The returning sectional champions walked into Marlboro as the lower seed and were immediately met with energy. The Mustangs opened the game with 15 first-quarter points, attacking early and forcing the Cougars into uncomfortable spots.
Christian Brothers Academy put together one of its most complete performances of the season, rolling past Camden Catholic 81–47 in the South Jersey Non-Public A quarterfinals. The Colts improved to 24–3 and now sit two wins away from Rutgers.
For Henry Hudson, that test came in waves Friday night. A fast start. A steady middle stretch. A fourth-quarter scare. And finally, a composed closeout.
Union didn’t need drama to open its postseason. The Farmers simply played their game, controlled the tempo and handled business in a 53–28 win over Ferris in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 tournament.
When the top two teams in the state collide at Rutgers, the margins are supposed to be razor thin. Early on, it looked exactly like that. But once Delbarton found its rhythm in the middle of the lineup, the Green Wave turned a tight battle into a decisive 34–20 win over Christian Brothers Academy to claim the Non-Public A championship.
Behind a relentless performance across the lineup, Brick Memorial defeated West Essex to punch their ticket to the Group 3 finals at Rutgers University, marking a major milestone in the first season under head coach Steve Giannios.
When Christian Brothers Academy and St. Peter’s Prep meet, the margin is razor thin and every lineup decision matters. In their Non-Public A semifinal rematch Thursday night, CBA made the right adjustments, welcomed back a major piece, and executed down the stretch to secure a 32–23 win and a long-awaited trip to Rutgers.
Sectional finals are rarely clean, and this one was anything but. North Hunterdon trailed by double digits midway through the dual before ripping off a pivotal stretch from heavyweight down through the lower weights to edge Middletown South 37–34 and defend its North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 crown.
With a commanding 43–19 victory over Northern Burlington in the South Group 4 final, Toms River East secured the first sectional championship in program history. For longtime coach Warren Reid, who has been coaching the Raiders since 1979 and now serves as an assistant, the win marked his first sectional title, a fitting reward for decades of commitment to building the program.
Somehow, some way, two of the top ten teams in the state met in the second round of the South Jersey Group 5 bracket. It felt more like a group final than a sectional semifinal. Southern Regional walked into Howell’s gym Monday night as the four seed, but walked out looking every bit like the top public team in New Jersey
