2025 JSBL Team Previews

Shore Sports Insider|June 23, 2025|Last Updated July 1, 2025

The Jersey Shore Basketball League is set to tip-off its 57th season this Tuesday, June 24th with a double-header at Manasquan High School beginning at 7 p.m. with RKE Athletic taking on the WCT Warriors followed by Ortho-NJ facing off with 3-time defending champion Sterns Trailer. Due to the presence of active Division 1 players, admission is free all season.

We have analyzed each team’s roster for the 2025 season and ranked the teams from first to last. It is important to note that players are not contractually obligated to play in the JSBL and are there by choice. This means that on any given night you never know for sure who will or will not be in uniform. Our predictions operate under the assumption that the rosters below wind up being close to accurate come playoff time.

In predicted order of finish

1. Sea View Jeep

The Jeep Store’s 2024 season came to a brutal end as the team was derailed by injuries to Chris Brady and Elijah Barnes as well as an unfortunate postponement of the championship game (due to heavy flooding in the area) that caused perennial star Justin Robinson to miss the make-up date due to obligations forcing him to report to his professional team in Europe. The good news for Sea View Jeep is that Robinson, Xander Rice, Brady, and a strong group of regulars are expected to be back along with three potential massive additions.

Robinson has been the face of the JSBL during the modern era. He holds the two highest scoring average seasons in league history including in 2022 when he averaged 48.8 points per game during the regular season. “Scoop” initially broke the league scoring record in 2019 when he averaged 43.8 points per game to surpass legendary ABA/Duke Blue Devil Bob Verga’s 42.31 point per game average from back in 1972. Robinson showed no signs of slowing down last season as he earned another 1st Team All-JSBL honor.

Xander Rice parlayed his star-studded season at Monmouth with a professional contract overseas in the Greece Elite League where he played for Papagou and excelled averaging over 15 points per game. The Sea View Jeep back court has become a 1A and 1B type of situation between the two weapons.

Many consider Sea View Jeep’s front court to be among the best in the league consisting of accomplished players such as Chris Brady, Alihan Demir, Max Mahoney, and Tyrone O’Garro. The addition of Josh Cohen only amplifies the already strong group. Cohen, a CBA alumni, finished his very successful college career at USC where he started 25 games. His offensive role diminished somewhat in the Big Ten, but the former NEC Player of the Year will be a problem for defenders in this league.

Scottie Lewis suited up in the JSBL twice, both times in 2018 when he was still in high school at Ranney. There have been whispers of his return the last two years after recovering from a significant lower leg fracture in 2022. Lewis’ presence on the wing would create issues for defenses already attempting to deal with the Jeep Store’s loaded back court and deep front court. Lewis led Ranney to a state championship and helped them become the only Shore Conference team in history to win the now defunct Tournament of Champions in 2019.

Jesse Jones in penciled in to make a return for the first time in 2 years. The viral social media influencer known for the “Filayyyy Movement” has proven to be far more than just an influencer as he averaged 34 points per game in the league a few years ago.

The Jeep Store is hoping to have the full services of CBA alumni Roy Mabrey, one of the longest tenured players in the league and one of only two active players that appeared on the JSBL’s 55th Anniversary Team along with teammate Justin Robinson. Now in his 30’s, Mabrey proved he still had it when he provided a jolt in the playoffs last season helping to guide Sea View Jeep to the finals. Mabrey made his mark on the Shore Conference back in the late 2000’s winning 2 Shore Conference Tournament Championships with the Colts.

Sea View Jeep at a Glance

Head Coach: Tyler Schmelz
Franchise Origin: 1986
Championships: 6
Past NBA Players: John Celestand, Luis Flores, Steve Goodrich, Dahntay Jones, Kenny Payne, Tim Perry, Chris Smith

Projected Returners (2024 All-JSBL Selections in Bold)

Justin Robinson, 5’8, Guard (Monmouth)

Xander Rice, 6’3, Guard (Monmouth)

Chris Brady, 6’10, Center (Monmouth)

Colin Cavanaugh, 5’10, Guard (Wilkes)

Alihan Demir, 6’9, Forward (Minnesota)

Roy Mabrey, 6’2, Guard (Saint Anselm)

Max Mahoney, 6’8, Forward (Boston U)

