Shore Conference Playoffs

Pod A

Semifinals

(3) Marlboro 71, (2) Ranney 65Watch

Junior Jon Spatola scored 21 of his game-high 27 points in the second half and the Mustangs (9-3) stunned the previously-unbeaten Panthers (8-1) – ranked No. 8 in the state – to reach the unofficial Shore Conference championship game Friday at top-seeded Manasquan.

After trailing by six at halftime, Marlboro outscored Ranney, 22-9, in the third quarter, with Spatola leading the run with nine points. The 5-foot-8 junior also shot 10-for-10 from the free-throw line – all in the second half – and face-guarded Ranney’s standout sophomore Isaac Hester throughout the second half as well.

Junior Jack Seidler added 18 points to go with six rebounds for Marlboro and junior Jay Ratner added nine points and seven boards for the Mustangs.

Junior Elijah Perkins led Ranney with 21 points and Hester finished with 17 points and four assists for the Panthers, which closed the first half on a 13-2 run to take the 33-27 lead into the break. Ranney trailed by as many as 15 in the fourth quarter and chopped the deficit all the way down to three when Hester nailed a long three-pointer off a long rebound with 21 seconds to go.

Spatola, however, countered with two free throws and junior Zach Molod finished off the win by hitting one of two.

Senior Kyle Rhoden added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Ranney, which will host No. 4 CBA in Friday’s third-place game.

(1) Manasquan 45, (4) CBA 35Watch on SSN

Junior Ben Roy and senior Jack Collins came alive in the second half on offense and the Warriors (11-0) rallied from an eight-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Colts (9-4) and advance to Friday’s Shore Conference championship.

Manasquan will host No. 3 Marlboro in the Pod A championship game.

Roy scored 11 of his game-high 16 points in the second half and Collins poured in all 12 of his points after halftime, at which point CBA led Manasquan, 20-15. Roy also grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists, while Collins pulled in nine rebounds.

Senior Casey Mulligan scored six of his eight points in the first half to help the Warriors survive a rough offensive start and also handed out three assists. Senior Connor Walsh also contributed seven points and nine rebounds in the win.

Senior Colin Farrell led CBA with 13 points while senior Dane Moran contributed nine on three first-half three-pointers. Junior Pat Lautato also netted eight points for the Colts, who will travel to Ranney Friday for the third-place game.

 

Consolation

(5) Red Bank Catholic 48, (8) Neptune 46Watch ($)

Junior C.J. Ruoff scored 17 points – including the go-ahead three-point play with 40 seconds left – and the Caseys (10-1) survived a tight game against the Scarlet Fliers (2-7) and a shooting clinic by Andre Harris to reach the fifth-place game Friday against No. 6 Holmdel.

Harris led all scorers with 24 points on the strength of eight three-pointers for Neptune, which will travel to Southern for the seventh-place game in Pod A. Harris hit a go-ahead three with 1:25 remaining and his potential game-winning three-point attempt at the buzzer rimmed out.

Junior Cyril Arvanitis hit three three-pointers for nine points and freshman Gio Panzini added eight off the bench for Red Bank Catholic.

(6) Holmdel 58, (7) Southern 45Watch

Senior Alex Baker scored a game-high 24 points and the Hornets (8-2) held off the Rams (10-3) to move on to Friday’s fifth-place game at No. 5 Red Bank Catholic.

Senior Ryan Bradley added 15 points and senior Kyle Polivka chipped in 10 for Holmdel.

Junior Nick Devane led Southern with 15 points and four assists while senior Jay Silva added 14 points in the loss. Southern will host No. 8 Neptune in Friday’s seventh-place game in Pod A.

 

Pod B

Semifinals

(2) Wall 75, (3) Toms River North 43Watch ($)

Senior Pat Lacey led four Wall players in double-figures with 18 points and the Crimson Knights (7-7) handled the Mariners (10-4) to reach the .500 mark for the first time this season and advance to Friday’s Pod B Final in Wall.

Senior Tom Palluzzi added 16 points and seven rebounds, junior Colin Ackerman put up 14 points, five assists and three steals and senior Logan Peters pitched in 11 points, 13 rebounds and four steals for Wall.

(4) Rumson-Fair Haven 66, (8) Howell 44Watch ($)

Junior Geoff Schroeder scored 26 points and the Bulldogs (8-4) blew the game open in the third quarter to run away with a win over the Rebels (8-5). Rumson advances to Friday’s Pod B championship game at Wall.

Junior Scott Gyimesi added 15 points and 10 rebounds and senior Robbie Sypek threw in nine points. Senior Jackson Patton also ran the point with eight assists and five steals for Rumson.

 

Consolation

(7) Central 60, (6) Barnegat 58Watch

Junior Justin Soranno scored 20 points and grabbed 15 boards as the Golden Eagles (8-3) nipped the Bengals (9-5) to reach the Pod B fifth-place game on Friday.

Freshman Miles Chevalier added 11 points and senior Marvin Goodwine poured in 10 for Central, which took control of the game with a 24-9 second quarter and held on as Barnegat chipped away during the fourth.

Senior Jaxon Baker led Barnegat with 19 points while seniors Tyler Quinn (12), Andrew Vernieri (11) and Jared Krey (10) each reached double-figure scoring as well in the loss.

