Salem CC unfurls four banners commemorating last season’s success on the court, then No. 2 Mighty Oaks crush Bergen CC in home opener

REGION XIX BASKETBALL
Thursday’s Games
Salem CC 102, Bergen 69
Chesapeake 92, Montgomery 58
Middlesex 76, LaGuardia 72
Union 67, Brookdale 53
Albright JV at Thaddeus Stevens
Ocean 89, Delaware County 55
RCSJ-Cumberland 87, Passaic 82
Cecil 71, Mercer 69

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT — Stefan Phillips was standing off to the side as Salem Community College president Mike Gorman read off all the accomplishments of last year’s Mighty Oaks basketball team and it brought out a wave of emotions. 

Then the president called for the big ripcord to be pulled and four banners unfurled over the second-floor railing above the entrance to the gym and the thought that struck Phillips was he wanted another.

The Mighty Oaks recognized last year’s Region XIX and North Atlantic District championships and top five finish in the JUCO Division III national tournament Thursday, then the current team, ranked second in the nation, went out and crushed Bergen in its home opener 102-69.

“It brought back a lot of memories,” Phillips said. “Winning our first championship, how enthused everybody was. It brought back the memory of going to the national tournament (and) winning that first game. It brought back the heartbreak of losing in the second round. But most impressively it brought back (memories of) teammates, the camaraderie, the brotherhood, we instilled in each other, the belief that we could win it all.

“I’m proud of what we accomplished. When I saw those banners go down I was like, man, that feels good, I want another one. This team here, we can do it again. I believe every day we can do it again.”

Phillips is the only player on the current Salem CC roster who played on that historic team, so it was understandable he was touched by the moment. But the banner raising did something to inspire the newcomers, too.

Nasseem Wright scored 19 points in the first half, hitting 9 of 10 shots from the field, and finished with a game-high 25 and seven rebounds. Saaid Lee had 17 points, six rebounds and seven assists. All five starters, including Phillips, scored in double figures. Jaiayre Wright had a double-double (10 points, 12 rebounds) off the bench.

“Especially with the banner dropping today it was a big night,” Nasseem Wright said. “I pay a lot of respect to last year’s team, they paved the way for us this year ending up No. 5 in the nation. We’re chasing the same thing this year.

“We’ve got a huge circle on our back, so I’m not taking any game lightly. I wanted to come out aggressive because I know my energy is what’s going to get my team started.”

The Mighty Oaks (3-0) broke it open with a seven-minute stretch in the first half that was some of the best ball they played in coach Mike Green’s two and a half seasons at the helm. They outscored the Bulldogs 23-1 to take a two-point lead to 24 before the visitors stopped the run with a 3-pointer with 3:47 left in the half. 

The spree started with a 3-pointer by Saaid Lee, but really got rolling coming out of the timeout Bergen called after the shot. There were rebounds, steals and a whole lot of running. The Mighty Oaks were 10-of-19 from the field in the run, while holding the Bulldogs to 0-for-10 shooting and seven turnovers.

“We just showed in those seven minutes to let everyone know in the nation we are No. 2 for a reason,” Phillips said.

“Once we lock into the game, get the pre-game jitters out, we get running and I’d definitely say it’s fun,” Wright said. “I definitely felt the energy. They came out kind of flat and wanted us to play at their speed, so once we sped them up and had them playing our style of basketball I think that’s when it started to go downhill for them and everything started clicking for us.”

“This is going to be really good team, a really fun team,” Green said. “We’ve got to get the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth man where they’re supposed to be. When they’re there, then we’ll be an even better team because we can run a lot of bodies at you. Once we get them in the right places it’s going to be really good.”

The only place the Mighty Oaks were lacking on this special night was beyond the arc. But they were so strong everywhere else, they shot only 7-of-37 from 3-point range — 4-of-34 before Zyaire Gibson hit three in a row over a one-minute span late in the second half — and still won by more than 30.

Green didn’t seem too worried about it. He said the same thing happened last year before the Mighty Oaks snapped out of it and starting hitting from everywhere.

“Don’t bother me at all; law of averages,” he said. “One of our better shooters went 0-for-10, our other best shot 5-for-16. I can’t imagine that happening again.”

Top photo: Salem CC president Mike Gorman presides over the raising of four banners commemorating the Mighty Oaks’ accomplishments last season.