Tyrone O’Garro, 6’6, Forward (Fairleigh Dickinson)

CJ Ruoff, 6’3, Guard (Catholic)

Collin Stewart, 6’7, Forward (Monmouth)

Projected Additions

Josh Cohen, 6’10, Forward (USC)

Jesse Jones, 6’0, Guard (Bridgeport)

Scottie Lewis, 6’5, Guard (NBA/Florida)

2. Sterns Trailer

We could be making a mistake betting against the back-to-back-to-back champions. Sterns Trailer has dominated the league since it moved to Manasquan High School beginning with a championship in 2022, the 3rd undefeated season in league history in 2023, and another championship in 2024.

Sterns managed to keep the dynasty going last season despite not having former stars Myles Cale (Seton Hall) and Shavar Reynolds (Monmouth) in part due to the arrival of David “Diggy” Coit who instantly became a fan favorite as an elite scorer in the league. Coit was available last season since he was in the transfer portal weighing his future. He wound up playing at Kansas in what was expected to be his final season, but he has since received a waiver for an extra season of college eligibility. Coit will play his final season at Maryland which will likely put 2025 JSBL appearances on hold barring the possibility of an off week during the summer.

The question for Sterns Trailer is who will emerge as the primary option? Jakari Spence is expected to return after being unavailable last summer due to his transfer from Monmouth to Jacksonville. Spence will be an immediate candidate to be the go-to-guy after a solid season at Jacksonville. His clutch plays in the 2023 championship game, enabled Sterns to repeat.

The longest tenured Sterns Trailer player is Larry Smith, a Matawan High School alumni. Smith is the only player to have been apart of all 3 of Sterns’ championship teams during their run.

Kevin Mateo was one of the breakout stars of the league last season. Mateo led Brookdale to a national championship in 2023. He played professionally in the Dominican Republic this past winter.

Alongside Coit, Parker Dortch was one of the biggest pick-ups in the league last season. The ultimate team player, Dortch contributed in every phase of the game which ultimately led to winning. He played with the Jersey Shore Breaks this season. Another big pick-up last season was Jalen Gaffney who was a key player on Florida Atlantic’s 2023 Final Four team.

The addition of Christian Lyons should be an exciting one. Lyons is a human highlight reel who had some of the most impressive dunks in the league while playing for Larson Ford last summer. Like Dortch, Lyons also played for the Jersey Shore Breaks.

Sterns Trailer at a Glance

Head Coach: Christine Hatfield
Franchise Origin: 1989
Championships: 5
Past NBA Players: Anthony Bonner, Lloyd Daniels, Darryl Dawkins, Quincy Douby, Francisco Garcia, Tate George, Al Harrington, Jared Rhoden

Projected Returners (2024 All-JSBL Selections in Bold)

Kevin Mateo, 6’0, Guard (Brookdale)

Parker Dortch, 6’7, Forward (Anderson)

Kessly Felizor, 6’7, Forward (New Haven)

Alanzo Frink, 6’9, Forward (East Carolina)

Jalen Gaffney, 6’3, Guard (Florida Atlantic)

Anthony Selby, 6’5, Forward (Kutztown)

Larry Smith, 6’1, Guard

Rob Ukawuba, 6’4, Guard (NJIT)

Projected Additions

Peter DaCruz, 6’9, Forward (Connors State)

Christian Lyons, 6’6, Forward (Gloucester)

Rasheen Merlin, 6’9, Forward (Winston-Salem State)

Jakari Spence, 6’0, Guard (Jacksonville)

Derrick Woods, 6’8, Forward (Saint Peter’s)

3. RKE Athletic

RKE Athletic’s resurgence in 2024 caught the entire league by surprise. The 1980’s/1990’s power known for significant NBA talent won their first regular season title since returning to the league in 2019 after a 17 year hiatus. Unlike the star studded teams of the past, this RKE team featured no NBA players. They found success with the most impressive ball movement in the league and high percentage three point shooting.

