Morriscountyvarsityboysbasketball

When Whippany Park basketball coach Jeff Kleinbaum took a ride to Rutgers University on Tuesday, he wasn’t just as alumnus checking out the school’s new basketball coach – he was supporting an old teammate.

Rutgers hired Eddie Jordan to take over the Scarlet Knights men’s basketball program which had undergone scandal and defections in recent weeks after the release of a video showing former coach Mike Rice physically and verbally abusing his players.

Jordan has extensive NBA experience as a player and coach. He has also been an assistant on the college ranks numerous times including a few years at Rutgers. He left his job as a Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach to take the new position.

“I am really honored and blessed to be named the caretaker of our team, of our program, of our university’s basketball program,” Jordan said during the press conference. “I say `our’ because we’ve all come to a point that we have to regain our pride and our dignity and our integrity to our university. That’s why I’m honored and proud to be part of that. There’s a responsibility for all of us to represent our university in the highest class and the utmost respect. “

There is no doubt in Kleinbaum’s mind that hiring Jordan is the best move the school could make and that Jordan can build the foundation to take Rutgers to the next level if he is provided the resources to do it.

“I think it is exactly what was needed for Rutgers at this exact time in history,’’ Kleinbaum said. “I think that each coach (in past years) did their very best. It just seemed like everybody had a different approach. One coach wouldn’t have enough time to get it to work and then he would be replaced by another coach that had a different approach.’’

Whippany Park coach Jeff Kleinbaum is pleased that Rutgers teammate Eddie Jordan was hired to take over the Rutgers men’s basketball program. (Photo by Mark Kitchin)

Kleinbaum has known Jordan for quite some time, beginning with the days when they were both members of the basketball team that made it to the NCAA Final Four in 1976.

“I had the joy of guarding him every day in practice,’’ Kleinbaum said. “That was a tough, tough, tough, tough, tough day at the beach. He was the smallest guy. I was the next smallest guy.

“He was a huge catalyst for us to get to the Final Four. He was the Eastern Regional MVP. When he went on to the NBA he always, always, always had a lot of class. Everywhere he went, he was respected. Jason Kidd said in public, when he got to the New Jersey Nets and they went to the final, he credited Eddie with the type of offense that helped to make the Nets work. He has pedigree. He is respected everywhere. I think he is Rutgers’ most loyal son.’’

The members of that 1976 team are a very close bunch and there were enough of them lending Jordan their support on Tuesday to make it qualify for an unofficial reunion. Kleinbaum has kept in touch with Jordan over the years and he is excited for his old teammate.

“I talked to Eddie a couple of times,’’ Kleinbaum said. “He is thrilled to do it. This time he wanted it and this time they approached him like they wanted him. It was ‘Eddie, you are our guy’ and not like, ‘Eddie, you are going to be one of the candidates’. This is a guy who was an NBA Coach of the Year. He was the head coach at Sacramento. He was the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. What do you have to do to be the Rutgers coach? He’s got great pedigree.’’

Kleinbaum feels that the biggest quality that Jordan brings is an element that probably proved heavily in gaining the job – respect.

“He gets instant, instant respect,’’ Kleinbaum said. “Eddie is the hardest worker I know. Eddie spoke to the players. He spoke to each player and they thought he had only seen them work out for an hour. Yet when he met with each guy, he knew everything about them. One of them said, “He knew that I was the talker.’’ That is very Eddie. He is a homework guy. He studies film better than anyone I know.’’

Kleinbaum knows it won’t be easy for Jordan. It’s been more than 20 years since the Scarlet Knights have qualified for the NCAA Tournament. There will also be tremendous pressure to bring the program up to the level of the Big 10 which Rutgers will join in 2014. Kleinbaum believes he can get it done but the days of quick fixes and outrageous recruiting classes are over. The Scarlet Knights will have to be patient in order to succeed.

“You can’t start from ground zero and go to the Big 10,’’ Kleinbaum said. “He’s going to have to just build and build and build. Eddie is a plodder. Eddie won’t try to hit a home run. Eddie will take the top quality guys and if it is two or three a year, that’s it. He stays the course and he knows what he’s looking to do. I’m confident that he will do it but this will take time.’’

Morriscountyvarsityboysbasketball

Can a mid-season bonding weekend help a basketball team during the regular season? Morris Catholic thought it did.

