Long branch 69-70 team without a doubt, blew out everyone they played and if I'm not mistaken averaged 80 points per game unheard of man.Toot Williams, Mickey Hampton, Jerry Brown, Tony Lasanti, and Charles Evan, just to name a few.
SAL Caliendo - 7 years ago
I can't believe there's no mention of the Bob Verga lead Saint Rose teams of the early 60s . Verga was one of the best high school basketball players to ever come out of New Jersey and I believe the Saint Rose teams he led won back to back state champions .
Red Bank 92-93 team featuring Donnelly, Gillian and Barksdale BELONG on this list... they lose in TOC to Brevin Knight's Seaton Hall Prep team - Brevin and that SHP team being one of the best teams in last 25 years out of NJ IMO
keith w - 9 years ago
It has to be between that 69-70 long branch team.and Neptune 81.That long branch team was solo awesome that teams tried to stall the whole game.It never worked.But Neptune did the impossible and beat that Camden team.Neptune1,Long Branch2
G Sims - 9 years ago
Red Bank Regional was 31-0. How could anyone else be number one? We changed the game because of our pressing and up tempo pace. That's why I feel we should hold the top ranking spot.
Neptune Fan - 9 years ago
I would disagree Fliertyme. I am a Neptune fan through and through, and I saw that CBA 2000 team beat up on Neptune in the Shore final. They were as good as any Shore team I had seen in the last 30 years. They were just a well oiled machine that could not be stopped. Neptune has had some good teams as well, but I think the 81 Neptune team and the 2000 CBA team would be a very close game. Thats how good they were. Got to give credit where credit is due.
Fliertyme - 9 years ago
there have been some great teams to come out of the Shore in the past 50 years, a few more notable than others. That LB team in 70 with Lasanti, Hampton, and Toot Williams was good. Period. Lakewood squads before 75 and the CBA team early in the 70's were also very good. I also liked that Red Bank team mentioned and honestly I can't even put my beloved Neptune squad of 2003 in this conversation which could conceivably beat these other teams handily with the exception of LB and maybe that really good CBA team of the early 70's (I know a lot of people think that 2000 CBA team fits into the conversation but i don't agree). The winner hands down from a team standpoint is 81 Neptune. That team was a monster. There was nothing any of these teams mentioned with all the talent they had could do to beat them as a team. Nothing.
Tim O'Connell - 9 years ago
I was there! I sat between Mrs. Crippen and Mrs. King. I can still remember being smothered with hugs of joy when the final buzzer sounded. Greatest sports finale I have ever seen!
fliernation - 9 years ago
59-28 shore conference title. Enough said!
fliernation - 9 years ago
Neptune beat SIX of the final star ledger top 20 teams in the final poll. #2Camden, #3Trenton, #5Perth Amboy, #7 Shabazz, #14Middletown South and #17 Atlantic City. And was beating Long Branch with the shore conference player of the year Ron Young 22-4 at halftime before cruising to a
fliernation - 9 years ago
Neptune 81' also blew out Atlantic City 59-34 with the great Wiilie Glass who started at St. Johns with Chris Mullin and Mark Jackson and Ralph Talley who led the nation in scoring at Norfolk State both also were drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers at Monmouth College.
Steve - 9 years ago
Maybe not at this level, the the 1967 Shore Regional boys basketball team that lost in the Group II final game in Atlantic City (and was Shore Conference Class C champs that year) was fun to watch.
Steve Edelson - 9 years ago
Geez. It's like we're back on old Hawks Nest again
Anonymous Freehold Township Fan - 9 years ago
I would put that 200 CBA team up there over the Neptune team from 2002 and CBA team of 95. I think you reference that Neptune team had 3 Division 1 players on it. Well - that CBA team I think had 4. Krayl - Monmouth. Begley - Penn. Skrocki - Richmond. Kenney - Monmouth. Not to mention Lynch went D-2. Only loss came to the #4 team in the country at the buzzer in Seton Hall Prep in what may have been the game of the decade in NJ. Two top ten teams nationally in the country playing each other in the same year and it comes down to the final seconds. How many times has that happened? Forget about how far teams went in the state tourney - that is not a good indicator. Just think - if Seton Hall Prep was not very good that year - CBA walks into the TOC. But instead - in a year they might have their best team, Seton Hall Prep arguably has one of their best teams. Is that a knock on CBA? I don't think so. Now - if they would have been blown out in that game and loss by 20 points, I would agree - leave them off. They might have been overrated. But that game came down to a buzzer beater. They deserve to be on. Not to mention - I watched them beat up on Freehold Township that year and they were the best CBA team I had seen in years.
