Lawrence High’s boys’ basketball team will start this year’s season as the defending NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III champion.
Lawrence High School boy’s basketball team enter 2013-14 season as NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III champions
For the first time since 1999, the Lawrence High boys’ basketball team will begin a season as the defending NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III champion.
What makes that significant is that four starters return to the team this year, so there may not be much of a drop-off. The Cards could even take a step further if they perform like they did in the latter stages of last year.
“We expect a great season and want to take it all the way because we feel like we have the personnel to do that,” senior point guard Semei Mitchell said. “It feels great to have that (sectional title) under our belt.
“I feel like there is a little pressure because everyone, even ourselves as a team, feel like we can get that plus more this year, so we are going to work extremely hard during the season. Also it is good to have a lot of returning players because we know what to expect and are prepared for the challenge that we will face.”
And it’s especially helpful that they are successful returnees. Mitchell, one of Mercer County’s top running backs, is one of eight basketball players on the football team that was undefeated and top seeded in Central Jersey Group III entering the state sectional semifinals.
It’s a group that is used to winning. After first-year coach Jeff Molinelli and the team struggled to get used to each other at start of last season, Lawrence took off and finished 19-10. It defeated Northern Burlington in the CJ III finals before dropping a heart breaker to Camden in the state semifinals.
That momentum carried over to football for many of the two-sport players, who made sure to pay attention to both sports over the summer.
“(Football) coach (Rob) Radice and coach Molinelli worked a schedule around each other so we can do both this summer,” Mitchell said. “They both knew that this year was going to be a great year and so far it’s worked out on the football field and now we are planning for basketball to be the same way.”
“They were actually awesome,” Molinelli said. “They were doing football in the morning, basketball at night. They really worked incredibly hard to try to be the best at both. They were definitely awesome. Their commitment was great.”
Molinelli’s other returning starters are forwards Jordan Glover and Cameren Kitchen, both members of the football team, and Jordan Wright. Key reserves who double as football players include star quarterback Nick Falkenberg along with Rayshawn McMillon and Lester Miller.
The other starting guard spot is up for grabs and Molinelli is waiting for someone to emerge, but most of his spots were set before practice even started.
After their football work was done on the hot summer mornings, the players took part in 27 basketball games against varsity competition in the evenings. Lawrence lost to Trenton Catholic Academy by three points in the Moody Park League championship game, and also took part in team camps at Rider and Montgomery, along with several scrimmages at Montgomery and Hunterdon Central.
“I think our performance was great,” Mitchell said. “We played hard in games and the players that are coming up as freshman and the JV players, who will also be stepping into the varsity life, gelled very well together.”
Molinelli also ran an open gym Tuesdays and Thursdays and regularly had 20 to 25 kids each night. Last year’s success obviously had kids anxious for this year.
“I had 25 freshmen signed up,” the coach said. “And the football guys had double sessions and would come and work their butts off.
“At least I know they played a ton this summer. Hopefully they’re enjoying a good football season, then they’ll get back to making some lay-ups. I’ve got to get those football muscles out of them. They showed over the summer they’re definitely more confident in their game. Hopefully winning those games late last year will help this year.”
One of the biggest advantages Lawrence has this year is that there will not be the feeling-out process from last season. With so many veterans on the team, both the players and Molinelli know what to expect.
“They were learning my stuff, it was a whole new system,” the coach said. “Plus I was learning about them, learning who I can lean on and just little things that needed to be focused on — who could take care of the ball, who could rebound. Once we learned all that we began to take off, and that should carry into this year.”
In looking back on what the team accomplished last year, Mitchell feels the loss to Camden made for some unfinished business this season.
“We knew we could do something special with the talent we had,” he said. “We felt like we let our run slip away from us with mental mistakes and other things that we could have controlled, but that just made us a better team for this year.”
“They are definitely a confident group after last year and football this year,” Molinelli said. “Now they know that they can win, which is awesome. Once you see winning and are used to it, you know what needs to get done.”
The Cardinals will be much like last year — a big team that will try and get easy putback buckets while imposing their will on the game rather than let the other team dictate.
They will be tested immediately, opening with Colonial Valley Conference powerhouses Notre Dame and Trenton.
“They’re definitely throwing us right to the wolves,” Molinelli said. “But that will show us where we’re at.
“I feel good, now that I know the guys. I know how hard they worked, and now expectations are even higher on myself and I’m putting more expectations on them because I know what they can do on the court now.”
One thing is certain. After last year’s success, Lawrence is a game most teams will have circled on their calendars.
“I told them this summer, ‘From day one we will have one big target on our backs fellows,’” Molinelli said. “I know from talking to Shelly (Ewing coach Shelly Dearden), that makes the game even that much tougher.”
“We are well aware that teams will be playing extremely hard against us because of the things we did in the previous season,” Mitchell said. “But we are prepared for that already, and we will have to play even harder.”
It’s all part of the territory that comes with being a returning champ.
But the Cards are loving every minute of it.
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