The Crusaders thought they built some much needed chemistry on an overnight trip during the first weekend of February. They won four of their last six games after their bus ride to Philadelphia and road contest against Archmere Academy in Claymont, Delaware. The Crusaders finished their season at 10-15, a four-game improvement over last season’s result.

It is the second year, the Crusaders embarked on the trip that has become one of the highlights of the varsity season. On Saturday, February 9^th the Crusaders took a morning bus ride and a quick practice before playing Archmere. Morris Catholic fell 66-55. Zach Williams scored 13 and Kevin Cannavina had 12 in the loss.

The Morris Catholic players convene at the Wells Fargo Center for a rare Sunday morning practice. (Photo courtesy of Morris Catholic)

That evening the Crusaders attended Saturday Vigil Mass at the Cathedral for Saints Peter and Paul, the mother church the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The out-of-towners reportedly drew some attention from parishioners not used to seeing athletes with Morris Catholic varsity jackets filling their pews. The Crusaders made friends after the services and rode to the Wells Fargo Center to watch the Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets in an NBA contest from a private box.

The Morris Catholic players would return to the arena the next morning for a practice session on the NBA court that included Barry Brodzinski, a professional shooting coach and friend of Morris Catholic coach Dave Grande. The organized shooting practice in the empty arena included full-court drills, NBA-range 3-point shooting and a 5-on-5 intra-squad scrimmage. After the hour-and a half on the NBA facility, the team took a tour of St. Joseph’s University with the blessing of men’s coach Phil Martelli and the men’s basketball staff. The team also stayed to watch some of the St. Joseph’s women’s basketball game against Charlotte.

Morris Catholic came home and seemed to gain some benefits from the unique experience. Victories against Oratory Prep, Butler, Pequannock and Hopatcong followed. The Crusaders did quality for state tournament play. They finished their season with a loss to Montclair Kimberley Academy 71-56 in North Non-Public B activity on February 27^th.

1. Mount Olive (23-6) – The Marauders earn the honors of the No. 1 team by virtue of their Morris County Tournament title, their first in school history. Mount Olive defeated Chatham 67-54 to earn the honors. They also had a strong run in state play with wins over River Dell and Ramapo before falling to Sparta in North 1, Group III semifinal action. Junior center Zach Heeman was selected Player of the Year and Rashaan Spencer was a first-team All-Morris selection for Mount Olive.
2. Chatham (22-6) – The Cougars had a terrific year but seemed to swoon near the end losing two of their last five. They lost to Morristown in a late regular-season game which relegated them to only a share of the NJAC-National. A fourth quarter scoring drought doomed them in the MCT final against Mount Olive in which they were trying to repeat as champs. They did have state tournament wins over Governor Livingston and Plainfield but fell to Irvington in sectional semifinal action. The balanced and deep team relied on a strong core of seven seniors for their success. Standouts included steady forward All-Morris first teamer Joe Timmes and sharp shooting guard Sam Carson.
3. Morristown (18-8) – The Colonials are back. After nearly a decade of struggle, Coach Bill Connolly has the program back on track. They advanced to the MCT semifinals and gave eventual champion Mount Olive a spirited game before falling 62-60. In state action Morristown prevailed against Cranford and Rahway before falling to section champ Newark East Side. Point guard Sean Hoehn had a marvelous junior season and senior guard Ryan Brunnock made some big shots. They were co-champs in the NJAC-National with Chatham. It was Morristown basketball’s first division title of any kind in over 30 years.
4. Randolph (15-14) – The Rams had a wild ride. They started off the season at 4-9 and had to deal with a coaching change, but there was no doubt that they were a talented crew. They grabbed the 13^th-seed in the MCT and had an upset win against Jefferson to advance to the quarterfinals. Their grind out win against Morris Knolls gave Randolph a chance at revenge against Chatham in semifinal play but lost 59-44. The Rams earned a state win against Wayne Valley but fell to Paterson East Side. Ryan Harris earned first team honors and Michael Talbert also had a banner year for Randolph.
5. Hanover Park (18-5) – The Hornets rebounded from the devastating loss of their leading scorer Jimmy Sivolella in the fall to have a successful season. They captured NJAC Liberty honors by going undefeated in division play. Hanover Park had a disappointing upset loss to Morris Knolls in opening round MCT play but rebounded to win seven of its last eight games. In state play the Hornets won a thrilling game against Garfield in the final seconds but fell to Snyder (Jersey City) in the quarterfinal round. Senior Matt Williams did a little bit of everything for the Hornets which also got a fine season from point guard Brendan Rudolph..
6. Mendham (14-11) – It wasn’t pretty or easy but the Minutemen cobbled together a winning season despite devastating injuries and offensive difficulties. Mendham’s scoring woes were made worse when shooters Alex Jacobs and T. K. Hayes suffered season-ending injuries. The Minutemen used a deliberate offense and scrambling, battling defense to frustrate opponents. They earned an opening round MCT win over Pequannock before falling to eventual champion Mount Olive in quarterfinal action. They played spoiler by upsetting Chatham in the final week of regular season to affect the NJAC-National Division race. In state play Mendham knocked off sister-school West Morris before falling to Newark East Side. Mendham got good efforts from point guard Bobby Stolz and strong rebounding and inside play from Kal Roemer and Will Gibbs.
7. Delbarton (15-10) – The Green Wave had their moments. They rebounded from a loss to Morristown in the quarterfinals of the MCT to beat the Colonials in the final week of the season and keep them from earning outright NJAC-National division honors. Their state tournament exit was a quick one in a loss to Bergen Catholic. Delbarton received strong performances by Ryan Curran, Rob Thoma and Asad Braswell.
8. Morris Knolls (12-13) – The Golden Eagles’ struggled to the finish but received good marks overall since graduation losses from the year before could have devastated them. Their highlight was a 69-65 triumph Hanover Park in opening round MCT play. Morris Knolls fell to Randolph in the quarterfinals of a very physical game. The end of the season was tough with back-to-back losses to very good teams at Sparta and Pope John and then a state loss at Passaic Tech. Brian O’Neill stepped up after two years as a contributor to become a major player for the Golden Eagles. Mike Signer, Carroll and Hugo Jimenez also played key roles.
9. Jefferson (19-6) – The Falcons emerged as NJAC-Freedom Division champions. They suffered what could have been a debilitating loss against Randolph in the first round of the MCT, but responded by winning 7 of their next 10 games. A highlight was probably their first round victory over West Milford in state play. They were also scrappy in their state loss against Old Tappan in which the team was eliminated on a buzzer-beating shot. Bryan Langan and Kevin Silverstein were among this year’s standouts and junior Tyler Jones has emerged as a budding star.
10. Mountain Lakes (16-9) – The Lakers captured the NJAC-Independence title.  They earned MCT victories over Butler and Parsippany Hills before falling to Chatham in quarterfinal round play. They were eliminated early in state tournament play due to an astounding performance by Kinnelon. Paul Tarnowski excelled on rebounds and putbacks for Mountain Lakes. The back court duo of Chris Cuccinello and Chris Herron also had their moments.

