2022 GMCT Semifinals–#1 St. Thomas Aquinas vs. #4 Monroe

vs.

On Wednesday night, the 2022 Greater Middlesex Conference Boys Basketball Tournament Semifinals will conclude with its final game of the day between top seeded St. Thomas Aquinas and 4th seeded Piscataway. These teams last met during the regular season in January 2006 when Monroe defeated Aquinas, then Bishop Ahr 49-40.

No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (24-1)–Coaching Staff

[mstw-cs-table staff=2021-22-st-thomas-aquinas-coaches]

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No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (24-1)–Team Roster

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No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (24-1)–Season Schedule

[mstw_team_schedule team=2771 league=greater-middlesex-conference-white-division,greater-middlesex-conference,non-conference season=2021-22]

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No. 4 Monroe (21-3)–Coaching Staff

[mstw-cs-table staff=2021-22-monroe-coaches]

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No. 4 Monroe (21-3)–Team Roster

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No. 4 Monroe (21-3)–Season Schedule

[mstw_team_schedule team=piscataway league=greater-middlesex-conference-red-division,greater-middlesex-conference,non-conference season=2021-22]

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No. 1 St. Thomas (23-1) vs. No. 9 Piscataway (11-9)–Common Opponents

[mstw_league_schedule_gallery team=2771 league=greater-middlesex-conference season=2021-22 first_dtg=’2021-12-18′ last_dtg=’2021-12-19′

[mstw_league_schedule_gallery team=piscataway league=greater-middlesex-conference season=2021-22 first_dtg=’2022-02-20′ last_dtg=’2022-02-21′]

[mstw_league_schedule_gallery team=piscataway league=greater-middlesex-conference season=2021-22 first_dtg=’2021-12-17′ last_dtg=’2021-12-18′]

[mstw_league_schedule_gallery team=piscataway league=greater-middlesex-conference season=2021-22 first_dtg=’2022-01-20′ last_dtg=’2022-01-21′]

[mstw_league_schedule_gallery team=piscataway league=greater-middlesex-conference season=2021-22 first_dtg=’2022-01-13′ last_dtg=’2022-01-14′]

[mstw_league_schedule_gallery team=piscataway league=greater-middlesex-conference season=2021-22 first_dtg=’2022-02-08′ last_dtg=’2022-02-09′]

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No. 1 St. Thomas (24-1) vs. No. 4 Monroe (21-3)–Recent History

Not much recent history between these two schools.  The last time Monroe and St. Thomas Aquinas played each other was back on January 14, 2006 when Aquinas was known as Bishop Ahr and Bob Turco was in his first year coaching the Falcons.  At that time, the Trojans were in their fourth season in the GMC Blue, and Monroe was in its fourth season in the GMC White.

• January 14, 2006—Monroe 49—Bishop Ahr 40
• January 15, 2005—Bishop Ahr 48—Monroe 47

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Key Players

St. Thomas Aquinas

• Adam Silas: 6’3″ Sr. G/F with 754 career points, and averaging 19.2 ppg this season.
• Jaquan Harris: 6’4″ Sr. G/F with 561 career points, and scored 11 points in his only game versus Sayreville this year on February 8th.
• Terrell Pitts: 6’4″ Jr. G/F with 443 career points, and averaging 13.9 ppg this season.
• Jalen Pichardo: 6’6″ Jr. G/F with 517 career points, and averaging 10.2 ppg this season.
• Kamal Lee: 6’0″ Jr. G with 211 career points, and averaging 8.4 ppg this season.
• Sherief Guinyard: 6’6″ Jr. F with 449 career points, and averaging 6.0 ppg this season.
• Jaden Kelly: 6’3″ So. G with 222 career points, and averaging 9.5 ppg this season.
• Samar Abdullah: 6’0″ Sr. G with 527 career points, and averaging 8.0 ppg this season.
• Chris Santner: 6’9″ Sr. F with 78 career points, and averaging 5.0 ppg this season.

Monroe

• Jonathan Okocha: 6’3″ Sr. G/F with 526 career points, and averaging 15.9 ppg this season.
• Josh Okocha: 6’4″ Sr. G/F with 426 career points, and averaging 13.0 ppg this season.
• Elijah Okocha: 6’1″ Sr. G/F with 356 career points, and averaging 12.1 ppg this season.
• Myles Marabuto: 5’9″ So. G with 145 career points, and averaging 6.1 ppg this season.
• Ryan Zurawiecki: 6’3″ Sr. F with 109 career points, and averaging 4.7 ppg this season.

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ST. THOMAS AQUINAS vs. MONROE DID YOU KNOW?

Aquinas boys basketball head coach, Bob Turco started out as head coach at Monroe High School in the 2005-06 season after being an assistant to the likes of Bob Molarz and brother Dave Turco at Carteret, Dave Turco at South Brunswick, and Ken Pace at Colonia.  Turco led the Falcons to the 2006 GMCT Final Four and the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 3 Championship en route to a 24-5 debut season.

Turco then guided Monroe to back to back GMCT Final Four appearances in 2009 and 2010 with the Falcons reaching the GMCT Championship Game in 2010.  In the summer of 2010, Turco stepped down as Monroe’s head coach to take over the program at Notre Dame of Lawrenceville.  He coached at Notre Dame until 2017.  A year later, Turco took over the program at Bishop Ahr, which is now St. Thomas Aquinas.

During his five year tenure at Monroe, Turco compiled an overall record of 96-44 with three GMCT Final Four and Elite Eight appearances, two division titles, and a GMCT Championship berth.  He also made one sectional finals appearance (CJ Group 3 in 2006) as well as a sectional semifinal appearance in 2009 (CJ Group 4), and four sectional quarterfinal appearances:  CJ Group 3 in 2006 and 2008 and CJ Group 4 in 2009 and 2010.

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Prediction:

Both teams have played St. Joseph’s and Piscataway and won although Aquinas only played Joes and P-Way once where Monroe played the Falcons and Chiefs twice, and split with the Falcons.  Monroe did beat St. Joseph’s at home, and held Simmon and Tuck to well below their season averages.  Josh Ingram did most of the damage versus Monroe.

The Falcons will have to take care of the basketball, get back on defense, and make the Trojans a jump shooting team.  Ryan Zurawiecki, Myles Marabuto, and others off the bench such as Vansh Parikh and Anish Shah will need to make key offensive contributions for Monroe to take pressure off of the Okocha triplets.  Playing in front of a sellout home crowd will also give the upset minded Falcons a boost.

Final Score: St. Thomas Aquinas 68—Monroe 55