The Jackson Memorial High School boys basketball team is looking to build on their most successful season in school history. They set a school record with 25 wins last season but graduated four starters. Their hopes this season rest with Eric Carter, who will need to step up offensively to replace the graduated players. The coach says this is one of the most skilled teams he's coached but they will need to improve defensively. They open their season against a tough conference schedule as they aim to defend their conference title from last year.

1. Jaguars boys basketball looks to build off
last season’s success
Jackson Memorial High School’s boys
basketball team comes off its best season in
school history and will rely on the
emergence of Eric Carter to offset
significant losses due to graduation.
“Eric Carter has a lot to live up to every
day,” said coach Joe Fagan. “He has huge
shoes to fill, but he has looked tremendous.
He lost 25 pounds and has a lot of offers
coming his way before we start our season
(Dec. 14 at Brick Memorial High School)
with schools looking at him like Fairfield,
St. Peter’s, Rider, Marist, Delaware and
Robert Morris, and Monmouth has come on
recently.”
Four players who saw a significant number of starts last season graduated off the team that set a
school record with a 25-4 mark. Of those losses, one came against Middletown High School
North in a Hoop Group showcase in January, another came in the Shore Conference Tournament
quarterfinals when Carter broke his foot and another was in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group
IV semifinals.
Gone are forwards Brandon Holup and Brandon McDonnell, and guards Brian Kenny and Elliot
Bell, as well as trusty reserve swing player Anthony Skwiat. They played a major role in last
season’s success but Fagan is not overly concerned.
“Overall, this is the most skilled team I’ve coached in my five years here,” Fagan said. “Carter is
dominating and this is probably the best shooting team I’ve seen, but we’re not as good
defensively. This team could have 25 wins; it could have 15.”
Hard work will take care of the defensive side, as the Jaguars jump right into hotly competitive
Shore Conference A South Division action in their opener and continue on Dec. 17 in their home
opener against Toms River High School South. Jackson Memorial has not lost a division game in
the last two years.
“This is the best A South has been in my years here,” Fagan said, expecting big challenges from
Toms River High School North in particular, as well as Toms River South, Southern Regional
High School and Brick Memorial.

2. The Jaguars return to defend their WOBM Classic title at Toms River North starting on Dec. 22.
They also have a tough game against Notre Dame High School scheduled on Jan. 19 in a
showcase at Lawrence High School.
But, there’s not as much rebuilding as it would seem. “The faces are the same, but nobody
recognizes them,” Fagan said. Three of those faces had visible roles last season. The Specht
twins — seniors Mike, a 6-foot-3-inch tall forward, and Nick, a 6- foot-2-inch tall guard — got a
lot of starts, and Salam Simon, a senior guard, started at the end of last season.
“Simon is probably the most skilled guy we’ve got,” Fagan said. “He can dribble, pass and shoot
well.”
He will also be filling the lineup from a group of fine prospects that include 6-foot- 5-inch tall
senior Aaron Burroughs at forward or center, as well as junior Mark Ademilola (6’3”) and
seniors Casey Gochinski (6’1”) and Pete Hetzel (6’) at forward. The Jaguars are a little thin at
guard, where 6-foot tall Matt Hogan was injured part of last season and played on the junior
varsity.