Courier News – Montgomery Hosts Coaches vs. Cancer Shoot-Out:

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It started out as a fun day of high school boys basketball games, and then it became much more than that.

Montgomery and Notre Dame will host a total of nine contests Jan. 21 in the inaugural Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout. Originally billed as the “Tri-County Shootout” and designed to pit Skyland Conference and Colonial Valley Conference squads against each other, it morphed into something more meaningful after Hillsborough head coach Ian Progin was diagnosed with brain cancer.

“At a preseason coaches’ meeting, a bunch of us were like, ‘Why don’t we make this a Coaches vs. Cancer thing, with everything Ian and his family are going through?” Montgomery coach Kris Grundy said. “Plus all of us have been touched in some way by cancer.”

Coaches vs. Cancer is a nationwide hoops initiative at the college and high school level to raise awareness and funds. During those designated events, coaches wear suits with sneakers as a sign of solidarity.

At Montgomery, all profits from the gate will go toward cancer research and the officials are donating their salaries for the day. T-shirts also will be sold. Both sites will have a donation table, and all donors will get a lanyard bearing the Coaches vs. Cancer emblem.

The event’s original footprint has been expanded as well, with one Middlesex County and one Morris County team involved.

“The coolest thing for me is that for one day we’ll all be on the same page,” Grundy said. “All the Skyland Conference teams will be cheering for each other. Obviously we want to have a little bit of bragging rights. During the season we’re always trying to knock each other off, but for one day we’re all on the team, both on the court and raising money for a good cause.”

Grundy is good friends with Progin, whose Raiders will take on Princeton.

“Here he is battling this disease and nothing was going to stop him from doing what he’s passionate about, and that’s being on the sideline and coaching kids at Hillsborough,” Grundy said. “He’s persevering, and it’s an inspiration to all of us.”

Here are the matchups:

At Montgomery: Princeton Day vs. North Plainfield, 11 a.m.; West Windsor-Plainsboro North vs. North Hunterdon, 12:30 p.m.; Hopewell Valley vs. Watchung Hills, 2:30 p.m.; Princeton vs. Hillsborough, 4 p.m.; Montgomery vs. Mount Olive, 5:30 p.m.

At Notre Dame: Bound Brook vs. Lawrence, noon; Hunterdon Central vs. John F. Kennedy-Iselin, 1:30 p.m.; Immaculata vs. West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 3:30 p.m.; Franklin vs. Notre Dame, 5 p.m.

Hillsborough opening eyes

Speaking of Progin, his team is off to a surprising 6-2 start. Despite graduating the meat of last year’s 17-8 unit, the Raiders are formidable again thanks to a lock-down defense that is yielding just 37 points per game.

“On the defensive end we’ve been a solid team thus far,” Progin said. “These guys work really hard.”

Senior guard Devonn Foster has emerged as the team’s leading scorer and 6-foot-5 sophomore Matt Hornich is the top rebounder and No. 2 scorer. Junior guard Nigel Herbert “has been very steady” at the point and classmate Nick Alaimo is also a backcourt option. Returning starters Greg Faenza and Jason Jolliffe are providing senior leadership.

After opening 5-0, the Raiders hit a snag with low-scoring losses to Bridgewater-Raritan (39-29) and Immaculata (44-36).

With Ridge and Gill St. Bernard’s on tap over the next 10 days, their resolve will be tested.

“We’re in a power hitter’s slump, I guess,” Progin said. “Having a young team, I am interested to see how these guys bounce back.”

Player of the Week

Jaren Sina, Gill St. Bernard’s: The junior tallied 19 points and 10 assists as the Knights knocked off nationally ranked Mater Dei of California 76-73 in overtime at Saturday’s CRC Classic in Wheeling, W.Va. His assist total was one shy of the tourney record.

On Thursday Sina scored 21 points in a 74-55 road win over previously unbeaten Bridgewater-Raritan, and on Tuesday he poured in 30 points in a 75-52 verdict over Watchung Hills.

Games of the Week

St. Patrick at Plainfield, tonight at 7: This game has been circled on the Cardinals’ schedule since last winter, when they dropped two games to the perennial power by a total of 51 points. Now Plainfield has the upper hand with Sekou Harris and Jordan Sears leading the way.

Rutgers Prep at Bridgewater-Raritan, Thursday at 7 p.m.:Intrigue is always high when Rutgers Prep coach Tim Ortelli faces his old program. The point guard matchup between a couple of cagy seniors, Rutgers Prep’s Mike Klinger and Bridgewater-Raritan’s Sal Vitello, will be worth watching.

New Providence at Governor Livingston, Saturday at 4:30 p.m.:The records don’t matter as these neighboring schools sport one of the area’s best rivalries in all sports. Can a rebuilding New Providence squad slow down Highlander guards Reid Harrison and Logan Kelley?