Salem CC 102, Bergen 69

BERGEN (1-3): Kross Ford 0-1 0-0 0, Ezana Negusse 2-5 0-0 4, Jayden Rivera 5-12 6-6 16, Jeremy Polanco 8-20 3-3 25, Evan Meberg 2-6 1-2 5, Jaheim Best 0-4 0-0 0, Thomas Munoz 2-6 0-0 6, Din Kastrat 0-0 0-0 0, Xavier Townes 3-9 1-4 7, Jarris Bertram 1-5 2-2 4, Tyler Brown 0-3 0-1 0, Justin Price 1-3 0-0 2, Sean Peter-Akor 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-72 13-18 69.
SALEM CC (3-0): Jarrell Little 5-18 0-0 10, Saaid Lee 6-10 3-4 17, Zyaire Gibson 6-17 0-0 17, Nasseem Wright 12-16 1-2 25, Stefan Phillips 4-7 2-2 10, Jaiayre Wright 4-5 2-2 10, Qua Smith 4-5 1-2 9, Lenar Anderson 0-5 2-4 2, Idris Rines 1-6 0-3 2, Michael Goodwin 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 42-89 11-16 102.

Bergen	26	43-	69
Salem CC	44	58-	102

3-point goals: Bergen 8-21 (Ford 0-1, Rivera 0-2, Polanco 6-9, Meberg 0-2, Munoz 2-4, Townes 0-2, Price 0-1); Salem CC 7-37 (Little 0-10, Lee 2-2, Gibson 5-16, Phillips 0-3, Anderson 0-3, Rines 0-3). Rebounds: Bergen 33 (Townes 8); Salem CC 59 (J. Wright 12, Phillips 9, N. Wright 7). Technical fouls: N. Wright. Total fouls: Bergen 16, Salem CC 18.

Region XIX Standings

DIVISION III	R19	ALL	GSAC
Camden	3-0	3-0	2-0
SALEM CC	3-0	3-0	1-0
Union	3-0	3-0	3-0
Northampton	2-0	4-0
Montgomery	1-0	1-1
Ocean	2-1	2-1	1-1
Atlantic Cape	1-1	1-1	0-1
RCSJ-Cumberland	1-1	1-1	1-0
Brookdale	2-2	2-4	0-2
Delaware County	1-2	1-2
RCSJ-Gloucester	1-2	1-3	1-2
Bergen	1-3	1-3	1-1
Passaic	1-3	1-3	1-2
Luzerne	0-0	1-1
Thaddeus Stevens	0-1	1-2
Harrisburg Area	0-1	0-3
Sussex	0-2	0-3	0-1
Philadelphia	0-3	1-3

Salem CC basketball team holds open scrimmage Saturday, first of several initiatives designed to drum up community support

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – Mike Green has spent the last two seasons getting his Salem CC basketball team just the way he likes, but it’s largely been within the walls of the DuPont Fieldhouse. Now he’d like more of the community to see what he’s been seeing – and to keep coming back.

That chance to see what it’s all about comes Saturday when the Mighty Oaks open the doors for their Green-White Scrimmage. The 11 a.m. exercise is free and open to the public – just like their games are during the season.

It’s the first of what promises to be a number of initiatives to get the word out about the program to the public at large. In the coming days, folks can expect to see the players in public places interacting with community to drum up support.

“We’ve got something good going,” Green said. “We have respectable kids. We’ve got kids who work hard. We’ve got athletes who compete at a high level. We’re the defending champs, which is a really big deal; first time in school history that they won championships.

“We have a lot of stuff for the town to be proud of and we’ve just got to get that product out to them, to get them to us. We’ve got the product. We’ve just got to get them to us. Come and fill up these seats. We’ve got a good product.”

Last year the program enjoyed its winningest year in school history. The Mighty Oaks went 26-8, made their first region tournament appearance since 2022 and won a district title to make their first trip to the nations, where they won three games to finish fifth.

Akeem Taylor was the District MVP and Green was Coach of the Year. Many of the players have moved on to four-year programs even after only one year under Green.

Soon, the community can expect to see the current players out and about in their snazzy warmups going through the neighborhoods passing our schedule cards.

“Just to let them know we’re here,” Green said. “It’s our job to (get) them in and we want to try.

“Guys are playing hard with Salem across their chest. These aren’t Salem kids, but they honor and wear it, representing their town. You want to see who’s out there representing your town and hopefully they’re representing it in a good way, like we did last year.”

