Marlboro boys have cage playoffs on their minds BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer It’s been a streaky season for the Marlboro boys basketball team, but one thing has remained constant — the Mustangs’ resolve. "This is a tough group," said head coach Matt Murphy. "They’re strong and determined. They know they are good and didn’t want to have a subpar season." Thanks to an upset win over Freehold Township, the Mustangs have put themselves in a position to think state playoffs. Marlboro was in a throng of five straight losses before winning four of its last five games to improve to .500 (6-6) entering this week’s action. Murphy pointed out that during the losing streak, the team was competitive and playing hard. The turnaround was simply a matter of becoming more efficient at what they were doing, and not the result of any major adjustments. "We’re getting better shooting and rebounding," the head coach said. "We’re not really doing anything different on offense. We’re making shots. We’re starting to click." One of the big reasons for the offensive turnaround has been the shooting of Harris Feibischoff and sophomore Chris Valdes. Feibischoff has been red hot, hitting from beyond the three-point arc and making teams have to defend him. He can put up 20-plus points any night. Just six games into the season one of the team’s top scorers, Joe Visciari, went down with a broken arm. Enter sophomore Valdes. He stepped in and has averaged 11 points a game."He’s been very productive," Murphy said. "I’m not surprised by his play. I knew from watching him as a freshman that he has talent." The Salomon brothers, Rodney and Hendrick, have been sturdy and steady. Senior Hendrick has been coming on and had 13 points and 10 rebounds in the upset of Freehold Township. Rodney, a junior, is the reason Marlboro’s rebounding production is up. "He’s been hitting the boards hard," noted Murphy. Rodney has been putting up a double-double each night for Marlboro, averaging 12 points and 13 rebounds per game. Point guard Jeff Horowitz has been the team’s field general. "Jeff controls the game and runs our offense well," Murphy said. "He makes smart decisions." Another plus for Marlboro is a deep bench. Murphy has a steady rotation of eight to nine players each game. The players off the bench have provided him with flexibility Dan Montiero, a forward/center, can provide an inside presence if the team needs rebounding. Jack DeStefano bolsters the backcourt. Drew Rothstein suffered a fractured wrist in the preseason and has just recently returned. The forward was expected to be a big contributor this year and now that he is back, the Mustangs are much stronger on the front court. With Rodney and Hendrick Salomon, at 6-3 and 6-4, able to defend the baseline, Marlboro has come up with a very effective 3-2 defense that they can throw at teams to change things up.