Boys basketball: Greater Middlesex Conference and southern Union County All-Area teams
The 2023-24 season was another exciting campaign in the Greater Middlesex Conference and southern part of Union County, with local teams producing plenty of hardware.
Here are the players in the area, and those that led their teams this season.
FIRST TEAM
JEREMY CLAYVILLE
St. Joseph-Metuchen
Senior
The senior guard served notice on opening night by dropping 43 points on Piscataway and never let up despite every foe game-planning for him, to average 20.4 ppg. He sank 38 3-pointers but showcased other skills, like his passing ability, and ability to finish at the rim. The GMC’s lone senior headed to a Division 1 college program, he will matriculate at St. Francis (Pa.) in the fall.
More: Boys basketball index: Links to the Courier News and Home News Tribune All-Area package
AIDEN DERKACK
Colonia
Sophomore
The HNT Player of the Year led the area’s top team in scoring (20 per game), rebounds (241), assists (100) and steals (58) as a sophomore. A serious rim protector with 3-point range and the ability to dominate the vast space in between. Fundamentally sound with a diverse skill set and impressive footwork whose slender frame belies his physical play.
More: Boys basketball: Colonia’s Aiden Derkack is the Home News Tribune Player of the Year
RINELSON DILONE
St. Thomas Aquinas
Senior
The area’s top big man averaged 16.2 points and 14 rebounds, while displaying a relentless pursuit of the basketball. Registered 18 double-doubles and had two outings with 20 or more caroms against an elite schedule.
ALEX GROSPE
South River
Junior
After leading the state in assists as a sophomore, Grospe led in scoring (30.7) this year. Netted 40 or more points on five occasions, including three of the Rams’ first six games, and scored 20 or more in every game except one, when he injured an ankle in the first half and did not play in the second.
NAZ MUHAMMAD
Linden
Senior
The lone returning first-team selection had another terrific campaign for the balanced Tigers, averaging 17.6 points and 4 assists. Erupted for his season-high 40 points against St. Joseph in a clash of the area’s two, top-ranked teams, at the time.
SECOND TEAM
Abdul Adebule, South Plainfield, Sr.
Myles Dickerson, Timothy Christian, Jr.
Jalen Fleming, Timothy Christian, Jr.
Jaeden Jones, Colonia, Sr.
Myles Marabuto, Monroe, Sr.
THIRD TEAM
David Caruso, St. Joseph, Sr.
Micah Eason, Woodbridge, Sr.
Matt Mikulka, East Brunswick, So.
Daniel Swirad, South Brunswick, Sr.
Daniel Yarus, Spotswood, Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Calvary Christian: Kyle Durkin, Robert Kauffman, Michael Schafer
Carteret: Tyrece Parrott
Colonia: James Curet, Matt McSorley, Zach Smith
Dunellen: Ryan Hutchins, Vibert Reynolds
East Brunswick: Brian Hennessy, Cam Vick
East Brunswick Magnet: Estevan Atanacio
Edison: Ricky Harvey
Highland Park: Markos Hantsoulis
J.F. Kennedy: Grant Lorentzen
J.P. Stevens: Anthony Hicks, Varun Panjeti
Linden: Jekhi Burnam, Elijah Butler, Hashim Nadir
Metuchen: Ben Santus
Middlesex: Owen Reynolds
Monroe: Mark Laughery
New Brunswick: Omari Williams
North Brunswick: Jack Garbolino, Tommy Koroma, Brandon McCain
North Plainfield: Nfii Bannavti
Old Bridge: Noah Balbuena, Brandon Medel, Ehi Odion, Krish Patel
Perth Amboy: Angel Rosario
Perth Amboy Magnet: Christian Torres
Piscataway: Logan Smith, Vaughn Turner
Piscataway Magnet: Joel Polynice
Rahway: Eric McClain, Craig West
Sayreville: Chidi Chukwurah, Sam Jones, Keithan Shuler
Somerset Tech: Steven LaRosa
South Amboy: Jake Eberle, Gavin Pelkey
South Brunswick: Anish Vankadhara
South Plainfield: Dante Dupiche, Ikenna Ibeku, Jordan Jones, Naim Mouzon
South River: Pablo Melgarejo
Spotswood: Zeyed Elshazly, Kiye Walker
St. Joseph: Owen Griffin, Alijah Murphy, Riley Gorman
St. Thomas Aquinas: Paris Papadatos, Aiden Ur
Timothy Christian: Chukwudi Raphael Mamah
Wardlaw-Hartridge: Mason Clemetson
Woodbridge: Bryan Anderson, Derek Anderson, Jordan Byron, Nadino Joseph
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Boys basketball: GMC and southern Union County All-Area teams