The Mighty Oaks return only three players from last year’s championship squad, so while the faces may have changed, with more length and players who can create off the dribble, the expectations never have. Several NCAA Division I coaches already have been in to watch their workouts.

“We expect to compete a championship year in and year out, that’s what we want to be. That’s what the new Salem is going to be, competing for a championship year in and year out.

“We’re not going to be at the bottom hoping we get a win or hoping somebody loses to get in the playoffs. We want to be at the top of the standings every year.”

And they’d like to have a packed gym to see it.

Later this month, the Mighty Oaks host a jamboree with Prince George’s, Union and Bucks CC at Cristo Rey High School in Philadelphia Oct. 18; a jamboree at West Virginia-Potomac Oct. 19 (with CC Baltimore and CCBC-Dundalk among others); and scrimmages at Alvernia (Oct. 23) and Penn State Brandywine (Oct. 29).

They open the regular season Nov. 6 at Atlantic Cape. The home opener is Nov. 13 against Bergen, when they’ll raise the district championship banner.

2025-26 SALEM CC MENS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
OCTOBER
12: x-Prince George’s CC; 18: x-Jamboree (Salem, PGCC, Bucks, Union), Cristo Rey HS, Philadelphia;; 19: x-Jamboree (vs. West Virginia Potomoc, CC Baltimore, CCBC-Dundalk); 23: x-at Alvernia; 28: x-at Penn State-Brandywine, 6:30 p.m.
NOVEMBER
6: at Atlantic Cape, 7 p.m., 8: at Delaware County; 13: Bergen, 7 p.m.; 15: vs. Bryant & Stratton at Penn Highlands Tournament, 5:30 p.m.; 16: vs. Sandhills or Penn Highlands, 3 p.m.; 18: Ocean, 5:30 p.m.; 20: at Passaic, 7 p.m.; 22: at Essex; 25: at Camden, 7 p.m.
DECEMBER
4: Thaddeus Stevens, 5 p.m.; 6: at Bergen, 2 p.m.; 9: RC-Gloucester, 7 p.m.; 11: at RC-Cumberland, 5 p.m.; 13: Brookdale, 2 p.m.; 18: at Ocean, 5 p.m.; 20: at Sussex, noon.
JANUARY
6: at Union, 6 p.m.; 10: at RC-Gloucester; 13: RC-Cumberland, 5 p.m.; 15: at Northampton; 17: Passaic, 2 p.m.; 22: Atlantic Cape, 5 p.m.; 27: Philadelphia, 7 p.m.; 29: at Brookdale; 31: at Luzerne, noon
FEBRUARY
3: Montgomery, 5 p.m.; 5: Harrisburg Area, 5 p.m.; 10: Union, 5 p.m.; 12: Camden, 6 p.m.; 14: Sussex, 2 p.m.
(x-scrimmage)

Salem CC men’s basketball schedule complete, women’s schedule close, Marsh adds 2 new assistants

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The mandate to play home-and-home series within the conference and region has kept Salem CC basketball coach Mike Green from being as creative as he’d have liked with his team’s 2025-26 schedule, but it finally came together even if he’s not altogether happy with it.

With only three games to play with, it didn’t take long. The Mighty Oaks filled the open slots with a spot in a pre-Thanksgiving event where the Mighty Oaks might play a team they beat in last year’s Division III national tournament and instate Division II contender Essex.

Green was hoping to get more games with teams they might see in a return trip to the nationals. As it is, their trip to the Penn Highlands tournament in November gives them a chance to play the Sandhills (N.C.) CC team they beat in the fifth-place game at the nationals.

“We didn’t hunt these,” he said. “I wanted to play everybody that we have a possibility to see in March. I wanted to play those type of teams. I’d much rather start my season off with those type of teams, get tested early.

“It’s different, it’s a completely different schedule. You only get three games. You don’t have as much creativity; you can’t do much with the schedule. Last year we played pretty much who we wanted to play, returned some games and all that, but we just don’t have that wiggle room.”

“It is what it is,” athletics director Bob Hughes said. “That’s way the league has decided to do things and the region decide to do things, so you’ve got to go with it. You can talk about it in meetings and maybe change it down the line, but for now this is the way they’ve scheduled it.”

It also could be a little more balanced. The bulk of the Mighty Oaks’ home games are in the second half of the season making a more comfortable push to the postseason at least.

Last year they played 14 regular-season games at home and 14 on the road, but they played their first seven and 10 of their 14 games before Christmas at home. They didn’t play at home after Feb. 6.

