UNION COUNTY, NJ — Roselle Catholic, ranked No. 2 in the state, never won the boys basketball Union County Tournament before 2018. But the Lions won in 2018 and repeated as champions in 2019. They reached the final again in 2020, falling to the Patrick School.
Roselle Catholic, with its eye on capturing another crown before state tournament action commences, was expected to get the top seed at the seeding meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 8, after press time.
The Lions had a 17-game winning streak snapped in the Metro Classic in Toms River on Saturday, Feb. 5, falling to Oak Hill of Virginia, 61-54.
Roselle Catholic is sparked by the play of junior guard Simeon Wilcher, senior guard Jamarques Lawrence, junior guard-forward Akil Watson and sophomore forward-center Tarik Watson, Akil’s brother.
After falling at Camden, 67-64, on Friday, Dec. 17, Roselle Catholic reeled off 17 straight wins. Camden is the state’s No. 1 ranked team.
The New Providence girls won the UCT once, in 1990. Under 17-year head coach Cap Pazdera, the Pioneers have never reached the final.
On Tuesday, Feb. 8, New Providence was expected to get the top seed for the first time under Pazdera’s guidance. Pazdera has led the Pioneers to three overall state championships, in 2010, 2011 and 2015, in addition to numerous sectional and division titles.
The UCT is the only tangible event that has eluded New Providence for more than three decades.
The Pioneers began the week at 16-1, were winners of 15 straight and won the Union County Conference’s Watchung Division title, currently 10-0 in league play. New Providence was scheduled to host Cranford on Tuesday, Feb. 8, in its final Watchung Division game. The Pioneers defeated the Cougars 58-19 in Cranford on Thursday, Jan. 13.
New Providence won’t have to make up its home game against division rival Oak Knoll because the Pioneers have already clinched the division title.
The Pioneers are lifted by the play of junior guard Meghan Lamanna, junior center Megan Slattery and sophomore guard Grace Kinum.
The other top four boys seeds figured to be, with records as of the beginning of the week, Elizabeth (8-4), Westfield (13-5) and Linden (8-7). Elizabeth and Westfield split close Watchung Division games.
The boys team in Union County with the fewest losses as the week began was Governor Livingston, owners of a 13-1 record going into the scheduled Valley Division game at Roselle on Tuesday, Feb. 8.
The Highlanders also began the week leading the UCC’s Valley Division standings at 8-0.
Although Governor Livingston really has its sights set on making a statement in the upcoming Central Jersey, Group 2, playoffs, the Highlanders would also like not to get shut out in the UCT.
“To be able to win one game would be nice,” Governor Livingston head coach Chris Loeffler said.
Governor Livingston High School may have received its highest seed in some time when the UCT was put together on Tuesday, Feb. 8.
The Highlanders are paced by the outstanding performances of seniors Nick Gold, Brice Facey and Brian McGrath.
Oratory Prep of Summit began the week at 12-3. The Mountain Division squad was on a six-game winning streak since falling at home to Governor Livingston, 71-69, in double overtime on Tuesday, Jan. 18. After a 3-2 start, Oratory has won nine of 10.
The Scotch Plains girls also began the week on a hot streak, winners of seven straight for a 12-3 mark. The last Raider loss was at fellow Mountain Division rival Governor Livingston, 46-39, on Saturday, Jan. 22. Governor Livingston High School began the week at 12-2 and winners of six in a row.
First-round play should be completed by the end of the week, with quarterfinal-round play slated for next week.
The semifinals and finals will be contested the final week of February, with the boys championship game set for Saturday, Feb. 26. The girls title contest will most likely be played on Friday, Feb. 25, or Saturday, Feb. 26, before the boys.
Kean University in Union has been the host to the semifinals and finals for some time now.
There were no tournaments last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The boys UCT is the oldest one in the state, with the first year being 1937. The first year of the girls UCT was 1976.
