Boys Basketball 2024-25 Preview: Class A Central

It has been called by a different name every year, but the division that features St. Rose and Manasquan – local rivals and the two best teams in the Shore Conference in each of the past two seasons – has been a gauntlet for the rest of the teams in the field. This year, it is Class A Central that boasts the Purple Roses and the Warriors and the four other teams in the division appear to be even more balanced than the competition of the past two seasons.

Although Manasquan was the No. 2 team in the Shore Conference last season, it was a distant No. 2 because of how dominant St. Rose was. The Purple Roses beat Manasquan twice last season during a 29-2 campaign that ended with St. Rose standing above the fray as the No. 1 team in New Jersey. St. Rose hopes to be in that discussion again at the end of 2024-25, but unlike last season, the Purple Rose actually have major production to replace. That gives the rest of the Shore Conference a glimmer of hope, with Manasquan as well-positioned as any team hoping to challenge for the top spot in the Shore Conference.

This year, Brick Memorial, Howell, Jackson Memorial and Point Pleasant Boro will take their shot at the two Shore Conference behemoths and all four have reason to believe they can finish in the top-half of the division.

 

In predicted order of finish

1. St. Rose

Coming off a 2023-24 in which they won their first ever Shore Conference Tournament title, the overall Non-Public B championship and finished ranked No. 1 in the state, the Purple Roses will try to follow that act without, perhaps, the two most integral players to that success: Matt Hodge and Gio Panzini. The good news for St. Rose is every other starter and the top two players off the bench are all back, although a preseason injury could dramatically change how St. Rose will look this season.

Junior Jayden Hodge is a First-Team All-Shore guard, a four-star recruit from the Class of 2026 and has a collection of Division I offers, including high-majors Villanova, Maryland, Rutgers, Penn State, Virginia Tech and Seton Hall. He stands to be one of the players to watch around New Jersey, but his status is uncertain as Saturday’s opener vs. Paterson Catholic approaches after he suffered a left-knee injury in a scrimmage at Rumson-Fair Haven on Wednesday. The Purple Roses have a loaded schedule that includes five out-of-state opponents – including a showdown with former Manasquan star and UConn commit Darius Adams and La Lumiere in February – and tackling that challenge without Hodge for any length of time would be a massive undertaking.

Even if Hodge misses an extended amount of time, St. Rose remains the favorite to repeat as Shore Conference Tournament champions. Senior guards Evan Romano and Bryan Ebeling were All-Shore performers as juniors and sophomore Avery Lynch and junior Tyler Cameron were exceptional players off the bench in 2023-24 and are ready to step into starting roles, with Lynch a prime candidate to pick up the scoring slack lost with the graduation of Matt Hodge.

Freshmen Izayah Cooper and Oymere Rene will be key contributors off the bench who can knock down the open shots created by Ebeling, Romano and coach Bryan Lynch’s offense, while Orien Campbell and 6-foot-5 sophomore Tyler Hager will provide depth that will come in handy for a team attempting to replace a significant amount of production. Those newcomers will be particularly important should Jayden Hodge miss time due to injury and if the Purple Roses get good news on Hodge prior to their season-opener, they will have enough talent to challenge for the top spot in the state again in 2025.

St. Rose at a Glance

Head Coach: Brian Lynch, fourth season
2023-24 Record: 29-2 (11-0 crossover; 5-0, first in Class B Central)
Key Losses: Matt Hodge (6-8, Forward), Gio Panzini (6-6, Forward), Luke Roman (6-4, Center)

Projected Lineup (with 2023-24 stats)

Returning Starters in Bold

Bryan Ebeling, Sr., 6-3, Guard (7.4 points, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals)

Jayden Hodge, Jr., 6-6, Guard (12.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.8 steals)

Evan Romano, Sr., 6-3, Guard (8.8 points, 2.9 assists, 1.0 steals)

Tyler Cameron, Jr., 6-2, Guard (3.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals)

Avery Lynch, So., 6-5, Forward (7.7 points, 2.7 rebounds)

Off the Bench

Izayah Cooper, Fr., 6-0, Guard

Oymere Rene, Fr., 6-1, Guard

Orien Campbell, Jr., 6-2, Guard

Tyler Hager, So., 6-5, Forward

Mike Sullivan, Jr., 6-3, Forward – Transfer from Brick

Ryan Dudas, So., 5-10

Matt Breen, Sr., 6-4, Center

Luke Winn, Fr.

