. 3 as properly, however the potential of RBC and Marlboro to remain shut vs. every opponent offers each a slight edge over Howell in the meanwhile.
6. Rumson-Fair Haven (13-4, 4-2) Last Week: 3
The solely workforce forward of Rumson within the Top 10 that has overwhelmed the Bulldogs is CBA, which the Colts did by a rating of 79-48 whereas Luke Cruz was out for RFH. Rumson even has a win over a workforce within the high 5, with a highway win over Red Bank Catholic in December – additionally with out Luke Cruz. Consistency, nonetheless, has been a problem for RFH and well being has performed an enormous a part of that. Rumson has a 14-point loss to unranked Middletown South through which the Bulldogs had been weighed down by damage or sickness to 4 deliberate starters, though the latest loss at Red Bank (7-10) got here with everybody however senior Drew Cavise again within the beginning 5. An impressed bounceback efficiency vs. Union Catholic on Saturday regarded like a Rumson workforce that would problem CBA or Wall for a championship, which performs into the query of consistency heading into the final week of January.
7. Jackson (10-4, 4-1) Last Week: Not ranked
After a pair weeks on the skin, Jackson is again within the high 10 after two big Class A South victories over Central and Southern. The Jaguars got here again from a 12-point third-quarter deficit by dominating Central within the third quarter throughout a 58-48 win on the highway, then pulled away to beat Southern, 64-40, at house. With two wins over Manasquan, Jackson jumps the Warriors for the No. 7 spot and whereas a 24-point loss to Freehold Township is justification for a decrease rating, Manasquan additionally beat Freehold Township on the highway by 13. Jackson’s shortcoming this 12 months is when the Jaguars have misplaced, they’ve misplaced huge, with a median margin of 24.5 of their 4 losses – the closest of which was a 16-point loss at Southern.
Jackson senior Jimmy Pappalardo shoots over Manasquan senior Jack O’Reilly. (Photo: Patrick Olivero)
8. Manasquan (8-6, 4-2) Last Week: 6
Since dropping a second recreation to Jackson in its last recreation of 2025, Manasquan is 6-2 with its two losses coming in opposition to Rumson and CBA. The Warriors had no solutions for a motivated Rumson squad on Jan. 15, however responded with a significant upset bid vs. CBA 5 days later. CBA led that recreation by 17 with 10:30 to play and Manasquan reduce that result in one earlier than the three-minute mark of the fourth quarter and misplaced, 50-46. When Manasquan finds its rhythm on offense, it can provide simply any Shore workforce a severe problem, as a result of the protection has been dependable all year long, together with in wins over Point Beach, Freehold Township and Holmdel. The public division championship in Class A North continues to be on the desk if Manasquan can full season sweeps of each Red Bank and Holmdel this week.
9. Point Pleasant Beach (14-3, 5-1) Last Week: 7
A loss to Brick Memorial put Point Beach’s spot within the high 10 in peril, however the Garnet Gulls nonetheless have a solid-enough résumé. They had already overwhelmed Brick Memorial twice previous to final week’s loss, which snapped a nine-game profitable streak and was adopted by a simple win over New Providence. Point Beach’s different two losses are in time beyond regulation to Manasquan and by 5 factors to Red Bank Catholic and whereas the Garnet Gulls don’t at present personal a win over one other Top 10 workforce, they’ve the 2 wins over Brick Memorial, plus one every vs. Point Boro, Central and Toms River East that may be thought-about robust outcomes. The week forward will function three rematches, with Point Beach slated for house video games vs. Point Boro and Toms River East, adopted by a Saturday journey to No. 3 Red Bank Catholic.
10. Freehold Township (9-6, 3-3) Last Week: 9
The No. 10 spot comes down to 5 groups, with Holmdel, Central, Ranney and Colts Neck additionally boasting cheap circumstances to be included this week. With head-to-head wins over Holmdel and Central in December, Freehold Township is hanging on to its Top 10 spot by the slimmest of margins after dropping by 16 to Middletown South final week. The different losses are all to ranked groups (Wall twice, Howell, Manasquan and Red Bank Catholic) and Freehold Township additionally owns a decisive win over Jackson. The Patriots are additionally nonetheless getting wholesome, with junior level guard Cole Gerigk returning to the lineup after lacking three weeks with a damaged nostril. That will come in useful throughout an upcoming stretch that features Howell, St. John Vianney, Wall and Middletown South earlier than the Shore Conference Tournament.
Dropped Out
Central (11-5, 4-1) Last Week: 10 – Following an in depth name vs. Toms River North on Jan. 17, Central obtained picked off by Jackson earlier than bouncing again to win three straight vs. groups with dropping information.
The Next 10
Holmdel (7-5, 2-4) – If not for a head-to-head loss to Freehold Township, Holmdel can be again within the Top 10 this week due to its respectable report vs. a loaded schedule.
Ranney (7-7, 3-3) – At the chance of sounding like damaged report, if not for a loss to Holmdel, Ranney might need the strongest case to be the No. 10 workforce this week due to wins over Colts Neck and Middletown South
Colts Neck (9-5, 4-2) – The Cougars are seemingly the No. 10 workforce this week if not for a loss to Ocean on Saturday, which joins a listing of losses to unranked opponents (Red Bank, Toms River East, Colts Neck) that’s maintaining the Cougars out.
Brick Memorial (10-7, 3-3) – A 20-point win over Middletown South and a highway win over Point Beach are a part of a 5-1 stretch for Brick Memorial that has the Mustangs wanting like an SCT darkish horse if the draw just isn’t too daunting.
Red Bank (7-10, 2-4) – With 10 losses, it’s onerous to make a case for Red Bank as a Top 10 workforce, however a win over Rumson to go along with a win over Colts Neck and shut losses to RBC, Jackson and Marlboro make it value a dialog.
Middletown South (10-6, 4-2) – It shouldn’t come as a significant shock that consistency has been a problem for a workforce that depends closely on two freshmen. In a span of eight days, the Eagles misplaced by 20 to Brick Memorial, beat Freehold Township by 16 and misplaced by 22 to Holmdel.
Ocean (10-7, 5-1) – If not for a house loss to Matawan, Ocean can be heading into this week with a severe case to be ranked and at the same time as is, the Spartans are beginning to look the half following Saturday’s win over Colts Neck.
Southern (8-7, 3-2) – While they don’t have any actual marquee wins, the Rams additionally don’t have any unhealthy losses, however they do have some ugly ones, together with Friday’s 24-point loss at Jackson to go along with double-digit losses to Central and Colts Neck.
Monmouth (9-5, 3-2) – Last week was the hardest of the season for Monmouth, which earned a troublesome win over Shore, adopted by aggressive losses to Ocean and No. 5 Howell.
Point Pleasant Boro (9-6, 4-2) – After giving Hudson Catholic a scare on Jan. 17, Point Boro had bother with a pair of Toms River workforce, barely slipping previous Toms River South and dropping a decent recreation to Toms River North.