RKE Athletic was dealt a massive blow this year when star point guard Sidney Brown suffered a severe injury in a car accident on April 12th. The injury resulted in Brown’s leg being amputated which sadly ended his promising professional basketball career overseas. Brown was one of the most exciting players in the league last summer and it carried over to Germany where he scored 48 points in the league championship. Brown’s meteoric rise at the JSBL is all the more impressive when you consider that the 5’10 guard from little-known Division 3 Albright College drove roughly 80 miles from Sicklerville down in South Jersey to Manasquan several times a week during the season to play against professional and Division 1 competition. A GoFundMe was created by the the Brown family to help aid in his recovery.

Kyle Cardaci emerged as the top three point shooter in the JSBL last season. Cardaci, a Mater Dei Prep alumni, was the MVP of the JSBL’s first ever in-season tournament known as “Art Stock’s Royal Rumble.” Cardaci starred at Mater Dei Prep where he helped lead them to a Shore Conference Tournament Championship before going on to play at several colleges including Coppin State and Saint Peter’s.

Monmouth’s soon-to-be 4 year starter Jack Collins, a Manasquan alumni, has become one of the best all-around players in the league. Collins is consistently near the top of the leader boards in rebounds, assists, and defensive categories. Collins led Manasquan to their only undefeated season in school history in the Covid-shortened 2020-2021 season. He was also a key player on the 2019-2020 season that was canceled just before the Group 2 Semifinal game against Camden was played.

Ithiel Horton became one of the most consistent scorers in the league last season. Horton finished his college career at Texas before playing on the G-League’s Grand Rapids Gold this past season.

RKE expects to have Nico Galette back in uniform full time after he was on campus at Youngstown State last summer. Galette was one of the better players in 2023. He earned All-Horizon honors in his final season of college basketball. Front court duo AJ Sumbry and Shack Scott provided a strong interior presence last season. The pair were teammates at Wagner.

The lone new addition this season is Peter Gorman, a Mater Dei Prep alumni. Gorman was the NJAC Player of the Year this past season at Ramapo.

RKE Athletic at a Glance

Head Coach: Sean Gallagher
Franchise Origin: 1982 (Left in 2002, returned in 2019)
Championships: 5
Past NBA Players: Rafer Alston, Alex Blackwell, Mark Blount, Jim Bostic, Rick Brunson, Marty Conlon, Omar Cook, John Crotty, Terry Dehere, Billy Donovan, Sean Green, Marc Jackson, Eddie Jones, Matt Maloney, Anthony Mason, Ron Moore, Jerry Reynolds, Malik Rose, Scott Skiles, J.R. Smith, Rik Smits, Terence Stansbury, Bryan Warrick

Projected Returners (2024 All-JSBL Selections in Bold)

Kyle Cardaci, 6’2, Guard (Saint Peter’s)

Jack Collins, 6’5, Guard (Monmouth)

Ithiel Horton, 6’5, Guard (Texas)

Ty Armstrong, 6’2, Guard (East Central)

Nick Davidson, 6’6, Forward (Bloomfield)

Nico Galette, 6’6, Guard (Youngstown State)

Dane Moran, 6’9, Forward (Trinity)

Shack Scott, 6’6, Forward (Wagner)

Dan Singleton, 6’4, Guard (Montclair State)

AJ Sumbry, 6’8, Forward (Wagner)

Projected Additions

Peter Gorman, 6’0, Guard (Ramapo)

4. Ortho-NJ

2024 marked the first year since Ortho-NJ’s arrival in 2018 that the team did not make it to the championship game. Ortho-NJ is expected to blend returning talent alongside some well-known new faces in an attempt to get back towards the top of the league’s hierarchy.

Denzel “Deuce” Mensah is expected to return. Mensah is one of the strongest players in the league and is known for converting field goals at an astronomical rate. He converted on 70.2% of his field goal attempts last summer as a 6’3 guard. Mensah is also well-known for his 2021-2022 professional season overseas when he averaged 44.9 points per game as the FIBA Certified World Leading Scorer.

George Papas and Louie Pillari have been stalwarts for Ortho-NJ for many summers now. Papas was again 1st-Team All-JSBL last season as one of the top scorers and passers in the league. He is playing professionally in Greece after a productive career at Monmouth.

Mike Aaman returns as the greatest rebounder in the league’s modern era. Aaman played his college ball at Wagner after a tremendous Shore Conference career at Raritan where he led them to a Shore Conference Tournament Championship in 2011.

