By Christian Mordi (@Mordi_TheComeUp)
Team: Mater Dei
Ranking: 10
Record Last season: 26-2, 14-0
Key players: Elijah Barnes, senior
Potential emerging stars: Elijah Mitchell, senior; Yasin Pretlow, junior
Team analysis: The 2015-2016 season was a coming out party for the New Monmouth school. With an already solid lineup, Mater Dei went to another level mid-season due to a handful of key transfers. This year they look to take the next step and become one of the elite schools in New Jersey.
In regards to talent, Mater Dei is one of the most talented teams in The Shore. The team is led by Princeton commit Elijah Barnes. The talented forward burst on the scene last year due to his versatile skill set. His ability to take this team to another level in the half-court is unreal.
In regards to schedule, Mater Dei increased the level of competition they play this year. So far the have scheduled matchups with Union Catholic, Patrick School, Ranney and Newark East Side. If Mater Dei is able to nab victories in a handful of those games they should be in line for a strong seeding come tourney time. With the right matchups, Mater Dei could be in for a deep tournament run this year.
Stat to know: In 2016, Mater Dei was undefeated in conference play. They beat every team in their division last year by ten points or better in all 14 games.