Morristown-Beard’s Eddie Franz has been named to the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The Crimson coach will be among many coaches of all sports that will be feted in a banquet on Sunday, April 14 at the Pines Manor in Edison.

Morristown-Beard varsity coach Eddie Franz will be inducted into the NJSCA Hall of Fame on April 14. (Photo by Mark Kitchin)

Franz, who also coaches track and field at the Morristown private school, has posted a 305-235 record in 23 years on the varsity level. Other basketball coaches being honored by the state association this year include Rodger Blind of Millburn, Chris Annibal of Garfield, Robert Henning of East Brunswick and Kevin Hynes of Point Pleasant Boro.

Morriscountyvarsityboysbasketball

MOUNT OLIVE – Most basketball players finish their varsity high school careers with a loss. It makes it all the more satisfying to get on the court one more time after tournament play with a chance to finish a winner or at the very least have some fun.

The Morris team in the Morris-Sussex All-Star Senior Classic did both on Thursday. Randolph’s Ryan Harris scored 24 points with the help of five 3-pointers to lift Morris to a 133-115 victory over Sussex in the senior showcase game held at Mount Olive High School.

Ryan Kelley of Roxbury and Jake Waddon of Whippany Park scored 11 points apiece for the Morris team which had 17 players on its roster. Each athlete saw playing time and every athlete in a Morris uniform scored. Talented senior point guard Zach Frick was the Sussex MVP. The Sparta standout finished with 32 points while his Spartan teammate Jake Melville added 20 points. High Point’s John Mutch scored 16 points and Dan Griffin of Newton added 15 for Sussex.

The Morris All-Stars were all smiles afterwards. Harris, the Morris MVP, has been looking forward to the game since his season ended painfully and prematurely early for Randolph in its state game against Paterson East Side.

“I didn’t really play in my last actual high school game because I fell and busted my head open,’’ Harris said. “I just wanted to come out here and do a little more because I only scored three points that game. It’s fun playing with all these kids. These are all-stars right here. It’s just a fun highlight for my senior year.’’

