Boys Basketball – OC Sports Medicine All-NJSIAA Player of the Week Winner: Darius Adams, Manasquan
Ocean County Sports Medicine All-NJSIAA Player of the Week
Darius Adams, Manasquan
Darius Adams is regarded by many who deal in such matters as one of the best sophomore guards in the country and it is probably a good sign for his future at the next level that when his Manasquan team plays on a college court, he brings his best.
Two weeks after scoring 26 points to lead Manasquan to a Shore Conference Tournament title on the Monmouth University campus, Adams was at it again, this time 35 miles north on Route 18.
With his team one win away from its first ever NJSIAA Group II championship, Adams played the role of finisher by authoring one of his best games of the season. The Manasquan sophomore put up 22 points on 8-for-13 shooting, 12 rebounds and five assists to lead a 62-29 Warriors rout over Caldwell in the Group II final at Jersey Mike's Arena.
The championship game did not start off smoothly for Adams and the Manasquan offense, but the 6-foot-3 sophomore was active on defense and the glass from the opening tip-off and closed the first half with an acrobatic tip-in at the second quarter buzzer that game him 12 points and six rebounds at halftime.
In the second half, Adams sparked two transition baskets with blocked shots on the defensive end -- part of a 24-6 Manasquan run during the third quarter that built up a 49-19 lead heading into the fourth.
The standout performance capped a week in which Adams averaged 19 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists during the rounds encompassing the sectional finals, group semifinal and group championship game. Adams posted 20 points and nine rebounds in the 46-43, Group II semifinal win over Middle Township, which followed up 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists against South River in the Central Jersey Group II final.
Adams won the final Player of the Week contest of the 2022-23 season with 36 percent of the vote, doubling up runner-up Pat Brown of Middletown South, who collected 18 percent in finishing second.
For winning the last Player of the Week contest of the season, Adams will receive a $25 gift card to Burger 25.
2023 Ocean County Sports Medicine Boys Basketball Player of the Week Winners
Week 1: Dylan Russell, Toms River East
Week 2: Tom Menegus, Southern
Week 3: Alex Frank, Marlboro
Week 4: Brandon Loughlin, Ocean
Week 5: Will Nugent, Middletown South
Week 6: Brian Tassey, Freehold Boro
Week 7: Jaycen Santucci, Central
Week 8: Ryan Frauenheim, Manasquan
Week 9: Darius Adams, Manasquan
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