Boys Basketball Preview: Rutgers Prep embracing change

The Rutgers Prep School's boys basketball team has undergone a number of changes since last season, but the core values and goals remain the same.

After a season in which the Argonauts advanced to the Somerset County Tournament final, head coach Alex Mahony stepped down after three years and six seniors were lost to graduation. 

In May, Matt Bloom was hired to take over the program after spending six seasons as the director of men's basketball operations at La Salle University. Bloom also worked under Fred Hill at Rutgers University for four years. 

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"It’s a great group of kids, practices have been tremendous," Bloom said. "The energy is through the roof, they’re competing at the highest level and my job is to get them to play together, check their egos at the door and become a group."

Seniors Nate Lyles (a 6-foot-5 guard) and Chris Phillips (a 5-foot-9 guard) are the only two players who return after playing significant varsity minutes last season, but the team is junior-heavy with a number of players who saw action last year. 

"It’s just a different look, we lost five or six seniors and three or four were starters, so being one of the older players, getting into that leadership role is hard," junior guard Jonah Charles said. "Talent-wise we have a little more talent, but the senior presence in the locker room is one thing we could miss."

Along with Charles, juniors Nahshon Battle, Jassiem Moore, Kaylen Oweh and Lucas Green are back and will bring the experience of playing in big tournament games to the team. 

"I think it definitely gave them a taste, and losing that game was a bad feeling," Bloom said of the SCT final. "If they can remember that feeling and use it as motivation; we’re a young team, one thing we teach is championship values and what it takes. They want to be champions, they have to put the work in, and that’s what we’re working on."

Rutgers Prep has four sophomores on the roster, including two transfers from St. Joseph (Met.), Richie Greaves and Zach Martini. Greaves, a 6-foot point guard, saw significant playing time last year as a freshman, averaging 10.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. Martini, a 6-foot-7 foward/center, averaged 3.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. 

"Richie Greaves, we haven’t had a true point guard in a while, he gets everyone involved and he’s also really good on defense and passing and getting a bucket when he needs to, but it’s mostly passing," Charles said. "One of the biggest things is having a great big in Zach Martini, he can shoot and he helps everyone."

Three freshmen will also get some playing time this season. Trey Patterson, a 6-foot-8 guard/forward has already been making an impact during the preseason, along with 5-foot-11 guard Noah Harris and 6-foot-8 forward Kyle Rhoden. 

"We’re a very deep team, the guys get along with each other, they’re all rooting for each other, so on any given night it can be anyone," Bloom said. "Freshman Trey Patterson, he has great work ethic, he's a high character kid, we expect the world out of him because of his work ethic. Noah Harris, he’s also got a great work ethic, he’s a great shooter. When you have young guys you have energy and excitement and they don’t know anything different, they’re getting after it with great energy and great intensity."

Rutgers Prep will look to stay competitive in the Skyland Conference Delaware Division against the likes of rival Gill St. Bernard's, Ridge, Franklin, Hillsborough and Bridgewater-Raritan. The main goal for the season will be to get better every game, but the division title and county and state tournaments are in the back of everyone's mind. 

"We’re definitely a work in progress, we’re showing signs of being a good team but we’re also young, so the inexperience can show," Bloom said. "We’ve got to learn from it and build every day and grow as a team. We want to get better every day, we want to do things the right way and if winning comes as a by-product, great. We just want to get better every day."

Staff Writer Lauren Knego: lknego@gannettnj.com; on Twitter: @laurenknego

COURIER NEWS BOYS BASKETBALL PRESEASON TOP 10

1. Gill St. Bernard's (25-4)

2. Hunterdon Central (25-4)

3. Union Catholic (17-10)

4. Somerville (7-17)

5. Rutgers Prep (15-11)

6. Immaculata (15-12)

7. Bound Brook (21-8)

8. Bridgewater-Raritan (20-8)

9. Ridge (11-15)

10. Watchung Hills (12-14)

Records are final from last season.