Golden Eagles Boys Basketball Team Heading into State Tourney Next Week

Central Regional's boys basketball team hopes Joe Hardy stays on his hot scoring tear into the NJSIAA tournament when the Golden Eagles play host to Camden Wilson in the opening round at 7 p.m. on March 1.
"It'll be very much like playing Manchester," said coach Mike Clemente.

His team, came into its Feb. 22 game at home against Academy Charter with a 10-9 record. The Golden Eagles played host to Monsignor Donovan on Feb. 24  in its regular season finale before the state tournament.
"Camden Wilson has good size and plays a fast-paced game because they have good athletes," Clemente said. "We have to defend and slow down the game to run our half-court offense."
Hardy has averaged 20 points a game over the second half of the season as Central Regional won six of nine games going into the Academy Charter game. He sank 20 in a 56-46 loss to Matawan in its Shore Conference Tournament opener that was a three-point game with less than three minutes left.

Central Regional did not make the Shore Conference Tournament last year when it won nine games, one less than this year's squad has won already.

Hardy, a superb high jumper for the track and field team during the outdoor season, was a force in Central Regional's twice beating Shore Conference B South favorite Manchester, which is that team's only conference losses, and in its going 7-3 in the conference. He averages 15 points a game on the season.

Junior guard Jeremy Wozniak, whose free throws sealed a 45-42 victory over Manchester at mid-season, is second on the team in scoring at 14 points per game  this season.

"He will be our big scorer next year with Damium (More, a sophomore point guard)," Clemente said.

Sophomore guard Austin DeRose and 6-foot, 2-inch junior center Davanta Bernier, who broke into the lineup late in the season, are the other starters. Senior Steve Ulack sees a lot of action as the backup center. Clemente also commends junior Casey Allender, who has picked up his scoring and could be a key contributor next season. The other two seniors are Pat Solomon and Devon Washington.

With the junior varsity's record hovering around .500 and a host of solid varsity returnees, Clemente has reason for optimism for next season.