Chatham high school boys basketball is 6-0 and one of the three remaining teams to stay undefeated in the NJAC. They are led by coach Todd Ervin, and after facing strong teams such as Westfield and Delaware Valley, the team has proven their dominance against a variety of skilled opponents.
To recap, their season began in a home opener on December 16 against Sparta, where they dominated 69-39. Shortly after, they faced West Morris Central on the December 18, which ended in a similar 66-29 victory over the Wolfpack. They began their second week of the season against the strong Westfield, and despite the close battle, the Cougars pulled out another win, 58-49. The following Saturday (December 27), the team took part in an in-state tournament, where they faced Delaware Valley and won 57-49. On Monday Deember 29, they began their very own Cougar Classic, where they took a 71-58 win over Cranford, and a 90-45 win over New Providence that following Tuesday to conclude the 2025 portion of their season.
Their wins over Delaware Valley and Westfield have significantly impacted their statistical placements. The team is currently second in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 Power Points ranking with 13.756 power points of their own. Similarly, they are first in the NJAC American Division and the only team in that division to remain undefeated.
Some strong players have led the team to their success lately. Senior Michael MacAniff has surpassed 100 points (101) within the six games they’ve already played this season, proving his leadership and experience on the court. Not far behind, Senior Marco Mannino and Junior Jalen Forehan-Kelly are currently tied for 58 points this season. Ryan Leach, another Senior, has also made an impact on this team, making 13 free throws and a total of 48 points this year.
Despite some strong players, the talent is greatly dispersed amongst their roster, as they have an assortment of skilled, new, and experienced players as keys to their game. If you want to catch Chatham in action, they host Union Catholic on Monday, January 5 at 7 p.m. Although it is early on, it can be suspected that Chatham has a strong season ahead of them.
