Boys Basketball 2024-25 Preview: Class A North
There is rarely a year in which the Shore Conference Class A North division is not highly competitive and this season will be especially so. Three of the six teams in the division return their top scorer and three bring back four starters from last year’s starting five. Only one team – Marlboro – has neither and the Mustangs are in the midst of a run in which they have been able to reload when top players graduate.
Four of last year’s teams from Class A North are back, with Colts Neck and Ranney joining the field this year with experienced starting fives coming back. The rosters throughout the division look relatively even as the season opens, but one team looks a cut above the rest of the group and given its history, it should be no surprise which team that is.
In predicted order of finish
1. Christian Brothers Academy
With just one senior in the starting lineup and one more coming off the bench, CBA was a division-winner and reached the semifinals of both the Shore Conference Tournament and the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A Playoffs in 2023-24. Heading into 2024-25 with four returning starters and some exciting candidates for the last starting spot – not to mention the key bench spots – CBA is positioned to make a run at its first Shore Conference Tournament title since 2010 and its first NJSIAA sectional title since 2015.
Two of the three players who averaged double-figuring scoring for CBA a season ago are back and both will be senior leaders. Senior forward Justin Fuerbacher is in his fourth season as a varsity starter coming off an All-Shore season, while 6-3 wing Kevin Pikiell is fulling acclimated at the Academy after transferring to CBA before the 2023-24 season. Both seniors have wide skillsets that span both ends of the floor and their versatility allows coach Geoff Billet to carve out more defined roles for the team.
One of those obvious roles is at point guard, where junior Charlie Marcoullier made a name for himself last year while averaging just under 10 points. Marcoullier is primed for a big season as a junior thanks to his shooting ability – the best among the returning players – and playmaking prowess. Classmate Connor Andree is the other returning starter and was CBA’s top rebounder a year ago while also serving as a capable finisher near the basket.
The fifth spot in the lineup will go to either a shooter or a center, depending on how the matchup breaks down for Billet and Co. Junior Gavin Marlin played key minutes last year and would give CBA an extra shooter on the floor. On the other end of the spectrum, 6-8 sophomore David Buley offers a true center option for the Colts and could push Fuerbacher out to the wing, where he could take full advantage of his length and athleticism.
CBA’s bench also has its fair share of experience, with Cam Reynholds, Nick Lane, Will Grier, and Joey Mayrose all getting time last season and Charlie Messano offering some toughness on both ends. The mix of talent is as promising as CBA has had since its last trip to the SCT championship game in 2016 and if this group can stay healthy, it is capable of getting back into at least one championship game during the late-winter of 2025.
CBA at a Glance
Head Coach: Geoff Billet, 18th season
2023-24 Record: 18-7 (9-1 crossover; 4-0, first in Class A North)
Key Losses: Peter Noble (6-2, Guard), Dylan Kielb (5-11, Guard)
Projected Lineup (with 2023-24 Stats)
Returning Starters in Bold
Charlie Marcoullier, Jr., 6-0, Guard (9.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists)
Kevin Pikiell, Sr., 6-3, Guard (11.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals)
Gavin Marlin, Jr., 6-2, Guard (2.9 points)
Justin Fuerbacher, Sr., 6-5, Forward (14.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists)
Connor Andreee, Jr., 6-5, Forward (6.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists)
Off the Bench
David Buley, So., 6-8, Forward (2.4 points, 2.0 rebounds)
Charlie Messano, Jr., 6-2, Forward
Nick Lane, Sr., 5-10, Guard (3.2 points)
Joey Mayrose, Sr., 6-4, Forward (2.2 points)
Cam Reynholds, Sr., 6-3, Forward (2.4 points)
Will Grier, So., 6-2, Guard (2.4 points)
2. Ranney
Like CBA, Ranney lost just one starter to graduation, but the situations for each of the Class A North non-public programs are not the same. While CBA graduated a solid contributor, Ranney graduated an All-Shore guard who did it all for the Panthers. Drew Buck leaves a major void in the starting lineup after his graduation last spring, but Ranney will have strength in numbers and experience as the Panthers try to replace his immense production and bounce back from their first losing season since coach Tahj Holden took over in 2014-15.
