More Than Local Bragging Rights at Stake

Anyone interested in seeing the future of the Watchung Hills Regional High School varsity basketball program can get a glimpse tonight.

That's when two teams comprised of area eighth-graders, many of whom will likely try out for high school basketball later, meet in the Branchburg March Madness Tournament, sponsored by the Branchburg Basketball Association, slated for 8:30 p.m. tonight at Branchburg Central School, on Baird Road. The winner will advance to the tournament finals scheduled for Thursday.

The teams—the Warren Township Recreation Travel Team and the Watchung Hills Jr. Warriors team—hope to advance in the tournament, but the meeting will pit the nine-member Warren team against a larger and more experienced Jr. Warriors team.

"We play hard, but we have fun," Frank Pantano, Warren coach, said during a shoot-around Tuesday night. "I've got a few of them who have kind of 'locked in' on some of my gibberish in practices."

His "gibberish" has earned them a spot in the tournament, and a 9-4 record in recent weeks after a slow start to the team's 22-game season.

In contrast, the Jr. Warriors team plays more than 60 games each year, with fall and winter seasons. The team also plays more competitive American Athletic Union-sanctioned teams, which play faster games, more like what the players will find next year at the high school.

"This area isn't exactly a hotbed of basketball talent, so we try to give them that experience," Scott Leonardis, coach of the Jr. Warriors team with Joe DiCesare, said, adding many of the players choose team's the longer season and more aggressive opponents to be better prepared for varsity basketball.

The Jr. Warriors program is open to all boys in the school districts feeding Watchung Hills Regional High School, but both coaches noted this year, no players from Warren opted for the Jr. Warriors team.

Pantano concedes his team lacks height, but he adds their teamwork and grit should serve them well in the game.

The Jr. Warriors have an experience advantage, but either way, Leonardis says the game will be a great experience for the potential future teammates. 

The Jr. Warriors players are Ryan Cunningham, Danny Mink, Dean Grogg, Michael Murphy, Anthony Rocchietti, Isaiah Allen, Joe Giacomo, Kevin Pacheco, Stephen Cho, Matt Wilk and David Weidlich.

The Warren Travel team roster includes Nick Doren, Doug Lachenauer, Kevin Cognetta, Jake Schoenbach, Devyn Spruell, John Tekin, Andrew Kolodin, Ethan Feuer and Robert Torrisi.