The work—at this early stage — has certainly paid off.
A full slate of games, training and workouts was on the agenda before this wnterseason for the boys’ basketball players and staff at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
The man who was coordinating this hectic and quality off-season schedule was Gene McAteer, the head coach of Bridgewater-Raritan High School’s boys’ basketball team.
“We had a productive off-season; we played in two summer leagues and one fall league,” Coach McAteer reported. “We played a total of 35 games. Most of the team just plays basketball as a varsity sport.”
His sharpshooting senior guard, Richie Gardner, agreed with his veteran skipper.
“We have a lot of players who play basketball as their main sport,” Gardner said. “I am confident that we will have our best season in a long time.”
Evan Woodring, a 6-0 junior guard, even fit in time over the summer to play with his basketball mates while he prepared for the football season. Woodring was a catalyst in the secondary as well as a receiver and fill-in quarterback for a Bridgewater-Raritan football team that won the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 state championship, the program’s first state sectional playoff title.
“Yes, even Woodring got in a bunch of games in the off-season,” McAteer said.
The confidence this winter is due to the return of nine rotation players from last year, according to McAteer, whose team finished 15-11 last season.
So far, the work over the summer and autumn has led to early success.
Bridgewater-Raritan has stormed out to a 2-0 record with dominating victories over Central Jersey College Prep Charter School, 83-39, in the season opener on Thursday, December 11, and then an impressive 73-40 triumph over Central High School of Newark on Saturday, December 13. Both superior victories were held at Bridgewater-Raritan High School’s Vaughn Stapleton Gymnasium.
The 6-3 Gardner was the ringleader during both commanding victories. He pumped in 27 points against Central Jersey College Prep Charter School and then followed up with 20 points against Newark Central.
Two other double-digit scorers have been Tyler Hamby, the 6-4 junior forward, who connected for 15 points against Central Jersey College Prep Charter School, and then 17 points against Newark Central, and fellow 6-4 forward, sophomore Joe Chien, who hit for 17 points against Central Jersey College Prep Charter School and 10 against Newark Central.
Bandon Ur, a 6-0 senior guard, contributed 14 points in the victory over Newark Central.
Now, Bridgewater-Raritan will leave the friendly confines of Vaughn Stapleton Gym and launch its highly competitive Skyland Conference schedule.
The Panthers travel to Franklin Township High School on Tuesday, December 16, for a 7 p.m. game and then they come back and play as the host to Hunterdon Central Regional High School on Thursday, December 18, at 5:30 p.m.
“We have a great opportunity to have some big wins this season,” Coach McAteer said.
Here is the Bridgewater-Raritan High School boys’ basketball roster for the 2025-2026 season.
Here is the Bridgewater-Raritan High School boys’ basketball roster for the 2025-2026 season.
Jersey Number Name Grade Position Height
0 Kush Patel 11 Guard 5-10
1 Alex Kolodziej 12 Guard 6-0
2 Eli Milton 12 Guard 6-1
3 Richie Gardner 12 Guard 6-3
4 Evan Woodring 11 Guard 6-0
5 Josh Baker 12 Guard 5-9
10 Nate Zuckerman 11 Guard 6-0
11 Jack Braswell 11 Forward 6-4
13 Brandon Ur 12 Guard 6-0
23 Tyler Hamby 11 Forward 6-4
24 David Hurlbut 10 Center 6-5
25 Peyton Braun 10 Guard 6-1