Despite Buck’s presence last season, Ranney was a young team that progressed as the 2023-24 season carried on. The Panthers’ biggest win of the season – a road victory at Manasquan – came with Buck scoring just 10 points and younger brother, Justin, leading the scoring effort. Justin Buck is one of two senior returning starters, along with four-year varsity point guard MeSean Williams. Junior guard Shaan Nayar is Ranney’s top returning scorer and 6-4 forward Brody Mauro showed his promise as an athletic freshman a year ago.
Ethan Cherrier will round out the starting five and Holden will lean on more of the 2027 class to round out the rotation after that group saw scattered minutes as freshmen off the bench in 2023-24. If Ranney is to climb back toward into the ranks of the top 10 in the Shore Conference, it will be behind a balanced lineup that has played together for the better part of a year and has individual players who have made individual leaps. Losing an All-Shore player is never easy, but Ranney is in a uniquely advantageous spot to overcome the loss thanks to its much deeper roster.
Ranney at a Glance
Head Coach: Tahj Holden, 10th season
2023-24 Record: 12-13 (7-4 crossover; 4-1, third in Class B Coastal)
Key Losses: Drew Buck (6-3, Guard/Forward), J.T. Cook (6-0, Forward)
Projected Lineup (with 2023-24 stats)
Returning Starters in Bold
MeSean Williams, Sr., 5-8, Guard (10.3 points, 3.1 assists, 1.7 steals)
Shaan Nayar, Jr., 6-1, Guard (13.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals)
Ethan Cherrier, Sr., 6-2, Guard
Justin Buck, Sr., 6-4, Forward (6.6 points, 2.9 rebounds)
Brody Mauro, So., 6-4, Forward (8.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.6 blocks)
Off the Bench
J.J. Santulli, Sr., 5-11, Guard
Alex Heyser, So., 5-10, Guard
Ben Schaefer, So., 6-0, Guard
Bryce Haney, So., 5-10, Guard
Jameson Jurofsky, Jr., 5-11, Guard
A.J. Mizhir, Fr., 6-2, Forward
3. Marlboro
Half the teams in Class A North bring back four starters and Marlboro is the first team on the list that will not have that luxury heading into the season. The top three scorers from a year ago graduated and that trio – Steve Scimone, Daniel Elmasri and Brave Haugh – contributed much more than scoring for the Mustangs. Marlboro is one of two teams with most of a starting lineup to replace and one of three that need to replace two top scorers, so the Mustangs enter with some questions.
Sophomore Nolan Gong gives third-year coach James Reuter an obvious candidate to pick up a bulk of the scoring, with the 6-0 second-year starter poised to become Marlboro’s lead guard. Senior Daniel Crasto is the long returning starter outside Gong, so inexperience – at least as it pertains to playing starter minutes and prominent roles – will be scarce. Christian Elmaski, senior Adam Goodman and 6-6 forward Drew Lubeck all have some varsity experience, but they will all be asked to do much more this season.
Marlboro, though, has become a dependable basketball town and the Mustangs are welcoming in a deep crop of new talent that will offer Reuter plenty of possibilities. All three new starters are replacing players who also worked behind older players before getting their shot. On top of that, sophomore guard Dylan McEwan gives Marlboro some additional upside from the underclass ranks, which has already begun to supply the varsity team with the first few players from the talented 2026 and 2027 graduating classes. The specific players on the Marlboro roster all have much to prove at the varsity level, but Marlboro’s program – even in Reuter’s first two years succeeding Mike Nausedas – has proven itself as a program that can reload and this year’s group should be no exception.
Marlboro at a Glance
Head Coach: James Reuter, third season
2023-24 Record: 17-9 (4-6 crossover; 2-2, fourth in Class A North)
Key Losses: Steve Scimone (5-11, Guard), Daniel Elmasri (6-1, Guard), Brave Haugh (6-7, Forward), Nick Epp (6-0, Guard)
Projected Lineup (with 2023-24 stats)
Returning Starters in Bold
Nolan Gong, So., 6-0, Guard (9.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.5 steals)
Daniel Crasto, Sr., 6-0, Guard (3.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists)
Christian Elmasri, Jr., 6-0, Guard
Adam Goodman, Sr., 6-2, Guard/Forward
Drew Lubeck, Jr., 6-6, Forward
Off the Bench
Dylan McEwan, So., 5-11, Guard
Joseph Crue, Sr., 5-11, Guard
Cole Newman, Sr., 6-0, Guard
Ajay Mathews, Jr., 6-1, Guard
Jeevan Saini, Sr., 6-3, Forward
Jake Stone, Jr., 6-1, Guard/Forward
Lucas Ricevuto, Jr., 5-11, Guard
Robert Glorioso, Jr., 5-8, Guard
Brandon Grossman, So., 5-9, Guard
Nate Seidler, So., 5-11, Guard
4. Colts Neck
Although Colts Neck is the third Class A North team to return four starters, there is something of a qualifier. Injuries and some mixing and matching by coach Steve Jannarone led to multiple starting fives, which is why Colts Neck returns four players with real starting experience despite the fact the Cougars graduated their top two scorers and rebounders – Vova Trotsko and Mike Belcher – from a year ago. Still, Colts Neck retains an experienced group of players that have been quality role players and shown potential to go to the next level.
