10 reasons for New Jersey residents to watch

Goodbye Yankees. Hello hoopers.

The college basketball season ends Monday, and New Jerseyans disappointed by the Yankees’ World Series debacle or the Garden State’s underachieving pro football teams have much to look forward to on the NCAA Hardwood in 2024-25. Here are 10 reasons to get pumped:

1. Show in Piscataway

It’s true: Rutgers basketball was featured on the covers of SLAM Magazine and Sports Illustrated this month. It’s freshmen Dylan Harper (from Don Bosco Prep) and Ace Bailey who brought the Raritan River to its shores. Both are on the preseason watch list for the Naismith Award, which is given to the top player in college.

But as head coach Steve Pikiel will tell you, time and time again it’s a team sport, and 25^thousand– rating Crimson Knights will go as far as their role players will allow. These guys, like Jersey transfers Zach Martini (from Princeton, via Gill St. Bernard’s) and Jordan Derkak (from Merrimack, via Colonia), were handpicked to suit up and knew exactly what they were signing up for.

How many expectations does this team have? Rutgers vs. Michigan State on Jan. 25 will be televised on CBS, marking the program’s first regular-season appearance since the early 1980s.

2. Intrigue in South Orange

Seton Hall coach Shaheen Holloway isn’t sugarcoating things, and after an impressive practice Wednesday at Walsh Gym, he exuded optimism.

“I’m really intrigued by us,” he said. “When we get that together, we can become really good. We’re just not there yet.”

Don’t be fooled by the indoor scrimmage in Maryland. Several projected contributors did not suit up for the Pirates due to various ailments. There’s a lot of work ahead to integrate 10 new players, but with Holloway’s track record, including last season’s surprising fourth-place finish in the Big East and an NIT title, Hall can’t help but watch.

3. Pros at Princeton?

NBA scouts are coming to Princeton because point guard Shaivian Lee and forward Caden Pierce can start for almost any team in the country. And this is far from a team of two. The Tigers are seeking a fourth straight Ivy League crown after returning their top four underclassmen, a cultural victory that defied the free will that roiled the sport in the offseason.

Princeton will be tested with a schedule that includes Iona and Loyola at Chicago at home, Duquesne at Trenton, another trip to St. Joseph and a rematch with Rutgers. Maybe that should change: These teams will test the Tigers.

4. Rivalry games

The annual Garden State Hardwood Classic (Seton Hall at Rutgers, Dec. 14) will be televised on Fox on Saturday afternoon – perhaps the series’ largest audience ever.

Princeton vs. Rutgers returns for the second year in a row, this time at the Prudential Center on Dec. 21, and will be televised on Fox Sports 1. The Tigers welcomed the return of the century-old rivalry with a win in Trenton last November.

A few other Jersey matchups that have produced wild fireworks over the past few seasons are St. Peters at FDU (Nov. 26), Monmouth at Princeton (Dec. 10) and St. Peters at Rider (Jan. 31).

5. Giant killers

No one needs to be reminded about St. Peter’s Cathedral and FSU. The Cinderella favorites for the 2022 and 2023 NCAA Tournaments are still dangerous. St. Peter’s, the defending MAAC tournament champion, returns three starters and a key replacement. FDU still has three starters from the team that beat Purdue, including shooting forward Cameron Tweedy, who is back after sitting out last season with a knee injury.

Don’t sleep on Monmouth as a prospect with rising star Jaret Valencia in the frontcourt and potential All-CAA guard Jack Collins, a Manasquan High graduate who averaged 10.7 points and 6.5 boards last winter.

6. Remember the name

NJIT has tremendous talent in sophomore guard Tariq Francis, who was named the American East Conference and Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Rookie of the Year last season. Francis averaged 14.6 points as a freshman, scoring 31 points against perennial mid-major power Vermont.

The Pittsburgh native, who is the cousin of former Pitt star and current Rutgers assistant coach Brandin Knight, was part of a huge freshman class for the Highlanders that second-year head coach Grant Billmeier was able to mostly keep for one more outing.

7. Homegrown female talent

Everywhere you look on the Garden State Women’s Hoops Arena scene, Jersey locals are making an impact.

Rutgers forward Destiny Adams, a Manchester Township graduate, set a Big Ten tournament record with 24 rebounds in a game last March. Antonia Bates (Rutgers Prep) also pitched for the Red Knights last season.

Seton Hall appears poised to make a move in the Big East with the addition of former University of Maryland captain Faith Masonius, who starred at Manasquan High School.

Princeton is looking to defend its Ivy League crown with junior guard Madison St. Rose (St. John Vianney) leading the way.

Monmouth added several notable transfers with Jersey roots: guard Kemari Reynolds (Manchester Township), guard Rachel Cool (Old Bridge) and NJAC Player of the Year Damaris Rodriguez from NJ City University and Secaucus High.

8. Jersey graduates elsewhere

UAB forward Jaksel Landeborg (Pennsauken) was named to the Naismith Award preseason watch list after averaging a double-double last season.

North Carolina’s Elliott Cadeau (Bergen Catholic) and Tennessee’s Zakai Zeigler (Montclair Immaculate) are on the preseason watch list for the Bob Cousy Award, which is given to college basketball’s top point guard.

Others to watch include Arkansas guard DJ Wagner (Camden), Indiana forward McKenzie Mgbako (Gill St. Bernards/Roselle Catholic), Alabama center Cliff Omorui (Roselle Catholic), Xavier forward Zach Fremantle (Bergen Catholic), Auburn guard Chad Baker-Mazar (Colonie) and Florida State wing Jameer Watkins (Mater Dei Prep/Trenton Catholic).

9. Hidden gems

Jersey always produces good stories at the Division 1 level and there should be more of the same this winter

In Division 2, Bloomfield College returns four of its top five scorers after advancing to the 2024 NCAA Tournament, led by Carteret’s Starrell Hearns (13.6 ppg) and North Bergen’s Davion Ellis (12.7 ppg).

In Division 3, Stephens is coming off a 22-win NCAA Tournament campaign and returns Westfield’s Jack Spellman (12.6 ppg, 10.9 ppg) and Toms River’s Mike Goodall (9.2 ppg) as starters. Rowan promoted interim head coach Eric Brennan to the permanent position after he led the Profs to the D-3 Sweet 16 in March.

In Division 3 women’s hoops, TCNJ returns two New Jersey World Athletic Conference honorees in Monroe’s Nina Branchizio and Montville’s Grace Kowalski after sharing the league’s regular season title last season.

10. This is not football

Again, you can put away the pigskin before Halloween. The Giants and Jets have been an embarrassment for the past year, and Rutgers football has lost four straight. Among the Garden State’s major sports, only college basketball has consistently maintained its position. There is no reason to assume anything less in 2024-2025.

Watch: Shaivian Lee shoots at Princeton basketball practice

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and college basketball since 2003. Contact him for [email protected].