TCS Big Man Becomes 2nd GMC Gold Player to Take Post-Graduate Route
PISCATAWAY, NJ—Timothy Christian’s senior center, Abdul Momoh is a work in progress believe it or not. Not only is he only 16 years old, but he is also still developing physically. After playing at Piscataway Tech as a junior, Momoh transferred to GMC Gold rival, Timothy Christian, where he had to sit for 30 days before getting to play at mid-season.
Despite the limited time playing for the Tigers this season, Momoh still made a significant impact, and even drew interest from D3 schools such as Ramapo College of the NJAC. His athleticism, rebounding, and bigger and stronger frame made him an multi-award recipient in the GMC Hoops Awards including a selection to the GMC Hoops All Gold Division team.
Now, Momoh is looking ahead to the next level, and recent made a decision on how he will progress next year. Earlier this week, the Tigers big man became the 2nd player from the Greater Middlesex Conference’s Gold Division to go the post-graduate route by deciding to attend the Patrick School this coming fall, and play for its National team, which formed this past season, and competed against teams from all over the country.
This past season, Momoh, played in only 15 games for the Tigers, but still made 109 field goals and 56 free throws for a total of 276 points along with 182 rebounds, 78 blocks, 21 assists, and 15 steals, or an average of 18.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 5.2 blocks, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 steals. Averaging a double-double per game, Momoh was also still one of the top shot blockers in the GMC despite playing in about half the games of most players in the conference.
Momoh’s 5.2 blocks per game gave him the GMC’s top spot in blocks according to NJ.com, and his 78 blocks ranked 2nd ahead of St. Thomas Aquinas’ Derrick Grant (76 blocked shots) and just behind New Brunswick’s Tahjay Moore (83 blocked shots) in terms of total shot blocks in the Greater Middlesex Conference this past season. Momoh also ranked 2nd in rebounds per game behind Moore (13.4 rpg) as well.
Making the most of his limited time on the floor this past season, Momoh scored in double figures in 14 of the 15 games he played in including 7 games of scoring 20 points or more, and a season high of 30 points in a 75-53 victory over Highland Park in Piscataway on February 5th. Momoh also collected double digit rebounds in 13 of the 15 games he played in. He picked up 13 double-doubles, and 2 triple doubles.
Perhaps the four most productive performances by Momoh this season were a triple double of 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks along with 4 steals and 3 assists in a 70-41 victory over Somerset Tech in a game covered by GMC Hoops on January 27th, his season high of 30 points along with 14 boards, 5 blocks and 3 assists in the win over Highland Park, a monster double-double of 28 points and 25 boards along with 5 assists, 4 blocked shots, and 2 steals in an 84-62 win versus East Brunswick Tech on February 10th, and a triple double of 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks along with 2 assists and a steal in a state playoff loss at Holy Spirit.
Teaming up with the likes of GMC Hoops Impact Player of the Year and NJ Bulldogs AAU teammate, Ronnie Burwan Jr., Momoh helped contribute to a 15-10 TCS squad that finished third in the GMC Gold Division behind Dunellen and Wardlaw-Hartridge with a 12-4 mark. The Tigers also went 13-6 overall in the GMC including a 3-1 mark against Piscataway Tech, a team they played four times this season including the consolation game of the 2019 Roselle Park Holiday Tournament, and the 2020 GMCT Boys Play-In Round.
Timothy Christian reached the 2020 GMCT Boys Preliminary Round before losing to 13th seeded Piscataway (71-63). The Tigers also qualified for the 2020 NJSIAA Non-Public B South State Tournament, where they lost in the first round to Holy Spirit of Absecon (74-55). As a junior, Momoh was a key contributor to last year’s Piscataway Tech team, which finished 17-10 overall including a 13-3 mark in the GMC Gold during the 2018-19 season.
In 2018-19, Momoh played in 26 games for the P-Way Tech Raiders, and made 119 field goals and 29 free throws for 310 points, or an average of 11.9 points per game. He scoring in double figures in 17 of those 26 games including two games of 20 points or more including a career high 35 points in a thee overtime, 83-81 loss at Middlesex on January 29, 2019.
At P-Way Tech, Momoh teamed up with the likes of Sergio Rodriguez, who became the latest addition to the Raiders 1,000 point club on January 23, 2019 at Calvary Christian (Raiders won 65-42), and played post-graduate ball this past season at Combine Academy in North Carolina, and Sean Deuffi, who returned this season to be one of the top players for the Raiders along with teammate Andre Smith.
Piscataway Tech ended up 2nd in the GMC Gold in 2018-19, and defeated Timothy Christian (66-30) in the 2019 GMCT Boys Play-In round before losing at J.P. Stevens (63-26) in the Preliminary Round. The Raiders then finished their season with a loss on the road to Bordentown (79-48) in the opening round of the 2019 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 2 State Tournament.
Momoh will be joining a Patrick School National program that is still in its infancy, but because of the reach of the Celtics high school boys basketball program not only in New Jersey, but also regionally and nationally, the post-graduate team still has the ability to draw in great talent. This past season, another former GMC standout, Bendji Pierre, who played at J.F. Kennedy during his freshman and sophomore seasons, played for Patrick School’s National team.
Pierre, who played for the Mustangs JV squad as a freshman, and then was a key contributor to the Mustangs team that overcame a 1-8 start to reach the 2017 GMCT Elite Eight as the tourney’s 10th seed, played AAU ball with the NJ Panthers, and has drawn some interest from D1 schools such as FDU, New Mexico, Coppin State, and Massachusetts.
Teaming up with the likes of Terrance Jones (Eastern Wyoming College), Jaheim Tanksley (Frank Phillips College), and Babacar Diallo, Pierre helped the TPS National Team, a member of the Great Atlantic Conference, finish 22-7 overall against the likes of Olympus Prep (South Jersey), Mt. Zion Prep (Maryland), West Nottingham Academy (Maryland), Scotland Campus (Pennsylvania), and Perkiomen School (Pennsylvania). TPS National fell in the 2020 GAC Championship to Scotland Campus after defeating Mt. Zion Prep in the GAC semis (60-49).
Congratulations Abdul, and best of luck with TPS National next season as well as other future endeavors.