Dillon Younger is the lone non-senior set to start and yet, he is the only one of the five heading into his third year as a starter. Younger will run the point for the Cougars with seniors Dan Buoncore working with him in the back court. Seniors Lukas Sloane, Bryce Belcher and Jack Fried all have the versatility to play on the wing or at the four spot, with Sloane, in particular, proving he can put up double-doubles with regularity during a strong junior campaign.
The starting five is where Colts Neck’s experience lies, but the Cougars expect to have a balanced roster beyond the starting lineup. Nate Sloane is a freshman to watch in the Colts Neck program, while the senior class will have a say in rounding out the rotation in support of the senior-heavy starting lineup. That senior presence could be an x-factor in Colts Neck’s favor in a Class A North division with several teams that could be relying on young rosters this season.
Colts Neck at a Glance
Head Coach: Steve Jannarone, third season
2023-24 Record: 17-9 (6-4 crossover; 3-2, third in Class B North)
Key Losses: Vova Trotsko (6-6, Forward), Mike Belcher (6-3, Forward), Dominic Beninato (5-9, Guard)
Projected Lineup (with 2023-24 Stats)
Returning Starters in Bold
Dillon Younger, Jr., 6-0, Guard (5.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.4 steals)
Dan Buoncore, Sr., 5-10, Guard (4.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.9 steals)
Bryce Belcher, Sr., 6-3, Forward/Guard (5.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists)
Jack Fried, Sr., 6-1, Forward/Guard
Lukas Sloane, Sr., 6-2, Forward (8.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.3 assists)
Off the Bench
Nolan Duddy, Sr., 5-11, Guard
James Novak, Sr., 5-11, Guard
Miles Schnieder, Sr., 5-9, Guard
George William, Sr., 6-3, Forward/Center
Nate Sloane, Fr., 6-2, Guard/Forward
Marco Pisani, Sr., 6-1, Forward
Aidan Bain, Jr., 6-0, Guard/Forward
Matt Clark, Jr., 5-10, Guard
Liam Collura, Jr., 6-1, Forward/Guard
Andrew Tomkovich, Jr., 6-2, Forward
5. Manalapan
A year after reaching the NJSIAA sectional semifinals for the first time since 1999 and falling two wins shy of its first sectional championship since 1988, Manalapan will have to regroup with a starting five that will include four new members in the lineup. The good news within that uncertainty is that the lone returnee is 6-4 senior wing Aiden Sosinov, who is coming off a monster junior season in which he averaged a double-double in leading Manalapan in both scoring and rebounding – all while playing his first season of varsity basketball.
The Braves could very well have the best player on the court in a healthy majority of its games this season thanks to the return of Sosinov, but Manalapan’s postseason fate rests on the ability of the new starters to blend in around Sosinov and with one another. Sosinov, however, is an example of a player who shined in his first varsity season a year ago and Manalapan is hoping for more of the same from a group of juniors and sophomores that will get most of the playing time. Junior Dean Aviles and sophomore Spencer Schoenfeld will give Manalapan two capable scorers in the back court, with junior George Hardy playing a versatile wing role along with Sosinov.
The last starting spot will come down to senior forward Rich Piccillo, sophomore guard Cooper Levy and junior wing Pat Hearn – a diverse trio from which coach Matt Conklin will round out both the starting lineup and the rotation. Integrating a young, inexperienced group will be a process for Manalapan, but the Braves have an All-Shore caliber centerpiece and recent success leaning on a mostly-new lineup around a returning standout.
