MONROE, NJ–In his first season at Monroe Township High School back in 2006, head coach, Bob Turco put the school on the map in the GMC, and Central Jersey by not only shattering the single season mark for victories, but also earning the school’s first GMCT Final Four berth, and a Central Jersey Group III Championship Game appearance.
At the time, GMC Hoops had posted an article discussing the future of Monroe Basketball, which appeared to have some possibilities. The town had a solid Middle School team that was led by the likes of Timmy Brix and Kenny Pace in addition to the A.J. Rudowitz led Purple City Bird Gang. Three years later, Brix and Pace joined forces with Steve Blish while the hard work of Tim Brix Sr. over the past few summers at the Raritan Bay Summer League is beginning to bare more fruit.
In addition to Brix, Pace, and Blish, the Monroe Falcons had solid contributions come from two freshmen: Ahmid Williams and Danny Brix. The result was the second GMCT Final Four appearance for MTHS in four years, the second most winningest season in school history, and a final four berth in the very tough Central Jersey Group IV State Tournament. The Purple City Bird Gang was revived by not only the varsity team’s performance though. It was strengthened, and given hope for the future by the play of the younger squads as well.
The Junior Varsity team led by the likes of Zach Batchelor, Travis Dufner, Matt Stolte, Mike Walp, Mike Mahmoud, Kayshon Straughn, and Alex Vizcaino, earned the fourth seed in this year’s East Brunswick/GMC JV Tournament, and reached the finals by outlasting a eighth seeded Hillsborough team from the Skyland Conference and Somerset County that knocked off top seeded St. Joseph’s in the Elite Eight round. Not to be too far outdone, the Monroe Freshmen team put together a fine season with a Final Four appearance in the Perth Amboy/GMC Freshmen Tourney. The Little Falcons ended up in fourth place after losing to Bishop Ahr in the consolation game.
With a solid senior class next year along with good young talent at the junior and sophomore levels, expect Monroe to be perched in the GMC Hoops top five next season despite the loss of Steve Blish, who became the school’s third 1,000 point scorer this season.