Randolph’s Ryan Harris scored 24 points to earn MVP honors for the Morris team on Thursday. (Photo by Maryann Harlow)

The highlight wasn’t only how he played but who he played with. Harris knew practically everyone on the Morris team. It was enjoyable experience especially since he was playing with rivals like Joe Timmes and Sam Carson on Chatham instead of against them.

“I was joking with them the whole time,’’ Harris said. “It was fun. I told them just to shoot the ball. Both of them came in and hit a couple of shots — a couple of threes. That’s what we are here for – to shoot threes.’’

Even athletes he didn’t know as well, he learned to appreciate in just a short time.

“I liked playing with Paul (Tarnawski), the big dude from Mt. Lakes,’’ Harris said. “He likes to bang it around. A.J. (Holleran of Whippany Park) is smart. I liked playing with him, too. He sees the floor. His passes got me there. I liked playing with all of them.’’

Whippany Park’s Jake Waddon scored 11 points and notched a spectacular dunk during the All-Star Game. (Photo by Maryann Harlow)

Some players like Carson felt it was even more like a pick up game with uniforms. The Chatham guard had to honor his spring commitment to the lacrosse team. He came directly from  practice and wasn’t able to take advantage of the Morris teams only practice on Tuesday. He ended up scoring nine points and knocking down a pair of threes.

““It was a lot of fun playing with the kids you play against all year,’’  Carson said. “It was a very laid back game. I was also playing with Joe (Timmes) for the last time. It was awesome. We had a nice year together and it was definitely a good way to end it.’’

One of the highlights of the game for the Morris team was Waddon’s dunk. The Whippany Park athlete got the crowd to its feet with his rim-rocker with 14:12 left to make it an 80-60 game.

“It was pretty cool,’’ Waddon said. “There was a scramble around half court. I tapped it over a kid’s head and ran onto it. I was running down and I got past the Vernon kid (Justin Dinelle) and I decided to just go for it and give the crowd a little extra show and it worked out well.’’

Waddon enjoyed playing with his Wildcats teammate Holleran one more time. What also impressed him was the quality of his Morris All-Star teammates and how it made  the game a gratifying experience.

“It’s a lot different playing with a bunch of kids that are extremely good,’’ Waddon said. “These kids can all play and its fun to be a part of it.’’

Delbarton’s Ryan Curran, right, works his way past Kittatinny’s Dan Leppert during All-Star action. (Photo by Maryann Harlow)

The Morris team led from the start building a 15-5 lead from the opening tap. Harris helped contribute to that advantage and scored 16 of his points in the first half to help Morris establish the advantage. The Morris team had a 17-10 edge in players and Morris coach Kevin Moore subbed athletes in and out much like he did with his Mount Olive team this year and kept the tempo going. Morris hit seven first-half threes to take a 59-45 lead at the half.

Sussex’s Melville knocked down a 3-point shot to start the second-half but it was countered by a 3-pointer by Mount Olive’s Steve Leonardo that thrilled the home crowd.

Only once did Sussex cut the deficit back to single digits. Frick was fouled on a layup off a steal. He knocked down a free throw to complete the 3-point play and make it a 67-58 game around the 17-minute mark of the second half. After a Morris miss, Melville knocked down a jumper, but Morris responded with a 3-pointer by Carson to make it 70-60. After that Morris went on a 12-0 run with the help of a Timmes 3-point shot and back-to-back scores by Waddon including his dunk to take an 82-60 advantage.

Even though Sussex never worked its way back, its players had some reasons to cheer. Fans got a chance to see Frick weave his way to the basket time and time again and his teammate Melville scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half. Sussex also got some dunks, too courtesy of back-to-back rim rockers by High Point’s John Mutch, who finished with 16 points. In the end players on both teams seemed satisfied with their performances.

“It’s just a pleasure to be part of this,’’ said Sparta’s Brian Brennan, who co-coached the Sussex team with Newton’s Dirk Kelly. “There are good players from both counties. Sussex County players always gauge themselves on how they do against Morris County. A lot of us held our own.’’

