Five Games Slated for MLK Holiday Showcase in the Hub City
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – After being wiped out by COVID two seasons ago, and a snowstorm that didn’t materialize last year, the MLK Round Ball Classic is set to end a three year hiatus on Monday, January 16th. Five contests are scheduled to take place at New Brunswick High School including four involving five schools from the Greater Middlesex Conference.
The action gets underway early on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday with the first game tipping off at 9:30 AM between Timothy Christian of the GMC Blue and Sayreville of the GMC White. St. Thomas Aquinas, Piscataway, and New Brunswick will also be playing. The top ranked Trojans (12-1) headline the showcase with an 11:30 AM non-conference match-up versus Plainfield.
The only game not involving GMC teams will take place at 1:30 PM when nearby Franklin Township will take on Irvington of Essex County. Piscataway follows with a non-conference match-up against Jackson Memorial of Ocean County at 3:30 PM, and then New Brunswick rounds out the day with a contest against Roselle at 5:30 PM.
Teams from five different conferences will be represented including: Greater Middlesex Conference, Shore Conference, Skyland Conference, Super Essex Conference, and Union County Conference. Both Irvington and Jackson Memorial currently have overall records of 8-2, and are among the top teams in their respective conferences. Franklin and P-Way will have their work cut out for them.
Not to be left out, Roselle is also playing very well with a mark of 10-2, and will be looking to avenge last year’s loss to the Zebras. Although the showcase wasn’t held last year, New Brunswick and Roselle still played each other on the holiday. The Zebras were led by the tandem of Josiah Brown (32 points) and Deon Jackson (24 points), who combined for 56 points in a 86-73 win in a very entertaining contest.
MVPs will be selected for each game. New Brunswick, Piscataway, Franklin, Plainfield, Sayreville, and St. Thomas Aquinas have been regular participants in the event over the last several years it has taken place. Timothy Christian, Irvington, Jackson Memorial, and Roselle will be playing for the first time in the showcase.
Once again, below is the complete schedule for the 2023 MLK Round Ball Classic at New Brunswick High School on January 16th:
- Timothy Christian vs. Sayreville, 9:30 AM
- Plainfield vs. St. Thomas Aquinas, 11:30 AM
- Irvington vs. Franklin, 1:30 PM
- Jackson Memorial vs. Piscataway, 3:30 PM
- Roselle vs. New Brunswick, 5:30 PM
GMC Hoops plans to be in attendance on Monday for all of the games.