Manalapan at a Glance
Head Coach: Matt Conklin, third season
2023-24 Record: 17-11 (5-5 crossover; 2-2, tied second in Class A North)
Key Losses: Anthony Leger (6-3, Guard), Phil Pearlman (6-4, Forward), Tristan Ulrich (6-0, Guard), Colin O’Brien (5-11, Guard), Joe Farino (So., 6-0, Guard; transferred to College Achieve)
Projected Lineup (with 2023-24 Stats)
Returning Starters in Bold
Dean Aviles, Jr., 5-11, Guard
Spencer Schoenfeld, So., 5-10, Guard
Aiden Sosinov, Sr., 6-4, Guard/Forward (15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.8 blocks)
George Hardy, Jr., 6-2, Guard/Forward
Rich Piccillo, Sr., 6-0, Forward
Off the Bench
Cooper Levy, So., 6-0, Guard
Pat Hearn, Jr., 6-1, Guard/Forward
Danny Mulvey, Jr., 6-0, Forward
Greyson Ferraro, So., 5-8, Guard
Thomas Castellano, Sr., 5-8, Guard
Colin Duffy, Fr., 5-10, Guard
6. Freehold Twp.
In their first year without longtime head coach Brian Golub, the Patriots got off to a promising start by beating eventual NJSIAA Group III runner-up Freehold Boro on the road in an intense, season-opening rivalry showdown. From there, however, things only got better for Freehold Boro and worse for Freehold Township and first-year head coach Todd Smith – particularly on the injury front. Leading scorer Nick Cardone missed the second half of the season due to injury and the Patriots had to deal with a challenging division and crossover schedule without their top player, going 3-9 in their last 12 games.
Fortunately for Freehold Township, Cardone is back and healthy for one more season of high-school basketball. The senior guard is one of three returning starters from last year’s team – all of whom are seniors. Sean Harris and Jordan Dulnuan will round out the Freehodl Township backcourt after stepping up in Cardone’s absence as juniors and their backups will be sophomore Dakota Lasater and seniors Jake Tennsingque and Liam Grube.
Lasater is part of a promising sophomore group at Smith’s disposal, although returning varsity contributor Jake Schultzel – a 6-3 forward – will miss the start of the season due to injury. His classmate, John O’Neill, will occupy a starting spot in the front court along with junior J.C. Farley, while Jake Platt is another sophomore in the mix for key minutes. Injuries to Schultzel and 6-5 junior Will Varela already have Freehold Township working with a short bench, but the return of Cardone and the chance to get healthier as the season goes on are reasons for hope at Freehold Township – even against another deep, talented Class A North field.
Freehold Township at a Glance
Head Coach: Todd Smith, second season
2023-24 Record: 9-16 (2-8 crossover; 0-4, fifth in Class A North)
Key Losses: Andrew Silverman (5-10, Guard), Brandon Norero (6-2, Forward), Davon Stephenson (6-7, Center)
Projected Lineup (2023-24 Stats)
Returning Starters in Bold
Nick Cardone, Sr., 5-10, Guard (13.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists)
Sean Harris, Sr., 5-9, Guard (3.8 points, 1.7 assists, 1.0 steals)
Jordan Dulnuan, Sr., 5-10, Guard (5.5 points)
John O’Neill, So., 6-3, Forward (5.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.6 blocks)
J.C. Farley, Jr., 6-2, Forward
Off the Bench
Jake Schultzel, So., 6-3, Forward (7.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 0.6 blocks)
Dakota Lasater, So., 5-9, Guard
Jake Tennsingque, Sr., 5-8, Guard
Carmen Nalasco, Jr., 6-2, Forward
Jake Platt, So., 6-0, Forward
Will Varela, Jr., 6-5, Forward
Liam Grube, Sr., 5-10, Guard
Javanni Dawdy, Sr., 5-8, Guard
Jack Gundaker, So., 5-11, Guard
Cole Gerigk, So., 6-0, Guard
Class A North Starting Lineup
Charlie Marcoullier, CBA
Shaan Nayer, Ranney
Kevin Pikiell, CBA
Aiden Sosinov, Manalapan
Justin Fuerbacher, CBA
In the Rotation
Nick Cardone, Freehold Twp.
Nolan Gong, Marlboro
Lukas Sloane, Colts Neck
