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Giannini, Herro power Warriors in regular-season finale

Published in the Echoes-Sentinel - February 26, 2004

Matt Giannini and Phil Herro turned in double-double performances to propel Watchung Hills to a 66-41 rout of Phillipsburg in a Skyland Conference regular-season finale played in Warren on Saturday. The victory was the 14th of the campaign for the Warriors who have experienced the agony of defeat on seven occasions. "It took a tad longer than you would like, but we eventually pounded a weak P-Burg squad and got everyone in the game," said head coach Gene McAteer. "We only led by eight at half-time and we did not lead by a substantial margin until about five minutes to go in the contest. Albeit not as much time as we would like but all 15 players saw action last night." Giannini ripped the cords with 24 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in a dominant performance over the Stateliners in a Skyland Conference encounter played in Warren on Saturday evening. "Giannini surpassed both the 700 point and 500 rebound marks for his high school career during the game," continued McAteer. "I would say that 1000 points and 750 rebounds are within reach for him next year." Herro chipped in with a double-double effort, netting 15 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Mike Wood contributed a 14-point scoring performance, six of which came at the charity stripe where the Warriors built up a 19-5 advantage over the Stateliners. A day earlier, Watchung Hills edged Somerville 48-45 as the Warriors rallied from a 25-19 halftime deficit with Giannini and Kyle Higgins combining to net 21 of their 36 game points over the final 16 minutes. Giannini registered another double-double, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds while Higgins pumped 15 points through the iron. "Somerville was a tough game throughout," stated McAteer. "I was proud of our boys for sticking together after a slow first half. We turned a six point half-time deficit into an eight point lead in the fourth quarter and held on for the 3 point victory." On Wednesday, four players reached double figures as the Warriors routed Howell 75-53 in a non-conference game played on the friendly hardwood at Warren. Higgins popped a game-high 17 points in the bucket, Giannini tickled the twine with 16 points and pulled down 15 rebounds while Wood tallied 11 points and grabber eight boards. Devine Lyles, the sophomore transfer from Plainfield, netted a season-high 10 points. Last Monday, Watchung Hills quest for the Somerset County Boys Basketball Tournament crown crashed in the quarterfinals when sixth-seeded Immaculata surprised the third-seeded Warriors by a score of 54-49. Higgins bombed a trio of treys through the twine to finish with a team-high 11 points while Herro chipped in with 10. Watchung Hills (14-7) 66 - Phillipsburg (1-16) 41 Watchung Hills (19-3-19-66): Rob Bizzarro 1-0-0-2; Steve Brasowski 0-0-0-0; Joe D'Amelio 0-0-0-0; Matt Giannini 8-2-2-24; Phil Herro 3-0-9-15; Kyle Higgins 2-1-1-8; Divine Lyles 0-0-0-0; Ayo Ogunkowa 0-0-0-0; Ravi Patel 1-0-0-1; Nick Romano 0-0-1-1; Chad Seelig 0-0-0-0; Keith Soranno 0-0-0-0; Mike Wood 4-0-6-14 Phillipsburg 13 10 5 13 41 Watchung Hills 21 10 12 23 66 Watchung Hills (13-7) 48 - Somerville (13-7) 45 Watchung Hills (13-3-13-48): Rob Bizzarro 1-0-0-2; Matt Giannini 6-1-5-20; Phil Herro 2-0-2-6; Kyle Higgins 3-2-4-16; Devine Lyles 0-0-0-0; Mike Wood 1-0-2-4 Watchung Hills 13 6 14 15 48 Somerville 17 8 10 10 45 Watchung Hills 75 - Howell 53 Watchung Hills (31-1-10-75): Rob Bizzarro 1-0-2-4; Joe D'Amelio 0-0-1-1; Matt Giannini 6-0-4-16; Phil Herro 4-0-0-8; Kyle Higgins 6-1-2-17; Devine Lyles 5-0-0-10; Nick Roman 1-0-0-2; Silvano Samartine 1-0-0-2; Chad Seeling 2-0-0-4; Mike Wood 5-0-1-11 Howell 13 11 18 11--53 Watchung Hills (12-7) 20 19 18 18--75 Immaculata (14-7) 54 - Watchung Hills (11-7) 49 Watchung Hills (14-3-12-49); Rob Bizzarro 2-0-0-4; Joe D'Amelio 1-0-0-2; Matt Giannini 1-0-4-6; Phil Herro 3-0-4-10; Kyle Higgins 2-0-1-5; Devine Lyles 2-0-1-5; Nick Romano 1-0-1-3; Mike Wood 3-0-2-8 Immaculata 14 11 10 19 54 Watchung Hills 8 10 14 17 49

