VOTE: Week 8 Boys Basketball Player of the Week

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Each week during the 2021-22 season, Shore Sports Network will recognize the top performers in Shore Conference boys basketball and give the SSN readers a chance to pick the top one.

With seven Shore Conference divisions this year instead of six, there will be a Player of the Week in each division, plus three wild cards, giving you a pool of 10 players from which to choose every week.

Read about this week's nominees and vote for the one that strikes you as the best pick for overall Player of the Week. The top vote-getter will receive a $25 gift card to the Turning Point and a long sleeve t-shirt courtesy of Seaview Orthopaedics.

Vote in the poll at the end of the post once per hour until the poll closes at 10 p.m. on Thursday.

Seaview Orthopaedics Week 8 Players of the Week

Class A North Player of the Week

Joe Dupuis, Howell

Howell entered last week in the Shore Conference Tournament, so the Rebels did not have to win one of their games against CBA or St. John Vianney to extend their season in any way. For the psyche of the team, however, Howell needed to close out a game against a top team and Dupuis helped his Rebels do just that. The senior banked in the game-winning shot with four seconds to go to give Howell its first ever win over CBA, capping a 13-point effort. Dupuis then scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a four-point loss at St. John Vianney.

Class A North Honorable Mention: Jack Seidler, Marlboro; Bruce Gooding, Long Branch; Jayden Holmes-Cotter, Freehold Twp.; Zach Molod, Marlboro; Damien Padilla, Howell; Tom Schork, Middletown South; Mike Cerreto, Manalapan

Class A Central Player of the Week

Scott Gyimesi, Rumson-Fair Haven

Gyimesi continues to build his case for Shore Conference Player of the Year and last week against Manalapan, the 6-foot-5 senior put together what might go down as his signature game. In a rout of Manalapan, Gyimesi erupted for 44 points and 20 rebounds, with the 44 points going down as a career-high. Gyimesi wrapped up the week with 21 points each in wins over Shore and Raritan, which helped Rumson-Fair Haven clinch a share of the Class A Central division championship along with Red Bank Catholic.

Class A Central Honorable Mention: Ben Kipnis, Holmdel; C.J. Ruoff, Red Bank Catholic; Nick Seeloch, Holmdel; Geoff Schroeder, Rumson-Fair Haven; James Vallillo, Holmdel; Liam Gajewski, Shore

Class A South Player of the Week

Charlie Meglio, Jackson Memorial

Jackson Memorial needed help to capture a share of the Class A South championship and did not get it, but the Jaguars did their part with divisional wins over Southern and Toms River South, followed by a 21-point win over rival Jackson Liberty to close out their regular-season. Meglio starred in wins over Toms River South and Jackson Liberty, putting up 18 in the must-win game against the Indians and going for 19 in the rivalry win on Saturday.

Class A South Honorable Mention: Luke Braaten, Brick Memorial; Delani Hyde, Toms River North; Justin Soranno, Central; Jeremiah Crispin, Brick Memorial

Class B North Player of the Week

Dan Moran, Neptune

Moran had his outside stroke working all week for Neptune, which picked up a win, lost by three on the road and let a game get away from them at Manchester. Moran went off for 21 points on seven three-pointers in Tuesday’s 58-55 loss at Colts Neck, netted 11 in a blowout win over Freehold Boro, then hit five more three-pointers in a 15-point performance at Manchester, where the Scarlet Fliers fell to the Hawks, 71-51, after staying close through three quarters.

Class B North Honorable Mention: Matt Kenny, Middletown North; Nate Williams, St. John Vianney; Zac Searight, Middletown North; David Sawiris, Freehold Boro; Will Surdez, Colts Neck; Omar Calderon, St. John Vianney

Class B Central Player of the Week

T.J. Braswell-Brown, Ranney

Ranney clinched its fifth straight division championship last week and Braswell-Brown turned in strong performances during every stage of the week for his team. The senior put up 15 points, five rebounds and four assists in a win over Keansburg, went for 17, five and three in a win over Mater Dei Prep, and finished the week off with 20 points in a win over Point Beach that clinched the outright Class B Central championship.

Class B Central Honorable Mention: D.J. Thomson, Keyport; Anthony Longo, Point Beach; Sha’Born Goodman, Asbury Park; Jaheim Hill, Keansburg, Keansburg; Kevin Burns, Point Beach; Jack Fitzpatrick, Henry Hudson; Jayden Cabrera, Mater Dei Prep

Class B South Player of the Week

D’Maari Brown, Manchester

Last week was a big one for Brown, not only because he averaged 22 points over three games, but also because he set a new school record. After scoring 19 points to go with six assists and five steals in a win over Lakewood to open the week, Brown put up 26 on six three-pointers while becoming Manchester’s single-season leader in three-point shots made. The senior point guard wrapped up his week with a team-high 21 points in Saturday’s win over Neptune.

Class B South Honorable Mention: Jalin Butler, Donovan Catholic; Alex Jenkoski, Brick; Jonathan Stabile, Lacey; Savon Myers, Manchester

Class C North Player of the Week

Matt Solomon, Manasquan

Manasquan’s lone senior starter continued to deliver last week as the Warriors clinched a ninth straight division championship. Solomon led the Warriors with 19 points in a win over Ocean to open the week, then posted 11 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and two blocks in a win over Jackson Liberty that clinched the outright Class C North division title. Solomon capped his week with 16 points and nine rebounds in a win over Union Catholic on Saturday.

Class C North Honorable Mention: Zayier Dean, Ocean; Colton MacGlashan, Point Boro; Ta’haj Wiggins, Monmouth; Noah Knauf, Point Boro; Chris Mitchell, Wall; Dahkareo Pritchett, Jackson Liberty

Wild Cards

Zayier Dean, Ocean

While Ocean has struggled to win games with its young core, Dean has been one of the Shore’s most productive freshman throughout the 2021-22 campaign. This past week, he led his team in scoring in two out of three games, going for 13 points in a loss at Manasquan that was close for about 18 minutes and 28 in a 54-49 loss to Jackson Liberty. In the third game, Dean scored 16 points and, thanks to a last-second shot by classmate James Sobieski, the Spartans beat Long Branch for their third win of the season.

D.J. Thomson, Keyport

Thomson scored 30-plus points in three of Keyport’s first five games of the season, but had not scored 30 or more in a game since Jan. 8 until this week rolled around. Not only did the 6-4 senior scored 30 twice, but they came when his team absolutely needed it. After scoring 23 in a rout of Academy of Urban Leadership Charter, Thomson scored 31 in a key road win over Toms River North, then went for 30 in a come-from-behind win at Point Pleasant Beach in which Keyport trailed by nine heading into the fourth quarter.

Jalin Butler, Donovan Catholic

The Griffins closed the regular season out on a high note, going 2-1 last week with the only loss coming at No. 1 Red Bank Catholic. Butler led Donovan Catholic in scoring with 16 points in a win over Barnegat and 11 in the loss at Red Bank Catholic. To close out the week, Butler was a force on the glass and the defensive end in a road rivalry game vs. Toms River North. The senior posted eight points and 11 rebounds as the Griffins handed the Mariners a loss that knocked them out of the running for the Shore Conference Tournament.