This year they play 11 of their 16 games before Christmas on the road, with nine of their 14 games after the calendar turns and the whole month of February (five games) at home.

The season starts Nov. 6 at Atlantic Cape. The banner commemorating the Mighty Oaks’ district championship and trip to the national tournament will be raised during the home opener Nov. 13.

2025-26 SALEM CC MENS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
OCTOBER
12: x-Prince George’s CC; 18: x-Jamboree (Salem, PGCC, Bucks, Union), site TBA; 23: x-at Alvernia; 28: x-at Penn State-Brandywine).
NOVEMBER
6: at Atlantic Cape, 8: at Delaware County; 13: Bergen; 15: at Pennsylvania Highlands Tournament (SCC, Penn Highlands, Sandhills, Bryant & Stratton); 16: at Penn Highlands Tournament; 18: Ocean; 20: at Passaic; 22: Essex, site TBA; 25: at Camden.
DECEMBER
4: Thaddeus Stevens; 6: at Bergen; 9: RC-Gloucester; 11: at RC-Cumberland; 13: Brookdale; 18: at Ocean; 20: at Sussex.
JANUARY
6: at Union; 10: at RC-Gloucester; 13: RC-Cumberland; 15: at Northampton; 17: Passaic; 22: Atlantic Cape; 27: Philadelphia; 29: at Brookdale; 31: at Luzerne.
FEBRUARY 
3: Montgomery; 5: Harrisburg Area; 10: Union; 12: Camden; 14: Sussex.
(x-scrimmage)

Women: Schedule close, add 2 coaches

The Salem CC women have a little more flexibility in their scheduling and while this year’s slate isn’t quite finished, it does have some of what coach Brian Marsh called “out of the ordinary” elements.

It includes three games with teams from Maryland, including a home-and-home deal with Hagerstown, and a visit from Palm Beach State, a JUCO Division I program from Florida on a three-game Northern swing that includes games at Raritan Valley and Harcum.

“I always try to say I recruit nationally; it’s kind of nice to play some teams that aren’t within driving distance,” Marsh said. “I want to play a lot of different teams. I want to expose my players to a lot of different players. Obviously, when you’re playing the same 18 games you start to see the same type of programs, so it’s just a totally different program that we have no idea about.

“I think it’s interesting playing a lot of different players, a lot of different coaches and see where we stack up with these tier players. We’re building this program and we’re trying to get this team where we want it to go. I don’t want to turn down anybody to play.”

The women open their season against Hagerstown (Nov. 4), then travel to a Delaware County team (Nov. 8) reviving its program after a five-year pause. They hope to add another game or two before the schedule is completed.

Before opening the season, the Mighty Oaks have scrimmages against Penn State-Brandywine and St. Elizabeth (with 2024-25 Mighty Oaks minutes leader Jakayla Jenkins).

Marsh has brought on two new assistants since the end of last season – Jeremy Jeanne and Kayla Chambliss. Jeanne is the former Delaware Military Academy head coach and athletics director. Chambliss, a Delaware grad, previously coached at Lincoln and Wilmington universities.

They join Kiara Eubanks, Garret Sample and Thomas Stanley on the staff.

“I’m just real excited to have a ‘real staff,’ Marsh said. “My first year I had one assistant coach. The second year I had two assistant coaches and now I’m up to (three assistants and two volunteers), which is really nice.

“It’s so much easier in practice the more coaches you have. Like last year you’re trying to teach something and people are moving around. Now you have more coaches who can kind of pull people aside and handle it.

2025-26 SALEM CC WOMENS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
OCTOBER
23: x-Penn State-Brandywine; 30: x-St. Elizabeth.
NOVEMBER
4: Hagerstown; 8: at Delaware County; 18: at Mercer; 20: Palm Beach State; 22: at Essex; 25: at Delaware Tech.
DECEMBER
2: Union; 4: at Bucks; 6: at Raritan Valley; 9: Morris; 11: RC-Cumberland; 13; Lackawanna; 20: at Cecil.
JANUARY
10: at RC-Gloucester; 12: at Hagerstown; 15: Harcum; 17: Middlesex; 20: Mercer; 24: at Lackawanna; 27: Delaware Tech; 31: Raritan Valley.
FEBRUARY
3: at Union; 7: at Middlesex; 10: at Morris; 14: Essex; 17: at Harcum.
(x-scrimmage)

Green, Mighty Oaks restock roster, mold an athletic team ‘geared’ for the nationals looking to create its own legacy

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT — Mike Green looks like a guy who knows something and can’t wait to spring it on folks.

