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All-Star Game Caps Stellar Season For Two Crimson Knights

It's a time to look back for seniors, and preview the future with young talent.

The Shore Basketball Coaches Association all-star games on Friday night at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft were a chance to celebrate two seniors who have been integral to the success of Wall High School basketball while also getting a glimpse at the future.

Senior guard Kyle Janeczek and senior guard Jess Nevins each played in the Senior All-Star Games, while two eighth-graders from Wall were part of the inaugural 8th Grade Futures All-Star Games.

For Janeczek, it was a family affair, as his younger brother, Ryan, played for the South All-Stars in the 8th grade game, along with teammate  Trent Mitchell. Their South team lost  64-50 to the North All-Stars.

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The elder Janeczek suited up for the South team, scoring four points in a 113-107 loss to the North to conclude a high school career in which he was a 1,000-point scorer for the Crimson Knights.

“I've seen the all-star game over the years, so finally playing in it, it was something else,’’ Kyle Janeczek said. “There was what, six straight possessions with dunks? It gets sad, knowing that it's your last game, though. It's just so much fun, and I'm going to miss the whole environment.’’

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It seemed like yesterday for Janeczek that he was in his younger brother’s shoes, getting ready to embark on his high school career. He also was a little envious, given that the eighth-graders received the opportunity to play in a great atmosphere in the newly refurbished Collins Arena at Brookdale.

“I remember when I was in eighth grade we played at a middle school in Howell and there was no one there, so to see something like this with all the future kids coming up is pretty cool,’’ he said.

Janeczek also had the experience of practicing all week with a group of all-stars that included Point Pleasant Beach’s Jarelle Reischel, a Rice University recruit, and Seton Hall University-bound Monsignor Donovan guard Sean Grennan.

“That was the most fun I’ve had playing basketball in my life,’’ Janeczek said.

Janeczek also helped ease any jitters by Ryan before the 8th grade game.

“He was a little nervous, but he knows that, hopefully, he’ll be here (in the senior all-star game) eventually,’’ Janeczek said. “They are going to be good. They’ve already won a seventh-eighth grade championship, so the future of the program looks bright.’’

As for the elder Janeczek, he said that it looks like he will be playing football at The College of New Jersey. He only played one season of high school football, exploding on to the scene this past fall to set multiple school records as a wide receiver.

However, leaving basketball behind will be awfully tough.

“If my body can handle it, I really want to play football and basketball (at TCNJ),’’ he said. “I would just miss it so much.’’

Nevins knows the feeling, as Friday night marked her final game of organized basketball. The 1,000-point scorer will be attending Rutgers University next fall but not playing basketball. She did not score for the North in a 74-57 loss to the South on Friday night, but still savored the experience in a game in which 16 Division I players were initially selected.

“It’s a huge honor to get picked for this game because these girls are so good, and there’s a lot of D-I players,’’ Nevins said. “I played with a lot of the St. John Vianney girls back in fifth and sixth grade, so it was fun to get out there again with them.

“It was sad because it was my last game, but it still was a lot of fun,’’ she said.

As for the future of Wall girls basketball, that also looks bright, as eighth-graders Jess Louro and Lauren Vostal each played for the South in the girls Futures Game. Vostal was one of the standouts, scoring a game-high 12 points in the South’s 50-47 victory over the North.

"High school is going to be really competitive, but it's going to be really fun," Vostal said. "We all pretty much know each other, and I think everyone is looking forward to playing next year."

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