By Wayne Witkowski
Basketball coaches scouting Allentown High School’s boys’ team would have a different early-season report from a year ago.
Three key starters graduated from last year’s team that went 15-12 and lost its NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group III opener to Pennsauken High School and lost in the Mercer County Tournament quarterfinals to Trenton Catholic Academy: point guard Tristan Millett, reliable scorer Bekim Nikovic and steady player Hunter Gerling — as well as reserve Luke Newman, who also came up with some big games. All had games scoring in double figures — three players in the same game on many occasions.
But this year’s team started the season with one go-to player in Nahshon Taylor, who fired in 33 points in a season-opening victory, 68-34, over Steinert High School Dec. 16. At one point, Taylor had single-handedly outscored the entire Steinert team, 33-24, off a variety of shots and four 3-pointers to go with eight rebounds.
The Redbirds also are looking to have a double point-guard set with Taylor and sophomore Elijah Kelly — something coach Jay Graber said he tried to utilize last season — and the Redbirds are playing more man-to-man defense, which the coach considers the key to winning games this season.
“We have to move the ball. We moved it well against Steinert, which we needed to do because they stayed in a zone the whole game,” Graber said.
That means Taylor moves over to the point from the off-guard spot he played last year when he was in the lineup alongside Millett. Kelly also was a shooting guard.
“It’s not really a transition for [Taylor] because he’s always been a point guard,” Graber said of Kelly. “He handled the ball [a lot] last year, especially down the stretch. He works really hard on things and is coming into his own.”
They’ll look to get the ball inside to 6-foot-3 forward Anthony Alexander, a senior who added 17 points against Steinert; and juniors Robert Hynes, a 6-foot-4 forward up from the junior varsity team, and 6-foot-1 forward Stafford McIsaacs.
With four new starters, it will be one step backward for every two taken forward for the Redbirds through the early stages of the season as the lineup finds its chemistry and identity. Allentown lost its second game convincingly to Nottingham High School, 77-29, Dec. 20 in a Colonial Valley Conference Valley Division matchup that already puts it in an uphill climb in the division race. Nottingham’s blistering fast break offense built a 24-13 lead in the first quarter. Alexander led the way with seven points and Taylor had six.
“They were polished and at a high level, and we have to handle adversity and bounce back,” Graber said.
Alexander has shown the team’s best inside presence, while Graber said Hynes has proven ball-handling skills, has good shooting range and is improving on defense. McIsaacs is a capable defender.
Allentown bounced back into the win column, 65-45, over West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South in a Dec. 22 nondivisional game. The Redbirds broke loose in the second half from a 27-23 deficit at halftime.
The Redbirds played Princeton Day School Dec. 27 in the Trenton Catholic Academy Holiday Tournament and come back to the next round the next day. If Allentown wins, it plays the winner of Solebury High School of Pennsylvania against Newark Tech High School. And if it loses, it plays the loser of that game.
Aside from the starters, 6-foot-3 senior Elijah Laguerre is the only other established forward on the team, so fouls can become a factor. There is depth at guard, but it’s unproven with senior Harrison Clayton, sophomores Saidik Queen and Jack Kudrick and freshman R.J. Weise — the son of Allentown girls’ basketball coach Linda Weise.
“A lot of these guys did not play much last year and are motivated right now to prove they can play,” Graber said. “Defense always has to be better, and our offense feeds off it with steals like we did against Steinert. We need to take our defense more personal.”
If that happens and it plays more strongly on defense throughout the season than it did against Nottingham, Allentown will generate enough points for the offense in transition.
Ice hockey
Manasquan High School broke open a scoreless tie with four goals in the second period and went on to a 5-1 victory over the Robbinsville/Allentown Ravens co-op ice hockey team Dec. 19.
Shawn Camisa scored midway through the third period for the Ravens (5-4).