Former Shore HS Coach - 9 years ago
I would also put that 2000 CBA team on the list. Hard not too - they were one of the top teams in the country that year. I don't agree with your idea they have to win a state title, as others have mentioned on here - that could depend on other factors. BUT - since your looking for the BEST Shore teams, a prerequisite should probably be winning the Shore Conference tourney. You can't be an all time best at the shore and not win the conference. The state - that is whole other story. But that CBA team steam rolled through the shore conference in 2000. I should know - I had to try and coach against them. I remember one game in particular - everyone thought Midd. North would give them a game and it would be close. So I went to watch the game at CBA. Place was packed. And before you knew it - CBA was winning about 30-0 and I think ended up winning the game by nearly 40-50 points. You just don't see that dominance in the Shore anymore (My coaching days are behind me, but I still attend games) and I am not sure if you saw that type of dominance before. My vote would be - put them on the list. They are more than deserving to be a top 10 team, and might even make a top 5 listing.
Griffin from 81' - 9 years ago
St. Joseph 1981 - only basketball state champion in school history- Dolan brothers - Paul Del Pizzo - what a point guard - pure leader and winner. Beat CBA in south final - beat Montvale St. Joe's in Parochial A final.
Bob Schwarz - 9 years ago
How about 1979 Middletown South team. If memory serves took Camden to wire in Group 4 final. Jim Murray great point guard, Pat Houston great coach
Bucbacker - 9 years ago
Red Bank Regional 50' With Pete Foster and the little general Pete Reeves battling Neptune with Jim Patterson and George Atkinson for the Shore Conference title.
fliernation - 9 years ago
Neptune 1981 finished the year ranked #3 in the USA after beating #1 Camden. I don't think any shore team ever finished higher.
Steve Edelson - 9 years ago
Charles Clayton - Thanks. I've enjoyed our correspondences over the past few months. Great input. I'm going to do more research on that team for sure.
Steve Edelson - 9 years ago
Jim Simonelli - Great input on the Long Branch 96-97 team. They are definitely part of the conversation.
Jim Simonelli - 9 years ago
Long Branch in 96-97 was a beast; only two losses to St. Anthony who was #1 in the country, first loss by 5 at LB without Darnell Tyler, second loss in the TOC semis by 9 after St. Anthony got kid named Jackson, 6'7" forward, who transferred from St. Pat's. First Shore boy's public school team to reach semis.
Charles L Clayton - 9 years ago
Steve I really enjoyed this research that you did, you do a great job every time...However, I won't let you forget the Scarlet Flyers of 1949..
Thanks again,
Charles L Clayton
Shore Hoops Fan - 9 years ago
Been a casual fan of Shore Hoops for the better part of 20 years and I think that CBA team from 2000 is well deserving. I understand the criteria of winning a state title, but that diminishes the list in my mind because some of that is dependent on your school classification and competition. Get a weak group one year, and you could win a state title, but not be a top 10 team in the state. That CBA team from 2000 with guys like Lynch, Skrocki, Begley, Krayl, etc. ran their Princeton style offense to the top of the national rankings. And not sure how long those rankings have been around, and I know they are not completely accurate, but they have to be the highest if not one of the highest nationally ranked teams ever from the Shore. To leave them off the list would be a tragedy. And I read one of your other comments - CBA is well represented. So they should be punished for having so many great teams. That's like ranking the top teams ever in the State and telling Bob Hurley and St. Anthony's - we can only put one of your teams on the list Bob, or else, you would take up all the spots.
Tony Graham - 9 years ago
Gotta agree with Bruce. I saw prob 50 pct of their games at least ...While that Neptune team had no one great individual player..it just buried teams for the most part with its deliberate style and size..
Tony Graham - 9 years ago
Gotta agree with Bruce. I saw prob 50 pct of their games at least ...While that Neptune team had no one great individual player..it just buried teams for the most part with its deliberate style and size..
Bruce - 9 years ago
Neptune beat the Nations # 1 ranked team while going undefeated---Is that on anyone else's RESUME????
