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92 in 92: Schalick (N.J.)

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Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)

(Ed. Note: This piece is part of CoBL’s “92 Stories in 92 Days” high school season preview, which will feature a different team in the CoBL coverage range each day from September 1 to December 1. For the full list of previews, click here)

When opposing teams think about what it’ll take to slow down Schalick this season, there will be one clear answer.

Mike Holloway, at a solid 6-foot-8 and 245 pounds entering his senior year, should be the most dominant big man not just in South Jersey’s Group 1 but likely all four groups in the section.

Schalick's Mike Holloway (above) will be one of the more dominant big men in South Jersey this year. (Photo: Tug Haines)

Schalick’s Mike Holloway (above) will be one of the more dominant big men in South Jersey this year. (Photo: Tug Haines)

Last year, he played second fiddle in the frontcourt to his own older brother, UMass freshman Rashaan Armstead-Holloway, the Salem/Cumberland County Player of the Year. A 6-9, 280-pound center, Armstead-Holloway averaged 18.3 ppg and was a dominant rebounding force, leading the Cougars all the way to the South Jersey Group 1 title game before Pitman emerged victorious.

If they’re going to take the next step and move on to the state semifinals, it’ll be with Mike Holloway in the post–and with his supporting cast making all the difference.

“I tell him, ‘Michael for us to be successful, we have to involve everybody’ and he knows that,” Schalick head coach Eric Cassidy said. “Teams are going to try to double him, but i saw this summer when teams were doubling and concentrating on him and he’s still pouring in 20, 25 points. He’s just a dominant force that does not stop moving.”

The younger Holloway brother has blossomed since his brother graduated this spring, first picking up nearly 10 Division I scholarship offers during the July live recruiting periods and then playing well in showcase after showcase throughout the summer and fall.

Back in September, he committed to Fairleigh-Dickinson, where he should be an impact player in the Northeast Conference.

Every good big man needs a good guard, however, and that’s where Cassidy turns to junior Tyler Lunsford.

“With all the attention that Michael’s going to get, I think Tyler’s really going to benefit from it,” Cassidy said. “Tyler’s going to be one of the best guards in South Jersey this year, the kid’s really worked. He’s gotten stronger, he’s gotten quicker, he’s been shooting shots every day and you take Michael away, now you’ve got to worry about Tyler.”

The fifth-leading scorer on the Cougars last year at 8.4 ppg, Lunsford likely follow only Holloway in terms of getting buckets this season thanks to the graduations of Melvin Allen (14.8 ppg) and DeAndre Solomon (11.8 ppg).

Tyler Lunsford (above) should be Schalick's second-leading scorer this year. (Photo: Tug Haines)

Tyler Lunsford (above) should be Schalick’s second-leading scorer this year. (Photo: Tug Haines)

“It’s going to be a tough responsibility but I can handle it,” Lunsford said.

With only one Holloway brother down low instead of two, the Cougars are going to have to change styles somewhat. Expect them to push the tempo more this season and use their guards and athleticism to their advantage.

“This year’s team, we’re a lot smaller,” Lunsford said. “We’ve got big men, but we don’t have as much size as we had last year…[but] we’ve got quicker players than last year.”

Both Holloway and Lunsford transferred to Schalick last season, from Sacred Heart. The addition of another big man and a true point guard into the rotation certainly played a big role in the team’s 26-4 record, the best in Cassidy’s six years as head coach and the third year in a row with 20-plus wins.

This year they have a chance to be very good yet again, but if they make it to the South Jersey final they’re likely to see a different opponent. Pitman’s best three players all either went D-I (Eric Stafford to Lafayette and Darnell Foreman to Penn) or transferred (Tim Delaney, a Villanova signee, is now at Blair Academy), and then head coach Kevin Crawford left for Eastern Regional as well.

“I think Group 1’s wide open,” Cassidy said. “There’s a couple of really good teams, I think we can mix up with them.”

If the Cougars make it back that deep in the playoffs, they’re going to need to rely on some inexperienced players to grow throughout the year. That includes 6-foot sophomore Eli Boose and junior guard Superior Ryan, who Cassidy is depending on to be a defensive presence.

Up front, he’ll have 6-5 sophomore Troy Johnson, who brings the only real size to the team other than Holloway. They also could potentially start a freshman, Caleb Homel, with Cassidy mentioning that the lineup could depend on match-ups and who’s working hardest in practice.

“They have some pretty big shoes to fill with a couple of seniors that we lost last year but I think we’ll be right in the mix,” Cassidy said. “With that 1-2 punch, we just need the other kids to step up as role players and really shape us into a team.”

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(Ed. Note: This piece is part of CoBL’s “92 Stories in 92 Days” high school season preview, which will feature a different team in the CoBL coverage range each day from September 1 to December 1. For the full list of previews, click here)


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