When the Lawrence High boys’ basketball team won its first Central Jersey Group III championship in 14 years on March 5, it was mostly about a group of gritty players getting their act together at midseason and getting hot at the right time.
But a little bit of it was about two childhood friends finding success after reuniting as adults.
When Matt Stein—living in Richmond, Va. at the time—heard that his former head coach Pat Tarrant had stepped down at LHS, he was dismayed. But when he heard his old pal Jeff Molinelli would be the new Cardinals coach, he perked up.
“I was sad to hear of Coach Tarrant’s retirement, as he has been a strong motivational influence in my life,” Stein said. “But I was very excited that if there was going to be a new era of Lawrence basketball, that it is under the passionate leadership of Coach Molinelli.
When he got word that Molinelli had been appointed, he knew he wanted to be a part of his coaching staff.
“It was a dream come true to be asked to coach for the Cardinals and come back home to Lawrence,” Stein said.
As excited as Stein was to be asked, Molinelli was equally excited to do the asking. The pair grew up in the same neighborhood and went to elementary school together, and Molinelli said they have been best friends since first grade.
“We played basketball together our whole lives, so to be able to teach the game we love to a group kids is a great experience,” Molinelli said.
Molinelli and Stein separated when Molinelli’s family moved to the Hopewell Valley school district, where Molinelli played his high school ball and served as head coach the previous two seasons.
“Jeff and I always discussed what would have happened if he stayed at Lawrence and not moved to Hopewell,” Stein said. “Now as coaches we know what can happen and are so grateful for this opportunity.”
The two reunited to join holdover freshman coach Antonio Stapleton, whose familiarity with the program was also invaluable to the title run.
“Stein and I really have a great chemistry as we were both taught the game at an early age from his dad and older brother,” Molinelli said. “So we have a lot of the same viewpoints. Having Antonio there to be able to bounce ideas off of and to see how he carries himself as a coach was a very valuable experience.”
Despite a solid coaching staff leading several quality players, things didn’t start too well, andthe Cardinals were 8-7 after a loss to Princeton on Jan. 24. Molinelli, however, was not panicking.
“From last year’s team, we graduated 90 percent of our scoring,” he said. “We also had a lot of first-year varsity guys, so to tie that in with a new coach I knew it would take time for it to come all together.
“I kept reminding them how young we are and that if we keep working hard that it will all come together. Credit to the players, they really came together and became a family. Once that took place, we were a very tough team to beat.”
It took place two days after the Princeton loss, when a three-point win over West Windsor-Plainsboro North started Lawrence on a five-game winning streak that included a confidence-building triumph over Ewing.
The Cards would win 11 of their final 15 games, including CJ III triumphs over Middletown South, Princeton, Colts Neck and, finally, Northern Burlington in the championship game.
The Cardinals then gave a legendary Camden program a battle before dropping a 56-52 decision in the state semifinals.
“I am so proud of my guys,” Molinelli said. “With me coming in as a new coach, they did not have to buy into anything I was saying, but they did, which was awesome.”
Molinelli says once the team learned his system, they came together as a unit and started to play great basketball.
“Overall I was very proud of our progress and it was a dream come true run in the state tournament, which was a great feeling,” he said.
Stein agreed.
“The turnaround was because of all the hard work the kids put forth,” he said. “Jeff and I preached about buying into the system and as new coaches that takes time. Once the players realized that the system works and they can win, then they took their game to another level of play.”
The Cardinals were led by Jordan Glover, who averaged 16 points and over nine rebounds per game, and guard Russell Austin, who averaged nearly 10 points and led the team with 103 assists and 106 steals. Herbie Ellis, Cameren Kitchen, Semei Mitchell, Jordan Wright, Lester Miller, Rayshawn McMillon and Nick Falkenberg also contributed over the course of the year.
Molinelli and Stein both felt the parents and Lawrence community also played a big part in the season, as their support of the first-year coaches was greatly appreciated. And while Molinelli is proudest of how his team responded after a mediocre start, he was just as happy with how they did it.
“The second thing I am most proud of is the team they became,” he said. “Sometimes as the season goes on practices start to drag, but not with this group. They loved practicing every day and really love the game.”
But no one may have loved it more than boys from the neighborhood, as they finally got to achieve a lifelong dream of winning something big together.
“Winning a CJ III title is an incredible feeling, but winning it with your best friend is very exciting,” Stein said. “Lawrence achieved this back in 1999 when my older brother, Ryan, played there. This accomplishment is even more special because now both my brother and I have achieved this title win at Lawrence.”
“It means the world,” Molinelli said. “It has been something both of us have been trying to achieve our whole lives. And I can not thank my players enough for the hard work and dedication to becoming the best players and team that we could be.”
And giving two old pals one of the best experiences possible.
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