Opening Night Games To Watch

December 14, 2023. The day high school basketball teams, coaches, fans and reporters have waited for. The opening day of the 2023-2024. Fans will receive an early Christmas gift as there are several big games to tip off a full slate of action on Thursday.

If you are looking for a big game on opening night, there are a plethora of options.

#8 Saint Benedict's vs #1 Roselle Catholic, 7PM

*JD Core Training North Jersey Game Of The Day*

The #1 team in our Preseason poll will bring and entirely new look and lineup to the table on opening night as the Grey Bees make their return to NJSIAA play in the biggest way possible. This game could easily be a TOC Final--and it's opening night.

RC has a host of talented sophomores who will be expected to "arrive early" as far as delivering on their potential, including backcourt duo Jalen Grant and Jalen Maldonado. Saint Benedict's may have the best player on the floor in their own sophomore sensation, 6'5" Bergen Catholic transfer Chidi Nwigwe, who is one of the top sophomores in the nation. The Bees also have a scholarship level big man in 6'9" senior Maurice Vassel, a versatile forward with over a dozen scholarship offers.

The top 10 will receive an early season shakeup on opening night and the state will learn quite a bit about just exactly where Roselle Catholic sits after losing its coach, starting lineup and several key bench players to transfer.

#11 Union Catholic vs #9 Linden, 7PM

*Union County Game Of The Week Presented By Wheelie Good Pierogi*

The defending state champions out of Non-Public A host the favorites to win the Group IV State Title. It doesn't get much better than this to start the season as both teams are ranked high in the ReportIt Preseason Top 25.

The Vikings return junior point guard AJ Altobelli along with forwards Farouk Muntari and Yaw Ansong. They've added in 6'3" sharpshooter Luke Schorr from RFH and will get Elijah Peters eligible in January. They took a slight hit when Jaden Myers, who had enrolled in summer from Columbia High in Maplewood, transferred out to Word of God in North Carolina.

Anthony Drejaj could have one of the best Linden teams of all time--and that's saying something, considering that it's Linden we're talking about. Nas Robinson is back to run the show and the Tigers will have a wide range of options to score as 6'5" Elijah Butler can get to the rim and 6'3" forward Hashim Nadir is a rugged, physical defender and may have one of the best mid-range jumpers in the state. They've got additional size from 6'5' sophomore Jekhi Burnam and a handful of newcomers. Toss in Jalil Turner and the eligible-in-January Jaden Barnett, who transferred from Elizabeth and the Tigers have something special brewing.

GSBR will be providing coverage of this contest on Thursday evening thanks to our Union County Coverage Partners, Wheelie Good Pierogi and Souped.

#5 Saint Rose vs Patrick School(National Team), 6:30 PM

The odds on favorite to win the Shore Conference against one of the top basketball programs in the region is one to keep an eye on. Does Saint Rose, behind 6'8" Villanova commit Matt Hodge, have enough firepower, specifically in terms of size and scoring off the bench, to keep up with St. John's commit Jaiden Glover and the Celtics, who have already begun their season with a statement thrashing of Texas powerhouse Duncanville?

Addtional Games To Watch:

Patrick School(NJ) vs #10 Immaculate Conception, 3:15 PM

Clifton vs DePaul, 4PM

Life Center vs Hun, 5:30 PM

#24 Saint Augustine vs Millville, 6PM

Central Regional vs Marlboro, 6:30 PM

Hunterdon Central vs Ridge, 7PM

Delaware Valley vs Somerville, 7PM

#16 Elizabeth vs Westfield, 7PM

Hillsborough vs #20 Gill St Bernards, 7PM

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