Seton Hall Prep Hoopsters on Brink of State Title

If Seton Hall Prep is to win its first NJSIAA Non-Public A title since 2008 and earn a berth in next week's Tournament of Champions, the Pirates will have to get past a very talented St. Augustine club.

The Pirates, 26-3, the North champions, will meet the South champion Hermits (27-2) Saturday at Poland Springs Arena in Toms River. Game time is 2 p.m.

Seton Hall Prep, which won state titles from 2005 through 2008, will need to clamp down on senior Isaiah Morton among others.

Morton finished with 25 points and had five assists to lead St. Augustine to a 56-49 victory over Holy Spirit Tuesday night for the South Jersey title. The next night, the Pirates — led by senior guard Sterling Gibbs — beat St. Peter Prep 55-47 in overtime to earn the trip to Toms River.

Gibbs, the team captain, and its only senior starter, has been averaging 20.6 points per game. He was key in the sectional title game. He finished with 27 and moved his career total to 1,956. He had 10 points in overtime when the Pirates put the game away.

No doubt he will be in the middle of things Saturday — especially if the Pirates are to get out of Toms River with a state title. Morton figures to be too.

"Without Isaiah, St. Augustine isn't anywhere near (a state final)," said Hermits' coach Paul Rodio. "The kid has carried us. He's made people on the floor better. If he's not the player of the year in South Jersey there should be an investigation."

Gibbs may be the same in North Jersey. Saturday, the two get a chance to see who can help get their team into the Tournament of Champions.