Senior Night was a special night

Published in the Echoes-Sentinel - February 19, 2004

"Senior Night" was a total success in Warren on Friday evening as the Warriors defeated North Hunterdon 65-53 in a Skyland Conference - Delaware Division boys' basketball game. The win was the 11th of the campaign for atchung Hills which has experienced the agony of defeat on six occasions. "We took time prior to the tip-off to recognize our seven senior basketball players," said head coach Gene McAteer. "They are Steve Brasowski, Ayo Ogunkoya, Keith Soranno, Chad Seelig, Rob Bizzarro, Phil Herro, and Kyle Higgins. We played all seven of these guys before going to our regular rotation. Our seniors had a chance to run up and down the court, in front of a packed house, during our final Friday night home game this year. It was a special night." Matt Giannini was the Warriors' leading scorer, as he pumped a team-high 20 points through the iron, including a trio of treys, pulled down eight rebounds and distributed four assists. His classmate Mike Wood contributed 17 points and grabbed six boards. Higgins turned in the top effort by a member of the Class of 2004, finishing with 16 points. "Kyle has been a pleasure to coach. He was assertive and took control at the start of the North Hunterdon game, driving hard to the basket for a three-point play opportunity," stated McAteer. "We want to extend our season as long as we can. We want to play our best basketball during the County and State Tournaments. I know Kyle feels this way, as do his teammates. I just want to coach these kids for as long as I can." On Tuesday, the Warriors dropped a 53-42 decision to Bridgewater-Raritan as the Panthers clinched at least a share of the Delaware Division title. Trailing 22-14 at the halftime break, Watchung Hills narrowed the gap tp 34-29 entering the fourth quarter. Gianinni popped 15 points into the basket with Higgins chipping in with 14. "Someone told me it was about time that we lost to Bridgewater," stated McAteer. "We had won the previous six games. They are a good team and we are fortunate to have beaten them six out of seven tries." On Friday, the Warriors travel to Somerville to battle the Pioneers with the tip-off set for 7:00 PM. The following evening, Watchung Hills entertains Phillipsburg in Warren with the start of the scheduled for 7:00 PM. This is a make-up game from February 3 with the Stateliners. Watchung Hills has been seeded No. 5 in the upcoming NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group IV post-season tournament. The Warriors will entertain No. 12 Ferris of Jersey City on March 1 in a first round game. The winner advances to a quarterfinal game on March 3 against the winner of the encounter pitting No. 13 East Side/Newark at fourth-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan on the court of the higher remaining seed. The semifinals are set for March 5 with finals scheduled for March 8 at Plainfield High School. Watchung Hills (11-6) 65 - North Hunterdon (3-13) 53 Watchung Hills (23-3-10-65): Rob Bizzaro 0-0-0-0; Steve Brasowski 1-0-0-2; Matt Giannini 5-3-1-20; Phil Herro 2-0-1-5; Kyle Higgins 7-0-2-16; Divine Lyles 1-0-0-2; Ayo Ogunkoya 0-0-1-1; Nick Romano 1-0-0-2; Chad Seeling 0-0-0-0; Keith Soranno 0-0-0-0; Mike Wood 6-0-5-17 North Hunterdon 11 11 15 16 53 Watchung Hills 7 10 23 18 65 Bridgwater-Raritan (15-4) 53 - Watchung Hills (10-6) 42 Watchung Hills (9-5-9-42): Rob Bizzaro 0-0-0-0; Joe D’Amelio 0-0-0-0; Matt Giannini 2-2-5-15; Phil Herro 1-0-2-4; Kyle Higgins 3-2-2-14; Devin Lyles 0-0-0-0; Nick Romano 1-1-0-5; Chad Seelig 0-0-0-0; Keith Soranno 1-0-0-2; Mike Wood 1-0-0-2 Watchung Hills 8 6 15 13 42 Bridgewater-Raritan 12 10 12 19 53