Morris-Sussex Senior All-Star Classic

Morris 133, Sussex 115

Morris (133)

Ryan Harris (Randolph) 4-5-1-24, Ryan Curran (Delbarton) 1-0-0-2, Joe Timmes (Chatham) 1-1-0-5, Sam Carson (Chatham) 1-2-1-9, Ryan Kelley (Roxbury) 2-2-1-11, A. J. Holleran (Whippany Park) 1-1-2-7, Jake Waddon (Whippany Park) 4-1-0-11, Pat Barron (West Morris) 2-1-0-7, Brendan Rudolph (Hanover Park) 3-0-2-8, Matt Williams (Hanover Park) 3-1-0-9, Paul Tarnawski (Mountain Lakes) 4-0-1-9, Brian O’Neill (Morris Knolls) 2-1-1-8, Bobby Stolz (Mendham) 0-0-1-1, Will Gibbs (Mendham) 1-0-0-2, Brian Walls (Morris Hills) 2-1-0-7, Sean Haughey (Madison) 1-1-0-5, Steve Leonardo (Mount Olive) 1-2-0-8. Totals 33-19-10-133

Sussex (115)

Dan Griffin (Newton) 5-1-2-15, Matt Fisher (Newton) 0-0-0, Dan Leppert (KIttatinny) 1-2-0-8, Jake Melville (Sparta) 4-2-6-20, Zach Frick 9-1-11-32, Cody Hilbert (Wallkill Valley) 0-1-3-6, John Mutch (High Point) 6-0-4-16, Mike Pagnetti (High Point) 1-0-5-7, Justin Dinelle (Vernon) 1-1-3-8, Tom Hoyt (Lenape Valley) 1-0-1-3. Totals 28-8-35-115

Morris 59-74-133

Sussex 45-70-115

MOUNT OLIVE Randolph’s Ryan Harris scored 24 points to spark the Morris team to a 133-115 victory over Sussex in the Morris-Sussex Senior All-Star Classic on Thursday in a showcase contest at Mount Olive High School.

Whippany Park’s Jake Waddon and Roxbury’s Ryan Kelley scored 11 points apiece and all 17 players that dressed for the Morris team scored in the contest.

Sparta’s Zach Frick earned MVP honors for Sussex with a 28-point performance and his Spartan teammate Jake Melville scored 20 for the Sussex team. High Point’s John Mutch also had a brilliant performance. His 16 points included back-to-back dunks that thrilled the Sussex fans.

Morris MVP Ryan Harris of Randolph cuts between Sparta’s Jake Melville (2) and Newton’s Matt Fisher during the Senior Classic. (Photo by Maryann Harlow)

Harris earned MVP honors for Morris. He scored 16 points in the first half to help the Morris team build a 59-45 lead at the half. The Morris squad also had some brilliant moments including a dunk by Waddon and a pair of threes by Mount Olive’s Steve Leonardo. He scored eight points in all and his long range shooting highlighted an important second half run on his home court.

The Morris team led from the opening tip. It started off with a 15-5 advantage and built a 59-45 edge at the half. Melville knocked down a 3-point shot to start the second-half but it was countered by a Leonardo 3-pointer that thrilled the home crowd.

Morris Knolls’ Brian O’Neill (2) tries to shake Sussex MVP Zack Frick of Sparta in All-Star action. (Photo by Maryann Harlow)

Only once did Sussex cut the deficit back to single digits during the second half. Frick was fouled on a layup off a steal. He knocked down a free throw to make it a 67-58 game around the 17-minute mark of the second half. After a Morris miss, Melville knocked down a jumper, but Morris responded with a 3-pointer by Chatham’s Sam Carson to make it 70-60. Morris went on a 10-0 run after that and maintained a sizable lead the rest of the way.

Morriscountyvarsityboysbasketball

MOUNT OLIVE — Mount Olive coach Kevin Moore knows the Morris-Sussex Senior All-Star Classic is a fun game but he couldn’t resist telling the Morris County All-Stars what he expects of them.

“Anything less then triple digits is unacceptable,’’ Moore told them in no uncertain terms.

Chances are going past the 100-point mark shouldn’t be a problem in this game. The contest — which is expected to be an end-to-end exhibition of freestyle basketball – is being held at Mount Olive High School at 7 p.m. and features the best that Morris and Sussex County have to offer.

Reaching those lofty scoring goals shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Morris defeated Sussex, 147-138 in last year’s showcase. Morris Knolls’ Niko Kotoulas scored 24 points to earn game MVP honors. Vernon’s Doug Tintle paced Sussex with 25 points.

