HPHS girls cruise, and boys claw, into states

Heading into the 2010-2011 winter sports season, it was an odds-on bet that the Highland Park High School girls basketball team would continue to fulfill its model of consistency; while the undermanned boys would struggle due to lack of depth.

The preseason indications seem to have been prophetic as we find out in our late-season look-in at the two Owls basketball programs.

Up-tempo style earns girls a #3 slot

A pair of blizzards and three week-long layoffs couldn’t even slow down the HP girls basketball team. Fifth-year head coach Glen Kertes has the Owls at 10-4 (7-3 in the GMC Blue Division) as of Feb. 14, with the #3 seed in Central Jersey Group 1 post-season play beginning March 1st.

“I think we’re a much more potent team than last year,” Kertes said while recalling the '09-'10 sectional semifinalists. “Last year’s team had two scorers and this team has six scorers. Four starters can put up double figures on any given night. That’s over 40 points right there and then add bench points in."

"We use our speed and athleticism, so if we score over 50, I’m very confident we will win.”

Leading the way for the Owls in the scoring department is senior point guard Jocelyn Summers at 14 points per game, while dishing out six assists per contest. Senior forward Ariel Brown is averaging 11 rebounds per game, and junior post player Vikki Valenta is close behind at nine boards per night. The Owls had to overcome the aforementioned weather difficulties that threw off their scheduling rhythm.

“It was a very difficult transition,” Kertes said. “We were caught in three long [layoffs] of seven days, seven days and nine days. “At some point, you’re tired of just practicing. Kids are kids and they want to play. But in the end, we got two wins out of that.”

An X-factor for February and March could be the return of senior center Jasmin Robertson, who has sat out the entire season with facial fractures suffered as a soccer goalkeeper. She debuted in a junior varsity game on Feb. 9th and varsity on Feb. 11th. Her “senior leadership” should be in the late-season varsity rotation, according to Kertes.

Early GMC Tournament play found the Owls handily dispatching both the outgunned Perth Amboy Tech, 56-24 behind Dierra Doyle, and the Spotswood Chargers, 55-38 led by Summers with 21 points.

 

A major key to HP’s surge in the past few weeks has been Valenta, whose ability to consistently post double-doubles has been an asset. Beyond her continued stellar play, Kertes is looking for a few adjustments heading into the state tournament, even if they take a little while to pinpoint.

 

“I would always like to see something change a little bit,” Kertes said of his team, which defeated Sayreville and won at Middlesex. “A little more production out of my fifth starter would be nice and that’s from a group of kids."

If I can get 10 points from that group and have the defense show up, that would give us a much deeper bench for the postseason.”

Establishing discipline

Derek Nobles is also in his fifth year as head coach of the HPHS boys basketball team. Despite a bevy of unanticipated off-the-court problems, the Owls have scratched and clawed to a #14 seed in the Group 1 state playoffs with a record of 4-10 (1-8 in the Blue Division) as of Feb. 14.

 

“Unfortunately, I had to put three starters on academic suspension and remove another four players from the team,” Nobles said. “Younger players have accepted the challenge to step up and take on roles with the team. We have a lot of younger players contributing now and gaining experience. Everyone is finding where they fit in with the team and coming together quite nicely.”

 

Out of division, HP picked off convincing wins over South River and Manville. And the team got over its GMC Blue slump in beating cellar dweller Spotswood Feb. 4.

“Those were games where we clearly had an advantage and just handled our business,” Nobles said. “We had a team that didn't know how to win yet, but experienced that with those games. We've competed with some of the best in our conference, but just couldn't get over the hump so-to-speak. It isn't going to be an easy process, but I know my kids are tough and up to the task.”

The Owls are led in scoring by aggressive senior post player Michael Long and senior guard Chris Green at around 15 points per game. Long is also one of the leading rebounders in the conference at nearly 15 rebounds a night. Green dishes out six assists per contest. Nobles was impressed by their performances, but also felt it was imperative his team understood the discipline necessary to remain a part of the program.

“I've held my players accountable for their actions,” Nobles said. “I always did since I started coaching here, but this year I took it a step further with the suspensions. I can't allow myself to play student-athletes who don't follow the meaning of that title, even if it means it's going to cost us wins. I'll work with the players that balance both aspects of the phrase.”

Last weekend's win over Middlesex in the GMC Tournament preliminary round suggests the team is finding its focus after some rough weather. Long exploded for 22 points and a staggering 25 boards in the upset.

Nobles is excited to continue to develop his team and carry that spirit into the state tournament starting March 1st.

“All I can do is work hard with the kids I have,” Nobles said. “They give me everything they can day-in and day-out and that's all I can ask of them. They're a great group of kids to work with.”