Warriors projected to be 5th or 6th seed in states

Published in the Echoes-Sentinel - February 12, 2004

Watchung Hills reached the qualifying date for the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group IV boys' basketball tournament on February 7 with a 10-5 record. The Warriors defeated Franklin 53-46 and dropped a 55-50 verdict to Hillsborough during the week. "Our record is probably good enough for a first round home game in the State Tournament which begins on March 1," said head coach Gene McAteer. "As many as 16 teams may qualify for the tournament in our section of the state, including Plainfield, Perth Amboy, Elizabeth, Bridgewater, Bayonne, Westfield, Linden, East Orange, Irvington, Columbia, Newark East Side and Piscataway. The official final pairings should be announced by week's end." Leading 27-25 at the halftime break on February 5, Matt Giannini and Phil Herro combined for nine points to fuel a 17-12 run in the third quarter that opened up 44-37 with eight minutes remaining on the game clock. Giannini turned in a double-double effort, pumping a game-high 19 points through the iron while grabbing 10 rebounds. Herro just missed matching the double-double effort as he popped 14 points into the basket and pulled down nine boards. "Phil came off the bench as a sophomore and junior and has made a positive impact as a starter this year," stated McAteer. "He is consistent threat as he is shooting 54 percent from the floor and is averaging 8.3 rebounds per game." It was the first loss at home for Franklin this season. Mike Wood, who has been the unsung hero for the Warriors this season, finished with 11 points. "Mike has been so consistent as he leads the team on offense on 58 percent shooting," added McAteer. "On defense, his assignment is to block out and he excels at it, creating openings for our other players to grab the rebounds. He also is assigned the other team's top big man." On Saturday, Watchung Hills recorded its lowest output of the season when the Warriors dropped a 55-50 verdict to Hillsborough. Watchung Hills moved out to a 13-9 lead by the end of the first quarter. Hillsborough responded by bridging the second and third quarters with a 36-26 run and the Warriors could not close the gap over the final eight minutes. "Hillsborough is only seeded eighth in the county tournament but they are coming together when it counts," continued McAteer. "We hard a hard time getting open on the wing and their physical presence held us to our lowest point total of the season." "We will play at home this Friday night against North Hunterdon in what will be our "Senior Night," commented McAteer. "Please come out and help us recognize our senior players and their families in our final Friday home game. The tip-off is set at 7:00pm." Hillsborough 55 - Watchung Hills 50 Watchung Hills (14-4-10-50): Rob Bizzarro 1-0-0-2; Joe D'Amelio 0-0-0-0; Matt Giannini 4-2-3-17; Phil Herro 3-0-2-8; Kyle Higgins 2-2-2-12; Divine Lyles 0-0-0-0; Nick Romano 0-0-0-0; Chad Seelig 0-0-0-0; Mike Wood 4-0-3-11 Hillsborough 9 17 19 10 55 Watchung Hills 13 12 14 11 50 Watchung Hills 53 - Franklin 46 Watchung Hills (18-2-11-53): Rob Bizzarro 0-0-2-2; Joe D'Amelio 0-0-2-2; Matt Giannini 7-1-2-19; Phil Herro 7-0-0-14; Kyle Higgins 1-0-4-6; Devin Lyles 1-0-0-2; Nick Romano 0-1-0-3; Mike Wood 2-0-1-5 Watchung Hills 12 15 17 9 53 Franklin 13 12 12 9 46

Warriors edge Blue Streaks on hardwood

Published in the Echoes-Sentinel - February 5, 2004

Watchung Hills pulled out a 69-67 victory over Warren Hills on Friday in Washington Township. It was the Warriors ninth "W" against four setbacks. Watchung Hills moved out to a 19-17 lead after eight minutes but the acore was knotted 34-34 when the teams exited the hardwood for the intermission. The Warriors pulled out to 51-46 lead entering the fourth quarter and then held off the Blue Streaks mild rally. "Playing our first game in a week, we held off an inspired Warren Hills club," said head coach Gene McAteer. "We continue to pound teams inside and make repeated trips to the free throw line. This is a result of two factors; first, we have personnel who are "hard to guard," and second, our offensive game plan is to attack the basket." Watchung Hills built up a crucial 25-12 advantage from the charity stripe with Kyle Higgins converting eight of nine opportunities from the free throw line. As a team, the Warriors made 25 of 34 attempts. "In our 13 games to date, we have outscored the opponents by a total of 76 points," commented McAteer. "Our margin from the free throw line is +75 points. We have converted 218 of 312 opportunities or 70% on the year from the line while our opponents are shooting 143 out of 224 attempts for a 64% conversion." Matt Giannini topped all scorers as he hit the bucket with a game-high 21 points. Higgins finished with an 18-point effort and picked off five staels while Mike Wood continued his consistent play, pumpng 14 points through the iron. The Warriors game against Hillsborough was postponed by the weather and a new date has yet been announced. Watchung Hills (9-4) 69 - Warren Hills (3-11) 67 Watchung Hills (22-0-25-69): Rob Bizzaro 1-0-1-3; Matt Giannini (8-0-5-21); Phil Herro 2-0-5-9; Kyle Higgins 5-0-8-18; Devin Lyles 1-0-2-4; Mike Wood 5-1-4-14 Watchung Hills 19 15 17 18 69 Warren Hills 17 17 12 21 67

