Bloomfield HS boys’ basketball team seeks another great year

Photo by Jerry Simon
Bloomfield High’s Will Robinson goes up for a shot against Orange last season.

Photo by Jerry Simon.
Bloomfield High’s Isiah McCallam lays up a shot against Orange last season.

BLOOMFIELD, NJ – The Bloomfield High School boys’ basketball team produced tremendous success in the past two seasons. In 2017, the Bengals won the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group 4 state tournament title for the first time in 40 years before finishing with a 24-6 record. Last season, they reached the semifinals of the sectional tournament and ended with a 22-7 final record.

With first-year head coach Mike Passero, the Bengals are looking to continue their amazing run this season.

Passero was promoted from Bengals assistant coach. He served for 10 seasons under Pat Brunner, who was the head coach for 13 seasons and is now the athletic director at Mountain Lakes.

Passero’s team returns three key seniors in 6-foot-1 forward Will Robinson, 6-5 center Isiah McCallam and 5-10 guard Kevin Mitchell. Robinson made All-Super Essex Conference-Liberty Division Honorable Mention last season.

The Bengals have a deep roster. Other players are 6-0 sophomore guard Vernon Lee, 6-4 freshman center Uma Kalu, 6-0 senior guard Basheer Saleem, 5-10 senior forward Gael Refuse, 5-9 senior guard Tochi Anyanwu, 5-10 junior guard Vinny Torrisi and 6-0 junior guard Patrick Liggins.

Robinson, Anywanwu and Refuse will provide key leadership as senior captains. The rest of the seniors also will be looked upon as leaders.

Passero notes that his team has quality shooters, but has emphasized the importance of playing strong defense. “Everything will start with great team defense,” said Passero. ”We also have the ability to make shots. We will be a dangerous group when we protect the basketball and make perimeter shots.”

The Bengals’ goals for the season include winning at home, competing for the Super Essex Conference-Liberty Division title and making noise in both the county and state tournaments.

“In the process, every game we play will be our most important game of the season; never looking ahead and taking things one day at a time,” Passero said.

The keys to success are “bringing great energy everyday during practice and games; and playing as a unit, while understanding our individual roles within the team,” added Passero.

The Bengals will tip off the season Dec. 14 at home against American History at 8 p.m.

BHS then will host Science Park on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 1 p.m.; host Orange on Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. and visit East Orange Campus on Dec. 20 at 7 p.m.

Schedule

Dec. 14, American History, 8 p.m.

Dec. 15, Science Park, 1 p.m.

Dec. 18, Orange, 4 p.m.

Dec. 20, at East Orange Campus, 7 p.m.

Dec. 22, at Clifton, 11:30 a.m.

Dec. 27-28, Glen Ridge Holiday Tournament

Jan. 3, at Irvington, 4 p.m.

Jan. 6, vs. Randolph, at County College of Morris, 10 a.m.

Jan. 8, Barringer, 4 p.m.