By Rich Chrampanis
Player of the Year
Luke Cruz,
Rumson-Fair Haven
Luke Cruz’s senior season could have been defined by an eye injury that saw the RFH big man miss 11 games. When Cruz returned to the lineup in late January, he sported a pair of goggles that saw him embody the prowess of other famous spectacled hoopsters, like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and St. Louis University’s Robbie Avila.
The 6-foot-9 senior forward averaged 21.6 points, 13.4 rebounds, 3.3 blocks and 2.2 assists per game while draining 27 3-pointers and shooting 77.2% from the free throw line. He finished with 16 double-doubles in 19 games, led Rumson to its first sectional championship since 2022 and its first-ever trip to the NJSIAA Group II state final at Rutgers. He capped the year by committing to Columbia University.
The numbers were elite. The moments were even better.
Down double digits in the Central Jersey Group 2 semifinal at Ocean Township in the third quarter, Cruz dug in and dragged his team back, finishing with a performance that left little doubt he was the best player in the Shore Conference.
“I know we had to win it, my team knows we have to win it,” he said. “We all have the energy, we know we can do it and we just did. Everyone believes.”
That belief defined RFH’s entire run. Cruz was at his best in the biggest moments, and nowhere was that more apparent than in the Group II state playoffs, where he averaged 24.2 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks over six tournament games, including a 34-point, 19-rebound performance against Point Boro; he tied the game with a wild 3-point play with 13 seconds left in regulation before Rumson won in overtime.
In the section final against rival Manasquan, it was more of the same – Cruz protecting the paint, hitting shots from the perimeter and commanding the game from both ends of the floor. With 17 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots, RFH beat the Warriors 47-33 after losing the previous two years on the same floor to end their season.
“I’ve got to give it to the team,” he said after the championship. “We worked so well together, we’re all going together. We wanted it so much, we’ve been working for it so much. We shot great, played as hard as we could and we won it.”
Cruz is an unusual combination – a near-7-footer with the shooting touch to step out and hit 3s, the footwork to score in the post and the lateral quickness to guard wings on the other end. That versatility made him virtually unguardable all season long, and his ability to mix his game was something he embraced as the year went on.
“It means so much, there’s no better feeling in the world,” he said of winning the elusive section title. “I’ve worked so hard for this, the team’s worked so hard for this. The past few years we came up short. There’s nothing better than this. We worked so hard and we deserve it.”
Cruz’s legacy at Rumson is secure. He leaves the program as one of its most accomplished players ever and heads to Columbia University, where he will bring that same combination of skill, toughness and team-first mentality to the Ivy League.
Boys All-Area Basketball First Team
Conor Andree,
Christian Brothers Academy
The 6-foot-5 senior stepped up in the Colts’ first Shore Conference championship run in 16 years. Andree averaged 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds a game in his senior season. He had 24 points and seven rebounds in a 57-51 win over Manasquan and had a 14-point, six-rebound performance in the SCT title game against rival Red Bank Catholic. Andree scored in double digits in the final eight games of his high school career.
Izayah Cooper,
Christian Brothers Academy
The sophomore came to Lincroft via Saint Rose and made a big impact as CBA’s leading scorer. Cooper had 12.9 points per game and dished out 4.9 assists and 1.75 steals. He was effective beyond the arc with 47 3-pointers. Cooper was part of a special 24-4 season at CBA that saw the Colts rise to a Top 10 team in the state.
Ryan Gannon,
Middletown South
One of New Jersey’s high-impact freshmen, Gannon poured in 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals per game, leading the Eagles to their first sectional final in 18 years. Gannon stepped up in the post-season, averaging over 23.2 points per game, including a 30-point effort in a 64-62 overtime win at Lawrence in the section semifinals. Gannon is poised to have a big impact over the next three years in the Shore Conference.
Tyler Hager,
Red Bank Catholic
The 6-foot-7 junior helped RBC to a 20-8 record and the Caseys’ first trip to the Shore Conference championship game. Hager hauled in 16 rebounds in the SCT semifinal win over top seed Wall and had 11 double-doubles for the year. Hager was also one of the state’s top defenders in the paint, swatting 3.4 blocked shots a night.
Jack Valillo,
Holmdel
The Hornets’ senior guard topped 1,000 points for his career, averaging 19.2 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. Valillo erupted for 28 points and 10 rebounds in a 60-48 win against state finalist Rumson-Fair Haven. Valillo was part of 51 Holmdel wins over the past three years.
Second Team
JoJo Newell, Henry Hudson
Shaan Nayar, Ranney
Avery Lynch, Christian Brothers Academy
Gavin Biasi, Red Bank Catholic
Blake Ahmann, Rumson-Fair Haven
Third Team
Nate Sloane, Colts Neck
Luke Lydon, Rumson-Fair Haven
Evan Wells, Middletown South
Andrew Barham, Shore Regional
Ryan Barham, Shore Regional
The article originally appeared in the April 2 – 8, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
