Seton Hall Prep senior forward Ryan Toohers (5) goes up for shot against East Side during Super Essex Conference-American Division game this season.

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1 Seton Hall Prep senior forward Ryan Toohers (5) goes up for shot against East Side during Super Essex Conference-American Division game this season. The 6-4 Pirates standout has boosted the frontcourt depth for the state-ranked squad and is the Sideline Chatter/360 Fitness Athlete of the Week after a terrific trio of perfomances. (Photos by Richard Morris/SHP)

2 Seton Hall Prep's Ryan Toohers hauls down rebound for the Pirates

3 Seton Hall Prep's baseball team is also boosted by the play of its veteran first baseman Ryan Toohers who will be headed to Villanova in the fall. SHP s Toohers Enjoys Ride Filling In Where He s Needed Pirates Senior Forward Is Latest SC/360 AOW By Steve Tober For sidelinechatter.com Seton Hall Prep s Ryan Toohers will be ready to take to the ball diamond once he s done with his senior high school basketball season when it will be time to transition to his No. 1 sport, a game he ll also be playing at the next level with the Villanova Wildcats. But, right now he s enjoying the heck out of being a member of the state-ranked Pirates hoops squad (25-1), one which will be playing for another Essex County Tournament championship on Saturday (1 p.m. at Essex County College in Newark) prior to commencing pursuit of an NJSIAA Non-Public A state title in March. Plus, he s as big a fan as there is of the No. 1 ranked Villanova men s basketball team, one which shares the ball so effectively with five players currently averaging double figures for coach Jay Wright s Wildcats.

4 And Toohers sees that team-oriented, selfless pass-first attitude in his own Pirates, who despite having one of the best individual players in the state in high-scoring Notre Dame-bound senior guard T.J. Gibbs, always seem to be ready to simply hit the open man for the best possible shot regardless of who that individual might be on the floor at the time. The recipe for success at SHP this winter is epitomized also by cerebral, chemistryladen contributors such as Toohers, who whether he is coming off the bench or filling in as a starting forward as he has done recently for an injured Treyvon Bennett (ankle sprain), is contributing in a big way toward the overall success of the Pirates hoops squad. After a recent terrific 3-game stretch, when he scored 21, 21 and 23 points in successive victories, the 6-4 Toohers is the Sideline Chatter/360 Fitness Athlete of the Week. Headed to Villanova this fall as a first baseman, Toohers will be joining former Pirates teammate Lukas De Renzi as a member of the Wildcats baseball squad. But, for now, at least during the current tournament run as long as it lasts, basketball is a game he continues to relish being part of, especially on a team like SHP. I always have loved playing basketball and this season has been as enjoyable as any I have experienced because this team is so much fun to be a part of, he said. To have the opportunity to be able to help this team win is just tremendous and I fill in wherever coach needs me whether it s coming off the bench or filling in for Trey when he needed a couple of days off to rest his ankle. I think it is chemistry of this team that sets it apart, and we re definitely looking to win some more games the rest of the way because you just don t want to see a great journey like this one come to an end until it has to, which is hopefully with winning a state championship. Toohers, who has made seven starts this season for the 25-1 Pirates, had a 3-game stretch that was truly special. First, in an win over Orange on Feb. 16 he scored 21 points, including sinking a pair of 3-pointers. Two nights later, in an triumph vs. Columbia on Feb. 18, he scored another 21 points, including sinking a trio of 3- pointers, to go along with 8 rebounds, two assists and a block in a win. He then closed out his terrific week with perhaps his best effort this past Saturday, scoring 23 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, handing out 3 assists and blocking 2 shots in an Essex County Tournament first round win over American History.

5 It s just great to get into the flow of the game and I was comfortable starting for a stretch of games there, said Toohers. Everything seemed to click for us and I m just glad I could do my part in helping us continue to win games. On the season, Toohers has appeared in 26 games and is averaging 7.0 ppg along with 3.5 rpg. He is shooting 78 % from the foul line (28 of 36) and has made 15 tri-fectas as a perimeter threat. When Bennett does return soon from his ankle sprainm which is nearly fully healed, Toohers will be back in his role as a key reserve which simply adds to the great depth of this SHP squad, which also boasts other standouts such as Bowdoin-bound senior guard Stephen Ferraro and senior forward Zach Keller (Princeton for football).. We have so many guys who can get a big basket even though T.J. is our best player, he said. The great thing is it doesn t matter who scores as long as we re clicking as a team, and that s just great to be a part of no matter what role it is in terms of playing time. In Tuesday night's ECT semifinal victory over West Side, Toohers continued to shine, contributing 12 points and 5 rebounds. "Ryan is a very solid player who has stepped up big-time for us this season," said SHP senior starting forward Zach Keller. "He finishes strong, rebounds and plays defense and he's done a great job in any role he's been asked to perform in." In the spring, Toohers will return to being part of coach Mike Sheppard, Jr. s outstanding SHP baseball team, one which was 27-2 last spring while winning the Greater Newark Tournament title. Toohers batted a solid.357 with three doubles, a triple, a home run, 17 RBI, 9 walks and a fine.491 OBA. Ryan s older brother, Patrick, another former Pirate, is a senior pitcher at James Madison University. He s 6-6 and throws hard and I pitch sometimes as well but first base is where I ve been recruited to play in college, said the current SHP senior. Baseball is our No. 1 sport, but for me there is no doubt that basketball has been just a great part of my high school experience and I wouldn t trade this season for anything with all we ve been able to do as a team so far, and still can accomplish. SHP will open Non-Public, North A state tournament action on Friday night, March 4, hosting the winner of the first round contest between Delbarton and Pope John.

6 Student-Athletes selected for the Sideline Chatter/360 Fitness Athlete of the Week award receive a free speed and agility session at the state-of-the-art 360 facilities located at 25 Greenbrook Road in Fairfield. For more information on all the sessions available at 360, call , ext or log on to Follow Steve Tober on Seton Hall Prep's Ryan Toohers (5) elevates himself for jump shot

7 Ryan Toohers also adds depth to the Seton Hall Prep pitching staff Copyright 2005 Sideline Chatter - comments - contact the webmaster