By Brian Deakyne | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Rob Samuels | For NJ Advance Media
Major showdowns on the horizon
As the march toward February and county tournaments begin, there are a number of high-profile matchups on tap for this week in N.J. girls basketball. See the 19 biggest games to look for in the week ahead below.
MONDAY, JAN. 15
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Jackson Memorial at Toms River North, 1
Unbeaten Jackson Memorial will face its biggest test of the season as it travels to face Toms River North in an A-South showdown. Toms River North has won four straight games since its only loss to Manchester Township in the WOBM Holiday Tournament final.
PLUS: NJ.com Top 20, Jan. 11: 2 new teams in
TUESDAY, JAN. 16
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
Eastern at No. 10 Cherokee, 6
Cherokee, ranked No. 10 in the NJ.com Top 20, will look to keep its momentum going after Saturday’s six-point win over Ewing as it welcomes Eastern to Marlton on Tuesday night. Eastern has won back-to-back games over Seneca and Haddon Heights.
Alexandra Pais | For NJ Advance Media
No. 8 Rumson-Fair Haven at No. 2 St. John Vianney, 6:30
No. 8 Rumson-Fair Haven will visit second-ranked St. John Vianney in this Shore Conference A-Central showdown on Tuesday night in Holmdel – the first of two regular-season meetings between these teams this season. Rumson-Fair Haven has won five straight games since its lone loss to No. 4 Rutgers Prep – including a win without star guard Tori Hyduke last week – while St. John Vianney is still unbeaten and may have a resume good enough to be considered for the No. 1 ranking.
George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
Holy Angels at Immaculate Heart, 7
Two Big North Conference rivals – and challengers for the North Jersey, Non-Public A title – will meet on Tuesday as Immaculate Heart hosts Holy Angels. Immaculate Heart, the defending sectional champion, has won four games in a row, while Holy Angels will be going for its second win in a row after losing four straight games.
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
No. 11 Camden Catholic at Paul VI, 7
No. 11 Camden Catholic will look for a big rebound win after a loss to Rancocas Valley at home on Saturday afternoon as it travels to Haddonfield to face a Paul VI team that is also looking for a rebound win. Paul VI lost to Lenape, 60-51, on Saturday after a big win over Bishop Eustace just two days earlier.
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
No. 15 University at East Orange, 7
No. 15 University, fresh off its stunning runaway win over No. 9 Newark Tech, will get a tough Essex County battle as it visits East Orange on Tuesday night. East Orange snapped a two-game losing streak with a win over Montclair at the end of last week and will look to keep its momentum going against red-hot University.
Mark R. Sullivan | For NJ Advance Media
Westfield at Roselle Catholic, 7
A rematch from a back-and-forth opening day showdown in Union County is set for Tuesday night as Westfield heads to the Lions Den to face Roselle Catholic. In that season-opening 44-38 win over Roselle Catholic, Westfield led for much of the game but Roselle Catholic stormed back late behind the play of Taniya Hanner in the paint.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 17
South River at Spotswood, 5:30
South River, which will open the week with an 8-3 record will visit a strong Spotswood team on Wednesday afternoon. Spotswood will look to rebound from a double-digit loss to Somerville at the end of last week.
THURSDAY, JAN. 18
Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal
Hudson Catholic at Kearny, 4:30
Two of the top teams in Hudson County will clash on Thursday as Hudson Catholic takes on Kearny on the road. Hudson Catholic will begin the week with a six-game winning streak after a thrilling win over Marist, while Kearny’s only losses this season have come against Lincoln and North Bergen.
Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
No. 4 Rutgers Prep at No. 14 Franklin, 5:30
No. 14 Franklin, which has lost five times already, will look to exact revenge on its Skyland Conference rival as it hosts No. 4 Rutgers Prep on Thursday night. Rutgers Prep scored a 47-44 win over Franklin during the first week of the season, but will be hopeful to rebound after a 48-41 loss to St. Rose on the road on Sunday.
PLUS: 11 N.J. players nominated for All-American game
Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal
Lincoln at Marist, 6
Lincoln, one of Hudson County’s best teams this season, will get a strong test as it visits Marist on Thursday night. Lincoln rebounded from its first loss against No. 9 Newark Tech with a big win over Kearny, while Marist will look to rebound from a six-point loss to Hudson Catholic last week.
George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
Immaculate Heart at Paramus Catholic, 7
Immaculate Heart, two days after a meeting with Holy Angels, will get another tough road test as it visits an upstart Paramus Catholic team at 7 p.m. on Thursday night. Paramus Catholic will begin the week with a 9-1 record with its lone loss coming against Lakeland.
FRIDAY, JAN. 19
Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
No. 8 Rumson-Fair Haven at No. 6 Pascack Valley, 4
No. 8 Rumson-Fair Haven will continue its challenging week with a late-added game against unbeaten and No. 6 Pascack Valley on Friday afternoon. Rumson-Fair Haven will face No. 2 St. John Vianney earlier in the week, while this will be Pascack Valley’s toughest test this season by a wide margin.
Andrew Miller | For NJ Advance Media
Allentown at Ewing, 5:30
Two of Mercer County’s top three teams will clash on Friday night in a game that should feature a little bit of everything. Ewing’s up-and-down tempo against Allentown’s Ryan Weise should provide plenty of entertainment – and clarity in regards to the pecking order in the Colonial Valley Conference.
Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance Media
Kinnelon at Morris Catholic, 7
Morris Catholic, still unbeaten at the beginning of the week, will get a tough test at home on Friday night as Kinnelon visits. Kinnelon has won three straight games since a loss to No. 20 Watchung Hills and could challenge Morris Catholic.
SATURDAY, JAN. 20
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
Eastern at No. 17 Rancocas Valley, 11
No. 17 Rancocas Valley, which rebounded from a loss to Trenton Catholic with a road win over No. 11 Camden Catholic, will get a tough test against a battle-tested Eastern team on Saturday morning. Eastern will enter the week at .500 at 5-5, but has faced some a brutally tough schedule in the Olympic Conference.
Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
Bridgewater-Raritan at Piscataway, 1
Piscataway, one of the top teams in the Greater Middlesex Conference, will get its toughest test of the season, arguably, when Bridgewater-Raritan heads in on Saturday. Bridgewater-Raritan has held its own against some of the top teams in Somerset County and will look for a big road win against a quality opponent Saturday.
Andrew Mills | For NJ Advance Media
No. 5 Red Bank Catholic at No. 2 St. John Vianney, 1:30
One of the Shore Conference’s most storied rivalries will reignite as No. 5 Red Bank Catholic visits No. 2 St. John Vianney on Saturday. It will be a busy week for Vianney, which faces No. 8 Rumson-Fair Haven at home on Tuesday night. Red Bank Catholic eliminated St. John Vianney from the South Jersey, Non-Public A tournament last March after St. John Vianney topped Red Bank Catholic in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals.
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
No. 12 Manchester Township vs. No. 8 Rumson-Fair Haven. 6:15
The final game of the Slam Dunk Autism Challenge at Middletown North will feature two of the Shore Conference’s best teams as No. 8 Rumson-Fair Haven goes to battle with No. 12 Manchester Township. It will be the third ranked opponent Rumson faces in the week after games with St. John Vianney and Pascack Valley, while it will be Manchester Township’s first game against a ranked opponent all season.
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Brian Deakyne may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrianDeakyne. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.
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