Making the basket

Last season was a memorable one for the boys basketball team, winning the Olympic Conference and making a strong push in the state playoffs. Now, after losing a big senior class, including former South Jersey Times Player of the Year Spencer Cook, the Minutemen have big expectations to live up to. With a talented roster, experienced coach, and big play makers, the Minutemen are fighting to live up to their hype.

The Minutemen are led by the dynamic duo of Rich Racobaldo ‘17, who’s averaging 16.6 points per game, and Na’Quan McPherson ‘17, who’s averaging 19 points per game. The Minutemen are also getting contributions from Josh Garner ’17, who’s averaging 10 points and 4 assists per game, Colin Meintel ‘18, who averages 6.3 points per game, and Brandon Hickson ‘18, who’s averaging 7.1 points per game. Connor Hughes is a strong presence off the bench, averaging 3.2 points per game. The Minutemen have put together an impressive resume over the course of the season, including wins over Camden Catholic, Bordentown, and Cherokee.

“If we shoot the ball well, we can beat anyone,” said head coach Matt Kiser. “We have to defend, rebound, and limit turnovers to be successful.”

The Minutemen have been hit hard with the injury bug this season. Large pieces of the Minutemen team have to deal with troubling injuries. Nick Foti ’17 went down with an ACL injury. Na’Quan McPherson ’17 spent some time dealing with a hamstring injury. Drew Hohman ‘17, who was ready to play after sitting out his junior year due to transfer rules, suffered a wrist injury and has missed a large part of the season, but recently returned.

“Injuries have been really difficult for us this season. Foti going down really hurt our depth among the big men. Getting Hohman back will really help us out down the stretch,” said shooting guard Ryan Boyland ’17.

Despite the injuries and a tough schedule, the Minutemen are staying tough. The heart, competitive spirit, and intensity of this team is unrivaled.

“We want to compete every time we take the court. For the most part, we have been able to do that,” said Kiser. “Now we just want to have a strong finish and make a run in the playoffs.”