(1) Manchester 60, (5) Mater Dei Prep 53Watch

Junior Savon Myers scored 20 points and grabbed 17 rebounds and the Hawks (9-3) topped the Seraphs (6-5) to reach Friday’s Pod B fifth-place game against No. 7 Central.

Junior D’Maari Brown added 14 points and senior Josh Glenn chipped in 12 for Manchester.

Junior Anthony Tancredi led Mater Dei with a game-high 23 points and junior Gerard Novello chipped in 13 in the loss. The Seraphs will host Barnegat in the seventh place game in Pod B on Friday.

 

Pod C

Semifinals

(1) Matawan 53, (5) Colts Neck 50Watch ($)

Senior Andre Wells scored 19 points to go with six rebounds and six assists as the Huskies (8-5) held off the Cougars (5-8) to win the rubber match in the season series while also reaching the Pod C championship game Friday vs. Middletown North in Matawan.

Sophomore Colin Haluska and senior Ian Richardson each added 12 points for Matawan, with Richard
son also grabbing eight rebounds.

Senior Richie Lee scored 15 points and senior Steve Ciccarone added 10 for Colts Neck, which will host No. 7 Jackson Liberty in Friday’s Pod C third-place game.

(3) Middletown North 54, (7) Jackson Liberty 49Watch ($)

Senior Vinny Pennino scored 17 of his game-high 19 points in the first half to continue his recent hot streak and Middletown North (8-6) held off Jackson Liberty (7-6) in a battle of the Lions.

Junior Tommy Giannone added 13 points for Middletown North, which will play a rubber match against Matawan in Friday’s Pod C championship after the two teams split the regular-season series during the first week of the season.

Junior Phanique Dupree led Jackson Liberty with 18 points and senior Jayden Ramirez added 13 in the loss. Jackson Liberty will travel to Colts Neck for the third-place game on Friday.

 

Consolation

(8) Donovan Catholic 64, (4) Lacey 56Watch

(6) Keyport at (2) St. John Vianney, 5:30 p.m. – Canceled

 

Pod D

Semifinals

(8) Freehold Boro 48, (4) St. Rose 43Watch ($)

Senior Mike Sikaras scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds and the Colonials (7-6) avenged a heartbreaking loss to St. Rose eight days prior by beating the Purple Roses (2-7) on Wednesday.

Freehold Boro advances to the Pod D final as the No. 8 seed to face No. 2 Manalapan on Friday.

Senior Jiasion Carpenter added 10 points and freshman Christian DiGiso scored all nine of his points in the fourth quarter for Freehold Boro.

Senior Frank DiNatale scored 15 points and classmate Tom Turnbach added 13 for St. Rose, which will host Point Boro in the Pod D third-place game.

(2) Manalapan 57, (6) Point Boro 52Watch

Junior Mike Bimonte scored 19 points and senior Chris Frontera threw in 18 to lead the Braves (5-6) past the Panthers (4-7) and into the Pod D final Friday against Freehold Boro.

Junior Matt Lee led Point Boro with 18 points and junior Kai Messeroll added 10 for the Panthers, which will travel to play St. Rose in Friday’s third-place game.

 

Consolation

(7) Monmouth 43, (3) Ocean 39Watch

Senior Kiran Desai scored 17 points and classmate A.J. Po added 14 as the Falcons (5-7) took the rubber match with the Spartans (7-7) after splitting the season series. Monmouth will host Red Bank in Friday’s fifth-place game in Pod D.

(1) Red Bank 42, (5) Raritan 39Watch

Junior Pat Murray led a balance scoring effort with 12 points and the Bucs (3-8) topped the Rockets (7-6) to reach the fifth-place game Friday against Monmouth.

Senior Enoch Hutchinson added 11 points and senior Bodhi Martin pitched in 10 for Red Bank.

Junior Justin Rivera led Raritan with 15 points and sophomore Jack O’Leary added 13 in the loss. Raritan will square off against Ocean in the Pod D seventh-place game.

 

Pod E

Brick 55, Pinelands 53Watch

Senior Ty Williams scored 17 points and sophomore Alex Jenkoski added 15 to lead the Green Dragons (6-5) over the Wildcats (3-10).

Senior Josh Kline led Pinelands with a game-high 28 points.

Jackson Memorial 60, Toms River East 37Watch

Sophomore Samir Padilla led three Jackson players in double-figures with 13 points and the Jaguars (3-6) rolled through the Raiders (1-13).

Sophomore Respect Tyleek added 12 points and junior Steve Bado chipped in 10 for Jackson Memorial.

Sophomore Dylan Russell led Toms River East with nine points.

Brick Memorial 53, Toms River South 40Watch

Sophomore Josh Michigan scored 13 points and the Mustangs (7-7) rode past the Indians (3-11). Senior Hayden Guzenski added 11 points and junior Jason Ellerbrock and sophomore Dorian Alston each chipped in nine for Brick Memorial.

Senior Gerry Ferrigno led Toms River South with 13 points and 18 rebounds, while junior Gavin Migliori added 11 in the loss.

 

Pod F

Long Branch 48, Shore 47Watch ($)

Asbury Park 54, Keansburg 38Watch

Sophomore Sha’Born Goodman scored 19 points and the Blue Bishops (6-7) beat the Titans (3-10) for the third time this season.

Senior Davon Jackson scored 11 points and sophomore Mike Alonzo added 10 to lead Keansburg.

 

By Harriet