Steve Edelson - 9 years ago
Really good one. Toughest team to leave off. The only thing they didn't do was win a state championship. Had Seton Hall Prep not lost to Camden in the opening round of T of C I might have put them on. They were a great team. But I thought the state champs deserved to be on my initial list
CBA Supporter - 9 years ago
How about the CBA team from 2000 - I believe they had a couple division 1 players on that team, ran through the Shore Conference, and finished the season ranked 9th in the country. Hard to go back and see when national rankings started - but they have to be the highest shore conference team EVER ranked in the national poll. I believe there only loss came at the buzzer to Seton Hall Prep - who was ranked #4 in the country if I am not mistaken.
Long branch 69-70 team without a doubt, blew out everyone they played and if I'm not mistaken averaged 80 points per game unheard of man.Toot Williams, Mickey Hampton, Jerry Brown, Tony Lasanti, and Charles Evan, just to name a few.
I can't believe there's no mention of the Bob Verga lead Saint Rose teams of the early 60s . Verga was one of the best high school basketball players to ever come out of New Jersey and I believe the Saint Rose teams he led won back to back state champions .
Red Bank 92-93 team featuring Donnelly, Gillian and Barksdale BELONG on this list... they lose in TOC to Brevin Knight's Seaton Hall Prep team - Brevin and that SHP team being one of the best teams in last 25 years out of NJ IMO
It has to be between that 69-70 long branch team.and Neptune 81.That long branch team was solo awesome that teams tried to stall the whole game.It never worked.But Neptune did the impossible and beat that Camden team.Neptune1,Long Branch2
Red Bank Regional was 31-0. How could anyone else be number one? We changed the game because of our pressing and up tempo pace. That's why I feel we should hold the top ranking spot.
I would disagree Fliertyme. I am a Neptune fan through and through, and I saw that CBA 2000 team beat up on Neptune in the Shore final. They were as good as any Shore team I had seen in the last 30 years. They were just a well oiled machine that could not be stopped. Neptune has had some good teams as well, but I think the 81 Neptune team and the 2000 CBA team would be a very close game. Thats how good they were. Got to give credit where credit is due.
there have been some great teams to come out of the Shore in the past 50 years, a few more notable than others. That LB team in 70 with Lasanti, Hampton, and Toot Williams was good. Period. Lakewood squads before 75 and the CBA team early in the 70's were also very good. I also liked that Red Bank team mentioned and honestly I can't even put my beloved Neptune squad of 2003 in this conversation which could conceivably beat these other teams handily with the exception of LB and maybe that really good CBA team of the early 70's (I know a lot of people think that 2000 CBA team fits into the conversation but i don't agree). The winner hands down from a team standpoint is 81 Neptune. That team was a monster. There was nothing any of these teams mentioned with all the talent they had could do to beat them as a team. Nothing.
I was there! I sat between Mrs. Crippen and Mrs. King. I can still remember being smothered with hugs of joy when the final buzzer sounded. Greatest sports finale I have ever seen!
59-28 shore conference title. Enough said!
Neptune beat SIX of the final star ledger top 20 teams in the final poll. #2Camden, #3Trenton, #5Perth Amboy, #7 Shabazz, #14Middletown South and #17 Atlantic City. And was beating Long Branch with the shore conference player of the year Ron Young 22-4 at halftime before cruising to a
Neptune 81' also blew out Atlantic City 59-34 with the great Wiilie Glass who started at St. Johns with Chris Mullin and Mark Jackson and Ralph Talley who led the nation in scoring at Norfolk State both also were drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers at Monmouth College.
Maybe not at this level, the the 1967 Shore Regional boys basketball team that lost in the Group II final game in Atlantic City (and was Shore Conference Class C champs that year) was fun to watch.
Geez. It's like we're back on old Hawks Nest again
I would put that 200 CBA team up there over the Neptune team from 2002 and CBA team of 95. I think you reference that Neptune team had 3 Division 1 players on it. Well - that CBA team I think had 4. Krayl - Monmouth. Begley - Penn. Skrocki - Richmond. Kenney - Monmouth. Not to mention Lynch went D-2. Only loss came to the #4 team in the country at the buzzer in Seton Hall Prep in what may have been the game of the decade in NJ. Two top ten teams nationally in the country playing each other in the same year and it comes down to the final seconds. How many times has that happened? Forget about how far teams went in the state tourney - that is not a good indicator. Just think - if Seton Hall Prep was not very good that year - CBA walks into the TOC. But instead - in a year they might have their best team, Seton Hall Prep arguably has one of their best teams. Is that a knock on CBA? I don't think so. Now - if they would have been blown out in that game and loss by 20 points, I would agree - leave them off. They might have been overrated. But that game came down to a buzzer beater. They deserve to be on. Not to mention - I watched them beat up on Freehold Township that year and they were the best CBA team I had seen in years.
