Today marks the first day of Highschool basketball practice in the area and many teams have visions of a”Chip”! Whether a State,County or league”chip” teams are in the gym today ready to put the work in! Numerous questions will be answered like can St. Anthony repeat as National Champion led by the #3 player in the Country in 6’9 point guard Kyle Anderson(right) and Senior’s Jimmy Hall and Jerome Frink! What will St.Patricks look like now that they have lost one of the best coaches in the country in Kevin Boyle who has moved to Monteverde H.S. in Florida! Seton Hall Prep with Senior Dallas Anglin and Isaiah Brown must overcome the loss of legendary coach Bob Farrell who hung them up! Will Plainfield H.S.led by Senior’s Justin Sears,Dijon Allen-Jordan  and Sekou Harris continue it’s dominance as the best public school in the state being they only lost one starter from last year! Can St. Benedicts with the likes of Senior Melvin Johnson( Rice H.S. transfer), Junior Tyler Ennis and Freshman sensation Isaiah Briscoe refocus after an up and down season a year ago! Will Gill St. Bernards with Junior Jaren Sina and Senior’s Dominic Hoffman and Alex Mottola and Hudson Catholic with rising Junior’s Reggie Cameron, Mike Young, Kavon Stewart and Raekwon Kelly continue their rise to being two of the best teams in the State! On the local scene,can Eastside H.S(left). behind Senior’s DeAndre Noble and Kyre Jackson make another unforgettable run like last year’s improbable Group 4 State Championship! Will Teaneck H.S.(bottom right) behind the return of four starters, Senior Chris Jones and Juniors Joel Hernandez, Shakir Lindsey and Neville Fincher repeat as Bergen County Jamboree Champs and get one more game for the Group 3 Sectional Chip they missed last year! They will get heat for the Jamboree by the likes of Hackensack, behind Sophomore Rashard Figures, Senior Mershan Monroe and Junior’s Chris Myers and Gene Marshall, Don Bosco Prep with Senior’s Jemal Mosley and Leonte Carroo and Sophomore Paul Jorgenson, St. Joseph with Junior Terrence McNair and Senior’s Dan McKinless and Austin Hliboki and Bergen Catholic with new Coach Billy Armstrong and Junior P.J. Reed, Sophomore Nadi Beciri and Senior Charles Wingate! And always Pascack Hills with Jared Shill will be a tough out for any team! Will DePaul, led by Senior Davon Jacobs and Junior Josh Marquez and Passaic County Tech which features Senior Shakquiel Scott, Senior Assad Hinson and Junior Isaac Williams fight for the elusive Passaic County Championship! Don’t sleep on last year’s Champion, Kennedy H.S. with Senior’s Sammy Singletary, Jamar Ellerbee and Gary Simpson or Wayne Valley with Senior Jay Mustafa and Junior’s Andrew Keene and Scott Arkin or Passaic Valley with Senior Olumide Onajide and Jamir Lennon and of course the always tough Passaic H.S, team with Senior Darien Giles and Rahsaan Johnson! These questions and much more will be answered in the upcoming weeks as the season begins December 16th!

       St. Anthony Junior Joshua Brown has verbally committed to Temple University! The 6’2  guard is a very good athlete who competes on every play! Brown who plays A,A,U. for Sports U. said he verballed to Temple because he loved the coaching staff and was born in Philly! His decision was first reported to Alex Kline of The Recruit Scoop! He becomes the third St. Anthony player to choose a school, following in the footsteps of Senior Kyle Anderson who signed with U.C.L.A. and Senior Jimmy Hall who inked with Hofstra University! St.Anthony assistant coach Eric Harried said” This speaks volumes to the work ethic and committment that Brown has”!  

     Geno Thorpe, who plays at Shaler Prep in Pennsylvania and is a member of the Playaz Basketball Club has committed to play basketball at Penn State University! Thorpe is a 6’2 point guard with tremendous athletic ability who can put it on the floor and has good range from the perimeter! Geno said “I love my decision and am excited to play for Coach Pat Chambers and his coaching staff ” Thorpe chose Penn State over Wisconsin, Pittsburgh and Kansas State! Hoop Journal would like to congratulate Geno and his family on his decision and nothing but the best in the future!