Warriors qualify for states for third straight season

Published in the Echoes-Sentinel - January 29, 2004

Watchung Hills' modest four-game winning streak came to a halt in Raritan Township on Friday even when Hunterdon Central upset the Warriors by a score of 78-64. Three days earlier, Watchung Hills defeated North Hunterdon 73-60 to qualify for the NJSIAA post-season tournament. Watchung Hills fell behind 45-31 by the halftime break and the Warriors went 8 minutes, 40 seconds without making a field goal due to a tenacious defense put up by the Red Devils that continually sent the Warriors to the charity stripe in the first half. Watchung Hills converted 23-of-24 attempts in the first 16 minutes. Watchung Hills made a run early in the fourth quarter that cut the deficit to 59-51 but the Red Devils maintained control for the remainder of the Skyland Conference confrontation. Kyle Higgins was top gun for Watchung Hills, pumping 24 points through the iron and he was successful on 17-of-18 opportunities at the free throw line. The Warriors made 34-of-39 foul shots with Matt Gianni flipping 14 foul shots through twine among his 16-point total. "This was one of those nights when whatever Hunterdon Central threw up went in the basket," said head coach Gene McAteer. "We will use the lessons we learned to improve our game." Higgins, a senior guard, fueled Watchung Hills' run down the stretch when he netted seven of his team-high 20 points in the fourth quarter as the Warriors defeated the Lions by 13 points in Clinton Township on Tuesday. He was credited with dishing off four assists and picked off four steals. Giannini, a junior guard, tossed 17 points into the basket and grabbed nine rebounds. "This victory means that we now qualify for our third straight New Jersey State Tournament bid," added McAteer. "This feat has not been accomplished by Watchung Hills in over 30 years." In a non-league victory over Immaculata played Monday evening in Warren, Giannini and Phil Herro, a senior center, both turned in double-double performances to propel the Warriors to a 56-48 victory. Higgins dumped 13 points into the basket as Watchung Hills won its third straight. "Immaculata is a very good team, but so are we. It was our sixth win in the last seven games," stated McAteer. Mike (Wood) played stellar defense, registering five blocks, grabbing seven rebounds, passing off three assists and scoring seven points. The accompishments of this young and relatively inexperienced group is remarkable." Hunterdon Central (6-6) 78 - Watchung Hills (8-4) 64 Watchung Hills (12-2-34-64): Rob Bizzarro 1-0-2-4; Matt Giannini 1-0-14-16; Phil Herro 4-0-0-8; Kyle Higgins 2-1-17-24; Devin Lyles 1-1-0-5; Nick Romano 1-0-1-3; Mike Wood 2-0-0-4 Watchung Hills 11 20 16 17 64 Hunterdon Central 13 32 14 19 78 Watchung Hills (8-3) 73 - North Hunterdon (1-8) 60 Watchung Hills (23-4-15-73): Matt Giannini 5-1-4-17; Phil Herro 7-0-4-18; Kyle Higgins 3-3-5-20; Divine Lyles 1-0-0-2; Nick Romano 3-0-1-7; Mike Wood 4-0-1-9 Watchung Hills 17 22 11 23 73 North Hunterdon 13 17 13 17 60 Watchung Hills (7-3) 56 - Immaculata (6-4) 48 Watchung Hills (21-3-5-56): Rob Bizzarro 2-0-0-4; Matt Giannini 8-0-2-18; Phil Herro 7-0-0-14; Kyle Higgins 0-0-0-0; Divine Lyles 0-0-0-0; Mike Wood 3-0-1-7 Immaculata 9 15 10 14 48 Watchung Hills 10 16 13 17 56

