With the Jersey Shore Basketball League season coming to a close as Sterns Trailer won its third consecutive championship on Wednesday night, multiple past and present Rutgers Basketball players showcased their talents over the six-week campaign at Manasquan High School.
Here's how all the Scarlet Knights played in the league.
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DID NOT PLAY
Geo Baker - Sterns Trailer: One of the several former college stars on Sterns Trailer's stacked roster, Baker did not play this season as his GB Go Beyond training often interfered with playing in games and getting in full basketball shape.
Caleb McConnell - Sterns Trailer: Another former high-major standout on Sterns Trailer, McConnell earned an opportunity to play in the NBA Summer League with the Charlotte Hornets, with whom he averaged 3.7ppg, 4.7rpg, and 2apg across three games.
Ron Harper Jr. - Larson Ford: Harper Jr. also played in the NBA Summer League with the Boston Celtics, earning an Exhibit 10 contract in the process. He averaged 6.8ppg, 1rpg, and 0.8apg with the defending champions in four games.
Jeremiah Williams - WCT Warriors: The rising redshirt senior for the Scarlet Knights was set to join WCT's roster until Williams had already committed to play in a different pro-am league in his hometown of Chicago.
DID PLAY
Dan Vessey - WCT Warriors: 4 games played, 16.3ppg, 5.3rpg, 3apg, 1.2spg
The former Army commit spent one season with Rutgers as a walk-on and transferred to Columbia during the offseason. He helped lead his WCT squad to an upset over the #3 seed Ortho NJ in the first round, playing a big role as a shot-creating guard on the perimeter throughout the season.
Aundre Hyatt - Larson Ford: 4 games played, 21.5ppg, 12.3rpg, 3.3apg
Hyatt's JSBL season was bookended by playing in the beginning and end of the season before playing in Larson Ford's first round loss to Sterns Trailer. He is off to Belgium next to start his professional career with the Kangoeroes Basket Mechelen.
Jordan Derkack - Sterns Trailer 2 games played, 27.5ppg, 8.5rpg, 3.5apg
The elder Derkack joins Rutgers after two years at Merrimack, where he won NEC Player of the Year in 2023-24. Though he only played in two games for Sterns Trailer, he made the most of his limited action, including a 39-point, 12-rebound performance to open the season in a win over Sea View Jeep.
Zach Martini - Sterns Trailer 1 game played, 9pts, 3reb, 1ast, 2stl
Martini also joins the Scarlet Knights by way of the transfer portal following four years at Princeton. The Warren, NJ native only played in one game for Sterns Trailer, scoring 9 points and grabbing three rebounds in a win over Austin Williams and ACI/Robin's Nest that featured both Derkack brothers and Martini suiting up.
Austin Williams - ACI/Robin's Nest 9 games played, 12.7ppg, 5.6rpg, 2.8apg
The former three-time transfer was Rutgers' most impactful performer in the league, filling a key guard role for a much-improved ACI/Robin's Nest team. He even earned himself a Player of the Game nod after an 18-point, 8-rebound, 5-assist performance in a win over WCT Warriors. He will next look for professional opportunities abroad in Europe after his six-year college career.
RUTGERS-ADJACENT PLAYERS
Aiden Derkack - Sterns Trailer 1 game played, 9pts, 3reb, 1ast, 1stl
Jordan's younger brother, Aiden is a rising junior at Colonia High School and a rising star in the recruiting world, racking up six high-major offers - including Rutgers - since the beginning of June. He also played alongside Martini and Jordan Derkack in the win over ACI/Robin's Nest, scoring nine points and grabbing three rebounds in his lone game with Sterns Trailer.
Kevin Pikiell - Sterns Trailer 9 games played, 8.1ppg, 3.2rpg, 1apg, 1.1spg
The son of Scarlet Knights' head coach Steve Pikiell, Kevin has become a top player as a rising senior for Christian Brothers Academy after two years at Gill St. Bernard's. He was one of Sterns Trailer's more consistent performers, playing in the second-most games on the team. Pikiell showed a good in-between game on offense with an improving jumper, and displayed good IQ and hands on the defensive end.
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