WEST ORANGE- One had to take into account that it was only mid-December and the biggest games of this still-unfolding 2024-2025 basketball season are yet to come. Regardless of the time of the year, with a packed house - including an ardent very-Christmas-like, Santa-hat-adorning Pirate nation student section standing and cheering throughout - the entire vibe brought an undeniable energy in the building as the brand-new Sterling Gibbs coaching tenure could take in the whole Tracey Gymnasium vibe full force once again, but in a much different role reversal for the man at the focal point of the evening.
Instead of driving to the basket himself for two, or nailing a 3-pointer as the SHP faithful cheered - as he did more often than most during his memorable playing career over a decade ago – Gibbs now is busy in his new role guiding his high school alma mater. And, like his three predecessors who have paved the way to success on the hardwood since Finn Tracey himself initiated a first-rate Pirate hoops tradition back in 1948, it’s simply great to be back where it all started.
SHP (3-0) made it a ‘no-doubter’ in Gibbs’ home coaching debut on Tuesday (Dec. 17), establishing a big early lead and rolling past St. Joseph of Metuchen, 72-36, before a delighted SHP audience of students, former players and devoted, longtime fans of the West Orange Catholic school.
‘Hazard Zet Forward,’ as the SHP motto goes, and yes – whatever the peril might be as this season unfolds – and with inevitable, formidable obstacles ahead against a strong schedule in and out of the Super Essex Conference’s rigorous American Division – Gibbs appears to have the proper mindset to be the leader of this somewhat new-look Pirate hoops squad.
“Consistency is the key and looking to impose our will on whoever we’re playing, and I think we did that tonight,” said Gibbs, who is the second-leading scorer in SHP history just behind his younger brother TJ, 1,984 to 1,987. “We have to keep improving, continue to add some things and polish some other things, and continue to get some kinks out from the previous game, if need be.
“We took a first step tonight and -hopefully- we take another step in our next game.
“As far as tonight, it was great to be back home in front of the crowd and our kids were really excited about this game.
“You only get so many times to play before a packed house and really feel the gym full, and we wanted to take advantage of that and let the crowd know it’s a different team and that they have a reason to come out and support us each game.”
SHP, coming off a season-opening 58-50 win vs. Hightstown in the Saturday (Dec. 14) NJBCA Tip-Off Classic at Montgomery High School, was simply quicker to execute at a high level from the start vs. a St. Joe’s of Metuchen team that was playing its first game of the season as first-year head coach Karl Towns, Sr. – the father of the New York Knicks forward – made his own debut with a new team.
Senior guard Dylan Guzzardo, one of 15 Pirates to see the court vs. St. Joe’s in what is a rapidly-revolving arsenal of different Pirates entering the action, helped initiate what would be an early knockout punch by SHP as he scored six of his team-high 21 points to go along with 6 assists and 5 steals, while senior forward Alex Ante (8 points, 7 rebounds) sank a pair of buckets as the Pirates took a 7-0 lead and then extended that early trend to 18-3 with 2:11 still showing in the first quarter.
