Experience Adding Up to Wins for South Brunswick Boys Basketball

Even after losing 66-60 in double overtime to East Brunswick at home on Jan. 5, it didn't take South Brunswick Coach Joe Hoehman long to put things in proper perspective.

The South Brunswick High School boys basketball team is 5-2 on the season. Coming off an 11-12 season in 2010-11, the squad has already proven it can match up well against some of the best teams in the county.

"The big thing for us is the maturity," Hoehman noted. "It's the first time in a few years that we have several upperclassmen making major contributions on the varsity level."

Mike Green, Nick Muha and Danny Strickland are all seniors that have played a big part in the 5-2 start. Sean Keenan, TJ Taylor, Chris Bourne, Dion Hooper and Jordan Porch are juniors that South Brunswick is counting on to provide in the clutch.

The other members of the South Brunswick varsity are Antonio Ross, Jack Engel, Corey Lumpkin, Jared Green, Dontae Strickland and DaVaugh Pullum.

"Having that experience really helps when it comes to keeping your composure in close games down the stretch," Hoehman noted.

South Brunswick has certainly been tested down the stretch in games. Only a 60-32 win over Colonia on Jan. 3 ended up being more than a 10-point decison for South Brunswick this season.

"It's a tough week for us," Hoehman said. "East Brunswick is a good team. Colonia is also a very good team. They are ranked ninth in the county. We just put forth an outstanding game."

Against Colonia, Muha and Green both scored 15 points. Bourne added 10 points.

Muha (18 points) and Green (17 points) also had outstanding games for South Brunswick as it started the season with a 72-64 win over Old Bridge.

Bourne (16 points), Muha (15 points), Green (10 points) and Keenan (12 points) all scored in double figures in a 61-60 win over JP Stevens. South Brunswick built a huge lead early in that game and then held on as JP Stevens put together a 29-point fourth quarter.

South Brunswick started the season 4-0, adding wins against Piscataway (66-52) and New Brunswick (48-44).

The win over New Brunswick came in the opening of the Brunswick Classic on Dec. 27. Two days later, South Brunswick was defeated by North Brunswick, 60-50, in the title game.

After having five days off after the loss, South Brunswick regrouped with its best game of the year in the win over Colonia.

South Brunswick also started great against East Brunswick, building a 10-point lead in the first quarter.

"The key to this game was the third quarter (won 21-15 by East Brunswick and the only period in which the Vikings gave up more than 10 points)," Hoehman said. "Other than that quarter, we played good defense throughout."

South Brunswick's lead was down to 43-40 entering the fourth quarter. Over those eight minutes, South Brunswick would lead twice, East Brunswick once and the game would be tied three times. Regulation finished at 50-50.

East Brunswick surged ahead quickly in the first overtime period, but Sean Keenan (20 points) responded with a pair of three-pointers to help force an additional four minutes of play.

In the second overtime, East Brunswick scored the first three points and never surrendered the lead.

"We don't regret anything," Hoehman said. "The kids battled. We just got into some foul trouble and that hurt us.

"We're still in good shape. Coming into the week, we were saying that if we could win two of the three games we played, we'd be happy. As long as we can go into Carteret on Saturday and get a win, we'll be in good shape."