UPDATE: In a thrilling day of high school basketball at the Boardwalk Classic in Wildwood, NJ, St. Joseph by-the-Sea and Moore both secured hard-fought victories, while Monsignor Farrell faced a tough loss in Florida.
St. Joseph by-the-Sea edged out St. Michael Catholic with a narrow 47-45 win, thanks to standout performer Nick Rebracca, who scored a game-high 27 points. Rebracca showcased his scoring prowess with a balanced attack, netting seven points in the first quarter and remaining perfect from the free-throw line. Head Coach Mike Cortese praised Rebracca’s all-around game, stating, “Nick showed his ability to score in a variety of ways… It was a big performance for him and us on the road.” With this victory, Sea improves to 7-4 overall.
Meanwhile, Moore triumphed over Abington Friends from Pennsylvania with a score of 60-55. The Graniteville school’s trio of senior guards—Eenej Vinson, Matt Gibbons, and Nick DeGrado—each contributed significantly, with Vinson and Gibbons both scoring 14 points. Moore now stands at 2-6 for the season and is set to face Pennsbury High School next on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
In contrast, Monsignor Farrell struggled in Daytona, Florida, suffering a 49-35 defeat against Lake Howell. Despite JJ Yates scoring 16 points, the Lions fell short after leading at halftime. Coach Michael McGowan will look to rebound as they face Winter Haven Tuesday morning at 11:30.
Over in the MSIT Christmas Showcase, MSIT clinched a 74-68 victory against CSIM. Ray Guerriero led the Seagulls with a season-high 20 points, including nine crucial points in the final quarter. Coach Charlie Donohue reflected on the team’s growth, emphasizing the importance of learning to close out tight games.
Finally, the Tigers of SIA continued their impressive run, improving to 10-0 with a 75-67 win over Petrides. Danny Nowak led the charge with 19 points, contributing to a strong first-half lead. Coach Mike Mazella expressed optimism about the team’s potential for improvement, stating, “We are all thrilled to be undefeated at this point… We still have so much room for improvement.”
As the high school basketball season progresses, all eyes will be on these teams as they prepare for their upcoming matches. Stay tuned for more updates on these exciting developments in high school hoops!