Daryl Banks and Doug Edert are two huge additions that know a thing or two about winning. They were major contributors during Saint Peter’s legendary Elite Eight run in 2022. Banks finished his college career at St. Bonaventure and played in Portugal this past season. Edert finished his college career at Bryant.

Kavion McClain is expected to be one of Monmouth’s newest players to participate in the JSBL. The Hawks’ transfer point guard earned All-SWAC honors last season at Texas Southern and should add even more firepower to Ortho-NJ.

Jaycen Santucci, a Shore Sports Insider 2025 1st Team All-Shore selection from Central, will make his debut in the legendary pro-am. Santucci will take his talents to Georgian Court next season.

Ortho-NJ at a Glance

Head Coach: Jon Kaminski
Franchise Origin: 2018
Championships: 1
Past NBA Players: Scottie Lewis

Projected Returners (2024 All-JSBL Selections in Bold)

Denzel Mensah, 6’3, Guard (Penn State Wilkes-Barre)

George Papas, 6’5, Guard (Monmouth)

Mike Aaman, 6’8, Center, (Wagner)

Tommy Conniff, 6’11, Center (Lehigh)

Mike Dunne, 6’4, Guard (Hartford)

Aaron Goldstein, 6’0, Guard (Staten Island)

Louie Pillari, 6’6, Guard (Monmouth)

Jesse Steele, 5’8, Guard (Monmouth)

Projected Additions

Daryl Banks, 6’3, Guard (St. Bonaventure)

Doug Edert, 6’2, Guard (Bryant)

Kavion McClain, 5’10, Guard (Monmouth)

Jaycen Santucci, 6’4, Guard (Georgian Court)

5. ACI/Robin’s Nest

ACI/Robin’s Nest was the most improved team in the league last season after they decided to make Joe Fagan (Neptune) the new head coach and bolster their roster with veteran talent. A handful of Fagan’s former players round out the roster including Jared Kimbrough, Dwaine Jones, and his son Sam Fagan who he coached at Neptune as well as Jimmy McDonnell who he coached at Jackson Memorial. Sean Grennan currently coaches alongside Fagan as an assistant coach.

“The Nest” has perhaps the most high profile potential addition in the league. NBA veteran Naji Marshall who started 31 games for the Dallas Mavericks this season is a potential pick-up. Marshall spent the prior four seasons on the New Orleans Pelicans. He starred at Xavier in college where he was a two-time All-Big East Player. Marshall has hometown roots in Atlantic City making JSBL appearances not out of the question.

Jagan Mosely bounced between Ortho-NJ and Sea Shore Auto the last few seasons and has now settled with ACI/Robin’s Nest. Mosely had a very strong professional season in Denmark where he averaged over 18 points per game. He was a key contributor for Georgetown over 4 seasons after a storied prep career at St. Anthony’s High School where he won NJ Player of the Year honors and led the Friars to an undefeated 32-0 season playing for the legendary Bob Hurley.

Lucas Orchard saw action in 12 games for Monmouth last season and could be a strong under-the-radar pickup.

Kimbrough was an All-JSBL performer last summer and followed that up with a strong season overseas in Switzerland where he averaged roughly 16 points and 9 rebounds per game. Jones was late to the party showing up in the latter half of the season last summer, but he provided a spark at point guard. Jones earned All-Mountain East honors in his final season of college eligibility.

Gio Panzini, a 1st-Team All-Shore performer in 2023-2024 who helped lead St. Rose to a state championship, was impactful when he arrived last season. He could have an even bigger impact after seeing some action at Cornell this past winter.

ACI/Robin’s Nest at a Glance

Head Coach: Joe Fagan
Franchise Origin: 2022
Championships: 0
Past NBA Players: None

Projected Returners (2024 All-JSBL Selections in Bold)

Jared Kimbrough, 6’8, Forward (Hartford)

Sam Fagan, 6’1, Guard (Monmouth)

Sean Grennan, 6’3, Guard (San Francisco)

Dwaine Jones, 6’5, Guard (U of Charleston)

Jimmy McDonnell, 6’10, Center (Temple)

Gio Panzini, 6’5, Guard (Cornell)

Projected Additions

Naji Marshall, 6’6, Forward (NBA/Xavier)

Jagan Mosely, 6’4, Guard (Georgetown)

Lucas Orchard, 6’3, Guard (Monmouth)

6. Intern Helpers

Intern Helpers was an enigma for much of last season as their roster rarely remained steady as the faces continued to change each game which caused their downfall in a winless first season for the franchise. When they finally settled on a roster and were at full strength come playoff time, they pushed top-seeded RKE Athletic to the brink before falling in the waning seconds.

