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Boys basketball Preseason All-Shore teams for 2023-34

Stephen Edelson, Asbury Park Press
·4 min read

The landscape of Shore Conference boys’ basketball underwent a dramatic shift over the offseason thanks to the graduation of a ton of high-scoring talent.

In addition, reigning NJSIAA Group 3 champion Manasquan saw the departure of star guard Darius Adams, who transferred to La Lumiere in La Porte, Indiana, while guard Ryan Frauenheim, another first-team All-Shore selection a year ago, will miss the season with a knee injury.

But there’s plenty of individual talent ready to try to fill the void, with the regular season set to get underway on Dec. 14.

More: Girls basketball Preseason All-Shore teams for 2023-24

Here is the 2023 Preseason All-Shore Boys Basketball team:

PRESEASON ALL-SHORE FIRST TEAM

St. Rose's Matt Hodge drives against Roselle Catholic in the NJSIAA Non-Public B championship game at Jersey Mike's Arena in Piscataway on March 3, 2023.
St. Rose's Matt Hodge drives against Roselle Catholic in the NJSIAA Non-Public B championship game at Jersey Mike's Arena in Piscataway on March 3, 2023.

Matt Hodge, St. Rose, F., Sr.

Since scoring 19 points in a loss to powerhouse Roselle Catholic in the NJSIAA Non-Public B final in March, when the Purple Roses took a lead into the fourth quarter, a lot has happened for the 6-9 senior, including committing to play at Villanova, his coach Brian Lynch's alma mater. Now the native of Belgium, who averaged 14.7 points and 9.5 rebounds in his first high school season in the U.S., is the leader of what is expected to be one of the top teams in the state again, while opening as the heavy favorites to secure the program’s first-ever Shore Conference Tournament title.

More: Shore boys high school basketball preseason scrimmage schedule

Micah Ford, Toms River North, G., Sr.

Fresh off a second straight NJSIAA Group 5 championship in football, Ford, who will play football at Stanford, is not about to miss his final season on the hardwood. His numbers as a junior show just how much impact the 6-1 guard can have on a game, averaging 14.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 2.8 steals, as the Mariners went 20-8, winning the A South title. Now the Mariners look like the class of Ocean County, with six top players returning, and a team that might just be able to reach its first SCT final since 2019.

Jaycen Santucci, Central, G., Jr.

The 6-3 wing comes off a strong sophomore campaign in which he averaged 17.8 points, making him the top scoring returnee in the Shore Conference this winter. He also grabbed 7.7 rebounds on average, as the Golden Eagles went 20-7 and got a share of the B South title with Lacey. He scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds in a Shore Conference Tournament win over Middletown South, and hit for a career-high 30 points in an NJSIAA win over Rancocas Valley.

Ranney's Drew Buck (right) challenges Manasquan's Griffin Linstra inside during the 2023 Shore Conference Tournament championship game in West Long Branch on Feb. 19, 2023.
Ranney's Drew Buck (right) challenges Manasquan's Griffin Linstra inside during the 2023 Shore Conference Tournament championship game in West Long Branch on Feb. 19, 2023.

Drew Buck, Ranney, G., Sr.

Buck was an integral part of the Panthers' dramatic run to the Shore Conference Tournament final, scoring 18 points in their frantic comeback win over St. Rose in the semifinals. The 6-2 Buck connected on 55 shots from beyond the 3-point line, averaging 13.6 points on a team that featured a pair of high-scoring seniors. He had 12 points and four rebounds in the SCT final against Manasquan, and scored 20 against the eventual Group 3 champions to open the season.

Chauncey Brown, Matawan, G., Jr.

After averaging 11.3 points-per-game as a freshman, the 6-3 shooting guard took it to the next level as a sophomore, hitting for 17.4 points-per-game on the strength of 57 triples, as a young Huskies' team went 14-14. He dropped 20 points or more in each of his final five games last season, and in nine of his last 11.

Zayier Dean, Red Bank, G., Jr.

As a sophomore at Ocean last season, Dean averaged 17.2 points, connecting on 39 triples, while grabbing 6.3 rebounds-per-game, as the Spartans went 16-10 and won the C South title. The 6-0 Dean hit double figures in all but two games, opening the season by scoring 33 points against Neptune. Dean will be on the court with Red Bank this winter, needing 219 points to top the 1,000-point mark for his career.

PRESEASON ALL-SHORE SECOND TEAM

Jayden Hodge, St. Rose, G., So.

St. Rose's Jayden Hodge goes up to block a shot by Red Bank's Braydon Kirkpatrick during the Buc Classic at Red Bank Regional on Dec. 30, 2022.
St. Rose's Jayden Hodge goes up to block a shot by Red Bank's Braydon Kirkpatrick during the Buc Classic at Red Bank Regional on Dec. 30, 2022.

Owen Baker, Toms River North, G., Sr.

Jayden Elijah, Matawan, F., Jr.

Miles Chevalier, Central, G., Sr.

Griffin Linstra, Manasquan, G., Jr.

Tyler Burnham, RBC, F., Sr.

PRESEASON ALL-SHORE THIRD TEAM

Bryan Eberling, St. Rose, G., Jr.

CBA's Peter Noble (30) drives against St. Rose's Bryan Eberling during St. Rose's 61-39 win in a Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinal Saturday at Middletown South.
CBA's Peter Noble (30) drives against St. Rose's Bryan Eberling during St. Rose's 61-39 win in a Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinal Saturday at Middletown South.

Peter Noble, CBA, G., Sr.

Colin Cavanaugh, RBC, G., Sr.

Ben Kipnis, Holmdel, G., Sr.

Nick Seeloch, Holmdel, G., Sr.

HONORABLE MENTION

Alex Konov, Manasquan, F., Jr.; Vovo Trotsko, Colts Neck, F., Jr.; Peter Mauro, St. Rose, G., Jr.; Justin Fuerbacher, CBA, G., Jr.; D.J. Orloff, Howell, F., Howell, Sr.; Gio Panzini, St. Rose, F., Jr.; Kevin Pikiell, CBA, G., Jr.; Alex George, Shore, G., Sr.; Jack Fitzpatrick, Henery Hudson, G., Jr.; Nick Rigby, Rumson, G., Sr.; Anthony Leger, Manalapan, G., Sr.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Boys basketball Preseason All-Shore teams for 2023-24