Warriors rebound to post back-to-back wins

Published in the Echoes-Sentinel - January 22, 2004

Watchung Hills bounced back from a loss to Franklin on Tuesday to defeat Bridgewater-Raritan and Gill St. Bernards. The two victories upped the Warriors overall record to 6-3. Watchung Hills burst out to a 23-7 lead over the Saints in the first eight minutes as the Warriors cruised to a 75-41 victory in Peapack-Gladstone on Saturday afternoon. Matt Giannini and Phil Herro combined for 18 of the points. They shared game-high honors at the conclusion of the non-league confrontation as they netted 18 points apiece while all 11 Warriors etched their names in the scoring column. Upping the lead 20 43-12 by intermission, the Warriors increased the margin to 64-19 entering the fourth quarter. Kyle Higgins stole the spotlight on Friday evening in Warren as the Warriors defeated Bridgewater-Raritan 61-57 to hand the Panthers their first setback of the season in Skyland Conference - Delaware Division action. The Warriors' senior point guard scored a career-high 29 points, converting 12 of 13 opportunities at the charity stripe. He pumped the Warriors final eight points through the iron at crunch time. "Kyle, talk about a good listener, he just does what we have asked him to do." Said head coach Gene McAteer. "We asked him to be an assertive and vocal leader on the floor. Normally a quiet guy, Kyle has been very vocal in practice and in games. We told him to attack the basket and put pressure on the defense. He has done a great job of protecting the ball while driving to the basket, his assist to turnover ratio is almost 2:1 in favor of assists. And, finally, I told Kyle to shoot when he is open. I think he has forced only one shot all year, at the end of the Franklin game when we were desperately trying to get back in the game. Other than that, he only shoots when the situation presents itself, it should be no surprise that Kyle has connected on nearly 60% of his shots on the year overall, and almost 50% of his shots from 3-point range. Kyle Higgins has an extraordinary combination of athleticism, intelligence, and competitiveness; when you put all those things together, you get a 29 point performance against a great team like Bridgewater. Needless to say, we are proud of his efforts and excited about the remainder of the season." Giannini chipped in with a dozen points, including a pair of treys while Herro and Wood added seven points apiece. "It was a huge win against a team that entered the game with a record of 8-1," stated McAteer. "We played well throughout, and needed to against a top team. We had a great crowd and that made a big difference." On Tuesday in Warren, Watchung Hills could not compensate for a 17-5 advantage Franklin built at the free throw line losing 76-68. "A turnover plagued second quarter put us down 17 at the half," added McAteer. "We regrouped and made a charge in the second half." Higgins, a senior guard, stood out for the Warriors as he scored 19 points, dished off five assists and picked off four steals. Giannini finished with 14 points, including a pair of treys while Wood netted 11 points and Herro tallied 10. Divine Lyles, a 6-2 sophomore who transferred from Plainfield, had has most productive effort to date, pumping eight points through the rim. "Divine has improved considerably since the start of practice. He is a great kid to coach, he listens and just tries as hard as he can to what you ask of him," commented McAteer. "Our staff originally looked at him as a swing player between the varsity and JV, but his strong play has forced us to use him exclusively as a varsity player. Divine is enthusiastic, and is well-liked by his new teammates, he will only continue to improve." Next up for the Warriors is a return engagement with Hunterdon Central on Friday, the opening day opponent the Warriors' edged 57-54. "Hunterdon Central is a good team that shoots the ball very well," stated McAteer. "We will have to guard the three-pointers to be successful." Watchung Hills 75 - Gill St. Bernards 41 Watchung Hills (27-1-18-75): Joe D'Amelio 1-0-2-4; Matt Giannini 7-1-1-18; Phil Herro 7-0-4-18; Kyle Higgins 4-0-5-13; Divine Lyles 1-0-0-2; Ayo Ogumkoya 1-0-0-2; Ravi Patel 1-0-0-2; Silvano Samartine 0-0-3-3; Chad Seelig 1-0-2-4; Keith Soranno 2-0-04; Mike Wood 2-0-1-5 Watchung Hills (6-3) 23 20 21 11 75 Gill St. Bernards (2-8) 7 5 7 22 41 Watchung Hills 61 - Bridgewater-Raritan 57 Watchung Hills (16-3-20-61): Joe D'Amelio 0-0-1-1; Matt Giannini 2-2-2-12; Phil Herro 2-0-3-7; Kyle Higgins 7-1-12-29; Divine Lyles 1-0-0-2; Chad Seelig 1-0-1-3; Mike Wood 3-0-1-7 Bridgewater-Raritan (8-2) 11 13 16 17 57 Watchung Hills (5-3) 13 15 15 18 61 Franklin 76 - Watchung Hills 68 Watchung Hills (22-5-19-78): Rob Bizzarro 0-0-2-2; Joe D'Amelio 1-0-0-2; Matt Giannini 10-0-3-23; Phil Herro 5-0-4-14; Kyle Higgins 2-5-6-25; Chad Seelig 1-0-0-2; Mike Wood 3-0-4-10 Franklin (7-3) 14 26 16 20 76 Watchung Hills (4-3) 9 14 18 27 68

