By Rich Chrampanis
The 2021 high school basketball season resumed Tuesday across the state and the Two River area is gearing up for an abbreviated 15-game schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fall sports season will be a blueprint for how things will go in the hoops world. The Shore Conference has once again realigned its divisions to allow for home-and-home series during the week to minimize contact. All of the local teams are in six-team pods which means they will play five opponents twice to get to 10 regular season games. This also allows for two more slots to schedule non-division games.
Following a 12-game regular season, the Shore Conference will put together an eight-team playoff pod with the top pods playing for an unofficial Shore Conference championship, much like the football version which featured four-team pods. Every team will be guaranteed three postseason games (win or lose) during the first week of March to wrap up the shortened basketball season. While there are no state playoffs and no Tournament of Champions, local teams will set their sights on making the “top pod” for a chance to play three games to settle a Shore Conference champion.
The season begins without fans in attendance at games, although Gov. Phil Murphy is well aware of the heartbreak parents are dealing with not being able to see their children play in person. He hinted Monday that the door is open to possibly allowing parents of senior athletes to watch games in person at some point during the abbreviated season. Like in the fall, coaches and athletic directors are going to have to be flexible with teams facing possible shutdowns because of virus outbreaks at any time.
Shore Conference Pods
POD A
Donovan Catholic
Lacey
Southern Regional
Toms River East
Toms River North
Toms River South
POD B
Brick Township
Brick Memorial
Central Regional
Jackson Memorial
Howell
Lakewood
POD C
Barnegat
Jackson Liberty
Manchester
Pinelands
Point Pleasant Boro
POD D
Mater Dei Prep
Asbury Park
Henry Hudson
Keansburg
Keyport
Point Pleasant Beach
POD E
CBA (Boys)
Trinity Hall (Girls)
Middletown South
Freehold Borough
Freehold Township
Manalapan
Marlboro
POD F
Colts Neck
Holmdel
Middletown North
Saint John Vianney
Matawan
Raritan
POD G
Monmouth Regional
Red Bank Regional
Red Bank Catholic
Rumson-Fair Haven
Shore Regional
Long Branch
POD H
Ranney
Manasquan
Neptune
Ocean
Saint Rose
Wall
Boys Outlook
Many consider Pod H the best boys division in the Shore with reigning Shore Conference champ Manasquan, a legitimate Top 10 team in the state, bringing back four starters from last year’s 31-1 team. Ranney, Neptune and Wall are considered Top 10 teams in the Shore. Ranney and Manasquan’s home-and-home series Feb. 2 and Feb. 4 will be highly anticipated when it comes to regular season Shore Conference basketball. It will be interesting to see if the Shore takes the top team from each Pod for its “Top Pod” tournament or if they will take more than one team from stacked divisions.
If you are going with a true top-tiered Shore Conference tournament, Ranney and Manasquan out of Pod H would definitely belong there, as well as CBA and Marlboro out of Pod E. Pod G has five local teams as Red Bank Catholic and Rumson-Fair Haven should battle for a Top 8 spot. Mater Dei Prep is a wildcard. The Seraphs bring in a number of transfers from New York and will play Don Bosco Prep Feb. 13 in what could be a résumé building game. Holmdel loses four starters from last year’s team that lost to Manasquan in a sectional final but brings back Alex Baker, one of the Shore’s top returning players.
Girls Outlook
Saint John Vianney brings its entire roster back from last year’s top ranked 28-1 team. The Lancers are in a pod that they will frankly dominate but Dawn Karpell has been able to schedule some top-notch nonconference games with Rumson-Fair Haven and RBC to get the Lancers battled tested for what should be a sensational Top 8 pod. Pod G is loaded with Red Bank Catholic, Red Bank Regional and Rumson-Fair Haven, all teams that have the talent to be in the top pod. When you factor in state powers Manasquan, Manchester Township and Saint Rose, the girls Shore Conference eight-team field will be easily the best post-season girls tournament in the state.
Key Games to Watch in 2021
Boys
Ranney vs. Manasquan – Feb. 2 and Feb. 4
CBA at Ranney – Feb. 6
Mater Dei Prep at Don Bosco Prep – Feb. 13
Middletown South at Middletown North – Feb. 27
Girls
Red Bank Regional at Rumson-Fair Haven – Jan. 29
Red Bank Catholic at Saint John Vianney – Feb. 6
Saint Rose at Holmdel – Feb. 20
Manchester Township at Red Bank Catholic – Feb. 27
The article originally appeared in the January 28 – February 3, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
