St. Anthony's Jones heeds Hurley's advice

After living outside of Bob Hurley, Sr.'s, good graces, Lucious Jones learned to heed the valuable advice of his Hall of Fame coach.

"It's very hard coming into the season thinking you know what you want to do," said St. Anthony's (Melville, N.Y.) 6-3 senior guard. "You just have to pay attention to what he's telling you. It's not how he says it, it's what he says."

Although most of the spotlight shined upon the Friars finds Rutgers-signee Myles Mack and 6-8 junior Kyle Anderson – who had St. John's Steve Lavin and Seton Hall's Kevin Willard scouting him courtside – Jones proved pivotal in St. Anthony escaping a pair of scares in last weekend's SNY Invitational at Long Island University in Brooklyn, N.Y.

After recording a double-double (10 points, 11 boards) against Mount Vernon, Jones netted five of his 12 tallies during a 20-3 spurt that enabled St. Anthony, No. 2 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, to overcome a 12-point deficit in a 43-38 over Boys & Girls in the SNY Invitational title game.

The senior, who is considering Robert Morris and Towson, tied the game at 38-all after a three-point play with 3:32 remaining, and also contributed seven boards and three steals to help Hurley win his 998th game; the coach could reach 1,000 victories Wednesday vs. St. Mary's (Jersey City).

"Lucious has, over the course of the season, gone from someone who was in my doghouse to being a really reliable kid," Hurley said. "He understands what I'm trying to get from him."

GILL ST. BERNARDS' SINA SELECTS ALABAMA

In a day and age where kids are picking college programs before roaming a high school's halls, it was not entirely surprising to hear that Gill St. Bernard's outstanding sophomore point guard Jaren Sina decided to announce his intentions to attend Alabama – even if he will not head south until 2013.

"I know it's a little crazy doing it this young," Mergin Sina, Jaren's dad and head coach, told Gannett New Jersey's Jerry Carino. "Jaren did the math, he went over the Big East schools and schools from other conferences, and most of these guys have signed 2012 point guards already. In the end, this school really wants you now and has a plan for you down the road."

Mergin Sina played at Rhode Island and Seton Hall, so he knew how to helps his son navigate the recruiting landscape. Furthermore, Jaren Sina's early pledge shows just how far and how quickly Gill St. Bernard's has elevated its profile on the state basketball scene.

SHABAZZ GIRLS DOWN NEPTUNE

A rough weekend for three Shore Conference girls basketball powers started on the Prudential Center hardwood, when Neptune, No. 9 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, saw Rutgers signees Syessence Davis and Shakena Richardson endure foul trouble in a 62-47 defeat against Shabazz at the Newark National Invitational.

The next 24 hours proved none too kind to the Shore Conference's finest. Shortly after St. Rose squandered a 12-point lead and suffered its first setback, 32-30, against Blair Academy, St. John Vianney got stopped by Maryland power Riverdale Baptist, 71-63, at the Kennedy Challenge heled at John F. Kennedy High School in the Bronx, N.Y.

Only Vianney earned immediate redemption, returning to the floor Sunday with a 60-50 victory over Germantown Academy at the Archbishop Carroll High School Blue Chip Showcase.

GLASS' RECORD RESCINDED/MILLROSE GAMES REWIND

During a week when some of the Garden State's finest competed at the 104th Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden, the biggest news from New Jersey's starting blocks came when the national 500-meter-dash record set Jan. 22 by St. Peter's Prep's Najee Glass was erased due to a lane violation seen upon video review by Jack Shepard, the editor of High School Track.

Strangely, though, Glass is still considered the race's winner and his triumphant time still stands. However, he may run the event again this weekend at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational held at the New Balance Track and Field Center in New York.

At the Millrose Games last Friday, the Columbia girls won their third Suburban Division 4x400 relay in 4:06.47. Even more impressively, the victory came after alternate Brittany Padmore ran the second leg in 1:01.1 after freshman Raquel Williams endured an injury according to The Star-Ledger.

Finally, the Christian Brothers Academy boys edged rival Seton Hall Prep in the distance medley relay, with its winning time of 8:09.67 outdistancing the opposition by almost three full seconds.

ON THE MAT: CAMPOLITTANO DECOMMITS FROM RUTGERS AND MORE

Before winning yet another bout at Sunday's New Jersey Coaches All-Star Invitational, Bound Brook grappling phenom Andrew Campolittano made news that made the wrestling community rejoice when he decided to rescind his verbal pledge from last summer to play linebacker at Rutgers.