Former Louisville Cardinal Chris Smith who played briefly with the New York Knicks and had a tremendous professional career in Israel is the centerpiece of the team. Smith scored over 22 points per game playing professionally for the Jersey Shore Breaks this past season at the ripe age of 37. Age did not slow Smith down as his scoring increased last summer as the season went on and by the end of the season he was one of the most dangerous weapons in the league.

Chris Smith’s older brother J.R. Smith needs little introduction. The two time NBA champion and former NBA 6th Man of the Year made 2 JSBL appearances last season. While his shot was rusty from 2 years of not picking up a ball, Smith still had the physical appearance, attributes, and veteran savvy that made him an extremely successful NBA player from 2004 to 2020. Needless to say, if he has picked up a ball since last summer the league could be put on notice quickly.

The Lakewood connection is strong for the Intern Helpers. In addition to the Smith brothers, legendary Lakewood player and coach Randy Holmes is coaching the team this summer. Holmes had a storied playing career at Saint Peter’s in the 1990’s. The current Jackson Memorial coach also won over 300 games while coaching at Lakewood. Holmes who coached the Smith brothers during their time at Lakewood is calling on the Jersey Shore Breaks to build a strong nucleus for his team.

Keyron Sheard won several JSBL titles starring alongside Justin Robinson on Sea View Jeep roughly a decade ago. He is the only other projected returner from last year’s Intern Helpers squad.

Mason Jones is expected to come over from Sterns Trailer, and Ray Salnave is expected to join from Ortho-NJ. Both players saw significant action with the Jersey Shore Breaks this past season. They have been consistent JSBL performers for a long time.

Intern Helpers at a Glance

Head Coach: Randy Holmes
Franchise Origin: 2024
Championships: 0
Past NBA Players: Chris Smith, J.R. Smith

Projected Returners (2024 All-JSBL Selections in Bold)

Keyron Sheard, 6’2, Guard (UT-Chattanooga)

Chris Smith, 6’2, Guard (NBA/Louisville)

J.R. Smith, 6’6, Guard (NBA)

Projected Additions

Brandon Alexander, 6’5, Guard

Qa’rraan Calhoun, 6’8, Forward (Houston)

Jaymere Hadden, 6’4, Forward (Stockton)

Noah Harris, 6’1, Guard (Southern New Hampshire)

Mason Jones, 6’3, Guard (Brookdale)

Ray Salnave, 6’2, Guard (UMBC)

7. WCT Warriors

The WCT Warriors earned a reputation as a team without big name players that wore down and battled everyone last season. Their coach, Josh Peters, is a 7’1 towering figure that manned the post at Monmouth in the early 1990’s. He won several JSBL titles playing alongside the likes of NBA All-Star Anthony Mason and longtime NBA veteran John Crotty on RKE Athletic in the 1990’s.

Ryan Savoy and Andre Wells are two of the players that best epitomize what the JSBL is all about. Savoy and Wells played high school basketball at Lakewood and Matawan respectively. Neither of them went on to play Division 1 basketball and yet both of them earned All-JSBL honors going head to head with professional and Division 1 players. The JSBL has always been a tremendous platform for lesser known local players to showcase their talent with and against bigger name players.

The WCT Warriors added 2 Manasquan Warriors this season in Griffin Linstra and Rey Weinseimer. Linstra, whose high school career concluded with a state championship after a storybook buzzer beater against Camden in the Group 2 Semifinals, will play at Tufts next season. Weinseimer, who joined Linstra as a Shore Sports Insider 1st Team All-Shore selection, is currently the only high school player on a roster. Linstra’s future college teammate Scott Gyimesi, an All-Shore selection when he was at Rumson-Fair Haven a few years ago, is the top returning rebounder on the team.

WCT will be the only team in the league to have two active Monmouth players in Quinn Peters and new addition Jinop Dobuol. Dobuol played his freshman season at Portland before transferring to the Jersey Shore.

