   It was one year ago when the North Brunswick Raiders made their return to the playoffs for the first time in 4 years, even winning a playoff game before falling to Rancocas Valley. It was definitely a positive season for North Brunswick in a lot of ways.
    Now they get to do it all over again.
   Jeff Ashamole will lead a different group of hopefuls in the gym of NBTHS, as they try to recapture glory on the hardwood, starting on December 14th in Sayreville against the Bombers. Ashamole appears to be a more confident basketball player this year, but is the consistency there? That’s always been the X-factor with him. He will have a different cast of characters around him. Brandon Rogers, Malcolm Stoby, Laud Anderson, Keith Robinson and Lavarr Molina are on to the next level. This time around, seniors C.J Brathwaite and Michael Cole will provide support, along with a couple of new faces. Senior Justin Morgan – a transfer from St. Peter’s of New Brunswick(also a 2007 GMC Hoops All Athletic Team award winner) should be able to help out immediately, because he is not subject to the transfer rule, where you sit out 30 days, simply because St. Peter’s closed down. Jordan Wright, another senior, will hope to provide some more leadership, most likely, off the bench, along with sophomore Mark Gibson, junior Bobby Swercheck, and junior Ricky Harris.
   There also will be some brand new faces for the Raiders. Maybe even one in the starting lineup – freshman Tate Birkley, who appears to be a sharpshooter poised for a big year could provide some offensive spark and help replace the departed Brandon Rogers. Then, there’s junior Mike McDonald, who could get some spot starts, as head coach Ed Breheney likes to mix and match his starting lineups. It will be interesting to see how these two blend in, especially against some of the tougher opponents in the GMC.
   Now that we have had a brief look at the players, it’s time to take a look a couple of the games that could be pivotal in the upcoming season:
January 3, 2008 @ South Plainfield – North Brunswick has to be looking for some serious revenge after losing all 3 contests to the Tigers last season, including a GMC tournament game that went to overtime.
January 8 vs. New Brunswick – Jarell Hill’s rainbow 3-pointer with time winding down in last year’s clash at NBTHS has to still be ringing in the returning players’ ears, with the Zebra fans storming the court to celebrate their 50-49 win over the Raiders, which may have cost North Brunswick a home game in the counties and states. Always a big rivalry game to begin with, that moment in time makes it that much bigger this time around.
   What’s the goal this season? Make the state playoffs, and maybe even get to the Central Jersey, Group 4 finals – IF everything rolls right. We have already talked about Jeff Ashamole, and what he needs to do. Can Michael Cole help him out on the boards, and down low? Will C.J. Brathwaite emerge as another scoring threat? Is freshman Tate Birkley for real? Can head coach Ed Breheney really get the most out of this team? Breheney is a stickler for defense, but will an aggresive defense hurt more than it helps? Also, the Raiders cannot allow some of the better shooting teams in the GMC to take all kinds out of jump shots from the outside, which is something I saw in their pre-season scrimmage against Whippany Park. Taking care of the basketball, and avoiding the cruical turnover will be another key factor, as well.
   As always with a new season, there are a lot of questions to be answered. New ground to cover, and new milestones to cross. For the North Brunswick Raiders basketball team, following up to their smash hits in 2006-07 will be the goal. These guys do not want to be remembered as one-hit wonders.
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