Meet our Area, CVC and Prep All-Stars
Although it played the toughest schedule in the area during December, the Trenton Catholic Academy boys basketball team needed strong leadership in order rebound from a 1-7 record.
Over the course of the season, the Iron Mikes became a tight-knit group and made history with a record-setting seventh Mercer County Tournament championship.
Khalif Battle is The Trentonian’s Area Player of the Year and Eric Elliott is The Trentonian’s Area Coach of the Year.
Battle, a 6-foot-4 senior who will play Division I basketball at Butler next season, was one of the premier combo guards in the state. He averaged an area-best 23.7 points per game and consistently defended opposing teams’ best players.
With lethal range, ball-handling and athleticism, Battle netted at least 30 points eight times including in the first round of the NJSIAA Non-Public B South Tournament.
TCA ultimately bowed out to eventual Tournament of Champions winner Ranney in the sectional quarterfinals, but the lasting image of the season was how the Iron Mikes responded from adversity.
Longtime coach Fred Falchi abruptly resigned for health reasons after just four games, and Elliott stepped in after being an assistant on the bench. The Iron Mikes also coped with the passing of school president Sister Dorothy Payne in February — right before the Mercer County Tournament.
Through it all, TCA stuck together in practice and ended the winter with 15 wins in the last 18 games — a testament to Elliott’s coaching debut.
Other Iron Mikes to appear on The Trentonian’s All-Area teams are Jamir Watkins, EJ Evans and Donavin Crawford.
At 6-foot-7, Watkins averaged 18.6 points per game and dominated the interior with his rebounding and shot-blocking. Evans inched within 202 points of 1,000 for his career. Crawford added more than 100 points for the season and was a key cog defensively.
Joining Battle and Watkins on the All-Area First Team are CVC standouts Jordan Williams (Trenton), Mike Kane (Notre Dame), Milo De Los Santos (Hopewell) and Jaden Sands (WW-P North), along with Burlington County star Jordan Martin (Bordentown).
Martin, a junior point guard, led the Scotties to the Central Jersey Group II quarterfinals — the fifth straight season the program has won a state game — with 17 points per game and 66 3-pointers.
Northern Burlington, led by junior guard Lorenzo Repack (AllArea Third Team) finished 12-14 and lost in the first round of the Central Jersey Group III Tournament to eventual sectional champion Wall.