DANNY BOY: Majeski Foundation’s Danny Bodine, right, unloads the ball in a game last year in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Bodine helped Majeski, which is comprised of players from The College of New Jersey men’s hoops team, win the league title last summer. The league tips off its 2023 campaign with a triple-header at the Community Park courts on June 14 starting at 7:15 p.m. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After the Majeski Foundation went on an unlikely run to the championship last year in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League, snapping a three-year title run by LoyalTees, more surprises appear to be in store as the league tips off its 2023 campaign this week.

“It is very competitive. With the nine teams, anything is possible at this point,” said Evan Moorhead, the executive director of the Recreation Department and longtime summer hoops commissioner. “I can’t pick out a favorite going into this season. I think there is a lot of parity there and a lot of teams with potential.”

As the league starts its 34th season on the evening of June 14 with a triple-header at the Community Park, Moorhead sees a good blend of old and new.

“It is an interesting mix of veteran squads, LoyalTees, AEI, and Princeton Supply; obviously Majeski is back as defending champions,” said Moorhead. “We will see what they bring this year and then there are a couple of new teams as well. I am excited to see how that plays out.”

In winning the title last year, Majeski, which is comprised of players from The College of New Jersey men’s hoops team, produced an exciting stretch run after posting a 3-6 regular season record.

“This year, there are some of the same names back,” said Moorhead, noting that the Majeski roster includes such stalwarts as Jason Larranaga, Danny Bodine, Jack Vreeswyk, Jimmy Clemente, and Nick Koch.

“They have a full roster of guys. Because they have that continuity and the chemistry from playing during the year and the young legs, you can never count them out.”

AEI, which fell to Majeski in a dramatic best-of-three championship series last summer which went to overtime in the decisive third game, is led by league fixture Kevin Johnson.

“Kevin is great, he is well organized and has a consistent group of guys, he is respectful of the league and the history and everything,” said Moorhead. “They are one of the teams last year that had somebody go on the vacation at the wrong time. Jalen Parham was the regular season MVP and missed the entire finals. They were one missed three away from winning that series.”

With its core of Davon Black, Nick Davidson, Vince Anfield, Zahrion Blue, and Terrance Bailey returning, LoyalTees will be hungry to get back to the title series.

“Six or seven years ago, they were the up and coming team and going after some of the more established teams,” said Moorhead. “Now they are the veteran team. They had a target on their backs for a while. Last year, they weren’t able to defend their title. Bringing back basically the same starting lineup, the question is can they make another run for the title and hold off some of these young guns that are coming after them.”

One of those teams with young guns is Jefferson Plumbing, who reached the league semis last summer.

“Jefferson Plumbing had a nice run but they are missing two of their stalwarts from last year in Ethan Garita and Tyler Jones this year — those are big losses for them,” said Moorhead of the squad whose manager is Chris Petrucelli, a program supervisor with the Rec Department and assistant coach of the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team.

“Ike Eluwa is a scorer. Chris picked up two guys who were on that Princeton Supply team from last year — Brian Johansson, a Hopkins guy, and Charlie Gillikin, who played at Muhlenberg. They are a couple of big bodies and two D-III level players who are definitely going to help them out. They give them some shooting and a little bit of size.”

Under the leadership of Phil Vigliano, Princeton Supply figures to be a good squad.

“Coach Phil has access to players every year,” said Moorhead, noting that the squad features Quayson Williams, Shaquan Worthy, Mike Kane, and Steve Harris. “It is getting the right mix of guys that commit to being here and showing up. His teams have fallen victim to not having the bodies when it comes to the playoffs. He puts a good roster together but the guys aren’t always fully committed. That will be the question again.”

A league newcomer, YSU, appears to have put together a good roster.

“I am intrigued by this team. Freddy Young Sr. is one of the building blocks of this league,” said Moorhead of Young who is managing the team. “He played the first year and for a long time as a standout with the Tiger’s Tale group. He certainly knows what it takes to put together a competitive team in this league. I expect that these guys will be really strong. Freddy Young Jr. is playing at Lincoln now. He has been in our league and he has a strong game. Young Freddy has been at those courts his whole life, it is like his backyard, playing in the park. Pat Higgins had a good summer for Majeski last year and then he got hurt in the playoffs. He is a very good player, he proved himself last year out here. Jaden Hall had a strong senior year for PDS — it is nice to see the local flavor there. Charles Cooke was a Trenton Catholic guy was a D-I player, he was at James Madison and Dayton.”

Another new face, Speed Pro, boasts some league veterans.

“This is a new team, there are a couple of names on there,” said Moorhead. “They have a couple of strong players, these are guys that are familiar. The names that jump out at me there on that list are guys that have played in our league like Lorenzo Spinazzi, Ashwin Narra, and Justin Carbone. Justin was one of the leading 3-point shooters in the league last year, he average two 3-pointers a game. Greg Louis-Jacques played in our league last year. I think they have enough there to be competitive. It is always good to get new teams and some new blood as other teams phase out. Having new teams is part of what makes this league what it is.”

Planet Fitness should be competitive, led by longtime league standout Juwan Harrison.

“Juwan is back. They always seem to have a strong nucleus of guys,” said Moorhead. “This is another wild card. Juwan has played in our league for a number of years. Juwan is a scorer, he has proven that.”

The PATH squad features some scoring punch.

“Their backcourt jumps out to me, they have Jalen Carey and Tobias Pratt who both played last year and had a very good summer, they are two quality guards,” said Moorhead. “Tobias was the leading three-point shooter last year in the league, he averaged over three a game. He averaged 17.5 and 3.5 threes last year so he can definitely score. Jalen is another guy who is a good three-point shooter. I expect they will be competitive. TJ Malave has been trying to upgrade his roster over the last few summers. He has learned what it takes to be competitive in this league and is going out and getting the right players.”

In preparation for the season, the Community Park courts have received an upgrade.

“We just got the basketball court repainted. We had some cracks repaired and repainted with a nice fresh coat of paint,” said Moorhead. “It looks really sharp. That is going to stand out to people.”

Moorhead, for his part, is looking forward to being back out on the court for the summer.

“I am excited to get back out there,” said Moorhead. “I always look forward to it, every year it energizes me to be out there and be on the mic, trying to entertain everyone.”

It is the players who have provided the most entertainment over the years.

“I am happy that there is still a lot of interest in the league,” said Moorhead. “We still have good local guys, local to Princeton and surrounding areas in Mercer County that still want to come out here and play at the Community Park courts. That is the lifeblood of the league — the players. They keep it going.”