Some of the seniors on the Morris County roster include: Ryan Harris of Randolph, Ryan Curran of Delbarton, Joe Timmes of Chatham, Ryan Kelley of Roxbury, A. J. Holleran and Jake Waddon of Whippany Park, Pat Barron of West Morris, Matt Williams of Hanover Park, Paul Tarnawski of Mountain Lakes, Brian O’Neill of Morris Knolls and Bobby Stolz of Mendham, Brian Walls of Morris Hills and Sean Haughey of Madison.

Sparta standouts Zach Frick and Jake Melville head a stellar Sussex lineup. Other area players expected to compete include: John Mutch and Mike Pagnetti of High Point, Dan Leppert of Kittatinny, Tom Hoyt of Lenape Valley, Daniel Griffin of Newton, Steve Zignorski and Rafael Mekongo of Pope John, Justin Dinelle of Vernon and Cody Hillbert of Wallkill Valley. Newton’s Dirk Kelly and Sparta’s Brian Brennan will coach the Sussex squad.

“Anything less than triple digits is unacceptable,” said Morris All-Stars coach Kevin Moore. (Photo by Mark Kitchin)

On Tuesday, the Morris team athletes got together for an hour and a half in the Mount Olive gym to work on some basic plays and scrimmage so coaches could get an idea of who to place on the five-man units which will be switched in and out during the game.

Over the years most players have enjoyed the opportunity to complete the season with a showcase game. For some it is a transition game from high school to the college level of play. Others consider it to be a final chance to show off their skills in front of family and friends since they will be playing other sports in college or perhaps even wrapping up their non-recreational athletic careers.

The game means different things to different players. Mount Olive’s Steven Leonardo gets to play a final home game in front of an appreciative crowd which will include some of his standout Marauders teammates like Zach Heeman, the Morris County Player of the Year. Since Heeman and Morris County first-teamer Rashaan Spencer are juniors they are relegated to being interested spectators.

“I’m going to miss them,’’ Leonardo said. “I love them. They were great teammates and they are going to be great next year.’’

Mount Olive’s Steve Leonardo, left, jokes with Chatham’s  Joe Timmes as they warm up during Tuesday’s practice. (Photo by Mark Kitchin)

Although a possibility to play in junior college still exists, it’s probably going to be Leonardo’s last seriously competitive basketball game. He plans on studying criminal justice with the goal of becoming a New Jersey state trooper. He doesn’t consider the game a sad occasion. Leonardo looked very comfortable during the practice, chatting with Timmes and Haughey among others while knocking down shots.

“It’s all about having fun,’’ Leonardo said. “You just want to compete and have some fun with it.’’

Whippany Park’s A. J. Holleran may appreciate the contest more than most. The Wildcats’ 1,000-point varsity scorer overcame some tough injuries in order to complete most of his senior season. He tore his meniscus before the season started and spent hours of rehab to get back on the court while only missing a few games. Toward the end of the season he tore ligaments in his ankle and missed the last two regular season games but he did return for the state tournament.

“It’s an honor to be here,’’ Holleran said. “I just wanted to make sure that I could get out on the court,’’ Holleran said. “My trainer helped me out. I was out there every day after school trying to get healthy.’’

Whippany Park’s A.J.Holleran, left, expects to have a happy ending to his injury plagued season. (Photo by Mark Kitchin)

Holleran will continue to play basketball at Eastern Connecticut, a Division III school in Willimantic. Because he’s playing with and against the best in the area, he considers it an ideal transition game. Holleran also appreciated walking onto the court one more time with his friend and Whippany Park teammate Waddon. They have been mainstays in the Wildcats varsity lineup since they were sophomores.

“It’s been a long run but its finally coming to an end,’’ Holleran said. “Obviously I’m going to miss playing with him. To get on the court one more time in a game like this – it’s going to be a good time.’’

Haughey just enjoys being able to get out onto the court one more time. The Madison senior is one of many players whose college basketball future is in question. Haughey is an outstanding student. If he is accepted at Cornell or Dartmouth or Johns Hopkins, it would limit him to shooting hoops on the intramural level.

“I’m still waiting to hear back from them,’’ Haughey said. “If I get into some of the schools I’m looking at, I will probably only be able to play club ball. … This could be my last game but I thought my last game was my last game.’’

He doesn’t consider the game a sad one at all. It came as a surprise that he would have one more chance to play in front of a crowd. He’s thrilled to show people what he can do.

“It’s very cool,’’ Haughey said. “It’s an experience I didn’t know that much about but I talked to Matt Gilbert who did it last year. He said it was a good time. You meet the kids out on the court and it’s a new environment to have them on your team.’’

