Shore Conference 2024&2025-Spring AAU Watch
We’ve spent the last two days looking at the top 2023s at the Shore. Now, we turn our attention to the 2024 and 2025 classes, which feature some top prospects and perhaps some of the best depth of talent…
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We’ve spent the last two days looking at the top 2023s at the Shore. Now, we turn our attention to the 2024 and 2025 classes, which feature some top prospects and perhaps some of the best depth of talent that the Shore has seen in several years. This type of article could easily have a dozen players in it who could be scholarship level college recruits. Manasquan, like Holmdel, could have its own article—Ditto for RBC. We haven’t even touched on some key players who will be featured in other pieces, nor have we looked at some players who were on varsity teams as freshmen that will be given expanded roles as sophomores.
We’ll close the weekend out with one more piece at the Shore and come Monday, we hop on the Garden State Parkway.
Darius Adams Darius Adams 6'4" | SG La Lumiere | 2025 #32 Nation IN | 6’4” | G | Manasquan 2025
The best freshman at the Shore by a country mile—and maybe the best overall player at the Shore already—Adams was thrust into a leadership role when Ben Roy Ben Roy 6'2" | PG Manasquan | 2022 State #218 Nation NJ went down with an injury and missed his senior season. Instead of learning from Roy on the job, Adams learned by doing…and…Do he did. He had a fantastic freshman year, averaging nearly 15PPG, went over 20pts on ten occasions and scored 26 on RBC in the Shore Conference Tournament. He’s a super athlete with high potential. Adams can break defenders down, pull up and sink threes. He’s a lockdown defender on the perimeter and will only continue to get better. Manasquan brings a lot back next year and Adams will be driving the bus. He’ll play for the PSA Cardinals AAU squad this spring. Potential to be an elite recruit. If his trajectory plays out to its maximum potential and he remains at the Shore, which is always the question in todays transfer-heavy-world, we’ll be mentioning him alongside the likes of legendary Shore stars such as Scottie Lewis, Bryan Antoine, Danny Werner, Taquan Dean, Qa’Rraan Calhoun and others.
Gio Panzini Gio Panzini 6'5" | SF St. Rose | 2024 State NJ | 6’5” | G | Red Bank Catholic 2024
Panzini was highly heralded as a freshman and continued his upward trajectory as a sophomore for the Caseys. A big bodied guard with all the tools to be a D-1 player, Panzini gets it done on offense and defense for RBC. He’s a high motor guy who can shoot, cuts hard and has a high basketball IQ. He began showing some shot-blocking prowess as a sophomore and will blossom into one of the top players at the Shore as a junior. Panzini plays for Team Rio , so he will have plenty of eyes on him from D1 coaches over the next two years
Zach Meeks Zach Meeks 6'5" | PF Red Bank Catholic | 2024 NJ | 6’6” | F | Red Bank Catholic 2024
Meeks brings a football toughness to the hardwood that combines with basketball athleticism to make him a potential breakout star in 2022-2023. He’s a member of the Caseys well respected football team where he lines up as a tight end. On the hardwood, he’s a menace in the paint on offense and defense and his frame, which is only just now starting to fill out, causes problems for opponents. His 12 points and 8 boards were the difference in RBC’s victory over rivals CBA and stood out as his best performance of the year. His totals don’t jump off the charts from his sophomore year but it is important to remember that RBC was led by a group of very talented seniors…That means Meeks will see a more expanded role as a junior for a Caseys team that won’t be hurting for talent. Another Team Rio player, he’ll have eyes on him in multiple sports.
Alex Konov Alex Konov 6'7" | PF Manasquan | 2024 State NJ | 6’7” | F | Manasquan 2024
The 6’7” big man carries a shooters touch and was a big addition to Manasquan after his transfer from Wildwood Catholic. He can score in bunches. On a balanced team, don’t expect insane numbers from most of them outside of Adams, but they’ll all play their role and make a name on the AAU circuit. Konov had 10 against RBC in a victory and his season high was 15 against Robbinsville in the state playoffs. He runs with Team Rio and will also get big exposure through that program. He, like everyone else on this list, has high potential.
Zayier Dean Zayier Dean 6'0" | PG Red Bank Regional | 2025 State NJ | 5’10”| G| Ocean Twp 2025
Ocean struggled in 2021-2022 but was one of the youngest teams at the Shore. Dean was the shining star for the Spartans and averaged 14.4PPG, including torching Jackson Liberty for 28. He will be one of the showcase players for PPA Elite. He’s a lead guard who protects the ball well, has active hands on defense and showed he’s unafraid to attack the rim on offense. A good shooter.