The Salem CC basketball coach had that same feeling last year, but had to wait until the calendar turned to turn it all loose – with historic results. 

His instincts proved right and with the emergence of three second-semester eligibles the Mighty Oaks soared to their first-ever JUCO district championship and a top five finish in the national tournament.

This year, with virtually an entire new roster – such is the churn in junior college basketball – and without some of the elements that made last season special, the third-year Salem coach feels even better about the product he can put on the court next winter.

And this time he can put it all on the floor without having to hold anything back.

“I’m high on all these kids,” Green said after one of the team’s recent summer workouts. “I think this team is more talented than last year, but that doesn’t mean anything. 

“We got out to the nationals (last year) and saw parts that we needed (and) we picked them up. But it’s a long road before you even get to nationals. Last year let us know we’ve got to turn it up even more. I think this team is more geared for nationals, but you’ve got to get there. You’ve got to take care of all the stuff in between. Brand new team, brand new year.”

The Mighty Oaks return only three players from last year’s 26-8 team that won three games in the national tournament In Herkimer, N.Y., and in some ways Green is OK with that because he sees as his job to get his players to the next level as quickly as possible.

To replenish the roster Green went back to his roots, digging deep into Philadelphia and Delaware to steal players either overlooked in the process or late bloomers and even snatching others away from programs too slow to pull the trigger.

“Our town, Philadelphia, picked up on (their vision) big time,” Green said. “We promoted it well. It’s a thing now. Salem is a thing now. We did more turning guys down than anything.”

There are 10 newcomers in total. Some even came over from region rivals.

Kamari Brasher played five games at Northampton last year, going for a double-double in his college debut. Nyeem Johnson, a 6-3 guard perhaps the biggest catch of the signing class, averaged 14.9 points in 15 second-semester games for Montgomery County CC last year. He scored 15 points in 32 minutes in the Feb. 4 win over Salem that was the Mighty Oaks’ last loss before the national tournament, but didn’t play in the district championship game Salem won by eight.

Johnson already has two Division I offers – Cal State-Bakersfield (which showed interest early last year in Jyheim Spencer) and Louisiana Tech. Naseem Wright is another projected Division I talent.

“Seeing their success, I only plan to continue that,” Johnson said. “Coming in, I’ve seen the type of team they are. They play fast, they play hard, everybody is talented. This is a way more talented team, so I plan to win everything.”

Now that he’s here, he’s all in with the Mighty Oaks.

“It’s all love,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s no bad blood or anything (when the Mighty Oaks face Montco again). I just plan to step on the court and do what I do.”

The Mighty Oaks are expected to raise their district championship/national tournament banner before their Nov. 13 game against Bergen CC. They’re also expected to unveil a new set of green road uniforms, designed by Green, during their picture day.

“The talent level is high,” Green said. “Now, we just have to get these guys to buy in like we did last year and get them trusting each other.”

SALEM CC BASKETBALL SIGNEES
Lenar Anderson, 6-2 SG, Wilmington, Del. (McKean)
Kamari Brasher, 6-5 F, Roslyn, Pa. (Abington/Northampton)
Zy’Aire Gibson, 6-3 SG, New Castle, Del. (William Penn)
Paul Glants, 6-4 G, Abington (Abington)
Nayeem Johnson, 6-3 G, Philadelphia (CMS/E. Stroudsburg/Montco CC)
Saadi Lee, 6-0 PG, Philadelphia (West Catholic)
Jarrell Little, 6-3 G, Philadelphia (Dobbins)
Taavi Mateen, 6-3 G, Philadelphia (Cheltenham/Wood/Camden)
Idris Rines, 6-6 F, Upper Dublin (Upper Dublin)
Quadeair Smith, 6-4 F, Philadelphia (Audenried)
Nasseem Wright, 6-6 SG, Philadelphia (Lincoln/Girard)

SALEM CC RETURNEES
Xavier Brewington, PG, 34 GP, 10.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 45-145 3FG, 47 steals, 99 assists
Julian Jones, PG, 12 GP (inj.), 3.4 ppg, 21 assists
Stefan Phillips, F-C, 27 GP, 5.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 45-73 FG, 45-51 FT

Photo: Salem CC basketball coach Mike Green talks with his team at the end of a recent summer workout.