Frank J. Cicarell UCT boys basketball
championship game scores, winning coaches:
2021: No tournament, due to COVID-19
2020: Patrick School 56, Roselle Catholic 42, Chris Chavannes
2019: Roselle Catholic 71, Patrick School 66, Dave Boff
2018: Roselle Catholic 68, Patrick School 58, Dave Boff
2017: Patrick School 58, Linden 44, Chris Chavannes
2016: Patrick School 58, Roselle Catholic 54 (2OT), Mike Rice
2015: Linden 60, Roselle Catholic 56, Phil Colicchio
2014: Patrick School 62, Linden 54, Chris Chavannes
2013: Patrick School 44, Linden 42, Chris Chavannes
2012: Plainfield 72, Roselle Catholic 66, Jeff Lubreski
2011: St. Patrick 70, Linden 58, Kevin Boyle
2010: St. Patrick 82, Plainfield 45, Kevin Boyle (first one at Kean University)
2009: St. Patrick 89, Elizabeth 72, Kevin Boyle (last one at Thomas Dunn Sports Center)
2008: St. Patrick 67, Linden 56, Kevin Boyle
2007: Linden 63, St. Patrick 51, Phil Colicchio
2006: St. Patrick 65, Plainfield 52, Kevin Boyle
2005: St. Patrick 77, Linden 68, Kevin Boyle
2004: Elizabeth 58, St. Patrick 51, Donald Stewart
2003: St. Patrick 68, Linden 62, Kevin Boyle
2002: Elizabeth 75, St. Patrick 61, Pat Brunner
2001: Linden 76, St. Patrick 59, Phil Colicchio
2000: St. Patrick 69, Linden 55, Kevin Boyle
1999: St. Patrick 52, Union 43, Kevin Boyle
1998: St. Patrick 76, Union 45, Kevin Boyle
1997: St. Patrick 61, Elizabeth 48, Kevin Boyle
1996: St. Patrick 65, Elizabeth 47, Kevin Boyle
1995: Elizabeth 50, St. Patrick 49, Ben Candelino
1994: St. Patrick 63, Hillside 47, Kevin Boyle
1993: St. Patrick 45, Elizabeth 41, Kevin Boyle
1992: Elizabeth 69, Linden 57, Ben Candelino
1991: Elizabeth 76, Linden 49, Ben Candelino
1990: Elizabeth 96, Roselle 67, Ben Candelino
1989: Elizabeth 65, Roselle 57, Ben Candelino
1988: Linden 50, Elizabeth 45, Wilbur Aikens
1987: Elizabeth 62, Linden 61, Ben Candelino
1986: Elizabeth 50, Union Catholic 43, Ben Candelino
1985: Elizabeth 70, Rahway 56, Ben Candelino
1984: Elizabeth 57, Plainfield 42, Ben Candelino
1983: Linden 66, Roselle 60, Wilbur Aikens
1982: Linden 86, Union Catholic 67, Wilbur Aikens
1981: Johnson Regional 73, Hillside 61, Steve Petruzzelli
1980: Union 65, Plainfield 63, Tom Fox
1979: Plainfield 70, Linden 68, Rico Parenti
1978: Elizabeth 62, Plainfield 60, Ron Kelly
1977: Roselle 75, Rahway 54, Dick Young
1976: Roselle 61, Union 54, Dick Young
1975: Plainfield 69, Rahway 64, Rico Parenti
1974: Union 61, Cranford 48, Tom Fox
1973: Linden 69, Roselle 53, Wayman Everly
1972: Jefferson 50, Linden 43, Ron Kelly
1971: Roselle 73, Linden 71, Dick Young
1970: Jefferson 68, St. Mary’s 61, Ron Kelly
1969: Jefferson 55, St. Mary’s 47, Ron Kelly
1968: Linden 63, Jefferson 62, Joe Gaines
1967: St. Patrick 58, Plainfield 50, Ed “Buzzy” Fox
1966: Linden 61, St. Patrick 56, Joe Gaines
1965: Westfield 61, Cranford 52, Bob Sanislow
1964: Cranford 68, Linden 61, Bill Martin
