Aquinas Clinches GMC White

Trojans Lock Up Division Title and GMCT Top Seed With Win Over Colonia on Thursday

NORTH EDISON, NJ—On Thursday night, top ranked St. Thomas Aquinas defeated No. 2 Colonia, 68-54 in the second meeting between the two schools this season.  With the victory, Aquinas, the 2020 GMCT Boys Champion, clinched the GMC White Division title.  In addition, the Trojans, which improved to 19-0 overall, most likely earned the top seed for the upcoming GMCT.

The Trojans have been dominant this season.  With a stifling defense and tremendous athleticism, they lead the conference in scoring offense, defense, and point differential.  Earlier in the week, Aquinas defeated Morris Catholic (86-62) at the Hilltopper Showcase held at Weequahic High School in Newark on Sunday, and rolled past No. 5 Edison (71-37) at Cangelosi Gymnasium in Edison on Tuesday.

Currently, St. Thomas Aquinas holds the second longest winning streak in the state of New Jersey according to Central Jersey Sports Radio at 19 games behind another Central Jersey school, Bound Brook of the Skyland Conference.  The Crusaders have won 27 straight dating back to the start of last season, where they went 14-0.  Aquinas’ last lost was ironically to Colonia (80-64) in the Karl Anthony Towns-Jay Williams Pod Championship on March 5, 2021.

If you count last season, Aquinas has won four straight division championships.  The Greater Middlesex Conference did not officially award division championships due to COVID.  However, the Trojans did technically win the GMC White with a 5-0 record.  Couple that with this year’s title and two straight GMC Blue titles in 2018-19 and 2019-20, the Trojans have won four straight division titles.  

Prior to the 2018-19 season, St. Thomas Aquinas, previously known as Bishop Ahr, had last won a division title in 2012.  At that time, it was the last of five division championships.  Two of those titles were shared:  First with Cardinal McCarrick in 2008 and the second with Carteret in 2012.  The Trojans are 13-0 in the GMC White, and 14-0 in conference play thanks to an historic win over St. Joseph’s at the Friends of South Amboy Showcase on December 18th.

The Trojans have bolstered that division and conference mark with non-conference victories over Morris Catholic on Sunday, St. Joseph’s by the Sea, Shawnee, and Archbishop Carroll in the Boardwalk Classic over the holidays, and Plainfield on January 15th.  Aquinas is slated to play Robbinsville in the Capital City Cancer Classic on Saturday, the George School in the Metro Classic on Sunday, and Roselle Catholic at the Hearts to Hands Showcase on February 12th.

Aquinas will be looking to win its second GMCT in the past three seasons.  Two years ago, the then 2nd seeded Trojans defeated fourth seeded South Brunswick (63-52) in the 2020 Greater Middlesex Conference Boys Tournament Championship.  It was the first GMCT title at the school since the Trojans defeated St. Joseph’s in the 1992 GMCT Final.