VOTE: Week 2 Boys Basketball Player of the Week
Week 2 Shore Sports Insider Boys Basketball Players of the Week
Each week, Shore Sports Insider will recognize the top boys basketball performers in each of the eight Shore Conference divisions and nominate those eight for the weekly SSI Player of the Week Award. Two wild cards will also be part of the contest, giving the basketball fans of the Jersey Shore 10 candidates to choose from every week.
Read about this week’s honorees and vote in the poll at the bottom of the post for the best as this week’s Player of the Week. Vote once per hour until the poll closes Sunday at 10 p.m.
Class A North Player of the Week
Shaan Nayar, Ranney
Nayar filled it up in Ranney’s two wins at the Buc Classic, starting with a 29-point performance in a first-round win over Old Bridge. He then netted 10 points in the Panther’s semifinal loss to Freehold Boro and bounced back with a game-high 24 in a 74-64 overtime win over Hightstown – including six points in overtime.
Class A North Honorable Mention: MeSean Williams, Ranney; Lukas Sloan, Colts Neck; Bryce Belcher, Colts Neck; Christian Elmasri, Marlboro; Brody Mauro, Ranney; Aiden Sosinov, Manalapan; Kevin Pikiell, CBA; John O’Neill, Freehold Twp.; Jordan Dulnuan, Freehold Twp; Nick Cardone, Freehold Twp.; Nolan Gong, Marlboro; Jake Schultzel, Freehold Twp.
Class A Coastal Player of the Week
Luke Cruz, Rumson-Fair Haven
The University of Pennsylvania commit scored 44 points in two Rumson wins at the Butch Kowal Classic as the standout performer at the event. Cruz poured in 20 points in a round-one win over Woodbridge, then posted 24 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots in the championship win over Immaculata.
Class A Coastal Honorable Mention: Brady Hahn, Middletown South; Ryan Prior, Red Bank Catholic; Danny O’Neill, St. John Vianney; Ryan Fisher, Red Bank; Ire Adesina, Holmdel; Beckett Oliver, Middletown South; Sean Saxton, Red Bank Catholic; Zayier Dean, Red Bank; Daxx Corneiro, Holmdel; Matt Trimble, Middletown South
Class A Central Player of the Week
Jayden Hodge, St. Rose
Against a pair of high-level opponents at the Jordan Holiday Classic and the Battle in Brooklyn on back-to-back days, Hodge put his game on full display. The junior posted 27 points (11-for-18 shooting), eight rebounds, five assists and three steals in a Purple Roses loss to St. Frances Academy of Baltimore, then went for 16 points, five rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots in a come-from-behind win over Archbishop Stepinac of New York.
Class A Central Honorable Mention: Griffin Linstra, Manasquan; Rey Weinseimer, Manasquan; Jimmy Pappalardo, Jackson Memorial; Peter Barkauskas, Howell; Hunter Hynes, Point Boro; Jason Lajara, Brick Memorial; Sean Collins, Brick Memorial; Avery Lynch, St. Rose; Caden Parker, Howell; Logan Cleveland, Manasquan; Drew Cardia, Point Boro
Class A South Player of the Week
Shane Gambarony, Toms River South
Toms River South went 1-2 at the WOBM Christmas Classic and Gambarony’s scoring was one of the stories of the tournament. He scored 83 points in three games, including 33 each in the first and last game of his team’s run. Gambarony scored 33 in a 71-70 loss to Manchester and later poured in 33 of the Indians’ 57 points in a win over Brick.
Class A South Honorable Mention: Aidan Lunn, Manchester; Jaycen Santucci, Central; Aidan Graham, Central; James Gibbons, Donovan Catholic; Ryan Jacobs, Donovan Catholic; Bryce Kazanowsky, Toms River North; Noah Perna, Southern; Jake Sliwinski, Southern; Sherrod Nelson, Toms River North; Jake Greenberg, Toms River North; Jayson King, Central; M.J. Goins, Manchester
Class B North Player of the Week
Andrew Barham, Shore
The Blue Devils storm into 2025 as one of the three remaining undefeated teams at the Shore (Red Bank and Point Boro) and Barham’s play at the Jack DuBois Memorial Tournament helped get them there. He scored 12 points in the tournament-opener vs. Asbury Park, then scored a career-best 23 points in the championship win over Lacey.
Class B North Honorable Mention: Qua’Mir Everett, Freehold Boro; Aidain Hamlin-Woolfolk, Freehold Boro; Brian Tassey, Freehold Boro; Mike Cush, Freehold Boro; Josh Da Cruz, Long Branch; Maddox Paulin, Shore; Ny’John Kirkpatrick, Asbury Park
Class B Coastal Player of the Week
JoJo Newell, Henry Hudson
Newell continues to lead the Admirals to what is shaping up to be a strong follow-up season to a breakthrough 2023-24 campaign. In the Shore/Middlesex Holiday Classic, Newell scored 19 points to spearhead a win over South Amboy, then put up 24 in a championship loss to South River.
Class B Coastal Honorable Mention: Colin Byrne, Middletown North; Nico Dispenza, Keyport; A’Son Young, Keansburg; Billy Quinn, Henry Hudson; Andrei Matthews, Keyport; Jayden Elijah, Matawan; Nate Tyburczy, Middletown North
Class B Central Player of the Week
Liam Killea, Wall
Wall challenged itself during the days leading up to the WOBM Christmas Classic and entered the Steve Gepp bracket a battle-tested team that was ready to make a statement. Killea was the team’s top scorer in each of the final two rounds, with the junior scoring 13 in a semifinal win over Freehold Township and 16 in the championship win over Middletown North – 13 of which came in the second half.
Class B Central Honorable Mention: Jayden Myrthil, Neptune; Demitri Tu, Wall; Donnie Stevenson, Neptune; Aidan Kelly, Jackson Liberty; Nolan Arnold, New Egypt; Brian McKenna, Wall; George Breckenridge, Point Beach
Class B South Player of the Week
Ty Kline Pinelands
Kline made a strong case as the top individual performer at the Warrior Classic in New Egypt in leading Pinelands to a third-place finish. The senior guard opened the tournament with a double-double of 22 points and 13 rebounds in a loss to eventual champion Woodstown, then put up 23 points, six rebounds and four steals in a third-place win over Steinert.
Class B South Honorable Mention: Brady Gillen, Toms River East; Jamel Pitts, Brick; Mason Krey, Barnegat; Jon Stabile, Lacey; Tyler McNally-Ferguson, Pinelands; Jayden Johnson, Brick
Wild Cards
Brady Hahn, Middletown South
Hahn continues to be a steady presence on an otherwise inexperienced Middletown South team that is off to a 4-2 start and just won the inaugural Pat Houston Memorial Classic by beating a hot-starting Manalapan squad. Hahn scored 22 points in the opener vs. Raritan, then scored 10 of his game-high 20 in the fourth quarter as the Eagles upended Manalapan in the championship game.
Griffin Linstra, Manasquan
Linstra opened the WOBM Christmas Classic with the highest-scoring game of his career – one that included a career milestone. Linstra erupted for 36 points in a Manasquan rout of St. John Vianney, which included the 1,000th point of his accomplished varsity career with the Warriors. Linstra then scored 12 points in a round-two win over Donovan Catholic and posted eight points, eight rebounds and four assists in a championship win at the buzzer over Central.
