When Nick Mariniello arrived at Hudson Catholic High School six years ago to become the new boys’ basketball coach, he had no idea what the future held.
After all, the Hawks were certainly not an intimidating factor before Mariniello’s arrival. At best, they were an average team, a mediocre program that considered a .500 record and qualifying for the NJSIAA state playoffs as a successful season.
“We’ve come a long way in six years,” Mariniello said.
When Nassir Barrino made the choice to attend Hudson Catholic a little more than three years ago, he also didn’t have a clue what lay in store.
“I knew that Hudson Catholic had a pretty good basketball team and I wanted to be a part of it,” Barrino said.
But neither could have ever dreamed that they would become part of a dynasty.
That’s what Hudson Catholic’s boys’ basketball team has become – a Hudson County dynasty, courtesy of a 51-48 victory over Marist last Friday night to capture the school’s fourth straight Hudson County Tournament championship.
Think of it in these terms.
When the Hawks captured the Hudson County tourney title in 2012, it marked the first time in 37 years that the school won a county crown.
That was somewhat of a novelty.
It’s not anymore. To win four championships in a row, you’re like the New York Yankees of Hudson County basketball, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chicago Bulls, UCLA basketball. Simply put, you’re a dynasty.
It’s no fluke, no freak of nature. The Hawks were supposed to lose last year to St. Peter’s Prep in the finale. They didn’t. They were supposed to win this year as the top seed and they did. That’s what dynasties do. They win when they’re not expected to and win when they are expected to.
“Winning the county championship is extremely important to us,” Mariniello said. “Winning the first one, there was so much buzz because it had been so long. The first one, we were never expected to win and we did. Now, we’re expected to win. We’re supposed to win. It’s a totally different mindset than the first one.”
But this year’s group of seniors, like point guard Barrino, power forward Sammy Friday and swingman Eric Santana, they know nothing else other than being the Hudson County champion. They have been a part of all four titles.
“It means a lot to be part of that legacy,” said Barrino, who scored 15 points in the title game, earning the Most Outstanding Player in the county tourney. “It means something to leave that legacy. I’m just happy to be living in the moment. It’s one of those moments where you really can’t believe it. I’m actually still in shock.”
Try this statistic on for size. Barrino, Friday and Santana have been part of 100 victories over the course of their high school career. That’s almost unfathomable. The Hawks are 22-3 this season.
“This year’s senior class winning 100 games is impressive to me,” Mariniello said. “And they’ve only lost 15 times. It shows that we’ve come to bring it every time, against the public schools and non-public. These kids were challenged by that and accepted that challenge, knowing that everyone was coming after you every game.”
Barrino thought it was tough just to get back to the title game once again.
“It was special just to get back to that stage, playing at St. Peter’s,” Barrino said. “I was glad that I could actually lead the charge.”
A year ago, that wasn’t exactly the case. While the Hawks faced St. Peter’s Prep in the county championship game, Barrino was totally lost, missing his first 11 shots. But here he was, getting his redemption a year later, scoring 15 points and leading his team to another county crown.
“I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Barrino said. “What happened last year kept me motivated to do better this year. I knew this year that every shot I took was going to fall. I was able to just keep going, doing my best. For me to accomplish getting the Most Outstanding Player of the tourney is a great way for me to end my senior year. Winning another county championship is a great feeling.”
“I can’t say enough about our senior leadership,” Mariniello said. “Nassir has been our leader for the last two years. He’s been all business. We talked about it. He knew it’s his team. He never wavered from that role. He’s been like the big brother to the younger guys and brought them all together as a team. It’s what we wanted to accomplish.”
Mariniello has been playing a lot of youngsters, including talented freshmen Jahvon Quinerly and Luther Muhammad, two brilliant teenagers who will carry Hudson Catholic basketball to another generation.
Much like what St. Anthony has done over the years – one class graduates and another follows suit. Quinerly, who had 11 points in the county title game, is already receiving scholarship offers and he’s a freshman. Muhammad’s talents have yet to be tapped. The same for sophomore forward Danny Strzala, who is also receiving scholarship requests.
Mariniello was asked if he thought that winning four straight county titles was possible.
“I never even thought about it,” Mariniello said. “I know how difficult it has become to coach high school basketball at a top level. When you have kids like Eric Santana getting a scholarship to Trinity College in Connecticut and Mamadou Traore gets a chance to go to Drew, that’s what I set out to do. I wanted to get the kids to college and win a few games. I didn’t know about how many championships we would win.
Added Mariniello, “You have to be both talented and lucky to win one in this county. I’m happy for the kids and happy for the school. The school is definitely back. Enrollment is up. Numbers are up. We’re doing okay.”
With more than 320 wins under his belt for his career (including his historic stay at Bloomfield Tech), Mariniello is doing a little better than okay. True, he has a challenge upcoming in the NJSIAA Non-Public B North playoffs, where recent nemesis St. Anthony looms. The Hawks have done well in the county tournament, but they can’t get past the county’s best team in the Friars. St. Anthony has never participated in the county tourney, retaining its independent status in the process.
But for Hudson Catholic to win four straight county championships is truly remarkable, considering that there was a drought of nearly 40 years prior to this four-year run of excellence, this dynasty that has emerged before our eyes.
“It all happened so quickly,” Mariniello said.
“When you leave a legacy of four championships, then there are some shoes to fill,” Barrino said. “But right now, we can become very focused at the next item on our list. We want to get back to that game [the NJSIAA Non-Public B North title contest] and want to walk off the court as champions, much like we did here in the county. That’s next on our list.”
It’s a big challenge for the Hawks, but one that can be attained. Hey, did anyone think it was even fathomable that Hudson Catholic could actually win four straight Hudson County titles? Well, one never knows.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.
You can also read Jim’s blog at www.jimhaguesports.blogspot.com.