Giannini posts back-to-back double-doubles

Published in the Echoes-Sentinel - January 15, 2004

Matt Giannini turned in sparkling back-to-back performances as Watchung Hills rolled to an 81-61 victory over Phillipsburg on Friday evening following a 78-63 triumph over Warren Hills on Tuesday. The Warriors upped their overall record to 4-2. A junior foreward, Giannini tickled the twine with 20 points and pulled down 13 rebounds against the Stateliners in Phillipsburg. He also dished off seven assists as the Warriors moved out to a 14-8 lead after eight minutes and steadily increased their advantage, leading 34-19 at the intermission. Phil Herro added a 19-point effort while Mike Wood finished with 15 points. "Matt had a real strong week for us," said head coach Gene McAteer. "We need him to score, but it may be more important for him to get other guys involved. He has always been a very unselfish player. Matt receives so much attention from other defenses, his ability to find the open man is critical." Trailing 16-12 at the end of the opening quarter against the Blue Streaks, the Warriors knotted the game at 32-32 when the teams exited the hardwood for the halftime break. Watchung Hills found the range in the second half and pulled away to the 15-point margin of victory as the Warriors connected on 27 of 50 attempts from the floor. "Kyle (Higgins) led the charge in the second half as he scored 18 and our team tallied 46," stated McAteer. "Kyle made five three-pointers in the game and Mike (Wood) was 4 for 4 at the foul line." Higgins, a senior guard, was on target from outside the three-point arc, bombing five of six attempts into the basket as he finished with a game-high 25 points. Giannini pumped 23 points through the iron and grabbed 10 rebounds while Herro, a senior forward, also posted a double-double, netting 14 points and capturing 10 boards. "Phil has been consistent and we are very happy with his performance to date," commented McAteer. "Through the first six games, Phil is averaging 15.8 PPG and 9.3 RPG. He has also connected on 60% of his shot attempts on the year. These are all strong numbers and we are certainly counting on him to continue what he has started." Joe D'Amelio, the only freshman on the varsity roster, has been making steady progress every game. " Joe has played in all six games so far and averages about 5 minutes per contest backing up Higgins," continued McAteer. "He makes things happen out there. In his limited time, he has gone 2-4 from the field, 2-2 from the free throw line, handed out three assists and foundsix steals. He also plays two quarters per game on the JV level and has performed very well in those games. I see his confidence and understanding improving and we are excited about his future." Watchung Hills is in action tonight (Thursday, January 15) on the its home court in Warren. The tipoff is set for 7:00 PM so take the family and cheer on the Warriors against the Panthers of Bridgewater-Raritan. For complete season individual statistics to date click on www.skylandconference.com and go to the Watchung Hills boys' basketball pages. Watchung Hills 81 - Phillipsburg 61 Watchung Hills (31-2-13-81): Joe D'Amelio 1-0-0-2; Rob Bizzaro 1-0-0-2; Matt Giannini 8-0-4-20; Phil Herro 9-0-1-19; Kyle Higgins 1-1-1-6; Divine Lyles 3-0-6-12; Ravi Patel 0-1-0-3; Mike Wood 7-0-1-15 Watchung Hills (4-2) 14 20 20 27 81 Phillipsburg (1-4) 8 11 18 24 61 Watchung Hills 78 - Warren Hills 63 Watchung Hills (22-5-19-78): Rob Bizzarro 0-0-2-2; Joe D'Amelio 1-0-0-2; Matt Giannini 10-0-3-23; Phil Herro 5-0-4-14; Kyle Higgins 2-5-6-25; Chad Seelig 1-0-0-2; Mike Wood 3-0-4-10 Warren Hills (1-6) 16 16 17 14 63 Watchung Hills (3-2) 12 20 25 21 78

Reunion on the court at WHRHS

Published in the Echoes-Sentinel - January 8, 2004

Watchung Hills held its 2nd Annual Alumni Game on Saturday, January 3, 2004 and it was a fun time for the alumni as well as the spectators. "It was a fun afternoon for all with an exciting finish to the game," commented McAteer. "The Brown team prevailed on a last second three-pointer but the Gold team was certain that there was some sort of clock impropriety." The players included: Class of 2003 ~ Chris Giannini, Gavin Kaufmann and Cody Mang from the Class of 2003 while the Class of 2002 provided Deyvian Hines, John Tierney, Mike Chu, Matt Krenek and Joe Albiez. Class of 2001 ~ Jimmy Lattoz, & Kunle Ogunkoya represented the Class of 2001 with Chris Countee, Justin Hannon and Joe Clancy from the Class of 2000. A trio from the Class of 1999 included Adam Countee, Jeff Martell and Justin Salton while Jeff Dealaman last played for the Warriors in 1998. And then there was the "old man" from the Class of 1986, coach McAteer. "The Alumni game provides a fun and relaxed atmosphere for current and former players to interact," added McAteer. "It is a great feeling to see our graduates come back to the school. As a coach, it is a special feeling to have your former players remain in touch with the program." The Warriors enter 2004 with a record of 2-2 following a difficult overtime loss to Montgomery (59-56) on December 29 in the semifinals of the Len Sepanak Tournament and a 50-30 victory over Ridge the following afternoon in the third place consolation game. Montgomery edged in front 11-9 after eight minutes but the Warriors narrowed the gap to 23-22 by the halftime break. The score was knotted at 37-37 entering the final quarter when both squads netted eight points. A quartet of Warriors reached double figures, led by a 14-point production from Kyle Higgings who bombed a pair of treys through the twine. Phil Herro finished with 13 points, Matt Giannini netted a dozen, eight of which came at the charity stripe with Mike Wood contributing 10 points. Herro was the top gun on the attack in the victory over Ridge was dumped 15 points into the bucket. "Phil has continued to shine this year," stated McAteer. "He leads us in points per game (15.5) and rebounds per game (10.3) through the first four contests." Higgins chipped with eight points and had seven steals that led to a pair of breakaway dunks. Wood added nine points and Giannini tallied seven. "Our team regrouped after the loss to Montgomery and beat Ridge in the consolation game to take third place in the holiday tournament," said McAteer. Montgomery 59 - Watchung Hills 56 Montgomery (4-0) 11 12 14 8 14 59 Watchung Hills (1-2) 21 6 11 12 50 Watchung Hills 56 - Ridge 39   Watchung Hills 2-2) 9 13 15 8 11 56 Ridge (N/A) 14 6 5 14 39

