New Look Trojans Starting to Mesh Under First Year Head Coach
NORTH EDISON, NJ–This past off-season was one of significant change for basketball at Bishop Ahr. Not only did long time boys head coach, Dennis O’Keefe step down after 23 years at the school, and 400 career wins between Ahr and the defunct Bayley-Ellard in Morris County, but also long time girls head coach, Kevin Harper was not rehired.
Replacing O’Keefe is former standout, D.J. Griffin, the son of first year Piscataway head coach, Darius Griffin. The younger Griffin was a key contributor on the Bishop Ahr teams of 2009 and 2010. He teamed up with the likes of Justin Peoples, Pat Widdoss, Manny Kroggmann, and Rob Gomulka.
After graduating Bishop Ahr, Griffin attended Howard University as a walk on, and then eventually ended up at The College of New Jersey. Earning his degree from TCNJ, Griffin returned to Ahr as a teacher and coach. He coaches both football and basketball. Last year, he served as an assistant to O’Keefe on the staff before taking over the head coaching position this past spring.
Two years ago, Ahr was below .500 for the year for the first time since the 2001-02 season. Last year, the Trojans finished third in the GMC Blue behind Spotswood and J.F. Kennedy with an overall record of 11-10 including a 6-4 mark in division. BGA split with the Chargers and Mustangs, but a loss on the next to last day of the conference season to Middlesex dropped it to third in division.
Returning this season are top players, Sean Kudelka, Alex Santiago, and Kieran Hodder. In addition, there is a supporting cast that includes returnees from last year such as Matt Mellos, and transfers Matt Panganiban and Simon Llaguno from St. Joseph’s and Devonte Crawford from Highland Park. The BGA also has additional size down low with the likes of Charles Hinton.
Over the summer, the Trojans competed in the East Brunswick Team Camp and the Odie Page Summer League. Ahr lost to New Brunswick in the semifinals of the Odie Page Summer League. In addition, several of the Ahr players played on the Central Jersey Jayhawks squad that competed in the Raritan Bay Summer League in South Amboy. Then, in the fall, the team really started to mesh in the Immaculata Fall League, where Ahr ended up only going 4-4.
Signs that the team was coming together was in the first game of the season at Immaculata against Ridge. In that game, the Trojans fell behind 23-2 in the first half before rallying with a 34-15 surge to pull within two at 38-36 with under five minutes to play before the Red Devils scored the final six points of the game for a 44-36 victory. Ahr then capped the fall with a 54-49 win over East Brunswick on the final day of the season.
Griffin will be looking to change things up as far as Bishop Ahr’s style of play this season. Expect the Trojans to be a little more wide open offensively, and more up-tempo. Bishop Ahr last won the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament in 1992 when the Trojans defeated St. Joseph’s for the title. BGA also beat Joes for the crown in 1982 when it was then called St. Thomas-Aquinas.
The last time Bishop Ahr was in contention for the GMCT Championship was in 2011 when the Trojans lost to Piscataway in the semifinals at South Brunswick High School. Then, Ahr’s squad consisted of Dillon Salva (Merrimack for football and basketball), Ryan Blakely, Roger Kilgore (Yale for football), Rashad Kilgore (Wesley College for football) and Kenny Virden (Wesley for football). Several of those players were teammates of Griffin’s at Ahr.
The Trojans will open its season at home against South River on December 16th, and then play in the Friends of South Amboy Benefit Showcase against Sayreville on December 17th. BGA will also participate in the Hillsborough Holiday Hoops Tournament over the holidays. Then, in January, father and son will go head to head as Bishop Ahr travels to Piscataway on January 30th.