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Home News Tribune All-Area Boys Basketball Teams

Lauren Knego

@laurenknego

FIRST TEAM

G Tyus Battle, St. Joseph, Sr.

The Syracuse-bound senior and Home News Tribune Player of the Year led St. Joseph with almost 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists a game this season. Battle, who was named the New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year, scored his 1,000th career point on Dec. 20 and helped the Falcons to a perfect 12-0 record in the Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division. He scored a total of 74 points during their four-game run to the GMC Tournament title, and recorded a double-double and a triple-double during the NJSIAA South Non-Public A Tournament.

MORE: ST. JOSEPH'S BATTLE IS THE HNT PLAYER OF THE YEAR

South Brunswick's Eric Savage (35) goes to the basket against Colts Neck on March 5.

G Breein Tyree, St. Joseph, Sr.

The University of Mississippi-bound senior averaged over 16 points, five rebounds and five assists per game for St. Joseph, which won the GMC Red Division title, was undefeated against GMC teams this season and finished with a 22-6 record. Tyree scored in double-figures in every game but one this season, recorded five double-doubles and one triple-double. He scored his 1,000th career point on Jan. 26 and helped the Falcons to their ninth-straight GMC Tournament final and sixth title in seven years.

F William Phelps, Linden, Sr.

The senior averaged 13.8 points and pulled down six rebounds a game for Linden, which finished 25-6. Phelps helped lead the Tigers to the Union County Tournament semifinals, their fourth-straight North 2 Group IV sectional title, their fifth Group IV title and the Tournament of Champions final for the first time since 2006. Against University in the first round of the TOC, he recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, then scored 21 points against St. Augustine in the semifinals.

Colonia's Frank Lehmann of tries to knock the ball away from East Brunswick's Matt Ross in the GMC Tournament on Feb. 21.

G/F Eric Savage, South Brunswick, Sr.

A four-year varsity player, the Tufts-bound Savage averaged almost 21 points and five rebounds a game as the Vikings finished the season 22-5 and tied for second with East Brunswick in the Red Division. Savage helped lead South Brunswick back to the GMC Tournament final for the first time since 1993, scoring 24 points against St. Joseph in the title game. In the Central Group IV quarterfinals, Savage scored the game-winner at the buzzer in overtime against East Brunswick to lead the Vikings into a sectional semifinal for the first time since 2007.

MORE: SOUTH BRUNSWICK'S HOEHMAN IS THE HNT COACH OF THE YEAR

G Matt Ross, East Brunswick, Sr.

Ross averaged close to 19 points a game this season as the Bears finished with a record of 18-9. The senior helped East Brunswick to the Greater Middlesex Conference semifinals as the No. 6 seed and the Central Group IV quarterfinals, where Ross scored a team-high 21 points as the Bears fell to South Brunswick 63-61 in overtime. Ross scored in double-figures in every game but two this season, and scored his 1,000th career point on Feb. 18.

SECOND TEAM

G Tavon Jones, Linden, So.

G Alazno Frink, St. Joseph, So.

G Chase Barneys, Colonia, Sr.

G Eric Dadika, Spotswood, Sr.

G Connor Romano, Old Bridge, Sr.

St Joseph's Breein Tyree (left) tries to get past the defense of St. John Vianney on March 4.

THIRD TEAM

F Jahsim Floyd, Sayreville, Jr.

G Ryan O’Leary, Sayreville, Jr.

G Lamont Williams, South Plainfield, Sr.

G Michael Ugarte, South Brunswick, Jr.

C Addis Ralph, East Brunswick, Sr.

Linden's William Phelps (20) goes to the hoop as St. Anthony's Justyn Mutts (22) defends during the Tournament of Champions final.

HONORABLE MENTION

Bishop Ahr: Sean Kudelka, Alex Santiago, Corey Ciszek; Carteret: Jemar Jordan, Naafi Powell; Colonia: Kolby Chapmann; Dunellen: Tyquan Fowler; East Brunswick: Mike Vick; East Brunswick Tech: Connor Stratton, Noah Westbrook; Edison: Brandon Radd, Joe Cudakiewicz, Justin Turner; Franklin: Irving Callender, Malachi Walker; Highland Park: Naeem Ghee, Nasir Boykins; J.F. Kennedy: Kush Patel, Peter Oberton; J.P. Stevens: Mike Lionikis, Alex Corrigan; Linden: Tafari Lowe, Khalief Crawford, Joey Krempa; Metuchen: Dan Flaherty; Middlesex: Ryan Coke, Jake Robel; Monroe: Kenny Sysyn, Eddie Pinto; New Brunswick: Maurice Ffrench, Emmanuel Osi; North Brunswick: Francis Omowole, Pranay Bhandare; Old Bridge: Stephen Strom, Kyle Parris; Perth Amboy: Jose Genao; Perth Amboy Tech: Kyrie Byers, Javon Fisher, Pedro Gonzalez, Eric Negro; Piscataway: Jordan Davidson, Mattias Arrindell; Piscataway Tech: Ali Austin, Branden Barnes, German Pimentel; Rahway: Keyshawn Cummings; Rutgers Prep: Jake Needleman, Greg Smith; Sayreville: Elijah Clark; South Amboy: Kehare Ford, Julian Munoz; South Brunswick: Jaier Garrett; South River: Mario Nigro, Derrick Whitaker; South Plainfield: Will McLaughlin; Spotswood: Marlon Hart, Andrew Fuzesi, JT Vento; St. Joseph: Branislav Vujadinovic; Timothy Christian: Robert Saydee, Tyler Mixson, William Clemons; Wardlaw-Hartridge: Garrett Racz, Scott Hargrove; Woodbridge: Quran Robinson, Quaasim Glover, Henry Rutkowski, Keshaun Henry.