2025-26 Shore Conference Boys Basketball Preview: Class C South
In the Shore’s Conference’s power-point-based, de facto relegation system, the Class C South division is one of this year’s divisions that will give teams that have had a rough go of it over the last two years a chance to compete among each other for a division championship while pursuing a guaranteed spot in the 24-team Shore Conference Tournament.
Pinelands is the lone team in the field to avoid finishing with a losing record last season, and the Wildcats were one game above .500, making them a unique case in this year’s Class C South field. Despite that, there is one roster that appears primed for a legitimately memorable season, not only as a potential division champion but as a team that could fare well in tournament play.
In predicted order of finish
1. New Egypt
In its first year as a member of the Shore Conference, New Egypt played in a division with two 20-win teams (Wall and Point Beach) and the most storied public school program in the conference (Neptune) and managed to make it through the season tied for third place and just one game under a .500 winning percentage. On top of those accomplishments, which included a win over Neptune, the Warriors bring back every single starter from last season, plus a sixth man, while also moving into a Class C South division that is ripe for the picking.
Nolan Arnold, a 6-foot-4 guard and 1,000-point scorer, leads the all-senior group of returning talent after finishing second in the entire conference in points per game (22.2) and first among players returning this season. Arnold logged seven games with at least 28 points, but the season high for New Egypt belonged to his classmate, Clyde Ferris, who went off for a Shore Conference season-high 44 points in a win over Steinert on the way to averaging 19.2 points over New Egypt’s final eight games.
Senior Ryan Reynolds is another shooter and ball-handler for New Egypt alongside the top two options in Arnold and Ferris. Evan Goldberg will help out on the interior with Ferris, while 6-foot-4 juniors Jake Milicia and Paul Kennedy help out with some size for an otherwise small group in the frontcourt. Senior Cameron Cassandra rounds out the starting five, with classmates Dylan Harper and Lucas Burgos providing depth in the back court. With a close group of talented seniors and a winnable division, New Egypt is primed to make a run at a Shore Conference banner in just its second season as a member of the conference.
New Egypt at a Glance
Head Coach: Mick Hughes, 12th season
2024-25 Record: 12-13 (5-5, tied third in Class B Central)
Key Losses: None
Projected Lineup (with 2024-25 stats)
Returning Starters in Bold
Nolan Arnold, Sr., 6-4, Guard (22.2 points)
Ryan Reynolds, Sr., 6-0, Guard (8.8 points)
Cameron Cassandra, Sr., 6-1, Guard (4.6 points)
Clyde Ferris, Sr., 6-2, Guard/Forward (12.7 points)
Evan Goldberg, Sr., 6-0, Guard/Forward (5.5 points)
Off the Bench
Dylan Harper, Sr., 5-10, Guard (1.3 points)
Lucas Burgos, Sr., 5-10, Guard
Paul Kennedy, Jr., 6-4, Forward
Jake Milicia, Jr., 6-4, Forward
2. Brick
Brick rolled with an inexperienced lineup in 2024-25 and clawed its way to eight wins, although only one of those wins came in divisional play in Class B South. While the B South division was not stacked with top teams in the Shore Conference, the group did have a very good, senior-led Barnegat team leading the way, plus an all-senior Lacey team in the middle of the pack along with improved teams from Pinelands and Toms River East. This year’s division will be more manageable for Brick, but the Green Dragons should also do their part thanks to a more experienced roster of improved players, plus a new coaching staff that brings plenty of credentials.
Ryan Finch takes over the program after an eight-year run at St. John Vianney that came after a stint as an assistant at Christian Brothers Academy. To help spark the Green Dragons in his first season, Finch added former Marlboro head coach Mike Nausedas to his staff, giving him a coach next to him who has won a Shore Conference Tournament championship, finished as the SCT runner-up twice and coached in an NJSIAA Group IV championship game. Nausedas’s son, Sean, is one of three returning junior starters in the lineup, and Nausedas was the top rebounder and second-leading scorer among the group.
Junior Jamel Pitts returns as one of the best scorers in the Shore Conference a season ago and will be the top option on offense again, with Nausedas and fellow returning junior starter Ryan Tufaro complementing him. Sophomore Jaylen Johnson will step into the starting point guard role after coming off the bench, while 6-foot-3 senior Matt Goodfellow rounds out the starting five. With that experience back in the starting five, some depth built up behind them and a renewed focus on defense brought on by Finch and his staff, the Green Dragons will have a chance to go from last to first in their division this winter.