Campolittano said he would keep his options open regarding where he would grapple collegiately – and Rutgers, ranked among the Top 10 in all major national polls, is still in the running.

Although the senior 215-pounder won his All-Star Invitational bout with a closer-than-expected 5-3 decision over Marlboro's Mitch Seigel, the top storyline emerging from Sunday's event was the performance of youngsters Luis Gonzalez and Julian Quintero from North Bergen's unheralded program.

Gonzalez produced a 54-second pin of Sayreville's Mike Bohling at 103 pounds, further establishing the freshman as the favorite in his weight class at next month's state championships, while Quintero outpointed Long Branch's Luis Filipe, 3-2, at 135.

Another varsity newcomer, Watchung Hills freshman Mike Magaldo, produced his second victory over Toms River South's Kevin Corrigan with a 6-0 victory.

TOP PERFORMANCES

* Napoleon Blamon/MaxDiLeo/Xavier Wilson, Cinnaminson boys basketball: The trio combined for 50 points as the Pirates dealt Paul VI its first loss last Saturday.

* DeJa Bullock, Triton Regional girls basketball: The sophomore netted a career-best 30 points and grabbed 15 boards in a 58-37 win over Camden Academy Charter on Jan. 24.

* Jeff Canfora, Delbarton wrestling: With an 11-3 major decision last Saturday, the senior 135-pounder earned his fourth consecutive Morris County championship.

* Cullen Davis, North Brunswick boys track: The senior set a pair of Greater Middlesex Conference championship records, triumphing in the 800-meter (1:57.47) and 1,600-meter (4:22.52) runs.

* Cayla Del Piano, South Brunswick girls track: The junior repeated in the 1,600 (5:26.45), touched the tape first in the 3,200 (11:50.96) and ran a leg on the triumphant 4x400 as her team won its fifth-straight Greater Middlex Conference title.

* Laura Innes, Secaucus girls basketball: The senior guard's quadruple-double of 12 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals highlighted a 70-43 victory over Wood-Ridge last Friday.

* Lou Mascola, Seton Hall Prep wrestling: The senior 140-pounder became the seventh grappler ever to capture four Essex County championships, earning his latest title via technical fall, 19-4 in 3:56 last Saturday.

* Dejah Taylor, Paramus Catholic girls basketball: The sophomore tallied 28 points, 19 boards and three blocks in the Paladins' first-round victory over Wood-Ridge in the Bergen County tournament.

* Chris Santo, Cherry Hill East boys basketball: The senior's 27 points and 13 rebounds powered an 82-48 win over Northern Burlington on Saturday.

EVENTS TO WATCH

St. Mary (Jersey City) vs. St. Anthony (Jersey City) boys basketball, Wednesday: The game will probably not be competitive, but there's the opportunity to say you were there when Bob Hurley, Sr., won his 1,000th game.

Haddon Township at Paulsboro wrestling, Wednesday: A team victory by Paulsboro would make the Red Raiders just the second high school program to win 1,000 matches.

Kennedy at Academy of Holy Angels girls baskeball, Thursday: A rematch of an overtime thriller won by Holy Angels, 77-72 on Jan. 6. Erika Brown leads Kennedy, while the Angels will be facing their second test of the week after taking on chief rival Immaculate Heart Academy.

State Wrestling Team Tournament, Monday: The seedings have yet to be announced, but the first round will begin Monday at the sites of the highest seeds, followed by the semifinals Feb. 9 and the championship round Feb. 11.

RECRUITING NEWS

Paramus Catholic DT Marquise Wright, New Jersey's best remaining uncommitted prospect, will choose between Rutgers and Michigan State on National Signing Day. … Monsignor Donovan 6-3 senior combo guard Sean Grennan announced his plans to play for Seton Hall, choosing the Big East program over Vermont, Tulane, Northeastern and a variety of Atlantic 10 programs. Kevin Willard's first New Jersey recruit, Grennan cannot sign his National Letter of Intent until the spring signing period that runs from April 13-May 18. … St. Augustine Prep OL/DL Andrew Baumgardner committed to James Madison. The 6-3, 252-pound senior recorded 10 sacks last season. … Pitman's 6-4, 240-pound senior TE/DE Dylan Colgate will continue his career at Lehigh. … Winslow Township LB Rob Mahan became the second South Jersey prospect to verbally commit to Old Dominion, joining Jakwail Bailey of Paul VI. … After originally deciding on Boise State as a preferred walk-on, Immaculata OLB Dallas Whitaker will instead Rutgers, choosing the state university over scholarship offers from Albany, Marist, Monmouth and Towson.