WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep basketball team had a 2-4 record entering the week after losing its last three games.
The Pirates opened the season at the Thomas G. Dunn Sports Center at Elizabeth High School and participated in the 20th Hoop Group Tipoff Classic against Rutgers Prep on Dec. 21. Seton Hall Prep dropped a 78-65 decision. Giye Jenkins led the Pirates with 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals while Mason Morial scored 15 points with five assists and four steals. Mario Bollo added nine points and Gary Hinds also scored nine points with five rebounds.
Two days later, the Pirates traveled to Payne Tech in Newark to take on Newark Tech and defeated the Terriers 57-43. Zander Zebrowski led the Pirates with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists while Bollo and Morial both scored eight points.
After Christmas, the Pirates traveled to Salisbury, Md. to take part in the 39th Governor’s Challenge at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. In their opener, they defeated New Hope Academy of Landover Hills, Md. 57-45. Zebrowski led the Pirates with 18 points and four rebounds while Morial scored 14 points with five rebounds, Hinds had six points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Jenkins had six points and six assists.
In their second game, they lost a 50-49 heartbreaker to Glenelg Country School of Ellicott City, Md.. Trailing 47-41 late in the fourth quarter, the Pirates went on an 8-0 run, capped by a three-point field goal by Zebrowski after an inbounds pass from Morial with :11.7 left that gave Seton Hall a 49-47 lead. After several Seton Hall fouls ran the clock down, the Dragons took the ball out with :01.9 left and Noah Batchelor took the inbounds pass, turned and hit a three-point basket as the final horn sounded for the victory.
In their final game, the Pirates lost to Bishop McNamara of Forestville, Md. 46-38. Hinds led the scoring with 11 points and added five rebounds and four steals while Jenkins scored eight points with six rebounds and four assists.
SHP head coach Kevin Williams commented about the trip. “We played great competition and was a buzzer-beater away from coming home 2-1. The experience down there and the team bonding will help us out when we go up against quality opponents in conference play, the Essex County Tournament and the state tournament.”
On Saturday, Jan. 4, the Pirates participated in the 17th The Scholarship for Inner City Children Basketball Festival at Kean University’s Harwood Arena and dropped a 74-57 decision to Immaculate Conception. Mike Curran led the scoring with 15 points while Jenkins had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists, Bollo had 11 points and Morial scored nine points with six rebounds and six assists.
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