I would also put that 2000 CBA team on the list. Hard not too - they were one of the top teams in the country that year. I don't agree with your idea they have to win a state title, as others have mentioned on here - that could depend on other factors. BUT - since your looking for the BEST Shore teams, a prerequisite should probably be winning the Shore Conference tourney. You can't be an all time best at the shore and not win the conference. The state - that is whole other story. But that CBA team steam rolled through the shore conference in 2000. I should know - I had to try and coach against them. I remember one game in particular - everyone thought Midd. North would give them a game and it would be close. So I went to watch the game at CBA. Place was packed. And before you knew it - CBA was winning about 30-0 and I think ended up winning the game by nearly 40-50 points. You just don't see that dominance in the Shore anymore (My coaching days are behind me, but I still attend games) and I am not sure if you saw that type of dominance before. My vote would be - put them on the list. They are more than deserving to be a top 10 team, and might even make a top 5 listing.
St. Joseph 1981 - only basketball state champion in school history- Dolan brothers - Paul Del Pizzo - what a point guard - pure leader and winner. Beat CBA in south final - beat Montvale St. Joe's in Parochial A final.
How about 1979 Middletown South team. If memory serves took Camden to wire in Group 4 final. Jim Murray great point guard, Pat Houston great coach
Red Bank Regional 50' With Pete Foster and the little general Pete Reeves battling Neptune with Jim Patterson and George Atkinson for the Shore Conference title.
Neptune 1981 finished the year ranked #3 in the USA after beating #1 Camden. I don't think any shore team ever finished higher.
Charles Clayton - Thanks. I've enjoyed our correspondences over the past few months. Great input. I'm going to do more research on that team for sure.
Jim Simonelli - Great input on the Long Branch 96-97 team. They are definitely part of the conversation.
Long Branch in 96-97 was a beast; only two losses to St. Anthony who was #1 in the country, first loss by 5 at LB without Darnell Tyler, second loss in the TOC semis by 9 after St. Anthony got kid named Jackson, 6'7" forward, who transferred from St. Pat's. First Shore boy's public school team to reach semis.
Steve I really enjoyed this research that you did, you do a great job every time...However, I won't let you forget the Scarlet Flyers of 1949..
Thanks again,
Charles L Clayton
Been a casual fan of Shore Hoops for the better part of 20 years and I think that CBA team from 2000 is well deserving. I understand the criteria of winning a state title, but that diminishes the list in my mind because some of that is dependent on your school classification and competition. Get a weak group one year, and you could win a state title, but not be a top 10 team in the state. That CBA team from 2000 with guys like Lynch, Skrocki, Begley, Krayl, etc. ran their Princeton style offense to the top of the national rankings. And not sure how long those rankings have been around, and I know they are not completely accurate, but they have to be the highest if not one of the highest nationally ranked teams ever from the Shore. To leave them off the list would be a tragedy. And I read one of your other comments - CBA is well represented. So they should be punished for having so many great teams. That's like ranking the top teams ever in the State and telling Bob Hurley and St. Anthony's - we can only put one of your teams on the list Bob, or else, you would take up all the spots.
Gotta agree with Bruce. I saw prob 50 pct of their games at least ...While that Neptune team had no one great individual player..it just buried teams for the most part with its deliberate style and size..
Gotta agree with Bruce. I saw prob 50 pct of their games at least ...While that Neptune team had no one great individual player..it just buried teams for the most part with its deliberate style and size..
Neptune beat the Nations # 1 ranked team while going undefeated---Is that on anyone else's RESUME????
Really good one. Toughest team to leave off. The only thing they didn't do was win a state championship. Had Seton Hall Prep not lost to Camden in the opening round of T of C I might have put them on. They were a great team. But I thought the state champs deserved to be on my initial list
How about the CBA team from 2000 - I believe they had a couple division 1 players on that team, ran through the Shore Conference, and finished the season ranked 9th in the country. Hard to go back and see when national rankings started - but they have to be the highest shore conference team EVER ranked in the national poll. I believe there only loss came at the buzzer to Seton Hall Prep - who was ranked #4 in the country if I am not mistaken.