1963: Westfield 65, Roselle Catholic 45, John Lay
1962: St. Mary’s 40, Linden 30, Al LoBalbo
1961: Roselle 45, St. Mary’s 43, Ralph Arminio
1960: St. Mary’s 53, Jefferson 43, Al LoBalbo
1959: Westfield 54, Cranford 46, John Lay
1958: Roselle 66, Cranford 64, Ralph Arminio
1957: Rahway 64, Jefferson 51, Bob Berger
1956: Plainfield 58, Sacred Heart 51, Bill Brann
1955: Jefferson 52, St. Mary’s 44, Bill Tranavitch
1954: Jefferson 57, Springfield 44, Bill Tranavitch
1953: Linden 59, Union 38, G. St. Andrassy
1952: St. Mary’s 48, Linden 30, Al LoBalbo
1951: St. Mary’s 37, Jefferson 36, Al LoBalbo
1950: Jefferson 69, Hillside 57, Bill Tranavitch
1949: Jefferson 42, Hillside 41, Bob Cox
1948: Jefferson 33, Springfield 32, Bob Cox
1947: Springfield 31, Linden 29, Walter Hohn
1946: Springfield 37, Linden 34, Walter Hohn
1945: Jefferson 39, Roselle Park 23, Abner West
1944: St. Patrick 40, Roselle Park 36, Ken Milsop
1943: Rahway 34, Jefferson 33, Earl Walter
1942: Rahway 46, Jefferson 30, Earl Walter
1941: Rahway 32, Hillside 24, Earl Walter
1940: Springfield 35, Cranford 33, Bill Brown
1939: Linden 30, Plainfield 20, Les Goodwin
1938: Springfield 25, Rahway 24, Bill Brown
1937: Rahway 27, Hillside 17, Earl Walter
Championships
Jefferson/Elizabeth: 21
St. Patrick/Patrick School: 21
Linden: 11
Rahway: 5
Roselle: 5
Springfield: 4
St. Mary’s, Elizabeth: 4
Plainfield: 4
Westfield: 3
Union: 2
Roselle Catholic: 2
Johnson Regional: 1
Cranford: 1
Frank J. Cicarell UCT
girls basketball champions:
2021: No tournament, due to COVID-19
2020: Westfield
2019: Patrick School
2018: Roselle Catholic
2017: Patrick School
2016: Cranford
2015: Patrick School — first time
2014: Roselle Catholic
2013: Gov. Livingston
2012: Gov. Livingston — first time
2011: Roselle Catholic
2010: Roselle Catholic
2009: Roselle Catholic
2008: Westfield — first time
2007: Scotch Plains
2006: Cranford — first time
2005: Scotch Plains
2004: Scotch Plains — first time
2003: Roselle Catholic — first time
2002: Roselle — first time
2001: Union Catholic
2000: Union — first time
1999: Summit — first time
1998: Union Catholic
1997: Elizabeth
1996: Elizabeth
1995: Elizabeth — first time
1994: Linden
1993: Linden
1992: Union Catholic
1991: Linden — first time
1990: New Providence — first time
1989: Union Catholic
1988: Union Catholic
1987: Union Catholic
1986: Union Catholic
1985: Hillside — first time
1984: Plainfield
1983: Plainfield
1982: Plainfield
1981: Plainfield
1980: Plainfield
1979: Plainfield — first time
1978: Mother Seton — first time
1977: Union Catholic — first time
1976: Benedictine — first time
Championships:
Union Catholic: 8
Plainfield: 6
Roselle Catholic: 6
Linden: 3
Elizabeth: 3
Scotch Plains: 3
Patrick School: 3
Gov. Livingston: 2
Westfield: 2
Cranford: 2
Benedictine: 1
Mother Seton: 1
Hillside: 1
New Providence: 1
Summit: 1
Union: 1
Roselle: 1
Photos by JR Parachini