Brick at a Glance
Head Coach: Ryan Finch, first season
2024-25 Record: 8-16 (1-7, fifth in Class B South)
Key Losses: Jayden Johnson (5-10, Guard), Gavin Maffei (5-10, Guard)
Projected Lineup (with 2024-25)
Returning Starters in Bold
Jaylen Johnson, So., 5-9, Guard (4.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists)
Ryan Tufaro, Jr., 5-11, Guard (4.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists)
Jamel Pitts, Jr., 5-11, Guard (17.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 47 3-pointers)
Sean Nausedas, Jr., 6-2, Forward (7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 36 3-pointers)
Matt Goodfellow, Sr., 6-3, Forward (5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists)
Off the Bench
Jake Walters, So., 5-10, Guard
Erik Varela, Sr., 6-1, Guard
Devin Baldwin, Sr., 6-1, Guard
Dan Ritter, Sr., 6-1, Forward
Amari Boggs, Jr., 6-1, Forward
Jason Hunter, Sr., 5-11, Guard
Dom Practico, So., 5-10, Guard
Valentino Campione, So., 5-11, Guard
3. Manchester
Last season is one the Manchester boys basketball team would like to forget for a myriad of reasons, so the Hawks are entering the new year with renewed enthusiasm and a new head coach in Erik Lang, who has been a staple of the program as a longtime assistant. Lang will bring a fresh lead voice as well as stability for a program that should benefit from both, especially after the graduation of do-it-all point-forward Aidan Lunn following another eye-popping season on the stat sheet for the four-year varsity standout.
With Lunn and two other starters moving on, Manchester will turn to a group of varsity contributors to step into bigger roles, most notably sophomore Justin Roberts. As a freshman, Roberts showed the ability to handle the ball, set up teammates and put the ball in the basket – all of which he will be asked to do on a team looking to replace a significant amount of production. Senior guard Malik Pharmes and junior Brody Boyd are also returning starters, and senior James Ruocchio also had a collection of starts as a junior that should provide the foundation to play in this year’s starting backcourt with Roberts and Pharmes.
Junior Orion Andrews will finish off the starting lineup with his 6-foot-3 presence in the frontcourt, while Sam Spaziano and fellow sophomore Cole Sarama add some size to the rotation. The young bench also includes freshman Jaidis Gibson, who will be an important part of the rotation, and the sophomore-heavy roster also includes some additional size with 6-7 Alex Rivera and 6-4 Xavier Quigley. Roberts has already made an impact from the class and that group is set to bring Manchester back to prominence over the next three seasons.
Manchester at a Glance
Head Coach: Erik Lang, first season
2024-25 Record: 6-19 (3-7, fifth in Class A South)
Key Losses: Aidan Lunn (6-3, Guard), M.J. Goins (5-10, Guard), Ny’Zyr Battle (6-3, Forward)
Projected Lineup (with 2024-25 stats)
Returning Starters in Bold
Justin Roberts, So., 6-0, Guard (7.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists)
Malik Pharmes, Sr., 5-10, Guard (2.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists)
James Ruocchio, Sr., 5-10, Guard (2.2 points)
Brody Boyd, Jr., 6-2, Forward (1.7 points, 2.9 rebounds)
Orion Andrews, Jr., 6-3, Forward
Off the Bench
Sam Spaziano, So., 6-3, Forward
Cole Sarama, So., 6-4, Forward
Jaidis Gibson, Fr., 5-9, Guard
Tyheem Jackson, Sr., 6-0, Guard
Aaron Henry, So., 6-0, Guard
Jorryn Payne, So., 6-1, Guard
Lorenzo Holmes, So., 6-1, Guard
Alex Rivera, So., 6-7, Forward
Xavier Quigley, So., 6-4, Forward
4. Pinelands
Pinelands is the lone team in this year’s Class C South division to avoid a losing record in 2024-25, with the Wildcats finishing one game better than .500 a year ago. Senior Ty Kline led the way as an all-around guard who showed up every night for the Wildcats, who will miss that leadership and production, as well as that of three other 2025 graduates. Senior Josh Barongo and junior Cayden Lucas, meanwhile, return as starters from last year’s second-place finisher in Class B South. Barongo is an athletic front-court presence who can both score in the paint and defend it on the other end. Lucas was a steady contributor as a guard and will assume a larger role this year with fellow 5-foot-11 guard Donny Johnston, who moves into the starting lineup after pitching in off the bench as a sophomore.
Juniors Chris Husni and Tyler Garcia round out the starting five, which will boast four of the seven juniors that make up the nucleus of this year’s varsity roster. That includes varsity letter-winner Moses Barongo backing up his older brother, plus freshman Rex Kline looking to establish himself as a four-year mainstay for a successful Pinelands team hoping to continue its winning ways in a new-look division.
Pinelands at a Glance
Head Coach: Fred Johnson, 10th season
2024-25 Record: 13-12 (4-4, tied second in Class B South)
Key Losses: Ty Kline (6-0, Guard), Tyler McNally-Ferguson (6-1, Guard), Brady Fence (6-3, Forward), Matt Davis (6-3, Forward)
Projected Lineup (with 2024-25 stats)
Returning Starters in Bold
Cayden Lucas, Jr., 5-11, Guard (5.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists)
Donny Johnston, Jr., 5-11, Guard (2.3 points, 2.1 rebounds)
Chris Husni, Jr., 5-10, Guard
Josh Barongo, Sr., 6-3, Forward (9.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals)
Tyler Garcia, Jr., 6-2, Forward
Off the Bench
Rex Kline, Fr., 5-6, Guard
Michael DeMilio, Sr., 5-11, Guard
Sam Kilasi, Jr., 6-1, Guard
Moses Barongo, Jr., 6-2, Forward
Carter Terry, Jr., 5-8, Guard
Joseph Johnson, Jr., 6-0, Guard
Dylan DiFrancia, Jr., 6-2, Forward
Will Targett, Jr., 6-0, Guard
Will Harper, Jr., 5-11, Guard
Mason Gomes, So., 6-0, Guard
R.J. Clark, So., 5-1, Guard
5. Lacey
Almost all of Lacey’s 2024-25 varsity roster was comprised of seniors, which means this coming season will feature a lot of development and likely some growing pains for the Lions. Only Barnegat (zero points) is returning less total varsity scoring from last year than Lacey (three points), with the Lions set to run out a varsity lineup of players who either have not played significant varsity minutes or are new to the varsity level altogether.
