One Last Look at the South Jersey Boys Basketball Season

by Marc Narducci | Mar 22, 2024

There was one local state champion and several impressive sectional title holders in the recently completed South Jersey boys’ basketball season. Here is a look back:

State Champion

Camden (Group 2) - Camden advanced to the state final after a controversial 46-45 win over Manasquan in the state Group 2 semifinal. Manasquan scored on a follow shot at the buzzer that was originally ruled good, but then waved off the officials. Replays clearly showed that Manasquan had scored and the NJSIAA even admitted that the call was wrong.

Manasquan filed an appeal that was denied by the NJSIAA.

This was not Camden’s fault, but there will always be a question as to the legitimacy of the state semifinal win.

Camden then defeated Arts, 69-50 in the state final to win its 13^th state championship in its illustrious basketball history. Leading the way was Emmanuel Joe-Samuel, who scored 23 points for the Panthers.

South Jersey champs

South Jersey Group 1: No. 2 seeded Pitman (60), (1) Kipp Cooper Norcross Academy 56.

South Jersey Group 2: (2) Camden 80, (1) Middle Township 55.

South Jersey Group 3: (1) Mainland 69, (2) Ocean City 67 (triple OT).

South Jersey Group 4: (1) Lenape 50, (2) Eastern 47.

South Jersey Non-Public A: (5) Paul VI 53, (2) Union Catholic 35.

South Jersey Non-Public B: (1) St. Rose 82, (3) Bishop Eustace 40.

Top Rivalry

Mainland and Ocean City played three competitive games against each other. Mainland lost the first game 59-52 but won the next two, 55-50 in a Cape Atlantic League tournament semifinal and then earned the 69-67 triple OT victory in the South Jersey Group 3 final. The cumulative scores in the three games – Mainland 176, Ocean City 176.

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- Grateful for the Opportunity

The high school winter sports season looks a lot different than normal but these standout local athletes are just happy to be back in action.

Hail to the Division Champions

BURLINGTON COUNTY SCHOLASTIC LEAGUE

Freedom Division: Kipp Cooper Norcross Academy went 8-0.
Independence Division: Palmyra went 8-0.
Liberty Division: Cinnaminson was 9-1.
Patriot Division: Burlington Township went 10-0.

CAPE ATLANTIC LEAGUE

American Division: Middle Township went 12-0.
National Division: Mainland went 11-1.
United Division: Lower Cape May was 12-0.

COLONIAL CONFERENCE

Liberty Division: Haddonfield was 10-0.
Patriot Division: Woodbury was 8-2.

OLYMPIC CONFERENCE

American Division: Lenape went 8-0.
National Division: Camden was 8-0.
Patriot Division: Moorestown was 9-1.

TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE

Classic Division: Pitman went 9-1.
Diamond Division: Overbrook was 9-1.
Liberty Division: Timber Creek was 10-0.
Royal Division: Kingsway was 7-1.

Final Rankings

Here is where the South Jersey teams ended in the final NJ.com state Top 20:

(3) Camden (30-2)

(8) Middle Township (28-3)

(13) Lenape (28-4)

(18) Paul VI (22-10)

Final Suggestion

The charter schools should either compete in their own category or be placed in the Non-Public groups. This year Pitman lost to College Achieve Asbury Park, 96-59 in the state Group 1 semifinal.

College Achieve Asbury Park is a first-year charter school that drew players from all around the state. Pitman drew players from, well, Pitman. Not a fair battle. College Achieve Asbury Park eventually captured the state Group 1 title and won its six NJSIAA playoff games by an average of 40 points.

Photo courtesy of Pitman Boys’ Basketball

Author: Marc Narducci

One Last Look at the South Jersey Boys Basketball Season

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