Trojans Squaring Off Against One of the Top Teams in Ocean County in Saturday Showcase
Recent transfer, Zayon Marsh (shown in Red), goes to the basket against Executive Academy Charter of Allentown, Pennsylvania at the 2019 MLK Roundball Classic in New Brunswick on Monday, January 21st. In this game, Marsh was the MVP with a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds along with 4 assists.
TOMS RIVER, NJ—After suffering two losses in a span of a week in the beginning of the 2018-19 season, Bishop Ahr, which had been ranked No. 3 in the GMC Hoops Pre-Season Top Ten, has quietly molded itself to fit that expectation.
Since losing to Notre Dame, 70-65 in the semifinals of the 2018 Albert Martin Buc Classic in Red Bank over the holidays, Bishop Ahr has won 9 straight games including a double digit victory over Marlboro on January 12th (69-55). The Mustangs are only 8-9, but have played the likes of CBA (lost twice), Freehold Township (2nd in Shore Class A North), and fell to a 14-2 Red Bank Catholic squad at the buzzer in the 2018 WOBM Christmas Classic Championship.
In addition to its win over Marlboro, the Trojans also recently registered a 15 point, 53-38 victory over Executive Academy Charter of Allentown, Pennsylvania in the second game of the day at the 2019 Martin Luther King Roundball Classic Showcase in New Brunswick this past Monday. Coming into the game, Executive Academy Charter was 10-3 including a 64-45 victory over Dobbins Tech of Philadelphia. For those who may not know, Dobbins Tech is where the late and legendary, Hank “The Bank” Gathers and Bo Kimble played in high school before they joined up again to play for former L.A. Lakers head coach, Paul Westhead at Loyola Marymount.
Now, Bishop Ahr has a new challenge in front of them. The Trojans, will be taking on a Mariners team from TRN that is 12-3 on the year with victories over teams such as Middletown South, currently third in Shore Conference Class A North, Cherokee of Marlton , which is 13-3 on the season, and Brick Township, which lost to Monroe at the buzzer in the Monroe Township Holiday Tournament back at the end of December. The Mariners beat the Green Dragons twice including a sound 72-35 win on Tuesday night. Toms River North is currently in first place at 10-0 in Shore Conference Class A South.
Last year, the Mariners of TRN, finished 25-5 overall and reached the South Jersey Group 4 semifinals before losing to perennial power, Atlantic City. Two years ago, Toms River North was 28-3 overall and reached the 2017 South Jersey Group 4 Championship Game before falling to Shawnee. Shawnee then lost to Linden in the 2017 Group 4 State Championship. Last year, the Renegades defeated Newark East Side for the Group 4 State Title, and then lost to Don Bosco Prep in the TOC Semis at RWJ Barnabas Health Arena in Toms River. Three years ago, TRN went 23-5 and reached the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals before losing to eventual champion, Mater Dei.
Over the last four and a half seasons coming into today, Toms River North has gone 109-22 with four straight 20 plus win seasons. Meanwhile, Bishop Ahr is looking to reach its first GMCT Final Four since 2011, and its first GMCT Championship since winning it all in 1992. Bishop Ahr has only won two MCT/GMCT titles in boys basketball, in 1982 as St. Thomas Aquinas and 1992. Both championships were won by defeating St. Joseph’s of Metuchen. Leading the way for BGA this season has been Quadry Adams, who has come into his own this year. Adams has not been without help though. With the likes of Jalen Jones, Ernest Carter, Derrick Grant, Marquise Billingsley Saivon Pressley, and newcomers Zayon Marsh (recent transfer from Roselle Catholic), Omari Fleming, and Hassan Jackson, Ahr is primed to make a GMCT tourney run.
The game between Bishop Ahr and Toms River North is scheduled for 2:00 PM on Saturday at RWJ Barnabas Health Arena (formerly Pine Belt Arena and Ritacco Center) in Toms River on the campus of Toms River North High School. This game is the marquee match-up of the 2019 Toms River Winter Classic Hoops Showcase, but there are several other games. Most of the teams in this event are in the Shore Conference while BGA is the lone GMC representative, Ridge is representing the Skyland Conference, Lincoln of Jersey City is representing the Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association, Academy Charter is representing Monmouth County, and Cumberland is from Cumberland County.
Below is the schedule for the 2019 Toms River Winter Classic on Saturday:
2019 Toms River Winter Classic—Schedule
- Brick Township vs. Lincoln, 11:00 AM
- Central Regional vs. Ridge, 12:30 PM
- Bishop Ahr vs. Toms River North, 2:00 PM
- Toms River South vs. Academy Charter, 3:30 PM
- Toms River East vs. Cumberland, 5:00 PM
Follow the Shore Sports Network’s coverage of this event via twitter @shoresportsnet.