 

2. Manasquan

Manasquan is always a contender in the Shore Conference and Group II, but a Manasquan team with a chip on its shoulder is flat-out dangerous. It is hard to conceive of a more motivated team than the one the Warriors will boast this season. They will be led by senior wing and four-year starter Griffin Linstra, who has played in three Shore Conference Tournament championship games, won one, won an NJSIAA sectional championship in all three years and started on the 2022-23 Group II championship team. He and returning sophomore starter Rey Weinseimer were prominent figures in the now-infamous, controversial loss to Camden in last year’s Group II semifinal, which will undoubtedly provide some kindle for Manasquan’s fire in 2024-25.

The other three starters for Manasquan will be new, although junior Jack O’Reilly and senior Brandon Kunz played key minutes last year, with O’Reilly even logging a handful of starts. Sticking with the top of motivation, Manasquan will have no shortage of motivated players who are ready to show they are ready to be the next breakout player for Warriors, which have been part of Manasquan’s annual story.

Last year’s breakout star at Manasquan was Jason Larned and there are a few players that have similar developmental curves to the one that carried Larned to the Warriors’ lineup. Junior Jack Lattimer and senior Dan McManus each got a chance at varsity minutes off the bench last season and while neither has the length of Larned, both could be keys in the backcourt this year. In the front court, sophomore Logan Cleveland is ready for a full-time varsity role after getting some bursts of playing time as a freshman.

Injuries have hampered Manasquan almost annually, but the Warriors have persevered to author a résumé that rivals just about any program in the state. This year’s team is probably not as naturally talented as Manasquan’s last few teams, but it has exceptional leadership and with some better luck on the health front, the championship ceiling for the Warriors does not change all that much.

Manasquan at a Glance

Head Coach: Andrew Bilodeau, 17th season
2023-24 Record: 23-7 (9-2 crossover; 3-2, second in Class B Coastal)
Key Losses: Jason Larned (6-3, Forward), Alex Konov (6-7, Guard), Luke Roy (6-1, Guard), Ryan Mulvaney (6-4, Forward)

Projected Lineup (with 2023-24 stats)

Returning Starters in Bold

Rey Weinseimer, So., 6-1, Guard (7.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals)

Brandon Kunz, Sr., 6-1, Guard

Griffin Linstra, Sr., 6-4, Forward (17.1 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals)

Jack O’Reilly, Jr., 6-4, Forward (3.1 points, 3.5 rebounds)

Logan Cleveland, So., 6-5, Forward (2.8 points, 1.9 rebounds)

Off the Bench

Jack Lattimer, Jr., 6-0, Guard

Dan McManus, Sr., 6-0, Guard

Adam Murphy, Sr., 6-5, Forward

Thomas Walther, Sr., 6-2, Forward

Matt Schnurr, Sr., 6-2, Forward

Jack Hale, Sr., 6-3, Forward

Matteo Chiarella, Sr., 6-1, Guard

Keegan Hertel, Sr., 6-1, Guard

 

3. Jackson Memorial

A sub-.500 season in 2023-24 was a result of inexperience at Jackson Memorial, which had a fair amount of senior influence despite that inexperience. Even with those ups and downs, Jackson Memorial finished on a high note by upsetting Howell in the first round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV Playoffs, with current senior Brady Adams hitting the game-winning three-pointer in the final seconds. Adams is among the returning players with starting experience, although Adams is expected to miss several games at the start of the season, according to coach Randy Holmes.

Once Adams settles in, he will be part of a deeper rotation that has a mix of improved returnees and impact newcomers. Along with Adams, Randy Holmes Jr. and Jimmy Papalardo are the two most productive returning players from last year’s Jaguars team and both bring size and athleticism to the starting five. Junior Yaseer Johnson will take the reins as a point guard, while seniors John Vega and Jonathan Peten slide into the starting front court.

The lineup midway through the season could look much different and not just because of Adams. Freshman Mi’Aire Anderson will have a chance to turn a sixth-man opportunity into a featured role in his first year. Junior George Boley, meanwhile, is likely to join the starting five once eligible in mid-January after transferring from College Achieve in Asbury Park. Sean Hallihan is a frontcourt contributor from the deep junior class that should steadily push Jackson Memorial toward the upper ranks of Shore Conference public schools in the fifth season under Randy Holmes.

