Scottie Lewis’ Late Arrival Fuels Sterns Comeback, While ACI Withstands WCT Rally

MANASQUAN — Tuesday’s Jersey Shore Basketball League doubleheader featured two dramatic comeback victories, as Sterns Trailer erased a 21-point deficit to outlast RKE Athletic 115-108 in overtime behind the halftime arrival of Scottie Lewis, while the WCT Warriors rallied from 12 points down at halftime but ultimately fell short against ACI/Robin’s Nest 115-110.

Late Arrival, Big Finish: Scottie Lewis Sparks Sterns Trailer’s Comeback Victory

Few players in the JSBL have traveled a more winding path than Scottie Lewis has since his legendary high school career ended.

The former Ranney standout was one of the most decorated players in Shore Conference history. A First Team All-State selection and five-star recruit, Lewis led Ranney to the 2019 Tournament of Champions title and a state championship, earning Tournament of Champions MVP honors after the Panthers defeated Bergen Catholic, 67-63, in the final. That legendary Ranney team, which also featured star guard Bryan Antoine, remains the only Shore Conference boys basketball team to win the Tournament of Champions during the event’s 1989-2022 run.

Lewis took that success to the University of Florida, where he was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team after a promising debut season. The COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended his freshman campaign before the NCAA Tournament. He returned the following season and helped the Gators reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament, scoring 15 points in a 75-70 overtime victory over Virginia Tech before Florida fell to Oral Roberts.

He was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 56th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Lewis spent the 2021-22 season on a two-way contract, appearing in four NBA games while also playing for the Greensboro Swarm in the G League.

Just as his professional career was gaining momentum, adversity struck. Lewis suffered a broken leg during a Charlotte Hornets Summer League practice in Las Vegas in 2022, an injury that sidelined him for an extended period and delayed his return to the G League until 2024, when he joined the Salt Lake City Stars.

Lewis spent this past season overseas with the Johor Southern Tigers, competing in both the Malaysian Basketball League (MBL) and the Basketball Champions League Asia.

Lewis arrived at Manasquan High School just before halftime on Tuesday night, but it didn’t take long for the former NBA draft pick to remind the Jersey Shore why he was once one of the nation’s most coveted recruits.

RKE Athletic appeared to be in complete control after building a 21-point lead through the first two-and-a-half quarters behind a dominant trio of Alex Massung (St. Anselm/Hudson Catholic), Dane Moran (Dickinson/CBA) and Nico Galette (Youngstown State/Rutgers Prep). Massung poured in a game-high 33 points while Moran added 29 points and 11 rebounds.

Galette recorded 28 points and 16 rebounds, but Sterns Trailer’s defensive pressure in the second half, led by Lewis, coupled with fatigue setting in for RKE Athletic, which had no substitutes on the bench, forced the former Youngstown State standout into seven turnovers.

Sterns Trailer slowly chipped away throughout the second half before the teams traded blows in a frantic closing stretch.

With the score tied 100-100 and under two minutes remaining, Moran scored on a flex cut to give RKE a 102-100 lead. Mike Aaman (Wagner/Raritan), who finished with 17 points and seven rebounds on 7-for-10 shooting, answered by knocking down two free throws with 1:38 left to even the score. One possession later, Mason Jones (Brookdale/Manchester) attacked the basket and converted a pair of free throws to put Sterns Trailer ahead 104-102.

Galette answered with a backdoor layup to tie the game at 104 with 46 seconds remaining. After Savon Myers (St. Mary’s University/Manchester) missed a potential go-ahead three, RKE appeared poised to hold for the final shot. Instead, a foul on a loose ball and an ensuing argument with the officials led to a technical foul on Jones. Gagan Dhaliwal missed the ensuing free throw, opening the door for Sterns Trailer.

Moments later, Myers came up with a steal but missed a transition layup. Devine Eke (Radford/Union Catholic) was there to clean up the miss, giving Sterns Trailer a 106-104 lead with 10.5 seconds remaining. RKE answered one final time. After advancing the ball past half court with a timeout, Galette drove for the tying basket with two seconds left to force overtime.

