Class B North Favorite CBA Returns Three Key Pieces To Lineup

LINCROFT – With two All-Shore players and an All-Division guard back this season, the Colts appear primed to make a run at both the Shore Conference and NJSIAA Non-Public A Tournament titles this season.

Leading the way is 6-foot-11 center Josh Cohen, who added two inches to his frame since last season and just committed to St. Francis University. The athletic big man made a name for himself a year ago with his aggressive style of play underneath the basket and his ability to score from anywhere on the court.

Cohen averaged 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds as a junior when he was a third-team All-Shore selection but after a dissappointed finish a year ago he feels the Colts have some unfinished business to take care of this season.

In last year’s NJSIAA Non-Public, South A Tournament the Colts were upset by rival Red Bank Catholic as the No. 2 seed.

The Colts beat the Caseys twice during the regular season and Red Bank Catholic hadn’t defeated a CBA team since the 1989 NJSIAA Tournament, so it was a hard loss for them to absorb.

“It was tough to lose to our rival RBC and end our season that way,” Cohen said. “But we rebuilt a little bit this season and regrouped, so we should be good to go.”

The Colts do have to replace two big-time contributors in guard Rob Mahala (9.8 pts) and forward Nolan Maddon (5.5 pts.) but with the return of starting guards Stephen Braunstein and Liam Kennedy, who were both recipients of post-season honors, the backcourt stands up against any in the Shore.

The 6-foot-1 Braunstein can do it all. He averaged 16.3 points and 3.8 rebounds while dishing out 2.3 assists per game to go along with his 1.6 steals and 34 three-pointers per contest on his way to being named second-team All-Shore.

“Josh and I are going to carry a lot of the scoring load and we have a couple of newcomers who are going to be in the starting lineup,” Braunstein said. “But Liam’s a good scorer too and he’s also very good at passing the ball.”

Kennedy – a first-team All-Division pick - led the Colts with 3.5 assists per game to compliment his 10.4 points per game average and is penciled in at the number two spot (shooting guard) in the Colts starting lineup, while Braunstein will start at the three spot (swing) and Cohen in the middle at center.

However, for the Colts to get to where they aspire to get they’ll need some contributions from a group of talented but raw newcomers, with two of them stepping into starting positions.

Cohen, nonetheless, likes what he see’s and expects the cast of newbies to develop into prime-time players as the season unfolds and their roles become more defined.

“We have a freshman, Ryan Mabrey, and a couple of sophomores Mike White and Colin Farrell and seniors Peyton Boesch and Paul Waraska, to come in and fill some roles,” said Cohen. “They can all run the floor and shoot, and we expect them to pick up the slack of Rob (Mahala) and Nolan (Madden).”

Mabrey, who comes from a family of basketball royalty, is the youngest brother of former CBA and St. Anselm standout, Roy, former Notre Dame starting guard, Michaela, current Notre Dame star, Marina, and current Virginia Tech standout freshman guard, Dara.

He’ll jump right in at the starting point guard spot as a freshman for the Colts and don’t expect him to be intimidated as he’s been in the limelight ever since he first laced up his sneakers and took to the hardwood floor.

Boesch and White will rotate at the four spot to start the season with Waraska and Farrell adding depth off the bench at guard.

“It’s good,” said Cohen when asked about the team’s chemistry. “We have some newcomers, so it can be hard getting them acclimated and to know our plays. But Me, Steve and Liam have kind of taken on the leadership role showing them our offensive sets and walking them through all the different rotations on defense, so its been a little tough, but we’re getting it together and we should be good to go for our first game.”

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