Shore Sports Insider Week 10 Boys Basketball Top 10

Shore Sports Insider Boys Basketball Top 10 — Week 10

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The NJSIAA Tournament is in full swing and there have already been a handful of results that changed the fortunes of several teams vying for a spot in the final Shore Sports Insider Top 10. While the No. 1 ranking remains set, No. 2 is still up for grabs, as are a couple other spots in the top five, not to mention a battle for inclusion at the bottom of the rankings.

It is entirely possible that the Top 10 will be all wrapped up by this time next week, but when it comes to the state tournament, never be surprised by a surprise.

1. Christian Brothers Academy (24-3, 10-0) Last Week: 1

The Colts rolled over defending South Jersey Non-Public A champion Camden Catholic and will now prepare for their biggest game of the year: a sectional semifinal showdown with St. Peter’s Prep in Lincroft. St. Peter’s is the No. 2 team in the state, according to NJ Advance Media, with CBA ranking No. 4. Outside of a potential championship game with one of those teams playing No. 1 Bergen Catholic, Thursday’s sectional semifinal at CBA is just about the biggest possible match-up this year’s NJSIAA Tournament could produce.

2. Red Bank Catholic (20-8, 8-2) Last Week: 2

The Caseys’ season ended with a loss to a loaded St. Joseph of Metuchen squad in the South Non-Public A semifinals, but they can boast the No. 2 ranking in the conference for at least another week. Whether RBC can hold onto it or not for the final ranking of the season is no longer in its own hands, however beating Wall and playing in the Shore Conference Tournament championship game gives the Caseys a strong argument.

3. Wall (21-2, 10-0) Last Week: 3

After a five-game lull that included losses to Colonia and Red Bank Catholic, Wall looks back at top form after picking apart Holmdel in the Central Jersey Group II quarterfinals. Despite drawing the No. 1 seed, the Crimson Knights got a challenging draw that landed them that Sunday game vs. Holmdel, followed by Tuesday’s showdown vs. Manasquan – the third such game with the Warriors this season. If Wall keeps it rolling all the way to its first sectional championship since 2020, the Crimson Knights will have sufficiently rebounded from the RBC loss to reclaim the No. 2 spot.

4. Manasquan (15-9, 6-4) Last Week: 4

After two dominant wins over Roselle and Delaware Valley to open its NJSIAA Group II title defense, Manasquan is facing a season-defining challenge at Wall Tuesday, with a chance to both make a statement, as well as keeping its hopes of a seventh straight sectional championship alive. With regard to wins and losses, the 2025-26 season has been the most challenging season for coach Andrew Bilodeau and his team since 2017-18, but the Warriors have overcome just about everything imaginable to move back into a tier with the top five teams in the conference.

5. Marlboro (21-5, 7-3) Last Week: 5

For the first 26 minutes of its Central Group IV quarterfinal vs. Sayreville, Marlboro completely dominated a good Bombers squad and looked like a team ready to give defending Group IV champion Montgomery all it could handle in the sectional semifinals. A shaky fourth-quarter stretch let Sayreville back into the game, but the Mustangs still collected a 78-68 win that has them feeling confident heading into Tuesday’s game vs. the third-seeded Cougars, especially since it is in Marlboro’s home gym.

6. Holmdel (16-8, 6-4) Last Week: 6

After a solid start to Sunday’s game at Wall, Holmdel could not come up with enough answers to solving the Crimson Knights’ defense as the Hornets’ season ended with a loss to what looks like one of the favorites to win Group II. This year’s Holmdel team was not as offensively explosive as the last few teams that coach Sean Devaney has had, but the Hornets were a physical, well-prepared team that beat the likes of Manasquan, Middletown South and Rumson-Fair Haven (twice) during the season.

7. Howell (20-7, 7-3) Last Week: 7

The best season in Howell boys basketball history ended with the Rebels losing a South South Jersey Group IV quarterfinal game at Atlantic City that was a punch to the gut. Top scorers and sibling backcourt duo Cayden and Jayson Parker both fouled out in the game and the Rebels could not hold a five-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Despite another disappointing tournament exit – the first of which was an overtime loss to Marlboro in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals – Howell set a single-season record for wins and is set up well for 2026-27 with the potential return of three starters.

8. Ranney (14-12, 7-3) Last Week: 8

The Panthers’ Shore Conference Tournament win over Jackson was the final statement that lands Ranney in prime position to end the season as a ranked team in the conference. The junior-heavy Panthers got a jump on next year by playing their final four games without senior Shaan Nayar and doing so to mixed results. They were competitive in losses to Immaculata and Rumson-Fair Haven, handled Calvary Christian in the South Non-Public B first round, and had no answers for Holy Spirit in the second half of a 74-54 loss that Ranney led at halftime.

9. Jackson (18-6, 7-1) Last Week: Not ranked

That aforementioned loss to Ranney in the SCT, plus a 24-point loss to Freehold Township makes Jackson’s Top 10 case tricky, but there is more than enough to grab onto when it comes to résumé highlights. Jackson already boasted two victories over Manasquan and a Shore Conference Class A South division title, so Tuesday’s road win at East Brunswick is more than enough for Jackson to kick in the door. East Brunswick has beaten three other Top 10 teams – Red Bank Catholic, Ranney and Middletown South – so beating the Bears in a playoff setting on the road is a huge accomplishment. Beating top-seeded Hillsborough on Tuesday would take it to another level.

10. Middletown South (16-11, 6-4) Last Week: 9

With its season hanging in the balance on Monday night, Middletown South turned to freshman Ryan Gannon for one of the more clutch performances of the Shore Conference season. Gannon scored 16 of his 24 points in the two overtime periods of the Eagles’ 66-62 win over Hopewell Valley in the Central Group III quarterfinals, including a game-tying three with nine seconds left in the first overtime. Middletown South will try to keep it going Wednesday against top-seeded Lawrence as the Eagles pursue their first sectional title in 18 years.

Dropped Out

Rumson-Fair Haven (18-8, 5-5) Last Week: 10 – The Bulldogs did nothing to deserve dropping out, but Jackson’s win over East Brunswick was weighty enough to push the Jaguars in, which meant someone had to drop. A sectional championship in a Shore-packed Central Jersey Group II would get Rumson back in the rankings.

 

The Next 10

Freehold Township (15-11, 5-5)

Point Pleasant Beach (20-7, 8-2)

Point Pleasant Boro (17-10, 7-3)

Ocean (19-9, 8-2)

Central (16-10, 6-2)

Brick Memorial (15-11, 5-5)

Toms River South (16-12, 3-7)

Red Bank (11-16, 2-8)

Monmouth (15-9, 7-3)

Colts Neck (13-13, 6-4)