Jackson Memorial at a Glance

Head Coach: Randy Holmes, fifth season
2023-24 Record: 12-13 (6-5 crossover; 2-3, fourth in Class A South)
Key Losses: Devin Jones (5-10, Guard), Anthony Hallihan (6-3, Forward), Shaun Hubbard (5-10, Forward), Matt Pitera (5-10, Guard)

Projected Lineup (with 2023-24 stats)

Returning Starters in Bold

Yaseer Johnson, Jr., 5-5, Guard

Randy Holmes Jr., Jr., 6-4, Guard (5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists)

Jimmy Papalardo, Jr., 6-4, Forward (4.2 points)

John Vega, Sr., 6-5, Forward

Jonathan Peten, Sr., 6-3, Forward

Off the Bench

Mi’Aire Anderson, Fr., 6-2, Forward

Brady Adams, Sr., 6-0, Guard (7.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals)

George Boley, Jr., 6-3, Guard – Transfer from College Achieve (3.7 points)

Sean Hallihan, Jr., 6-3, Forward

Adrian Wilson, Sr., 6-4, Forward

Je’Rell Glenn, Sr., 6-0, Guard

Gio Butler, Jr., 5-9, Guard

Paul Bradshaw, Jr., 5-6, Guard

Samir Talib, So., 6-4, Forward

Collin Bowes, Jr., 6-7, Forward

 

4. Howell

Last season was as good as any Howell boys basketball has ever had and it was led by 2024 graduate and All-Shore performer D.J. Orloff. Throw in the graduation of running mate Chris Meehan and the Rebels have a lot of production to replace if they want to build on their single-season record 17 wins and their second ever appearance in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

Junior Cayden Parker and senior Zach Padilla will lead a returning group that helped Howell reach rare heights, but also ended the season with a bitter taste in their collective mouth thanks to a last-second loss to Jackson Memorial at home in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV first round. Parker and Padilla will be in the running for the best backcourt in the division outside of St. Rose, with Parker coming off an impressive showing as a third scorer during his sophomore campaign. Senior Joe Vella is also a returning start and is a floor-spacer who can hit an open shot, as well as hit the glass.

Filling in the two open spots for coach Dave Emery will be an ongoing process. Senior Peter Barkauskas has earned one of those spots as a 6-foot-1 forward, while the fifth starter will depend on the kind of lineup with which Emery wants to open the game. Senior Steven Schipani (6-4) and sophomore Noah Musto (6-5) bring additional size to a lineup that would otherwise lack it, but junior Mark Fagan could also work in that spot as another guard. That group of seven, plus an emerging group of varsity newcomers will keep Howell competitive – even after graduating two ultra-productive seniors from a team that carried Howell as far as it ever has.

Howell at a Glance

Head Coach: Dave Emery, second season
2023-24 Record: 17-11 (5-5 crossover; 2-2, tied second in Class A North)
Key Losses: D.J. Orloff (6-6, Forward), Chris Meehan (6-0, Guard), Jalen Zamot (5-9, Guard)

Projected Lineup (with 2023-24 stats)

Returning Starters in Bold

Cayden Parker, Jr., 6-0, Guard (8.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals)

Zach Padilla, Sr., 5-10, Guard (7.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals)

Joe Vella, Sr., 6-1, Forward (6.6 points, 2.8 rebounds)

Peter Barkauskas, Sr., 6-1, Forward

Steven Schipani, Sr., 6-4, Forward

Off the Bench

Noah Musto, So., 6-5, Center

Mark Fagan, Jr., 5-11, Guard

Michael Carbone, Jr., 5-6, Guard

Nick Papapietro, Sr., 6-0, Guard

Jay Parker, So., 5-9, Guard

Matt Stripto, Jr., 5-11, Guard

 

5. Point Pleasant Boro

Once again, Point Boro finds itself among the Shore Conference giants and while the Panthers have taken their lumps against their division foes overall, it appears to have made their team better. Point Boro went 13-3 outside of its division and crossover games in 2023-24 while running out a team with one senior regular in the rotation. With more talent moving into the rotation and up to the varsity level, Point Boro is positioned to make a serious bid for a spot in the top-half of the Class A Central standings.

