Shore Sports Insider Week 9 Boys Basketball Top 10

Shore Sports Insider Boys Basketball Top 10 — Week 9

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The end of the Shore Conference Tournament marks the end of the vast majority of head-to-head competition between Shore Conference teams and, therefore, a significant reduction in the number of head-to-head games that would impact the final Shore Conference rankings. That means the final Top 10 – particularly the top spot – is mostly decided.

When big things happen in the NJSIAA Tournament, however, big shifts happen in the rankings. There are still some potential Shore showdowns on the board, particularly in Central Jersey Group II, and championship runs always push teams up the board (Colts Neck in 2025).

Most of the work is done, but every team wants to thrive in March and those that do will be primed for one last boost in the Shore Sports Insider rankings.

 

1. Christian Brothers Academy (23-3, 10-0) Last Week: 1

With its first Shore Conference Tournament championship in 16 years, CBA essentially guaranteed it will be the wire-to-wire No. 1 team in the Shore Sports Insider Top 10 for 2025-26. Now, the Colts will try to end an even longer drought by winning their first NJSIAA Non-Public A championship since 1995. The South Jersey section of the tournament is as loaded as ever, with St. Peter’s Prep, Paul VI and St. Joseph Metuchen are all in the top four seeds and the Colts could potentially open their state tournament run on March 2 with defending sectional champion Camden Catholic.

 

2. Red Bank Catholic (19-7, 8-2) Last Week: 3

RBC’s first ever trip to the Shore Conference Tournament championship nets the Caseys the No. 2 ranking heading into the NJSIAA Tournament. Although RBC has more losses than previous No. 2 Wall and a head-to-head loss to the Crimson Knights, the Caseys have the more recent win over Wall and have five other losses to team Wall has not played. Ranney is the only team to beat RBC and lose to Wall and RBC has two wins over that same Ranney squad.

 

3. Wall (19-2, 10-0) Last Week: 2

Although the Crimson Knights relinquished their No. 2 ranking, they still have an opportunity to build out the résumé to get back to No. 2 at the Shore while solidifying their position as the top public school in the conference. With a win over RBC already in hand, a run to a sectional championship in a deep Central Jersey Group II bracket will give Wall a chance to get back to No. 2 if RBC can’t get by St. Joseph Metuchen in the Non-Public A playoffs.

 

4. Manasquan (13-9, 6-4) Last Week: 5

Since losing a two-point game vs. Wall in the SCT quarterfinals, Manasquan played just one game prior to the NJSIAA Tournament and it was a meaningful one with respect to the rankings. In last week’s edition, the Warriors jumped Howell for the No. 5 spot and last week, Manasquan proved it belongs in that spot by beating the Rebels at Howell. On top of that, the Warriors have two close losses vs. CBA, which bumps them ahead of Marlboro. Now, Manasquan turns its attention to pursuing a seventh straight NJSIAA sectional championship as the No. 5 seed in a Shore-loaded Central Jersey Group II section.

 

5. Marlboro (19-5, 7-3) Last Week: 4

Like Holmdel, Rumson-Fair Haven, Manasquan and RBC before them, the Mustangs had a promising start vs. CBA before the Colts blew the game open to beat Marlboro in the SCT semifinals. A showdown with CBA gave Marlboro a chance to alter its frame of reference before the NJSIAA Tournament and will now go into the Central Jersey Group IV Tournament as a No. 2 seed with an idea of the level of play it will take to make a championship run.

 

6. Holmdel (15-7, 6-4) Last Week: 7

With Manasquan beating Howell last week, the new toss-up spot is at No. 6, and for the moment, it is Holmdel that moves into that position. The Hornets have a December loss to a Freehold Township team that Howell beat twice, but more recently, Holmdel is 10-3 over its last three games with two wins over Rumson and one vs. Manasquan. Holmdel’s only losses in that 13-game stretch are twice to CBA and one at the buzzer at Sayreville on the eve of the Shore Conference Tournament first round.

 

7. Howell (19-6, 7-3) Last Week: 6

Already sitting on a single-season program record for wins in a season, Howell is looking to nail down win No. 20 against Millville in the first round of the South Jersey Group IV Tournament and make a bid to play into next week. Drawing Cherry Hill East on their side of the bracket will make reaching the sectional final a challenge for the Rebels, but Cayden and Jayson Parker will be a tough matchup for any South Jersey team. If Howell can pull an upset, a move toward the top five in the final Shore rankings remains a possibility.

 

8. Ranney (13-11, 7-3) Last Week: 8

With top-seed Rutgers Prep on the opposite side of the South Jersey Non-Public B bracket, Ranney has a legitimate opportunity to reach a sectional final as a No. 6 seed. The Panthers would likely have to get through Holy Spirit and Holy Cross in consecutive rounds – both on the road – but regular-season tests vs. Red Bank Catholic, Wall, Holmdel, Marlboro, East Brunswick and Immaculata should have Ranney prepared for the challenge.

 

9. Middletown South (14-11, 6-4) Last Week: 9

Like Ranney, Middletown South ended up on the favorable side of its Central Jersey Group III bracket, although in this case, drawing the same side as the No. 1 seed is beneficial. No. 1 Lawrence will be a tough opponent on the road, but getting away from No. 2 Westampton Tech and No. 3 Ewing until the final is a positive for Middletown South, which will open up its NJSIAA Tournament with Allentown.

 

10. Rumson-Fair Haven (16-8, 5-5) Last Week: 10

A roller-coaster season for Rumson could end with the ultimate high of winning an NJSIAA sectional title in Central Jersey Group II. Rumson at full strength – senior Luke Cruz is back after a third injury-related stint on the bench – is capable of beating just about any team in Group II and to further aide their cause, the Bulldogs got a great draw in Central Group II that will keep them away from Wall, Manasquan and Holmdel until the sectional final.

 

The Next 10

Freehold Township (14-10, 5-5)

Jackson (16-6, 7-1)

Point Pleasant Beach (18-7, 8-2)

Point Pleasant Boro (17-9, 7-3)

Ocean (17-9, 8-2)

Central (16-9, 6-2)

Brick Memorial (15-10, 5-5)

Southern (12-12, 5-3)

Red Bank (11-15, 2-8)

Monmouth (15-8, 7-3)