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Here is our Top 15 boys basketball rankings for the week of January 31, 2021.
1. Camden (1-0 record; last week's ranking 1): The top-ranked Panthers won their lone game of the week -- a 94-42 decision over Cherry Hill West on January 26. Sophomore sensation D.J. Wagner scored 24 points -- including 6 three-pointers -- and Gloucester transfer Rasheer Fleming added 15 in his debut with the team. Senior Devin Benson scored 15 points (5 three-pointers made). Camden was scheduled to play Trenton Catholic on Tuesday, but the game was canceled due to inclement weather. The Panthers will travel to Rutgers Prep on Thursday.
2. Paul VI (1-0, 2): Paul VI won its opener 79-33 over Seneca in Tabernacle last Thursday. NJIT commit Wisler Sanon scored a game-high 23 points and 6-foot-9 forward Nicolo Nobili added 12. Senior Jalen Boyd-Savage scored 11 points. The Eagles had eight players available and all eight players posted scoring figures of 4 points or more. Paul VI will travel to face Cherokee on Thursday.
3. St. Augustine Prep (1-0, 3): The Hermits defeated Holy Spirit 60-53 in overtime on January 30 to improve their record to 1-0. American commit Matt Delaney finished with a team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds. John Horner also posted a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Keith Palek added 13 points. St. Augustine hosts St. Joseph-Hammonton on Wednesday in a battle of two top-five teams. Hermits coach Paul Rodio will also be facing off against his son, Paul Rodio, Jr. Rodio, Jr. is St. Joseph-Hammonton’s head coach. South Jersey Sports Zone’s Kevin Emmons will be providing live coverage of the highly-anticipated Cape-Atlantic League matchup on Wednesday.
4. Camden Catholic (0-0, 4): Camden Catholic has remained idle through the first week of the season due to COVID. The Irish are scheduled to play Cherry Hill East on Thursday and Seneca on Saturday.
5. St. Joseph-Hammonton (2-0, 5): The Wildcats defeated Millville 73-50 on January 26. Marcus Pierce notched a game-high 26 points and Clearview transfer Dom Thomas added 15. St. Joseph improved its record to 2-0 with a 66-43 win over Hammonton on January 29. Pierce scored a game-high 27 points and Thomas added 15. The Wildcats will travel southbound down Route 54 to face off against No. 3 St. Augustine Prep in a highly-anticipated Cape-Atlantic League matchup on Wednesday.
6. Lenape (1-0, 6): Lenape defeated Woodrow Wilson 65-60 on January 26. Preseason All-South Jersey Second Team selection Derek Simpson scored 23 points and Eli Williams tallied 15. The Indians are in the midst of a two-week COVID shutdown and won’t take the floor again until January 11 at Trenton Catholic.
7. Cherry Hill East (2-0, 8): The Cougars picked up wins over Seneca and Pennsauken last week and moved up one spot in the rankings. Drew Greene notched a game-high 18 points and Jake Green added 17 in the 66-39 decision over Seneca. Greene and Green scored 22 apiece in the 75-56 victory over Pennsauken. Cherry Hill East is scheduled to host No. 4 Camden Catholic on Thursday.
8. Atlantic City (2-0, 10): The Vikings earned a 50-43 signature win over Wildwood Catholic on January 28 to move up two spots in the rankings. Chad Lewis and Amir Mack both scored 10 points in the win. Atlantic City dominated Pleasantville 53-16 on January 30 to improve its record to 2-0. The Vikings are scheduled to visit Cape May Tech on Wednesday.
9. Egg Harbor Township (1-0, 9): The Eagles defeated Holy Spirit 64-61 on January 26 to improve their record to 1-0. Four players -- Isaiah Glenn (18), Carlos Lopez (17), DJ Germann (13) and Ethan Dobb (10) -- notched double figures in the victory. Egg Harbor Township is scheduled to host Oakcrest on Wednesday and visit Cedar Creek on Friday.
10. Cherokee (2-0, 11): The Chiefs opened the season with a 32-16 statement win over Bishop Eustace. The performance was a testament to the team’s outstanding defense as Cherokee held the Crusaders to single digits in each of the four quarters. Cherokee improved to 2-0 with a 55-38 win over Eastern on January 28. Ethan Stith and Drew Wixted scored 16 points apiece in the 17-point victory. The Chiefs moved up one spot in the rankings. Cherokee is scheduled to host No. 2 Paul VI on Thursday and No. 11 Overbrook on Saturday.
11. Overbrook (3-0, NR): The Rams opened the season with victories over Salem and Glassboro before knocking off then-No. 7 Eastern 62-43 on January 30. Senior Damian Rawls tallied a team-high 20 points and sophomore Devon Johnson added 17 against the short-handed Vikings. Freshman Jaylan Hornsby notched 12 points. Overbrook is scheduled to visit Woodstown on Wednesday and No. 10 Cherokee on Saturday.
12. Moorestown (3-0, NR): The Quakers notched a 57-50 victory over Northern Burlington on January 26 to start the season. Rochester commit Logan Jagodzinski notched a gme-high 23 points. Moorestown knocked off Holy Cross Prep 53-35 on January 28 behind 16 points from James Byrd and 15 from Jagodzinski. The Quakers improved their record to 3-0 with a 64-45 victory over Burlington Township on January 30. Moorestown is scheduled to host Pennsauken on Friday.
13. Deptford (2-0, NR): The Spartans make their debut in the SJ Sports Zone Top 15 after knocking off Timber Creek 68-66 on January 26. Virgil Scruggs notched a team-high 22 points and Danny Allen added 17. Sophomore Robert “Mikey” Long scored the game-winning basket with about 10 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Two days later, Deptford dominated Cumberland 64-30. Josh Eli and Kevin Eli scored 13 points apiece. The Spartans are scheduled to visit Delsea on Wednesday and host Clearview on Friday.
14. Sterling (3-0, 15): The Silver Knights opened the season with back-to-back wins over West Deptford. Sterling won the first matchup 61-45 on January 26. Preseason All-South Jersey Third Team selection tallied 25 points and Andrew Tummings added 22. Arnett scored 21 in the second matchup -- a 61-27 decision. The Silver Knights improved to 3-0 and moved up one spot in the rankings with a 58-47 win over Haddon Township on January 30. Arnett scored a game-high 22 points. Sterling is scheduled to host Haddon Heights on Thursday and visit Haddonfield on February 9.
15. Shawnee (1-0, NR): The Renegades climb into the SJ Sports Zone Top 15 after defeating Winslow 61-50 on January 26. Dwight Mathews scored a game-high 20 points and Andrew Ball added 15. John White notched 12 points. Shawnee isn’t scheduled to play again until February 11. The Renegades will visit No. 2 Paul VI.
Dropped from the rankings: 7 Eastern, 12 Timber Creek, 13 Ocean City, 14 Lindenwold
Others under consideration (listed alphabetically): Audubon, Cinnaminson, Doane Academy, Eastern, Gloucester, Haddonfield, Haddon Heights, Holy Cross Prep, Lindenwold, Ocean City, Penns Grove, Timber Creek, Vineland, Wildwood, Wildwood Catholic
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South Jersey Sports Zone (SJSZ) was co-founded by Kevin Emmons in 2017. The brand covers high school sports and promotes South Jersey pride. If you'd like to keep up with SJSZ, find them on Facebook and Twitter.
(Photo Credit: Markus Spiske)
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