Ranney and Mater Dei prep will be must see hoops over the next four years
By Rich Chrampanis
TINTON FALLS – If you went to Ranney’s Gerhard Pavilion a year ago, you could have had an entire section of bleachers to yourself. The same could be said at Memorial Hall on the campus of Mater Dei Prep, home of the Seraphs. But times have changed. An influx of top talent to both boys basketball rosters has the Panthers and Seraphs already soaring to the top of Shore Conference championship contenders.
On Tuesday night, with cars backed up on Hope Road to enter Ranney’s campus, the gym was filled to capacity to watch the Shore’s newest basketball powers. The Panthers 9-0 start to the season raised eyebrows, especially with four freshman in the starting lineup. Mater Dei Prep brought a new coach, Ben Gamble, who was able to build the Seraphs into an instant contender thanks to the closing of Cardinal McCarrick high school and an import of seasoned players who have played against some of the best in the Garden State.
Mater Dei Prep was able to use its depth and balanced scoring attack to dominate Ranney in a 64-50 win. The Seraphs had four players in double figures and led by 20 points late in the 4th quarter before a Ranney 10-0 run closed the gap in the end. Kyle Elliot and Elijah Mitchell each scored 14 points for the victorious Seraphs (7-1, 5-0 in “B” Central). Bryan Harris had 11 points, including an authoritative dunk to end the game and Elijah Barnes had 12 points and three blocked shots despite fouling out early in the 4th quarter.
For the first nine games of their freshman campaign, the Ranney duo of Bryan Antoine and Scottie Lewis have been unstoppable. Both have thrilled crowds with high flying dunks and the kind of polished moves reserved for players much older. Coach Gamble was a long time disciple of Hall of Fame legend Bob Hurley at St. Anthony’s in Jersey City. And much like the team that is consistently one of the nation’s best high school programs, Mater Dei Prep now prides itself on defense and depth.
“Defense wins games, that’s just how it is in every sport no matter where your player who you’re playing,” Elijah Barnes said after the win. “Shutting those two freshman down that everyone is calling phenoms is a big part of the win.”
Lewis and Antoine each scored 14 points, but could only muster 7 points combined in a first half that saw Mater Dei Prep race out to a 34-12 lead.
“I watched them play four times. The Bryan kid (Antoine) – nobody pressures him full court,”coach Gamble said. “This is the first time in his high school career that he had a veteran guard, Nyke McCombs that was just going to wear him out and I think he got to him early.”
Gamble also has the luxury of two Elijahs (Mitchell and Barnes) who bring defensive tenacity. Mitchell is the designated “stopper” assigned to shut down the team’s top scorer and Barnes is a fly swatter in the paint able to deliver big blocked shots and clear out the paint in the middle. The scary news for the rest of the Shore Conference is that we haven’t seen the total Seraphs package. Three players who sat out the NJSIAA 30 day transfer rule are eligible to play next week. Kenny Jones, Marvin Pierre and Maleek McKnight will begin mixing in with this already deep group next week.
Mater Dei was the clear victor in round one of this new rivalry, but Lewis and Antoine never slowed down despite being down 20 points for most of the game. With a thunderous “and-one” dunk by Antoine and a late jam by Lewis, it’s hard to believe that these two players still have three and a half years to go before launching into the big time world of major college basketball.
“I told my kids yesterday, this is the beginning of a four year rivalry,” Gamble said. “They got the young kids and they’re pretty good and I’ve got some young guys too, a good group. I looked around before the game and it was standing room only and it’s great for high school basketball.”
The next chapter of Ranney and Mater Dei Prep is set for February 4th in Middletown and for the next four years you better leave early so you can get into the gym and see the new must see attractions in Shore Conference basketball.