WCT Warriors at a Glance

Head Coach: Josh Peters
Franchise Origin: 2022
Championships: 0
Past NBA Players: None

Projected Returners (2024 All-JSBL Selections in Bold)

Ryan Savoy, 6’4, Forward (Nichols)

Andre Wells, 6’0, Guard (William Paterson)

Tim Gjonballa, 6’9, Center (William Paterson)

Scott Gyimesi, 6’6, Forward (Tufts)

Jorge Mercado, 6’4, Guard (Seton Hall)

Quinn Peters, 6’6, Forward (Monmouth)

Ryan Pettit, 6’1, Guard (Lafayette)

Dan Vessey, 6’3, Guard (Columbia)

Projected Additions

Jinop Dobuol, 6’8, Forward (Monmouth)

Chima Ekekeugbor, 6’5, Forward (Baruch)

Griffin Linstra, 6’5, Guard (Tufts)

Zayon Marsh, 6’6, Forward (Goldey-Beacom)

Thomas Menegus, 6’8, Forward (Georgian Court)

Rey Weinseimer, 6’1, Guard (Manasquan High School)

8. Larson Ford

The most storied franchise in JSBL history is currently projected to finish in last place due to the amount of youth and inexperience on the team coupled with the projected losses of Nate Pierre-Louis, Josh Pierre-Louis, and Christian Lyons who were the three most impactful performers last season. Larson Ford has a few veterans, but the majority of their team consists of active college players. Having said that, some of those active college players are exceptional.

Shahid Muhammad was an unknown when he arrived at the JSBL three years ago. He had noticeable size and athleticism, but he was very raw. Fast forward to this past year at Massachusetts where the 6’10 Muhammad was one of the most productive shot blockers in all of college basketball. Muhammad transferred to Florida State where he is now one strong season in the ACC away from the possibility of finding his name called in the NBA Draft due to the tremendous defensive tools he possesses.

Not many people realized that Terry Copeland was only a teenager when he arrived in the league 3 years ago. The 6’9 forward who looked like a defensive end was immediately capable of withstanding professional level physicality in the paint. Copeland and Muhammad can provide one of the most intimidating interior one-two punches in the league.

Melik Martin is an accomplished professional who had a strong college career at both Monmouth and Drexel. The lefty wing last played for Larson Ford 2 years ago where he was one of the more well-rounded players in the league.

Isiah McCallum is an under-the-radar name to watch. He has gotten steadily better each of the last 3 years and came into his own at Rust College this past season where he scored over 13 points a game.

Zayier Dean marks yet another Shore Sports Insider All-Shore performer expected to play in the league this summer. The recent Red Bank graduate is going on to play at Western Texas College.

Larson Ford was able to acquire Gene Campbell who has been a consistent performer for Sterns Trailer the last few seasons. Campbell has significant experience overseas and will likely see his statistical production increase on a team that is not carrying as many players as his last team.

Intern Helpers at a Glance

Head Coach: Larry Marshall
Franchise Origin: 1969
Championships: 10
Past ABA/NBA Players: Walter Berry, Marques Bragg, Gary Brokaw, Mark Bryant, Derrick Caracter, Bob Carrington, Dallas Comegys, Mario Elie, Gerald Govan, Paul Graham, Shaq Harrison, Mark Jackson, Edgar Jones, Brevin Knight, Dennis “Mo” Layton, Jim McMillian, Glenn Mosley, Xavier Munford, Eric Murdock, Aulcie Perry, Terrence Rencher, David Rivers, Jim Spanarkel, Rod Strickland, Dwayne “Pearl” Washington, Elnardo Webster, Ken Wilburn

Projected Returners (2024 All-JSBL Selections in Bold)

Lucas Agbejemisin, 6’10, Center

Jamie Calloway, 6’1, Guard (Lackawanna)

Zayier Dean, 6’0, Guard (Western Texas)

Peter Luster, 6’0, Guard (Middlesex)

Isiah McCallum, 6’7, Forward (Rust)

Ryan Zan, 6’6, Forward (Fairfield)

Projected Additions

Gene Campbell, 6’1, Guard (NJCU)

Terry Copeland, 6’9, Forward (Northern Illinois)

Melik Martin, 6’6, Forward (Drexel)

Shahid Muhammad, 6’10, Center (Florida State)