Moore, who is being helped by Hanover Park Coach Todd Hartman, just hopes that the athletes have a fun final game — and a winning effort with a triple digit score wouldn’t hurt either.

“It’s great,’’ Moore said. “We have some really good players in Morris County. It’s been a lot of fun getting the kids that you play against – even in a practice – to play against one another. It’s a high level of basketball and its fun to watch.’’

MORRIS PLAINS – Mount Olive’s Zach Heeman was named Player of the Year and Mount Olive coach Kevin Moore earned Coach of the Year honors at the Morris County Boys Basketball Coaches Association end-of-the-year banquet on Tuesday at Bretton Woods Inn.

Sixteen boys basketball players in all were honored by their coaches and applauded by family and friends. Many of the athletes chosen will complete their varsity careers on Thursday by playing in the Morris-Sussex Senior All-Star Classic which is being held at Mount Olive High School with a 7 p.m. tip off.

Heeman will not play although he did say he was going to attend and cheer on his Marauders teammate Steve Leonardo. Heeman and his teammate Rashaan Spencer are juniors and are not eligible for the senior showcase until next year.

“It’s an honor,’’ Heeman said. “I’ve grown up watching Morris County basketball. I’ve seen the players that go through these programs and it’s quite and honor to be named Player of the Year.’’

It is rare for a junior to earn the honor and the pressure is on to see what Heeman and the Marauders can do next year for an encore.

“There are definitely expectations for us to win another county championship,’’ Heeman said. “I think we can easily do it as long as we put the work in this summer and — knock on wood — we stay healthy. I definitely think with the amount of talent coming back from this year, we can take it again.’’

Zach Heeman, right, was named Morris County Player of the Year by the Morris County Boys Basketball Coaches Association. (Photo by Mark Kitchin)

Heeman had an outstanding year for Mount Olive which finished at 23-6. Individually, Heeman averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds a game and also passed the 1,000-point milestone for his varsity career. As a team, the Morris County Tournament champions advanced to a state sectional semifinal before falling to NJAC-American Division rival Sparta.

“We lost eight seniors last year,’’ Heeman said. “A lot of people thought we were going to have a rebuilding year. It was going to be a slower year. I talked with Rashaan (Spencer) about it and we knew that if we put in the amount of work that we should, we get the players to jump on board and go along with coach’s system and if we believe in what he gives us, it’s going to be hard to lose.’’

Last week Heeman gave a verbal commitment to Rutgers University in order to play football on scholarship. The 6-foot-8, 230-pound athlete, who will be a lineman for the Scarlet Knights, credits his hard work during basketball for some of his success on the gridiron.

“It’s one of the attributes that the coaches said they liked about me best,’’ Heeman said. “It was the athletic ability that they felt that basketball provided for me — the foot speed, the quickness, the agility. I give basketball all the credit for where I am right now in football.’’

Heeman also gives a lot of credit to Moore, whose use of the Grinnell System and up-tempo style has give the Marauders an identity the basketball program never had before. In Moore’s speech about Heeman, he told the audience about the brief talks the duo would have just before or coming out of halftime to discuss what had to be done in the second half.

“I’ve learned more than basketball from him,’’ Heeman said. “I’ve become a better person, a better man from what he’s taught me. Obviously from basketball he’s taught me a different skill sets, but it’s not all about basketball. What he taught me as a person I will take to my grave.’’

Mount Olive’s Kevin Moore was named Coach of the Year. (Photo by Mark Kitchin)

Moore’s honor was the last one of the afternoon. He was the last coach of the now defunct Bayley-Ellard program and also was the County College of Morris head coach for several years. In three seasons at Mount Olive his teams have posted a 60-19 record. In accepting the honor, he thanked his coaching peers and expressed his admiration for Morris County basketball.

“I’m extremely honored and appreciative,’’ Moore said. “I grew up in Morris County and played against teams that were coached by (Mendham’s Jim) Baglin, (Mountain Lakes’ John) ByDook and (Delbarton’s Dan) Whalen. To be mentioned in the same category with them is a tremendous honor.

“They know that you are only as good as your players. At Mount Olive we have a tremendous group. They work extremely hard. The honor is for them as much as for me.’’

First team All-Morris County honorees included Joe Timmes of Chatham, Ryan Harris of Randolph, Sean Hoehn of Morristown, Spencer of Mount Olive and Ryan Curran of Delbarton.

