BY VIN RAPOLLA
Staff Writer

The Red Bank Regional boys basketball team looks to start the second half of divisional play this upcoming week on a high note after coming off a big win this past weekend.

The team, which is currently 5-4, and 3-2 in division play, defeated Freehold Borough, 55-52, this past weekend, handing the Colonials their first division loss of the season.

“We’re coming off a big win,” said head coach Scott Martin. “We’ve played some very good games against some very good teams.”

This year’s team, which comprises several underclassmen and many players who have seen little to no prior starting time at the varsity level, has managed to hold its own in the tough B North division. Red Bank is currently tied for second place with Colts Neck thus far, behind Neptune and Freehold.

The Bucs team is led by its only returning starter, junior Kyle Fitzgerald. The team has received some solid play from junior Casey Peters, junior Ray Nieves and sophomores Ryan Peters and Matthew PeBole.

Peters came up particularly big against Freehold, scoring 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, when RBR overcame a three-point deficit.

Red Bank also features a trio of seniors in John Sparling, Ryan Martin and Nyle Sterling.

“We’re a young team, and we rely heavily on our young players,” said coach Martin. “We only have one returning starter, other than that only a few guys saw some time last year.”

Martin has taken his team to the postseason the past five years and is looking to do so again this year. In order for his team to be successful throughout the remainder of the season, they’ll have to stay consistent, take care of the ball, knock down open shots and continue to rebound well, according to the coach.

“We’ve been a little inconsistent,” he added. “We have to put our good quarters together. We’ll be able to come out on the right side of things when we rebound well. We’re a pretty tall team, and when we do rebound, we’ve been successful.”

Freehold faced off against Neptune yesterday in another important B North contest. As the playoff push begins this week, RBR has one advantage going for it: seven of its last 11 regular season games will be at home.

“We hope to put some wins together so we can qualify for the states and Shore Conference Tournament,” said Martin. “Our remaining home schedule should help.”