SJ Sports: HS Tournaments

The Men
Normally there is a strong favorite to win the South Jersey Group 3 boys' basketball title, but that’s not the case this year. Unlike last year when Lakewood was considered the team to beat and did indeed win the title, this year’s field appears up for grabs.

Teams with a .500 or better record by the Feb. 8 cutoff qualified and they were seeded based on their winning percentage on that date.

A total of 17 teams have qualified in Group 3, the most in South Jersey. Woodrow Wilson, which lost to Lakewood, 67-59 in last year's final, is the No. 1 seed and will be dangerous. The Tigers have a strong inside-outside scoring combo in 6-4 Preston Brown and point guard Kris Polk, who average 34 points between them.

There appears to be two other major contenders this year in Group 3 and of course, there will probably be a darkhorse that also emerges.

Camden, which won the South Jersey Group 3 title in 2001, appears to be back after a 12-11 season last year.

The return of coach Clarence Turner after four seasons has revitalized the Camden program. It doesn’t hurt that Camden has one of the best backcourts in South Jersey, with juniors Shomari Moore and Wayne Smalls Jr.

Moore, who played at Camden as a freshman, transferred to Melrose High in Memphis last year before returning this season, has been one of South Jersey’s most unstoppable guards. He is averaging 21 points per game and seems to be improving each outing. Smalls, who is among the area’s top outside shooters, is averaging 16.8 points.

The other serious contender is Willingboro, a team that got off to a deceptive 1-4 start, but entered the week having won 14 in a row.

Those early losses all came to quality teams, including three to Group 4 contenders Atlantic City, Winslow Township and Shawnee.

Coach Paul Collins hoped that the difficult early season schedule would benefit the Chimeras and it’s done exactly that. Senior Joe McLean leads the way, averaging just under 19 points per game. Willingboro isn’t very big, but neither are Camden and Wilson. All three teams are quick and love to beat teams in the transition game.

Even though Wilson is seeded first, No. 3 seeded Willingboro probably has the best seed. That’s because the Chimeras wouldn’t have to face either Camden or Wilson until the championship. Camden is seeded No. 4 and if the Panthers and Wilson win their first two games as expected, then Camden and Wilson would meet in the semifinals.

Camden has beaten Wilson 60—59 in the first of their two regular season games this year. The second will be Saturday, Feb. 22 at Wilson.

There are few better rivalries in any sport than Camden and Wilson in boys’ basketball. Besides bragging rights of the city, these two will be playing for a championship. Last year Wilson beat Camden, 74-63, in the first round of the state tournament.

However last year, there wasn’t the feeling that Camden would be competitive in the tournament. This year it’s different and the Panthers, along with Wilson and Willingboro, should make this a great three-team race in Group 3.

The Ladies
The Group 2 girls’ basketball tournament appears to be the most wide-open in South Jersey. The single-elimination tournament begins on March 4 and there isn’t one team that stands out as a favorite.

It wouldn’t be surprising if one or even two teams from the Colonial Conference advance to the championship of this 12-team field. There are four Colonial teams, No. 1 seeded Collingswood, No. 2 Sterling, No. 4 Haddonfield and No. 7 Haddon Township. All four have a legitimate chance to win the title, as do a few other teams in the Group.

Last season Haddon Township beat Haddonfield, 41-34 in the South Jersey Group 2 final. This year both teams have plenty of company as they try to return to the championship game.

First of all, the teams in the Colonial appear so balanced, although Haddonfield may have the slight edge due to its recent play.

Haddonfield has lost to Haddon Township, beaten Sterling in two close games and split with Collingswood.

Sterling has split two close games with both Haddon Township and Collingswood. The Silver Knights lost to Township, 35-32 on opening night and then beat the Hawks, 35-34. Sterling lost to Collingswood, 37-35 before beating the Panthers, 43-40.

Anybody from our conference in the Group 2 tournament has the ability to beat anybody else and to get beaten," Sterling coach Jackie Donovan said. "It’s very balanced."

Sterling is the No. 2 seed and receives a first-round bye. The Silver Knights are likely to face Haddon Township for a third time if Township beats No. 10 Hammonton in an opening round game.

Another potential Colonial rematch could come in the semifinals. Haddonfield and Collingswood both have first-round byes. If Haddonfield beats the winner of Pleasantville-Woodstown and Collingswood defeats the Delran-Pinelands winner, then Collingswood and Haddonfield will have their third meeting.

Collingswood had been in a mini slump, having lost three of five games, but the Panthers made a huge statement with last week’s 56-55 win over a Woodrow Wilson team that was ranked No. 2 in South Jersey and is seeded No. 2 in the Group 3 field.

Collingswood sophomore guard Ashlee Feldman is averaging 17 points per game and she gives the Panthers the needed perimeter threat to be dangerous in this tournament.

Few teams will match up well with Haddonfield’s size, which includes 6-4 Sara Zoubek, 6-1 Juliane Rusie, 6-0 Julie Sobolewski and 5-10 Carrie Biemer.

Speaking of size, the one player who could be the most dominant in the Group 2 field is Erica Davis, Northern Burlington’s 6-3 senior center who is headed to Yale.

Davis is averaging nearly 19 points per game. Don’t be misled by Northern Burlington’s No. 6 seed. The Greyhounds are extremely dangerous. They open with No. 11 Burlington Township, a team that Northern Burlington has already beaten twice.

The winner of that game then travels to No. 3 Cinnaminson. Northern Burlington beat Cinnaminson, 46-30 on Feb. 6. If Northern Burlington wins, it would face likely either Haddon Township or Sterling in the semifinals.

One thing is assured when talking about Group 2: there shouldn’t be many upsets because so many of the teams are evenly matched. That’s what makes this the most intriguing of the four public school groups in South Jersey.

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Author: Marc Narducci