Ocean Boys Open Season With Win Over Henry Hudson

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.

Making a great baseline move to the hoop is Justice Hodges (3) a junior guard at Ocean Township.

For most freshman athletes in high school, they are normally don’t get called up to a varsity game, unless the coach wants to make a statement about the amount of players they have. That was not the case on December 16, when head coach Ryan Pringle called up two freshmen.

Omar and Ahmad Ayyash were not called up to the varsity level to sit on the bench, they were part of the starting five for the Spartans as they hosted Henry Hudson to open the 2025-2026 season.

In the opening quarter, the Spartans took an 18-12 lead over the visiting Admirals. Of those 18 points, Omar had seven and Ahmad scored four. The first half was all Ocean, as they dominated the second quarter outscoring Henry Hudson 17-6. Aidan Saint Louis, senior guard for the Spartans, hit three, deep three-point shots for nine points. Justice Hodges had three as did Vernon Taylor and Omar had two points. Spartans took a 35-18 lead into the break.

However, the second half was all Henry Hudson as they fired a fierce comeback. They outscored Ocean 13-11 in the third quarter and 14-7 in the final. It was not enough, as the Spartans held onto the 53-48 win.

In his varsity debut, Omar Ayyash was top scorer for the Spartans with 22 points. He also pulled down six rebounds, and had three assists. Every time he made a shot, the Ocean student section in attendance would yell; “he is a freshman.”

Saint Louis was the only other Spartan to finish in double digits, with 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Brody Bell, sophomore, scored eight points and had six rebounds and assists. Hodges scored five and pulled down three rebounds and had two assists. Ahmad Ayyash didn’t score again after the first quarter, finishing with four points and 10 rebounds, two assists and one block.

In the Shore Conference, Ocean plays in the B Central division with Monmouth Regional, Long Branch, Matawan, Neptune and Raritan.

Henry Hudson is in the C North division along with Keyport, Asbury Park, Keansburg and Shore Regional.

Friday night, December 19, the Spartans will travel to Shore Regional to face the Blue Devils with a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.

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