Manasquan Falls Short, Frazier’s a Father

A little of this and a little of that this morning.

How can they call what we might receive today a winter storm when winter ended?  Don’t you have to call it a spring storm?  Just wondering.

The Manasquan High School girl’s basketball team came up short last night in their bid for a second Tournament of Champions title in three years.  The Warriors fell to powerhouse Shabazz 69-55 as the Bulldogs won their second straight TOC crown and finished a season in which their only loss was to a team from California.  Meanwhile with Marina Mabrey and Courtney Hagaman back next season don’t be surprised if Squan makes another run at a championship.

As always happens during the NCAA Tournament there is much debate over college basketball players who leave after just one season for the big bucks and the NBA.  You can debate all you want the merits of whether they are ready because the issue to me is all about student-athletes which many of the so-called “one and dones” are not.

Because the NBA does not allow them to turn pro right out of high school what they do is head to college where during the fall semester they often take the minimum credits needed to be eligible.  Not only that but the course selection is often a joke.  Again they take a less-than-challenging academic load in the spring and once the basketball season ends in March they basically drop out of school and get ready for the NBA draft.

I would favor the same system that is in place with baseball.  If a young man is that gifted out of high school and can head right to the NBA then good luck.  However once you enter college you are not eligible for the draft until after your junior year which at least in some cases would be the student back in student-athlete.

Toms River’s Todd Frazier is still looking for his first hit as a father.  The Reds third baseman is 0-7 with three strikeouts since re-joining the team following the birth of Blake Brian Frazier.   Todd’s wife Jackie gave birth to the couple’s first child last Thursday and Blake tipped the scales at 10lbs, 7 ounces and 23 inches long. I  Figure he gets his first hit for the Toms River South Indians in about 15 years.

Todd is actually having a solid spring with a .286 batting average along with 2 homers and 8 RBI’s.  Cincinnati opens the season at home next Monday against the Cardinals.