The North Arlington boys’ basketball team will be bolstered by the return of their top two guards from last year, namely Kevin Cerqueira (l.) and Edgar Carranza (r.).
The North Arlington High School boys’ basketball team posted a 17-10 record last year and lost two key players, Jose Checo and Jonathan Hurley, to graduation.
But that doesn’t mean that the Vikings will be any worse this season. In fact, according to third-year head coach Rich Corsetto, the Vikings have a good chance to be even better this year – thanks to the contributions of a successful North Arlington football team in the fall.
“We have a good mix of kids coming back, but we have a lot of football players,” Corsetto said. “I think the football team had a very nice season. They went to the (NJSIAA state) playoffs. They have experience playing together as a team and that’s important. I think they can come in with a winning attitude and that’s a big first step. They know what it’s like to win.”
Corsetto said that his team is filled with “hard working, dedicated young men.” The Vikings showed their dedication by playing together in the Kearny summer league and then again at the William Paterson team camp.
“It helped them tremendously,” Corsetto said. “They also did some work in the spring. It’s important to play in different leagues, because they get to know each other. That’s the key. They play against competition, they play together and they get to know each other well. At a small (NJSIAA) Group I school, that’s important. It’s also important that they play other sports.”
Corsetto should know. A self-described “basketball lifer,” Corsetto has spent the last 40 years coaching at the high school and collegiate levels. He came out of retirement three years ago to take over the North Arlington position and is admittedly “having the time of my life.”
Corsetto knows where the strength of his team lies.
“We have our guards back,” Corsetto said. “That’s where our team is strong. We have to rely on those guys as leaders. They’re hard working, dedicated and they like each other. I think it’s a carryover from the football team.”
Leading the returnees is 5-foot-10 senior guard Edgar Carranza, who averaged 12 points per game last season. Ask Corsetto whether Carranza is the point guard or the shooting guard and you’ll get a unique answer.
“He’s both,” Corsetto said. “He’s a combo guard. He can go either way. He’s a good shooter, but he also is a good passer. He’s also a defensive stopper. He’s very quick with the ball. He’s just a hard worker.”
Senior Kevin Cerqueira is also back. The 5-foot-11 Cerqueira is another “combo” guard who could play the point or slide over to the shooting guard slot. He averaged a little more than eight points per game last year.
“He’s very aggressive,” Corsetto said of Cerqueira. “He’s all over the place. He’s diving for loose balls. He’s the best defensive player we have.”
Senior Timmy Ford is also back. The 5-foot-9 Ford is the team’s pure sharpshooter, raining 3-pointers from all over the floor. He averaged 11 points per game last season.
“He certainly can shoot,” Corsetto said. “He’s our best shooter. He plays hard and gets a lot of threes. When he gets going, everyone starts to get going.”
Senior Joe Morales is one of the team’s forwards. The 6-foot-1 Morales averaged six points per game last year.
“He’s a very scrappy player,” Corsetto said. “He’s our workhorse. He’s a strong, aggressive kid.”
The last starter is senior Steve Velez, who is a 6-foot forward.
“He’s deceptively quick,” Corsetto said. “He has great moves and rebounds well.” Senior Michael Manzo-Lewis is coming off a great season on the gridiron as the Vikings’ quarterback. The 5-foot-10 Manzo-Lewis is playing basketball this year.
“He’s a natural leader,” Corsetto said. “He gets the others to play hard. From the minute he’s on the field, he’s there. He’s the first one there and the last one to leave. Anything you ask him to do, he’ll do it well.”
Manzo-Lewis missed all of last basketball season after knee surgery, but he proved during the football season that he’s healthy and capable of big things.
“He just doesn’t have the game experience that others have,” Corsetto said.
Corsetto believes that the “key to the season” lies on the broad shoulders of sophomore Isaac Aguiar. The 6-foot-6 Aguiar grew five inches in the past year and he’s now penciled in as a force inside for the Vikings.
“He’s definitely going to help us,” Corsetto said of Aguiar. “He knows how to play. He can block shots and rebound. He just needs some work and we’re working with him. But he has a lot of potential. I’ll tell you what. He never missed a single game or workout over the summer or the fall. Not one. That should show you how dedicated he is.”
Alberto Valle, a junior varsity player last year, is a 6-foot-3 power forward who will also see action.
The Vikings will be tested early. They tip off the season against St. Mary’s of Rutherford on Dec. 18 at home.
“We’re going to get thrown right into the fire,” Corsetto said. “I think as far as the season goes, we have good experience and we have good guards. I think we should be pretty good. A lot depends on what we get up front. I’m looking forward to seeing what these kids can do. They’re just a good bunch of hard-working, dedicated kids.”
Sounds as if Corsetto likes the sound of that tune.
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Jim Hague | Observer Sports Writer
Sports Writer Jim Hague was with The Observer for 20+ years — and his name is one of the most recognizable in all of sports journalism. The St. Peter’s Prep and Marquette alum kicked off his journalism career post Marquette at the Daily Record, where he remained until 1985. Following shorts stints at two other newspapers, in September 1986, he joined the now-closed Hudson Dispatch, where he remained until 1991, when its doors were finally shut.
It was during his tenure at The Dispatch that Hague’s name and reputation as one of country’s hardest-working sports reporters grew. He won several New Jersey Press Association and North Jersey Press Club Awards in that timeframe.
In 1991, he became a columnist for The Hudson Reporter chain of newspapers — and he remains with them to this day.
In addition to his work at The Observer and The Hudson Reporter, Hague is also an Associated Press stringer, where he covers Seton Hall University men’s basketball, New York Red Bulls soccer and occasionally, New Jersey Devils hockey.
He’s also doing work at The Morristown Daily Record, the very newspaper where his journalism career began.
During his career, he also worked for Dorf Feature Services, which provided material for the Star-Ledger. While there, he covered the New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets.
Hague is also known for his announcing work — and he’s done PA work for Rutgers Newark and NJIT.
Hague is the author of the book “Braddock: The Rise of the Cinderella Man.”