Great Time to be a GMC Basketball Fan

Monroe junior guard, Nicole Turco follows through on a jumper at the start of the third quarter against South Brunswick in the 2023 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 Girls Basketball Semifinals on Saturday morning in Monmouth Junction. Monroe is playing for its first sectional title since 2016.

At Least Five Teams (3 Boys and 2 Girls) Playing for Sectional Titles This Week

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – It is a wonderful time to be a fan of Greater Middlesex Conference basketball.  While it is true that the feeling is more so in the towns of Colonia, Middlesex, Monroe, South Brunswick, and South River, but everyone in Middlesex County can share the joy in the accomplishment of these schools for the GMC.  In past years, the GMC has been maligned for its hoops.  This is a moment where a resident of GMC basketball country can say, not so!

This week marks the final week of the high school basketball season in New Jersey.  As this final chapter of the 2022-23 high school basketball season commences in the Garden State this week, five schools in Middlesex County have the opportunity to put a banner on the wall.  Three GMC boys basketball teams:  Colonia, South Brunswick, and South River.  And, two GMC girls basketball teams:  Middlesex and Monroe, will all be playing for sectional championships.

In addition, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Joseph’s could add themselves to the list.  The top seeded and top ranked Trojans will be hosting the No. 1 team in the State of New Jersey, Roselle Catholic in the 2023 NJSIAA Non-Public B North Semifinals while fourth ranked St. Joseph’s will be hosting Rutgers Prep in the Non-Public A South Semifinals on Monday night.  If both teams win, there would be 7 GMC schools playing for sectional titles in basketball this season.

Four other teams, South Plainfield boys and Dunellen, Colonia and South Brunswick’s girls hoops teams reached the sectional semifinals.  As a long time follower and reporter on Greater Middlesex Conference basketball for 23 years, I’m very proud to witness this accomplishment.  With South Brunswick’s boys defeating Marlboro on Saturday afternoon, 6 GMC boys basketball teams have won 20 or more games this season.  A total of 23 member schools had boys basketball teams with at least 10 wins.

Meanwhile, on the GMC girls basketball side, only three teams have had at least 20 wins as of the end of play on Saturday.  However, a total of 22 member schools with girls basketball teams that have won at least 10 games.  The Blue, Red, and White divisions each had six girls basketball teams with 10 wins or more.  Meanwhile, the Red Division had eight boys basketball teams with with 11 wins or more.  Each of those teams qualified for the state playoffs.

Colonia’s boys basketball team will be playing in its sixth sectional final in the last 16 years including 4 in the last five (2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023).  The only year in the last five that Colonia didn’t play in a final was 2021, where there weren’t any state playoffs due to COVID.  The Pats have won 4 titles during that span. South Brunswick’s boys program will be playing in its third sectional final in 16 years.  The Vikings have also played in sectional semifinals in four times in the past five years.

For South River, this season has been much more historic.  The 2022-23 Rams boys basketball team is the best from SRHS in the 23 year history of GMC Hoops.  The team will be playing in its first sectional championship since 1991.  Earlier this month, South River reached its first county/conference semifinal since 1979.  The Rams also reached the GMCT Elite Eight for the first time since 1992, and won its first division title in 31 years as well.

Returning to GMC girls hoops, Middlesex is playing in its fourth sectional championship in the last 6 years.  The Lady Jays came up short three straight times:  2018, 2019, and 2020.  All three times, the losses came at the hands of Route 28 rival, Bound Brook.  This time, Middlesex faces Shore Regional in the 2023 Central Jersey Group 1 Championship on Monday afternoon in West Long Branch.  It is a little bit different story for Monroe.

The Lady Falcons reached sectional finals in back to back years in 2015 and 2016, and won the sectional title in 2016.  Last year, Monroe reached the sectional semifinals before losing to Jackson Memorial (46-44).  On Tuesday afternoon, Monroe will be facing Jackson Memorial again, but this time for the title.  As far as the other two remaining GMC teams, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Joseph’s, they’re both in the sectional semifinals for the second straight year.

The Trojans, which lost in this round to Rutgers Prep in the 2022 Non-Public A South State Tournament, now are in Non-Public B North.  Although, Aquinas is the top seed, it is the underdog against the defending Non-Public B State Champions, and also last year’s T of C winner in Roselle Catholic.  The Lions, led by Simeon Wilcher and Mackenzie Mgbako, were seeded fourth in Non-Public B North this season, but are the team to beat for the group’s state title.  Don’t think for a second though that St. Thomas Aquinas is not going to go down without a fight, especially playing at home.

Meanwhile, the Falcons are facing a familiar foe in Rutgers Prep.  On the eve of the 2023 GMCT seeding meeting St. Joseph’s traveled to Somerset to take on the Argonauts.  Led by the likes of Jadin Collins and Cameron Piggee, Rutgers Prep won the Somerset County Tournament in a last second thriller over Gill-St. Bernard’s, but lost to Joes, 73-61 in that previous meeting nearly a month ago.  This time, the defending champion Argos will be traveling to Maglio Gymnasium for this contest.

In many of the past seasons, high school basketball season is usually over in Middlesex County.  However, this year is a much different story.  Five teams are already playing for a place in history with a chance to win a sectional crown.  Two more could join them after Monday night.  It is a wonderful time for fans of Middlesex County basketball, and even if your school isn’t among these special teams, all of them are not only worthy to be proud of, but deserve all of our support.