Gianni's 25 not sufficient

Published in the Echoes-Sentinel - December 30, 2003

Matt Giannini hit the hoop with 25 points but Watchung Hills suffered it first setback last Tuesday, December 23, when the Warriors dropped an 83-74 decision to Hillsborough in a Skyland Conference boys' basketball encounter contested in Hillsborough. "We ran up against two hot shooters who combined for almost 60 points, said head coach Gene McAteer. "Our kids played well, but did not have enough to overcome those two players. We hope to get back on track tomorrow (Monday) versus Montgomery." Watchung Hills edged out to a 17-16 lead after eight minutes. It was the second quarter that proved fatal to the Warriors' hopes of snaring their second straight victory of the campaign. Hillsborough went on a 24-13 run to move out to a 40-30 lead by intermission and the Warriors could only shave one point off that lead during the second half. Giannini, a junior who led the Warriors in scoring last season, was top gun on the attack as he hit from all over, netting six traditional two-pointers, bombing in a trio of treys and converting four foul shots. Phil Herro, a 6-0 senior, ripped the cords for 24 points, four of which came at the free throw line. Junior Mike Wood chipped in with a 10-point effort while Kyle Higgins added eight points, including a pair of three-point bombs. Hillsborough 83 - Watchung Hills 74 Watchung Hills (23-5-13-74): Rob Bizarro 2-0-1-5; Matt Giannini 6-3-4-25; Phil Herro 10-0-4-24; Kyle Higgins 1-2-0-8; Divine Lyles 0-0-2-2; Mike Wood 4-0-2-10 Watchung Hills (1-1) 17 13 22 22 74 Hillsborough (2-1) 16 24 18 25 83

Giannini, Herro turn in double-doubles in opening win

Published in the Echoes-Sentinel - December 23

Matt Giannini and Phil Herro turned in double-double performances to spur Watchung Hills to a 57-54 victory over Hunterdon Central that opened the 2003-2004 Skyland Conference - Delaware Division boys' basketball campaign on Friday evening in Warren. The Warriors led all the way as they held off a fourth quarter rally by the Red Devils. Kyle Higgins, a senior, converted a pair of free throws with 17 seconds remaining on the game clock to boost the Warriors into a three-point lead at 57-54. Higgins finished with 16 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals. "Kyle's athletic ability is amazing. Not many players could move the ball through traffic and get to the rim in four seconds," said head coach Gene McAteer. "His strength allowed him to finish the shot and take the contact. The excitement the play created helped our team as much as the three points it provided." Giannini, a junior forward, pumped 16 points through the rim and pulled down 15 rebounds while dishing off three and Herro netted 10 points and grabbed a dozen rebounds. "Again, strength is a quality that comes to mind for both Giannini and Herro," commented McAteer. "They are both powerful players who will have to score and rebound for us all year long. They got off to a great start against Hunterdon Central." The Red Devils had tied the game in the waning moments of the third quarter when Higgins took the in-bounds pass and drove the length of the floor. He was fouled as flipped the ball through the hoop as time expired. He added the free throw as the home crowd went wild to provide the Warriors with a three-point lead entering the final period at 40-37. "Higgins had a solid all-around game but his full court driving lay up at the end of the third quarter may have pushed the warriors over the top," commented McAteer. Junior Mike Wood tallied nine points in the final quarter to help maintain the lead after sitting much of the third quarter in foul trouble. "Mike showed poise and resiliency on Friday. He struggled some in the first half," added McAteer. "He sat on the bench in foul trouble for much of the third quarter and shrugged it all off to respond with all nine of his points in the fourth quarter. I tell our team that basketball can be a tough game mentally. You have to have tolerance for the fast changing momentum the game can provide. Woody got over his struggles to spark us when we needed it most of all on Friday night." Watchung Hills will compete in the Ridge High School. Holiday Tournament over the Holiday recess. The Warriors will play the winner of a preliminary round game pitting Montgomery against Princeton on Monday, December 29 at 6:00 PM. If the defending champions win, they will face the survivor of the other semifinal round encounter, Ridge or Rutgers Prep, in the championship game on Tuesday, December 30 at a time to be announced. McAteer will dig out old uniforms for the Second Annual Alumni Game that will be played on Saturday, January 3, at 1:00 PM. Watchung Hills 57 - Hunterdon Central 54 Watchung Hills (18-1-18-57): Rob Bizzarro 0-0-1-1; Matt Giannini 4-0-8-16; Phil Herro 3-0-4-10; Kyle Higgins 6-4-0-16; Divine Lyles 0-1-0-3; Chad Seelig 1-0-0-2; Mike Wood 4-0-1-9 Hunterdon Central (0-1) 8 10 13 23 54 Watchung Hills (1-0) 10 12 18 17 57

