When one looks at the St. Anthony High School boys’ basketball roster this season, it actually reads like a college handbook.
The names of the players should have their respective college attached to them, like Mike Rosario, guard, Rutgers; Tyshawn Taylor, guard, Marquette; Travon Woodall, guard, Pittsburgh; Giovanny Fontan, guard, Fordham; A.J. Rogers, forward, St. Joseph’s, and Alberto Estwick, forward, Fordham.
That’s eight Division I players on one team. It’s the reason the roster reads like a college handbook, because that’s a lot of desired talent all in one bunch.
It’s the reason that a documentary film crew will follow the Friars all season long. It’s also the reason that legendary coach Bob Hurley realizes that the team is worthy of the preseason hype and No. 2 national ranking, behind only Oak Hill Academy of Virginia.
However, there is one major difference between this version of the Friars and others in the past that have had lofty preseason expectations and national rankings.
“We have had a lot of good teams in the past, but this year’s team hasn’t achieved anything,” said Hurley, as the Friars prepare to tip off the 2007-08 season this weekend with games against CREATE Charter and the Hun School. “We’ve gone three years in a row without winning a state championship. If this team doesn’t win, it will become the first senior class to never have won a state title. So I don’t think the expectations faze us. We have a goal in mind.”
Added Hurley, “If we win a state championship this year, it will give us the national record for state championships. That’s something we want to have. We want this group to be actively pursuing something.”
If the Friars can capture the NJSIAA Non-Public Group B title – and defeating nemesis St. Patrick’s of Elizabeth in the process – then St. Anthony will have 25 New Jersey state titles, going past Cheyenne Central High School in Wyoming, which has 24 state crowns. Currently, the two schools are tied for the national record. The Friars want it all to themselves.
“We want to do those two things this year, win the state championship and hold the national record,” Hurley said. “We’re not buying into any other things, like national rankings and expectations. We have a depth of ability and we have to be able to best utilize that talent.”
Leading the way is Rosario, the Jersey City homegrown talent who will take his deadly jump shot to the banks of the old Raritan next year and play for Rutgers. The sleek 6-3 Rosario averaged around 14 points per game last year, earning All-State recognition. Hurley believes that his numbers could increase.
“We’re going to leave Mike in his position as a two-guard [shooting guard],” Hurley said. “He’s such a good offensive player that we don’t need to mess with him. He’s also a much better defensive player and rebounder.”
Hurley believes that the Friars’ second leading scorer will be the 6-6 Cheek, who will be a key force inside as the other guards control the flow.
“Dominic makes everyone else’s role so much easier,” Hurley said. “Everyone else can just settle in.”
Cheek will be joined up front by the 6-6 Rogers, who will try to duplicate what fellow St. Joseph Hawk Ahmad Nivins did with the Friars before he headed to Philly. Junior Jaime Jackson, a 6-6 forward, adds depth to the front court. Bol, who is perhaps the Friars’ most improved player, will give the Friars minutes as he continues his improvement.
The backcourt is loaded. Absolutely loaded. There isn’t another high school backcourt in the country that can boast of having five Division I players in it. The Friars have three Division I point guards in Taylor, Woodall and Fontan. All on the same team. It’s unfathomable.
“We’ll see what match-ups are favorable and perhaps focus on who has the hot hand,” Hurley said. “That’s probably our best chance for success. The guys who are playing better will play a little longer.”
Estwick, the 6-4 senior, will play both guard and forward positions.
“We’ll figure out a way to give them all minutes,” Hurley said.
It’s not a bad luxury to have.
“We know that there are teams that would love to have just one of those kids,” Hurley said. “Most of the time, we’ll probably have two point guards on the floor. Down the stretch in games, we can have four guys on the floor who all can handle the ball. We’re going to accentuate the positive of those guys all the time.”
The Friars are also a team without a true superstar. Maybe Rosario fits that role a little, but he doesn’t enter the season with the gaudy preseason All-America accolades that players like Bobby Hurley, Rodrick Rhodes and Anthony Perry had when they were Friars.
As talented as this team is, it’s a close-knit team of players who are similarly talented. No one stands out over another.
They have six seniors who have been through a lot together and just need that last elusive piece to add to their collective resumes.
“They all played a lot as sophomores and that experience has to pay off as seniors,” Hurley said. “They’re a veteran team now. Everyone is going to be focused to play us. We have to be ready every time we play.”
But are the players getting caught up in all the attention, like having a film crew around at all times?
“They’re still kids,” Hurley said. “They have their ups and downs. We’re doing our best to keep them grounded.”
And focused on the main goal, which will certainly become a reality come time for March madness.