Three Point Boro players averaged 10 points per game in 2023-24 and two of them return. Senior guard Drew Cardia and junior wing Jovan Steinmetz were reliable sources of scoring last season, with Steinmetz giving the Panthers a unique player in a 6-4 perimeter player on offense who is improving on using his height in all phases of the game. Cardia will have to play more of a point guard role in what could be a more physical, throwback lineup for Point Boro. Senior and returning starter Hudson Griffin will be a double-double threat, while senior T.J. Jordan, sophomore Hunter Hynes and junior Griffin Dennis give Coach Kevin Hynes three experienced options to join the starting five.

Point Boro will have a versatile bench, from juniors Dean Cardia and Nick Carmino in the back court to 6-6 senior Nick Kowalewski and 6-4 sophomore Landon Hoyle. The division is still very competitive with four quality teams beyond St. Rose and Manasquan, Point Boro will be locked in battles throughout the season and with a team that is gotten plenty used to the grind.

Point Boro at a Glance

Head Coach: Kevin Hynes, 29th season
2023-24 Record: 17-10 (4-7 crossover; 2-3, fourth in Class B Coastal)
Key Losses: Jake Venturoso (5-10, Guard), Thomas Turner (Sr., 6-4, Forward)

Projected Lineup (with 2023-24 stats)

Returning Starters in Bold

Drew Cardia, Sr., 5-9, Guard (10.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 steals)

Jovin Steinmetz, Jr., 6-4, Guard (10.2 points, 4.1 rebounds)

Hunter Hynes, So., 6-3, Guard/Forward (4.5 points)

Hudson Griffin, Sr., 6-4, Forward (5.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.7 steals)

T.J. Jordan, Sr., 6-0, Forward (3.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.5 blocks)

Off the Bench

Griffin Dennis, Jr., 6-3, Guard/Forward (2.2 points, 0.6 blocks)

Dean Cardia, Jr., 5-8, Guard

Nick Kowalewski, Sr., 6-6, Forward

Nick Carmino, Jr., 5-9, Guard

Landon Hoyle, So., 6-4, Forward

 

6. Brick Memorial

With a sophomore-heavy team in 2023-24, Brick Memorial endured its share of growing pains playing in a quality Class A South division, but was competitive enough with its young roster to be well-positioned for a step forward in 2025. Keith Farr takes over the program after Mike Pelkey retired following last season and he will have the benefit of coaching a nucleus that is in its second of three straight seasons playing with one another.

Sean Collins, Austin Braaten and Jason Lajara are a returning trio that started as sophomores a year ago and fellow junior Shane Braaten is also an experienced varsity contributor from the junior class. Collins is a standout scorer and Lajara a capable distributor, while the Braaten’s provide some size to go with their skill. The lone senior ticketed for the starting five is 6-4 guard Joe Witter, who shined in a supporting role as a junior.

A good mix of athletes make up the Brick Memorial bench and will make the Mustangs a tough match-up on most nights. Overcoming what might be an even tougher division – certainly at the top with Manasquan and St. Rose, but also with three other deep, capable teams – will be Brick Memorial’s greatest challenge, but the pieces are in place for the Mustangs to compete with Jackson Memorial, Howell and Point Boro.

Brick Memorial at a Glance

Head Coach: Keith Farr, first season
2023-24 Record: 9-15 (4-7 crossover; 2-3, sixth in Class A South)
Key Losses: Tyler Ellerbrock (6-3, Forward/Guard), Isaiah Crispin (6-6, Forward)

Projected Lineup (with 2023-24 stats)

Returning Starters in Bold

Jason Lajara, Jr., 5-11, Guard (3.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals)

Sean Collins, Jr., 6-4, Guard (12.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals)

Joe Witter, Sr., 6-4, Guard (5.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists)

Shane Braaten, Jr., 6-4, Forward (2.7 points, 1.7 rebounds)

Austin Braaten, Jr., 6-4, Forward (7.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.8 blocks)

Off the Bench

Brody Moore, Jr., 5-11, Guard

Nyzier Matthews, Jr., 6-2, Forward (2.5 points, 1.7 rebounds)

Tyler Garbooshian, Jr., 6-1, Guard

Damani Muldrow, Sr., 5-10, Guard

Brayden Nalducci, Sr., 6-4, Forward

 

Class A Central Starting Five

Bryan Ebeling, St. Rose

Evan Romano, St. Rose

Rey Weinseimer, Manasquan

Jayden Hodge, St. Rose

Griffin Linstra, Manasquan

In the Rotation

Avery Lynch, St. Rose

Sean Collins, Brick Memorial

Drew Cardia, Point Boro

Cayden Parker, Howell