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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.

This week's contest takes on a slightly different format, with 10 nominees chosen based on their Shore Conference Tournament performances, regardless of divisional affiliation.

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 at a special time, noon on Friday.

 

Seaview Orthopaedics Week 9 Players of the Week

Darius Adams, Manasquan

Manasquan is back in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals thanks to a balanced starting five that contributes on both ends of the floor. Adams has been the team’s most explosive scorer and last week, the freshman averaged 16 points in three SCT wins – highlighted by a 20-point performance Sunday vs. Donovan Catholic that also included five rebounds and four assists.

Alex Bauman, Red Bank Catholic

Howell had no answer for Bauman in the SCT round of 16 on Thursday, with the 6-foot-5 senior going off for a season-high 25 points in a 30-point Caseys win over the Rebels. Bauman has played the role of distributor more often than he has top scorer and he went back to battling big men and bringing the ball up against Manchester on Sunday. Bauman still pitched in 11 points in the win over the Hawks, which sent RBC to the SCT semifinals for the second time in three years.

Will Bradley, CBA

CBA is in the SCT semifinals as a No. 6 seed because of its defense and across-the-board contributions from its starting five and even sixth man James Durney. Bradley was the Colts’ most consistent scorer during the first three rounds of the SCT, scoring double-figures in every game and pouring in a team-high 15 in Sunday’s come-from-behind win over No. 3 Rumson-Fair Haven.

Kyree Drake, Donovan Catholic

Keeping up with the theme of teams that relied on multiple stars last week, Donovan Catholic got some huge plays from a number of players last week: Jalin Butler, Alex Melon, Dan Schwartz, Nunes Bukula, Vin Coburn. Drake, though, gets the nod as the Griffins standout for setting the tone on both ends with his energy and quickness, while also putting up a shade under 12 points per game in the three games. In the overtime upset of St. John Vianney on Thursday, Drake put up 16 points and eight assists to help lead the way.

Nick Gallo, Howell

Howell had a pair of seniors (Zach Emery and Joe Dupuis) go off for 20-plus points in an opening-round win over Manalapan, but Gallo helped set the tone in that win while also turning in a solid performance in next round’s loss at No. 1 Red Bank Catholic. Gallo scored eight of his 14 points against Manalapan in the first quarter and also dished out four assists, then scored 17 points in the loss at RBC.

Jayden Holmes-Cotter, Freehold Twp.

Holmes-Cotter is responsible for the tournament’s lone game-ending buzzer-beater so far, with the 6-foot-5 junior banking in a tiebreaking three-pointer as time expired in Freehold Township’s 56-53 win over Middletown North on Tuesday. Holmes-Cotter overcame first-half foul trouble to score 21 points – 17 in the second half – then put up 16 points in a round-of-16 loss at No. 3 Rumson-Fair Haven.

Ben Kipnis, Holmdel

Holmdel looked to be eight minutes away from making it back to the SCT quarterfinals for the third straight season (fourth if you include the unofficial 2021 tournament) before Jackson Memorial’s furious fourth-quarter comeback sent the round-of-16 game into overtime. The Jaguars eventually fought off Holmdel in double-overtime, but not without Kipnis turning in the second of two strong SCT performances. The sophomore scored 18 in a hard-fought win over Southern, then put up 22 in the loss at Jackson Memorial.

Samir Padilla, Jackson Memorial

Jackson Memorial felt the wrath of Marlboro on Sunday in a 85-44 Mustangs win, but a run to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014 sets the Jaguars up for the NJSIAA Tournament, as well as 2022-23. Padilla is one of several juniors making an impact for Jackson Memorial and last week, he averaged 17.7 points in the three games, including 21 points in the two wins.

Geoff Schroeder, Rumson-Fair Haven

Last season, Schroeder missed the early part of the season before returning to make an impact in Rumson’s postseason run. This year, it looks like a similar script for the senior, who missed the first six games with a sprained ankle and came back to lead Rumson in scoring in each of its SCT games. Shroeder buried four three-pointers in an 18-point outing vs. Freehold Township, then hit four more in a 17-point performance in Sunday’s loss to CBA.

Jack Seidler, Marlboro

Marlboro is one of two teams in this SCT (Donovan Catholic vs. Keyport being the other) to place five players in double-figure scoring in a single game. The Mustangs had five starters score at least 12 points in Sunday’s 85-44 rout of Jackson Memorial and while Seidler was not the top scorer in the game with his 18 points, he did become the top scorer in another regard. The Mustangs senior passed Alex Ratner as the program’s all-time leading scorer, which Seidler did despite only playing 13 games as a junior and not playing on the varsity team as a freshman.

 

Honorable Mention

Luke Braaten, Brick Memorial

Jalin Butler, Donovan Catholic

Nunes Bukula, Donovan Catholic

Miles Chevalier, Central

Joe Dupuis, Howell

Zach Emery, Howell

Luke Farrell, St. Rose

Ryan Frauenheim, Manasquan

Isaac Hester, Ranney

Pat Lautato, CBA

Griffin Linstra, Manasquan

Alex Melon, Donovan Catholic

Josh Michigan, Brick Memorial

Zack Molod, Marlboro

Savon Myers, Manchester

Peter Noble, CBA

Jack O’Leary, Raritan

Justin Rivera, Raritan

Matt Solomon, Manasquan

Justin Sorano, Central

Jonathan Spatola, Marlboro

Respect Tyleek, Jackson Memorial

Evan Weiner, Manchester

Joe White, CBA

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