Declan Meehan and Teagan Gillespie are primed to start in the backcourt as seniors who have paid their dues and are ready for their shot at the varsity level – not only as first-year starters but as leaders. Junior Kenny Monica brings some size to the court at 6-foot-4, while classmate Jack Minter and sophomore Andrew Baldacinni will help Monica in the frontcourt. The only player in the program with major varsity minutes on his résumé is senior Ronny Cuevas, who transferred from Lakewood after averaging double-figures for the Piners as a junior.
Baldacinni and classmate Brayden Reyes will be the sophomores to watch as Lacey tries to build toward its next winning team. In Class C South, a winning division record is not far-fetched, but for the Lions to arrive above .500 ahead of schedule, the learning curve will have to be sharp.
Lacey at a Glance
Head Coach: Sean McAndrew, ninth season
2024-25 Record: 10-15 (4-4, tied second in Class B South)
Key Losses: Jon Stabile (6-3, Forward), D.J. Duffy (6-0, Guard), Frank Smith (6-1, Forward), Maris Mooney (5-11, Guard), Anthony Mazza (Guard), Andres Ortiz (5-11, Guard), Mason Mooney (Jr., 6-3, Forward)
Projected Lineup (with 2024-25 stats)
Returning Starters in Bold
Declan Meehan, Sr., 6-1, Guard
Teagan Gillespie, Sr., 5-11, Guard
Kenny Monica, Jr., 6-4, Center
Jack Minter, Jr., 6-0, Forward
Andrew Baldacinni, So., 6-2, Forward
Ronny Cuevas, Sr., 5-11, Guard – Transfer from Lakewood (14.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.7 steals)
Off the Bench
Brayden Reyes, So., 5-11, Guard
6. Lakewood
Although last year was a step back in win total and winning percentage for Lakewood, the Piners were a more competitive team on a nightly basis than they were a year earlier. Two of their three wins came against Group III programs, including a January win over Lacey. That should give the Piners hope to compete in divisional play as they attempt to end an 18-game losing streak in division games.
The challenge for the Piners will be replacing two of the three players who powered last year’s progress – both of whom transferred out of the program. Ronny Cuevas left for Lacey and Isaiah Shade will play at St. John Vianney this season, but top scorer and rebounder Chris Rosario is back. Sophomores Abel Martinez and Tyrese Jones also return to the starting five after being thrown into the fray as freshmen, which will be a similar experience for incoming freshman Cam Galarza this winter. Galarza and sophomore Central Regional transfer Carlito Anderson are the new starters alongside the returning trio, giving Lakewood a starting five that is 80 percent underclassmen.
Lakewood’s youth will make building on last year’s improvements difficult to build upon, but Rosario’s return plus the development of Martinez and Jones after helping out as freshmen will be a source of hope for the Piners.
Lakewood at a Glance
Head Coach: Tim Reddan, second season
2024-25 Record: 3-20 (0-10, sixth in Class B Central)
Key Losses: Ronny Cuevas (5-9, Guard; transferred to Lacey), Isaiah Shade (6-0, Forward; transferred to St. John Vianney)
Projected Lineup (with 2024-25 stats)
Returning Starters in Bold
Abel Martinez, So., 5-10, Guard (4.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals)
Carlito Anderson, So., 5-7, Guard – Transfer from Central
Cam Galarza, Fr., 5-7, Guard
Chris Rosario, Sr., 6-5, Forward (16.4 points, 13.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 2.2 steals, 0.9 blocks)
Tyrese Jones, So., 5-9, Forward (1.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals)
Off the Bench
Jahkir Brooks, So., 5-7, Guard
Francisco Gutierrez, Sr., 5-6, Guard
Anderson Vargas, Jr., 5-8, Guard/Forward
Josue Torres, So., 5-7, Guard
Nehemias Lorenzo, So., 6-0, Forward
Jorge Aguilera, Jr., 5-9, Guard/Forward
Class C South Starting Five
Nolan Arnold, New Egypt
Jamel Pitts, Brick
Clyde Ferris, New Egypt
Josh Barongo, Pinelands
Chris Rosario, Lakewood
Off the Bench
Justin Roberts, Manchester
Sean Nausedas, Brick
Ronny Cuevas, Lacey
Ryan Reynolds, New Egypt
Cayden Lucas, Pinelands
Jaylen Johnson, Brick
Ryan Tufaro, Brick
