WEST ORANGE- A high standard of success, which Seton Hall Prep basketball is accustomed to achieving, was certainly there again last winter as the Pirates finished a solid 23-7 and captured a record 20th Essex County Tournament championship.
But, could there be even a higher level to be reached this season as the Pirates are perhaps even more talented and have a deeper rotation than the first edition of SHP hoops in the still-evolving coaching reign of Sterling Gibbs?
The ingredients certainly appear to be there for this season to be a very special one for SHP, which returns reigning Sideline Chatter Essex County Player of the Year Anthony Gonzalez, the gifted 6-foot-2 junior guard, veteran 6-6 senior power forward Alex Ante, a few other veteran pieces, plus what could be at least three impact newcomers to the varsity unit.
SHP opens up what promises to be a challenging schedule when it travels to Montgomery High School in Somerset County on Saturday (Dec. 13) to face defending Group 2 state champion Manasquan at 7 p.m., as part of the N.J. Basketball Coaches Association Tip-Off Showcase.
Another early-season highlight will be a Christmas trip to Florida and two games on Dec. 26 and 27 against strong out-of-state competition in the Miami Holiday Invitational.
Seven of the first eight games for the Pirates will be away from the friendly confines of the Frank J. Tracey Gymnasium and Bob Farrell Court.
Is this SHP edition ready for those early-season challenges plus the usual rigors of the Super Essex Conference’s top-tier American Division with home-and-home contests against the likes of St. Benedict’s – which is the Pirates’ first conference home game in The New Year on Tuesday night, Jan. 6 – and others such as Arts, East Orange Campus and last year’s ECT runner-up Payne Tech.
“You don’t come to Seton Hall Prep to play an easy schedule, you come to be challenged and be in showcase games,” said Gibbs, the 31-year-old former college and scholastic standout who also played pro ball overseas. “I believe your team can come together even more being on the road together, and our trip to Miami for four or five days is big-time!
“Our AD (Larry Baggitt) does a great job, is open-minded, and when I brought him the idea of going to Florida, he was all in and said, ‘Let’s do it!
“We want to be one of those schools that challenges our players in different areas and not just New Jersey, and the trip to Florida will be a great experience for our players!”
While it is Gibbs’ second season as head coach with SHP it is also the second season as a Pirate for Gonzalez who played at Union City as a freshman before transferring to The Prep where he starred last winter while leading the Pirates in scoring (13.7 ppg), assists (5.4 apg) and steals (54).
“This being our second year together I think we’ve all connected together even more, and the chemistry is great,” said the player teammates and coaches call ‘AG.’ “We have a lot of talented players and even if they don’t start, they could and they will all help us win.”
Ante (10.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg last season), who is the team’s leading returning rebounder, is excited about what awaits, including during the upcoming holiday journey.
“Miami surprised me at first which is a big jump after we went to Maryland last year, and we’re stoked to go and play two very good teams (in Grayson of Georgia on Dec. 26, and Riviera Prep of Miami on Dec. 27) and hopefully pick up a couple of good wins during what will be a great trip,” said the versatile senior leader. “Coach Gibbs has been amazing in setting us up for success, we’re bonding well and everyone has gotten better.”