The second team included: Ryan Kelley of Roxbury, A. J. Holleran of Whippany Park, Pat Barron of West Morris, Matt Williams of Hanover Park and Sam Carson of Chatham.

The third team included: Paul Tarnawski of Mountain Lakes, Brian O’Neill of Morris Knolls, Bobby Stolz of Mendham, Jesse Warech of Montville and Sam Asani of Boonton.

Heeman, Spencer, Hoehn and Warech are juniors and are eligible to make the team again next year. So is Asani from Boonton who is a sophomore. He ended up leading the county in scoring with an average of 21 points per game. He also had 9.2 assists a game which altogether provided for 2/3 of the team’s offense. Boonton coach Jim Catalano talked about how Asani, a sophomore on a young team, was given the point guard position and told he would be handling the ball 90 percent of the time. By the end of the season, Asani was barking orders on the floor like a varsity coach and many of the young Bombers had increased levels of confidence because his leadership helped them to grow, too. Boonton won eight games this season after going 1-25 the year before.

West Morris Coach Wayne Shapiro came up with the most off-beat speech of the luncheon comparing some of Highlander guard Pat Barron’s long range efforts to hitting a basket on the moon like Pink Floyd– from the dark side. The comment served as a running joke for several coaches that spoke after him.

There were some short but memorable speeches. Whippany Park’s Jeff Kleinbaum talked about Holleran and his determination to overcome injuries just before and during the season that would have sidelined most players for the year. Morris Knolls coach Ken Ferrare discussed the sacrifice of O’Neill, who dutifully served in a limited role in his sophomore and junior seasons backing up former All-Morris County standout Esaun Mobley only to have a full plate of responsibilities and then some thrust on him during his senior year.

The luncheon also marked a changing of the guard among the coaches association hierarchy. Roxbury coach Jon Deeb is the new president of the organization replacing long time president Whalen. Whalen has been running the luncheons probably as long as they were initiated. Whalen was to be replaced by Bill Kilduff this year, but the former Randolph coach resigned in January for health reasons. Whalen returned to head the association for the remainder of the year and Deeb volunteered to take the position during the organization’s end-of-the season meeting earlier in the month.

Despite a strong late rally Middlebury defeated Ithaca College 73-72 in the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament round of 16 on Saturday in Middlebury, Vt. Former Montville standout Travis Warech led the Ithaca comeback by scoring 19 points. Warech, a senior, also grabbed nine rebounds for the Bombers which finished with a 21-9 record.

Ithaca point guard Sean Rossi of Sparta finished with seven assists, to wrap up his Bomber career with 957 assists. He is the all-time leader in Division III men’s basketball. This was Ithaca’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament round of 16.

A hot-shooting Middlebury team made 14 3-pointers in the game and built a 10-point second-half lead before the Bombers rallied. There were 15 lead changes in the game including eight in the second half.

The last lead change came in the final seconds. Middlebury’s James Jensen hit a pair of free throws to give the Panthers a 71-68 lead with 27 seconds left. Ithaca’s Eli Maravich countered with a layup to make it a one-point game.

Middlebury’s Nolan Thompson was fouled and missed the front end of a one-and-one, and the Bombers went down to get a go-ahead layup from Hillsborough standout Frank Mitchell with eight seconds remaining. Middlebury point guard Joey Kizel drove down court and was fouled. He made both free throws with 1.8 seconds left for the game-winning margin. A three-quarter court shot attempt by Ithaca hit the backboard and bounced away.

Football recruiting web sites including Scarletnation.com are reporting that Mount Olive’s Zach Heeman has given a verbal commitment to play football at Rutgers University.

Heeman the 6-foot-8, 265-pound center, just completed his junior season for the Marauders which finished at 23-6 after falling to Sparta in the North I, Group III sectional semifinals. He average 18.5 points and nearly double-digit rebounds for Mount Olive. He also attained the 1,000-point milestone as a junior and was selected the Most Valuable Player for the Morris County Tournament champion team.

It’s being reported that Zach Heeman, left, has given a verbal commitment to play football for Rutgers in 2014. (Photo by Mark Kitchin)

Internet reports said that he made an unofficial visit to the Rutgers campus on Thursday to spend time with Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood and his assistants. His decision is the fifth verbal commitment for Rutgers for the class of 2014 and the fourth New Jersey recruit to pledge.

Heeman reportedly first visited Rutgers on March 5. He and his family were part of a group of recruits and relatives that took in the Rutgers men’s basketball game against Marquette.