Helped Lead Eagles to First MCT/GMCT Final Four Since 1966
EDISON, NJ—The 2019-20 season was a historic one for Edison High School basketball. Not only did the Eagles win their first division title in school history, but also reached the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament semifinals for the first time ever, and made its first MCT/GMCT Final Four appearance since losing to Perth Amboy in the 1966 MCT Championship.
Edison had a great team of players that had character, camaraderie, moxy, and enthusiasm. Not only was it 3rd team All GMC Hoops Manny Davila, and GMC Hoops All Sophomore team member, Niko Barnes, but it was also the likes of seniors Shane Doherty, Malachi White, Tyee, Martin, and Nasir McLean. An unsung hero of the Eagles squad, McLean was much of the heart and soul of the team with his solid all around play, especially on the boards.
Recently, GMC Hoops learned that McLean, who helped the Eagles win the most games in school history with a 19-7 overall record, announced that he will be attending Georgian Court University in Lakewood, where he will continue his athletic career as well. This past season, McLean made 109 field goals, 11 threes, and 37 foul shots for a total of 286 points in 26 games to finish 2nd on the squad in scoring according to stats compiled at nj.com.
His efforts didn’t stop there though. McLean also grabbed a team high 203 rebounds, blocked a team leading 40 shots, unselfishly handed out an Eagles team best 67 assists, and swiped a team best 45 steals to average 11.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. McLean also led the team in two point field goals with 109 while accounting for approximately 20 percent of Edison’s scoring in 2019-20.
The combination of athleticism, unselfishness, and defense, made McLean one of the top rebounders, passers, shot blockers, and defenders in the GMC. As a result, Edison just missed winning 20 games, and posted a 10-2 mark in the GMC White. The Eagles then upended East Brunswick (72-48) and Old Bridge (77-62) in the 2020 GMCT Round of 16 and Elite Eight before falling to eventual champion, St. Thomas Aquinas in the semifinals (72-55).
During the course of the 2019-20 campaign, McLean scored in double figures 18 times including a season high 19 points on three occasions against New Brunswick (won 47-34) on January 4th, Barringer (won 69-37) on January 21st, and versus Spotswood (won 71-38) on February 8th. He also collected double digit rebounds on eight occasions including a career high 15 boards in a huge 57-52 road victory at North Brunswick on February 1st. Together, McLean tabulated 8 double-doubles on the season.
As a junior, McLean came off the bench a lot in the early part of the 2018-19 campaign, but by season’s end, he had worked his way into the starting lineup, and even registered a career high 24 points on 12 field goals in a 63-49 victory over Ocean Township. McLean finished with 54 field goals, 5 threes, and 11 free throws for 134 points along with 102 rebounds, 30 steals, 26 blocks, and 25 assists in 24 games for an average of 5.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 1.1 blocks, and 1.0 assists per game.
For his career, McLean played in 50 games of his two years of varsity hoops with Edison, and made 163 field goals, 16 threes, and 48 free throws for 420 points, 305 rebounds, 92 assists, 75 steals, and 66 blocks for an average of 8.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. He scored in double figures 21 times, and collected double digit rebounds on 10 occasions.
This past season, McLean was named the GMC Hoops Lunch Pail Player of the Year, which is the site’s top honor for the best Blue Collar Player in the GMC. McLean was also selected to the GMC Hoops All Windex Team (for rebounding and shot blocking), All Good Hands Team (for assists and steals), and All Defensive Team. Over his two seasons, Edison was 30-20 overall including a 16-8 mark in the GMC White. The Eagles also finished 4th in the final GMC Hoops Top Ten of 2019-20, the highest ranking ever posted by the Eagles since the site was launched in December 2000.
McLean will be heading to a Georgian Court men’s basketball program that is still relatively in its infancy, and trying to rise to respectability, but has begun to show some promise under fifth year head coach, Terrence Stewart. Led by the likes of Bryce Council, Alonzo Ortiz-Traylor, and Brick Township 1,000 point scorer, Shane Williams, the Lions finished 9-18 overall including a 7-12 mark in the CACC (Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference). An NCAA Division II program, Georgian Court University, originally an all women’s college, became co-ed in the fall of 2013.
GMC Hoops was there the night Georigan Court won its first men’s basketball game in school history when the Lions defeated Mercy College of New York, 87-82 on November 20, 2013. In that game, former Woodbridge standout, and 1,000 point scorer, Keith Hughes Jr., son of the late Keith Hughes, all time leading scorer at Carteret, scored a then season high 22 points including a team high three treys while grabbing 5 rebounds, and blocking three shots in 23 minutes of action.
In addition to Hughes, there have been a number of former GMC standouts that have played in the short history of the GCU Lions men’s basketball program. They include: Robert Ashamole (St. Joseph’s), Jeff Ashamole (North Brunswick), J.D. Rodriguez (Perth Amboy and Cardinal McCarrick), Hamilton Capellan (Perth Amboy), Claude Payne (South Plainfield), and Brandon Ahmed (J.P. Stevens). In addition, Alex Shevchenko, who was a standout player at Calvary Christian before the Lions joined the GMC, is also on the team’s current roster.
Congratulations Nasir on your accomplishment, and best of luck at the next level.