The Hudson Reporter All-Area Boys’ and Girls’ High School Basketball Teams once again represent the very best that high school basketball can offer in the Hudson County area.
The Boys’ All-Area team features three players who are repeat honorees and the rest are all newcomers to the honors.
The Boys’ Player of the Year should be of no surprise. For the second straight year, the honor is bestowed upon St. Anthony sensational senior Kyle Anderson, who guided the fabulous Friars to a second straight undefeated championship season.
Anderson, called by legendary head coach Bob Hurley as “the most complete player to ever wear a St. Anthony uniform,” averaged 17 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals per game, leading the Friars to a 32-0 record and a second straight NJSIAA Tournament of Champions title.
The UCLA-bound Anderson, who also earned McDonald’s All-American honors, is also a repeat honoree on the First Team, which features two St. Anthony players, two from Hudson Catholic and one from Dickinson.
Teammate Jerome Frink, a Second Team honoree a year ago, takes the step up this year and earns First Team recognition.
The same can be said for Hudson Catholic’s talented junior Reggie Cameron, who was also a Second Team selection last year.
The other First Team honorees are Hudson Catholic junior forward Michael Young and Dickinson senior point guard Tyquan Burno.
There are two other St. Anthony players and two other Hudson Catholic players on the Second and Third Teams, with three players from St. Peter’s Prep earning honors as well.
The Hudson Reporter Boys’ High School Basketball Coach of the Year honors go to Hudson Catholic’s Nick Mariniello, who took the Hawks to their best season in recent years, winning the Hudson County Tournament for the first time since 1975 and leading the squad to 25 wins and a berth in the NJSIAA Non-Public B North sectional finals.
The Hudson Reporter All-Area Girls’ Team features four repeat honorees, keyed by the Player of the Year.
For leading her team to the Hudson County Tournament championship, her school’s first Hudson County title in 30 years, Lincoln junior forward Breana Bey has been named as the Hudson Reporter Player of the Year.
Bey averaged 22 points and nine rebounds per game for the 26-4 Lions and established herself as a potential college player.
Bey, who was a Second Team selection last year, heads the First Team that features two repeat honorees from Bayonne.
Senior forward Lisa Rovatsos earned First Team honors for the fourth straight year, becoming one of only six young ladies to ever earn selection in all four years of high school, the last being Lauren Jimenez of North Bergen, who graduated in 2007.
Rovatsos’ teammate, Tara Flynn, also a repeat honoree, earns First Team honors this season. Flynn was a Third Team selection last year.
The fourth repeat honoree is Hoboken’s do-everything Sybil Lynch, who moves from Third Team last year to First Team this year.
The final honoree is Secaucus fabulous freshman Julia McClure, who exploded onto the scene to average 17 points and 11 rebounds per game.
Two other Lincoln players and two other Secaucus players earned honors on the Second and Third Teams.
The Hudson Reporter Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year is Lincoln’s Tommy Best, who guided the Lions to the county title, a 26-4 record and a berth in the NJSIAA North 2, Group II championship game. – Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached via e-mail at OGSMAR@aol.com.