Ever since Nick Mariniello took over the Hudson Catholic boys’ basketball program five years ago, he made sure he set the same goals.
“Every year, our goal is to win the league, the county, the state and the Tournament of Champions,” said Mariniello, who now also doubles as the school’s athletic director. “That never changes. We have to be in position to reach those goals. We always raise the bar and find a way to motivate the group.”
For the last three years, Marinello’s Hawks have won the Hudson County Tournament title, taking home three straight county championships after the school underwent a 37-year drought without a single one.
And as the high school basketball season tips off this weekend, with the Hawks competing in the Kreul Classic in Coral Springs, Florida, Mariniello knows he has the ingredients for making it four straight.
Last year, St. Peter’s Prep held the distinction of being the favorite to win the title, only to fall to the Hawks in the title game.
But with the Marauders undergoing a major upheaval in terms of players (seven transferred out of Grand and Warren) as well as a head coach (Alex Mirabel taking over for Todd Decker), the Hawks, with a veteran roster returning, own the distinction as being the prohibitive favorite as the season begins.
“What we’ve done in the last five years has been pretty solid,” Mariniello said. “But St. Anthony is still the gold standard of high school basketball programs. We’re still chasing them. They have a legendary Hall of Fame coach [Bob Hurley] and a solid group of good players. We’re still trying to be them.”
Mariniello does not have to worry about getting his team motivated for the coming season.
“I think we’re extremely hungry,” said Mariniello, whose team lost to St. Anthony for the third straight year in the NJSIAA Non-Public B North state title game last year. “Right now, we’re still trying to figure out who our go-to guy is. We have a good mix of older guys with a bunch of good younger kids. It’s probably our deepest team we’ve ever had, from the first man to the 12th man. And there’s not a big drop-off in talent. It’s a solid, talented team. We just have to figure out who is going to play.”
One Hawk who will most certainly play is senior point guard Nassir Barrino.
The 6-foot-1 Barrino earned Hudson Reporter All-Area Second Team honors last year, averaging 13 points and six assists per game. He’s been a three-year starter for the Hawks and has been a solid contributor throughout his career.
“I think he’s one of the best on the ball defenders in the state,” said Mariniello of Barrino, who has been getting his share of looks from the college recruiters, more because he possesses a 3.75 grade point average. “His shot has gotten better. He’s become more vocal on the court, which has been vital. He needed that and we needed that. He’s very mature beyond his years. He’s very important to us, because there isn’t a good team in the state that doesn’t have a good point guard.”
Mariniello said that Barrino is getting looks from schools in the America East, Patriot League and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, where St. Peter’s University resides.
Senior forward Sammy Friday also returns. The 6-foot-8 Friday is another NCAA Division I prospect and a very good student in the classroom.
“Sammy is in the best shape of his life,” Mariniello said. “He’s still a young 17 [years old], younger than most kids in his class. He’s worked very hard to get ready for this season. He has to be a presence for us this season. For us to be successful, we need 12 [points] and eight [rebounds] from him every night.”
Senior Eric Santana is a 6-foot-2 swingman who had some great moments last year.
“He had a good season for us last year,” Mariniello said of Santana. “He’s a good spot-up shooter.”
Santana has already accepted an offer to play at Trinity College in the fall.
Sophomore swingman Patrick Strzala, a 6-foot-4 sharpshooter, already has a host of top Division I offers from schools like Seton Hall, Cincinnati and Princeton.
“He has all the tools,” Mariniello said of Strzala.
Senior Adam Traore, who was huge in the county playoffs, especially the title game against St. Peter’s last year, returns to anchor the front line. The 6-foot-5 Traore is what Mariniello called “a bruiser.”
“He’s been more consistent in practice thus far,” Mariniello said of Traore.
Junior Marion Williams is a 5-foot-9 point guard who will both backup Barrino and also get time at the other guard slot.
“He’s very athletic,” Mariniello said of Williams, who was the Most Valuable Player of the Jersey City Recreation Summer League in Hamilton Park. “He can shoot the ball.”
Sophomore Kahmonie Foster is a 6-foot-7 forward.
“He’s had a very good preseason,” Mariniello said. “We’ve been using him a lot with Sammy together. He’s a good spot-up shooter and hard worker. He’s also a good rebounder. I think he has Division I potential.”
Sophomore Tyheem Burno is a 6-foot guard who is a defensive wizard, much like his uncle, former St. Anthony and DePaul standout Rashon Burno, currently an assistant coach at the University of Florida.
“He brings us a lot of toughness and quickness,” Mariniello said of Burno. “He has some grit to his game. He’s a key to us being good defensively, because he’s relentless.”
Mariniello will count on two talented freshmen to contribute right away.
Luther Muhammad is a 6-foot-3 swingman who has a world of talent.
“He’s going to see significant minutes,” Mariniello said of Muhammad. “He’s very talented.”
Jahvon Quinerly is a 6-foot-1 freshman guard.
“He can play the point for us,” Mariniello said. “He’s also going to get minutes. I like to play 10 guys, so they’re all going to play. They are also holding their own academically, which is good. They’re doing a good job of what they’re supposed to do.”
Mariniello said that he likes the character of his team.
“I like the makeup,” Mariniello said. “There’s good chemistry and that’s important. I don’t know if that equates to wins, but they’re a good group to coach. They’re very coachable. They know what’s expected of them.”
After the Hawks return from Florida, they head to the Jingle Bell Jubilee in Paterson, with teams like Paterson Kennedy, Paterson Eastside, Hackensack and Teaneck. The Hawks only play six home games, with 17 of their 23 regular season contests slated for the road, so that will be a challenge.
But count on Hudson Catholic making a solid push for four straight county titles, a distinction last reached by St. Peter’s Prep five seasons ago.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com. You can also read Jim’s blog at www.jimhaguesports.blogspot.com.