Warriors aim to go over .500 for third straight season

Published in the Echoes-Sentinel - December 19

With the return of Gene McAteer back to Watchung Hills three years ago, the Warriors' boys basketball program has been upgraded each season. Coming off back-to-back seasons of 14-11 and 15-8, the Warriors' aim for the 2003-2004 varsity campaign is to post a winning record for the third-straight year, a feat that the Warriors last achieved when they went five straight years with winning records from the 1962-63 campaign through 1966-67. McAteer, a member of the Class of 1986 at Watchung Hills, possessed an impressive coaching resume when he was hired by the WHRHS Board of Education. An alumnus of Loyola (MD), McAteer coached at the NCAA Division II level (Le Moyne College) and a pair of Division III programs (Albright College and Catholic University) prior to returning to his roots. "We have challenged the players to achieve three objectives this year," commented McAteer. "We want to win more games than we lose in a tough conference while getting back to the finals of the Somerset County Tournament and qualifying for the state tournament." To reach these goals, McAteer will start the season on Friday evening in Warren with a varsity roster of eight seniors, two juniors and rotating swing team members - but only one returning starter from last year's squad. "Matt Giannini was our sixth man as a freshman. Last year as a sophomore, he was the leading scorer with 11 points and rebounder with 11 boards per game while ranking number one in assists and steals," said McAteer. "He is a 6-3, 215-pound junior who possesses athletic versatility and can score from a variety of locations." Mike Wood is a 6-4, 185-pound junior fresh off the gridiron who will be another major factor on the Warriors' front line. As a sophomore, he earned his varsity monogram as a center coming off the bench. His playing time increased dramatically as the season progressed. There are eight seniors on the roster. Rob Bizzarro (6-0) is a guard up from the junior varsity who is in contention for a starting assignment. He is a scrappy player who is a hard-nosed rebounder. Steve Brasowski (6-5) is competing for varsity minutes as a backup center after two years at the JV level. Phil Herro (6-0) lettered as a junior coming off the bench. "Phil is a man among boys on the court," stated McAteer. "He is very strong and hits the boards hard. He will be a force on our front line." Kyle Higgins (6-0) earned his letter as a junior after sitting out his sophomore season with a broken ankle. "We were surprised by Kyle's efforts last year when he came back from the injury," added McAteer. "We look at him as our 2-guard and he can pop the treys." Ayo Ogunkowa (6-2) is up from the JV program. He emits an athletic presence in his challenge to gain minutes on the front line. Chad Seelig (5-10) is also up from the junior varsity program. He is very physical and will see action at power forward off the bench. Keith Soranno (5-10) and Alex Wang (6-0) both played at the junior varsity level and are in a battle with three underclassmen for varsity minutes at the shooting guard slot. There are 13 members on this year's junior varsity roster, including the quintet that McAteer refers to as his swing team. These five players, two of whom are transfers into the program, will see action at both levels. Junior Ravi Patel (6-0) will see action at shooting guard while his classmate Silvano Sanmartine (5-8) will be in the mix at the point guard slot. One newcomer to the varsity program is freshman Joe D'Amelio (5-9), a point guard, who has made a positive impact on the coaching staff during pre-season practices. Divine Lyles (6-2) is a sophomore from Plainfield and is eligible to compete at the start of the season under the criteria that he moved into the district and did not earn a varsity letter as a freshman with the Cardinals. Junior Nick Romano (5-8) will have to wait 30 days before playing as he earned a varsity letter at Bayley-Ellard last winter. He is quick and has made a good impression on the staff. Hunterdon Central will provide the oppostion when the Warriors open the season on Friday evening. It is Campers Night and every youngster who attended the Watchung Hills Basketball Camp last summer and wears the camp tee-shirt will be admitted free along with their parents. Hunterdon Central edged the Warriors by a score of 45-43 in last year's opener and ousted Watchung Hills from the state tourney by a score of 58-57 in what proved to the be the season finale. The Red Devils will provide a quick answer to the improvement that has been made in the program. "The basketball camp will enter its 14th year next summer," said McAteer. "It has proven to be a positive factor in the development of our varsity program, creating a lot of interest with the youngsters and their families. This reaction is reflected in the crowds we draw at our home games and their vocal support has helped turn the program around." Three former Warriors from last year's team who were also campers in their younger days, are now competing in intercollegiate sports at the NCAA Division III level. They are Steve Kopecki (Muhlenberg), Zach Liu (Pittsburg-Greensburg) and Cody Mang (Gettysburg). Another former Warrior standout has joined the coaching staff. Justin Salton, who excelled on the gridiron at Franklin & Marshall this fall as a fifth-year red-shirt, is a permanent substitute teacher who is the varsity assistant coach. "Justin's primary assignment is to work on an individual basis with each player to help improve their overall techniques and desires," continued McAteer. "He is articulate, respected and has been a great catch for our program." McAteer, who became a father for the first time last week, is a dynamic coach whose enthusiasm on the Warren campus has turned the varsity basketball program into an "in" thing on the Warren campus.

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