Playing under the JSBL’s Elam Ending overtime format, the target score was set at 114. Sterns Trailer wasted little time seizing control. Parker Dortch (Anderson), who recorded 22 points and eight rebounds, opened overtime with a layup off the opening tip before Lewis connected on a long pull-up jumper from the right wing. A few possessions later, Lewis buried a three from the same side to put Sterns firmly in command. After Massung briefly kept RKE within striking distance, Dortch capped the comeback with a behind-the-back move in transition before finishing at the rim for the game-winning basket.

Lewis finished with 23 points on an efficient 10-for-14 shooting performance—all after halftime—providing the spark Sterns Trailer needed to erase a 21-point deficit and complete one of the season’s most dramatic comebacks of the summer. Myers stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, and four steals while helping fuel the rally on both ends of the floor.

“It was good to come in and get a dub for the guys,” Lewis said. “After our first two games, I didn’t play so well. Gaffney [Jalen] isn’t here right now, and my boy Antoine [Bryan] isn’t here right now, so we had to hold it down.”

Lewis credited Sterns Trailer’s veteran experience for remaining composed after falling behind by 21 points.

“It’s a bunch of pros over there,” Lewis said. “There’s not much that needs to be said. We all just are holding each other accountable and understanding that once we focus and lock in, it’s easy for us to put a game together and win. It wasn’t our prettiest game, but we got it done.”

After overcoming injuries and setbacks, Lewis said he is taking his time before deciding where to continue his career.

“I have a couple of options,” Lewis said. “I’m trying to figure out what the best route is.”

Away from basketball, Lewis is enjoying life as a new father.

“I just had a son, so I’m just enjoying him, being around him.”

This summer marks Lewis’ first appearance in the JSBL since 2018, making his return all the more meaningful.

“It’s amazing,” Lewis said. “Obviously I’ve played a couple places and I haven’t felt like I’ve lived up to the expectation that I set for myself and that the Jersey Shore set for me, so for me to come back home and still receive the love and respect that I get, it’s an amazing feeling.”

Defending Champions Withstand WCT Warriors Rally

The defending champion ACI/Robin’s Nest survived a furious second-half comeback by the WCT Warriors, leaning on its championship experience to pull out another hard-fought victory.

ACI/Robin’s Nest built a 12-point halftime lead before the Warriors erupted in the third quarter to seize the momentum. Ryan Savoy (Nichols/Lakewood) paced WCT with a game-high 37 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 13-for-20 from the field and 4-for-5 from 3-point range. Jacob Morales (Montclair State/Pascack Hills) added 28 points and nine rebounds, Jack Collins (Monmouth/Manasquan) flirted with a triple-double with 19 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists, and Ryan Frauenheim (Babson/Manasquan) chipped in 13 points.

Rather than panic, the defending champions relied on the chemistry and experience that have made them one of the league’s premier teams.

Samier Kinsler (Glenville State) led ACI/Robin’s Nest with 27 points and eight rebounds while knocking down four 3-pointers. Dwaine Jones (Charleston/Neptune) added 24 points, including three 3-pointers of his own, Jared Kimbrough (Hartford/Neptune) controlled the paint with 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Jagan Mosely (Georgetown/St. Anthony’s) contributed 20 points and six rebounds. The quartet combined for 94 points, answering every challenge the WCT Warriors presented.

“When the run happened, we were just honest with each other,” Kinsler said. “We all play professional basketball. Let’s be pros, lock in, do the right things, and get a win.”

Kinsler credited veteran point guard Dwaine Jones for settling the team down during the Warriors’ comeback.

“Everyone [on the roster] has played with him at some point in their lives,” Kinsler said. “He’s a good point guard. He knows when to say something; he knows when to let us rock out. Today, he put his foot down. He told us we’re not doing the right things. We all look up to him. We all listen to him. We followed his game plan.”

After surrendering the lead in the third quarter, ACI/Robin’s Nest tightened up defensively when it mattered most.

“Respectfully, we know those guys are good and know how to play ball the right way. We were being lazy, though,” Kinsler said. “Once that changed and we all looked at each other and we were honest with each other, we said we’re not playing the right defense. It’s easy to complain and try to make excuses for not playing defense instead of just playing defense. Let’s stop being complacent. Let’s just guard.”

Like Lewis earlier in the evening, Kinsler is also preparing for another season overseas after a successful first professional campaign in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“I have a couple of offers right now, Finland and Portugal,” Kinsler said. “I’m just trying to take off with my overseas career. My first year in Bosnia was good. I came late. I’m just looking to improve and go play in a higher league.”