SeaBreeze Ford Boys Basketball NJSIAA Group Final Scoreboard

Shore Conference Boys Basketball Scoreboard

NJSIAA Group Championships

At Jersey Mike’s Arena, Rutgers University

Saturday, March 15

Group III

Colts Neck 54, Ramapo 46

Senior Lukas Sloane carried Colts Neck through a rough-shooting first half and finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots to lead the Cougars (20-9) over the two-time defending champion Raiders (19-11) for the program’s first ever state championship.

Sloane scored 13 of Colts Neck’s 15 points in the first half, during which the Cougars shot 0-for-7 from three-point range and 35 percent from the floor. Despite the low-scoring half, Colts Neck trailed, 20-15, with a chance to rally in the second half.

The Cougars found the range in the third quarter, starting with a three-pointer by junior Dillon Younger that broke Colts Neck’s cold spell from beyond the arc. Ramapo caught fire during the third as well and the teams combined to shoot 16-for-21 from the field, with Colts Neck going 8-for-9.

Younger hit the biggest shot of the quarter for Colts Neck, nailing a three as he was fouled to give Colts Neck its first lead of the game. Younger hit the ensuing free throw to put Colts Neck ahead, 37-35, but Ramapo answered with a three from sophomore Finn Marrah to give the Raiders a 38-37 lead heading to the fourth.

Colts Neck takes its 1st lead on a 4-point play by Dillon Younger in the last minute of the 3rd. 37-35. The lid has come off the rims at the RAC. pic.twitter.com/RWlU5s4XGs

— Matt Manley (@Matt_Manley) March 15, 2025

In the fourth, Colts Neck re-discovered its defense to pair with a now-clicking offense. Ramapo led, 41-39, with five minutes to go, but Colts Neck surged in front, 43-41, on a pair of layups by senior Bryce Belcher off feeds from Younger. Those baskets kicked off a 14-1 run that effectively clinched Colts Neck its first overall group title. Younger had three assists during the run, including one to senior Dan Buoncore the came off a steal and made it 45-41 when Ramapo had a chance to tie the game or take the lead with two minutes to go.

Younger scored all nine of his points in the second half while piling up six rebounds and eight assists. Senior Jack Freid scored the only other Colts Neck basket in the first half outside Sloane and delivered nine more in the second half for an 11-point night. Buoncore also added seven points and four assists for the Cougars.

Colts Neck is the first Shore Conference team to win the Group III championship since Neptune in 2008-09 and the first of the six Freehold Regional District High Schools — Freehold Boro, Freehold Township, Howell, Manalapan and Marlboro — to win a state title in boys basketball.

Sunday, March 16

Group II

Manasquan vs. Madison, 2 p.m. | Preview | Watch Live

 

Friday, March 14

Non-Public B

Roselle Catholic 55, St. Rose 51

Junior Trevon Lewis hit an off-balance shot as he was fouled with 27 seconds left to give Roselle Catholic its first lead of the game and the Lions (24-6) rallied to upend the defending champion Purple Roses (23-8), giving them their seventh state title in the last 13 years.

While St. Rose did not trail until the final 30 seconds, the Purple Roses also did not lead by more than six points in the second half. The Purple Roses led by as many as 10 in the first half, but a jumper by Lewis and a putback by Kahlik Thomas trimmed the deficit to 31-25 by halftime.

Senior Evan Romano knocked down a three-pointer on St. Rose’s second possession of the fourth quarter to stretch St. Rose’s lead to 45-39, but Thomas answered with a three to cut the deficit in half. Junior Jayden Hodge scored off a feed from sophomore Avery Lynch to put the Roses ahead, 47-42, with 5:30 left, but junior point guard Jalen Grant responded with a three-point play to nudge Roselle Catholic to within 47-45.

As it did throughout the game, when Roselle Catholic would threaten to pull in front, St. Rose responded with stops and a big basket. Romano and senior Bryan Ebeling combined to force a turnover and Romano found Avery Lynch for a layup and a 49-45 lead. Lewis responded with a midrange jumper to make it 49-47 and Romano came back with a jump hook off a pass from Ebeling for a 51-47 St. Rose edge.

Lewis then buried a three from the top of the key to cut the St. Rose lead to one for the first time since the fourth quarter opened with the Purple Roses ahead, 40-39. Thomas then came up with a steal for Roselle Catholic, but Grant missed a pull-up three that would have tied the game had it hit its mark.

St. Rose worked more than a minute off the clock before Roselle Catholic made the game-changing play. Junior Tyrease Hunter knocked the ball away from Romano and Thomas picked it up heading toward the opposite end. Thomas missed another potential game-tying layup, but Lewis pulled in the rebound, absorbed the contact and hit a wild shot as he fell to the ground. When it dropped in the hoop, the Lions had their first lead of the game, 52-51, with 27.7 seconds left.

Roselle Catholic forces the turnover and Trevon Lewis hits the ridiculous and-1. RC leads 53-51 with 20 seconds left. pic.twitter.com/IY9s3zCw8q

— Matt Manley (@Matt_Manley) March 14, 2025

Lewis knocked down the free throw and, after a St. Rose timeout, Roselle Catholic forced the 11th St. Rose turnover of the second half and 18th of the game to get the ball back. Grant hit two free throws to give Roselle Catholic a 55-51 lead with 13 seconds left and the clock ran out on the Purple Roses.

Roselle Catholic shot just 9-for-19 from the free-throw line, but hit its final three attempts to close the game.

Hodge led all scorers with 23 points to go with 12 rebounds and three steals, while Romano poured in 16 points while dishing out three assists.

Lewis led Roselle Catholic with 21 points and six rebounds, with Grant kicking in 12.