Roselle Catholic has won Non-Public B state championships the past two seasons and its first Tournament of Champions crown in 2013.
Yet the Lions are still seeking to win the state’s oldest county tournament for the first time.
This could be the year Roselle Catholic finally wins the Union County Tournament.
The only mystery for the 79th edition – barring historic upsets – will be weather or not Roselle Catholic, the top seed, will face second-seeded Patrick School of Elizabeth or third-seeded Linden in the championship game.
Competition commences with a prelim game consisting of 21st-seeded Koinonia of Plainfield at 20th-seeded Dayton and then eight first round games that are to be completed by Saturday.
The Patrick School (formerly St. Patrick) has won the last two championships and six of the last seven. The Celtics have been in the final 21 of the last 22 years, winning the title 16 times in that span.
Elizabeth has won the most championships with 21, while the Patrick School is closing in with 18.
Linden last won the crown in 2007, topping St. Patrick 63-51 in a game at the Dunn Center that the Tigers never trailed.
The only year that the Patrick School did not reach the final since 1993 was in 2012 when Plainfield defeated Roselle Catholic 72-66 at Kean. Plainfield won its fourth title and first since 1979, while Roselle Catholic reached the final for only the second time. The Lions lost in the final for the first time in 1963.
Steve Petruzzelli guided Johnson Regional to its only championship in 1981. This season, Petruzzelli has led Governor Livingston to the Union County Conference’s Valley Division crown. The Highlanders, after winning Tuesday, sported an overall record of 12-5 that included a four-game winning streak.
Roselle Catholic, ranked No. 1 in the state by nj.com for the second time this season, stood at 18-2 and was winners of nine straight since defeating Paterson Eastside 70-51 at home Sunday night.
The only in-state team that defeated the Lions was Linden, which split with RC in Watchung Division play. The Lions captured the Watchung Division championship with a final 7-1 league mark.
The Patrick School, which swept Linden but was swept by RC in league play, stood at 13-4 heading into Tuesday night’s scheduled non-division home game against Westfield.
St. Mary’s, Elizabeth and Union Catholic, battling for the Mountain Division crown, split with each other in league play.
Westfield beat Union twice in Mountain Division play, while Union split with Union Catholic.
Once again, the top four seeds received byes right into the quarterfinals, which are scheduled for Feb. 21 at sites yet to be determined.
The semifinals will be at Kean on Feb. 25 and the final at Kean for the sixth straight season on Feb. 28.
79TH BOYS’ BASKETBALL UNION COUNTY TOURNAMENT
SEEDS: 1-Roselle Catholic. 2-Patrick School. 3-Linden.
4-St. Mary’s, Elizabeth. 5-Union Catholic. 6-Plainfield.
7-Westfield. 8-Union. 9-Elizabeth. 10-Hillside.
11-Gov. Livingston. 12-New Providence. 13-Summit.
14-Rahway. 15-Cranford. 16-Scotch Plains. 17-Oratory Prep.
18-Roselle. 19-Johnson. 20-Dayton. 21-Koinonia.
FIRST ROUND
By Saturday, Feb. 14
21-Koinonia at 20-Dayton winner at 5-Union Catholic
19-Johnson at 6-Plainfield
18-Roselle at 7-Westfield
17-Oratory Prep at 8-Union
16-Scotch Plains at 9-Elizabeth
15-Cranford at 10-Hillside
14-Rahway at 11-Gov. Livingston
13-Summit at 12-New Providence
SECOND ROUND
Wednesday, Feb. 18
QUARTERFINALS
Saturday, Feb. 21, two twinbills
SEMIFINALS
Wednesday, Feb. 25 at Kean
FINAL
Saturday, Feb. 28 at Kean
FRANK J. CICARELL UCT BOYS’ BASKETBALL
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCORES, WINNING COACHES:
2014: Patrick School 62, Linden 54 – Chris Chevannes – at Kean
2013: Patrick School 44, Linden 42 – Chris Chevannes – at Kean
2012: Plainfield 72, Roselle Catholic 66 – Jeff Lubreski – at Kean
2011: St. Patrick 70, Linden 58 – Kevin Boyle – at Kean
2010: St. Patrick 82, Plainfield 45 – Kevin Boyle – at Kean
2009: St. Patrick 89, Elizabeth 72 – Kevin Boyle – last one at Dunn
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 18,
Linden 10, Rahway 5, Roselle 5, Springfield 4, St. Mary’s, Elizabeth 4,
Plainfield 4, Westfield 3, Union 2, Cranford 1, Johnson Regional 1.