Boys’ Basketball

STATE PREP A CHAMPIONS
2024 2019 2014 2011 2009

New Jersey Prep Open Title
2025, 2026

— MAPL CHAMPS —
 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2020 2019 2018 2016 2015 2012 2010
2006 2005 2003 2002 2001

Varsity Boys' Basketball in New Jersey

We believe basketball is a simple game played by complicated people and not a complicated game played by simple people.

A high-school boys' basketball team that is fundamentally sound, mentally tough and unselfish will always have a chance to win. To what degree will largely be determined by the talent level and the commitment of the players and the demands placed on the team by the coaching staff on a daily basis. We will be a top basketball program where simplicity and execution will be emphasized, and the demands of the coaching staff will be abundantly clear.

Defensive Strategy

Defensively, we believe in laying a foundation of quarter-court man-to-man defense. Our defense will be the cornerstone of our program. A player who cannot play our brand of aggressive defense will not be able to play regardless of his offensive prowess. We believe in man-to-man defense because it calls for individual accountability, which in turn, strengthens our total defensive concept. Also, it creates a high intensity level every day in practice, which leads to championship habits. Our overriding philosophy will be to guard the arc and give up few easy shots. Our defense will be relentlessly physical and technically sound given time. We will bump every cutter, put great pressure on the ball and finish every defensive possession with a checkout. In short, we will try to dictate the game to the offense.

Offensive Strategy

Offensively, we will look to be very aggressive and quickly push the ball up the floor on both makes and misses to gain numeric advantages that lead to easy shots in transition. If our transition game is neutralized, we will flow into a half-court motion and quick-hitter offense. We will teach some set plays, but more importantly, we will teach players HOW to play. This style puts a premium on individual offensive development and role identification. This offensive system is by no means a democracy, the best players will get more shots and every player must be made quickly aware of both his strengths and weaknesses.

Basically, we feel that basketball, at its simplest, is a game of percentages. Our defense will attempt to force low percentage, contested shots. In so doing, our aim is to be physical and disciplined enough to limit both our opponents’ second shots and transition hoops. Conversely, our players will possess the knowledge of how to play, they will be driven to constantly improve their skill level, and they will be disciplined to limit their turnovers and create high-percentage scoring opportunities. We believe this formula combined with a continued personal off-season commitment and a talented group of young people with a positive attitude can lead to more Basketball Banners in Hardwick Hall.

Beyond basketball, Blair athletes strive for excellence in the classroom and as citizens and leaders of our close-knit community. Blair's rigorous college-preparatory academic program gives our athletes the opportunity to develop to their highest potential as scholars, enabling their future success off the court as well as on.

Inquire today or contact Coach Mantegna at mantej@blair.edu to learn more about the basketball program and other high-school sports at our dynamic private school in New Jersey.

View directions to athletic events. To read recaps about past events, go to the "Team News" tab above.

Fall 2026 Schedule

About Coach Mantegna

Blair’s record since Coach Mantegna’s arrival is 518-165 against a nationally-ranked schedule, including 18 of the last 25 Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) titles (2000-2003, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025) and 21 trips to the NJ prep “A” state finals, where Blair earned state titles in 2009, 2011, 2014, 2019 and 2024, and a NJ State Open Title in 2025 and 2026. Since joining Blair’s faculty in 1999, Joe has also advised students as the Associate Dean of College Counseling and a twelfth grade academic monitor. Currently, Joe serves as the assistant coach for the South Sudanese Men’s National Team under head coach Royal Ivey ’00 and South Sudan Basketball president Luol Deng ’03. The team made history in the Paris Olympics, as only the second African nation to ever win an Olympic game (after winning three games in the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manilla, Philippines). Additionally, Joe acted as the head coach of the USA team at the 2022 NIKE Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon, where he led the USA team to a 22-point victory over the World Team. As well, Joe has acted as a coaching consultant for the Luol Deng Foundation, where he assisted in running camps throughout North America and Australia for Sudanese immigrants and, annually, for the best players in the UK in London. Joe has also served USA Basketball the last seven years as an on-court coach for their junior national team training camps, and he is also a regular speaker for USA Basketball Academies around the country. Finally, Joe has become a sought-after corporate leadership speaker and also owns and runs basketball camps and coaching clinics in New Jersey and Massachusetts.

Joe completed his undergraduate work at Ithaca College in New York in 1991 and earned a master’s degree in sports management from East Stroudsburg University in 1995. Before arriving at Blair, he served as an assistant coach and admission professional at four colleges, including Boston University and Lehigh University. Joe lives on campus with his wife, Shelly, and they are the parents of Jake ’19, Lula ’20 and Xavier ’24. In addition to his coaching duties, he serves as Blair's Associate Dean of College Counseling. He can be reached at (908) 362-3125 or mantej@blair.edu.

About Coach DeJesus

View more photos from the most recent season here.

Making the Decision to Come to Blair

Celebrating Alumni Basketball

• Kentucky's Otega Oweh always was athletic. Then he added consistency. It's a winning combo.
• NC State’s Michael O’Connell has been a March Madness hero. His coach called it.
• Virginia’s Mike Tobey '12, freed from high expectations, taps into his potential (2/16)
• Former Pitman basketball star Tim Delaney displays toughness every step of the way at Blair Academy (1/15)
• Cleveland Cavaliers forward Luol Deng wins J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (4/14)
• The extraordinary life of Cleveland Cavaliers' Luol Deng - and a plea for peace in his homeland of South Sudan (4/14)
• Blair Basketball Teams Pick Turnips for Local Food Pantries (11/13)
• Jesse Pritchard Elected 2013-14 Captain of Yale Bulldogs (4/13)
• Nate Healy Named Student-Athlete of the Week (1/13)
• Summit High School Honors Hoops Legend Wellington Smith (1/13)
• Get to know the 2012-13 impact freshmen (11/12)
• Royal Ivey: 'The sky is not the limit' (8/12)
• Charlie Villanueva Anti-Bullying Basketball Camp 2012 (8/12)
• Sixers sign veteran guard Ivey for one year (8/12)
• Joe Hart ’12 hopes GB call is step nearer to Games (7/12)
• Jordan Alston counted on to take the reins for Blair Academy (12/11)
• Lionel Gomis selects Siena (11/10)
• Summit native Wellington Smith overlooked by everyone but WV teammates (3/10)
• Swifts' Hart off to States (9/09)
• Hart's off to USA (8/09)
• Mark Bevacqua transfers to Blair Academy (7/09)
• Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva relieved to sign long-term deals with Pistons (7/09)
• Huskies’ Alvarez Closes Long Stint Away From Home (3/09)
• Louisville’s Will Scott closing in on MBA, not NBA (3/09)
• Royal Flush; A Q & A with Sixers guard Royal Ivey (11/08)

NBA Alumni

Royal Ivey ’00 –
2004 second-round draft choice Atlanta Hawks (37th pick from Texas), played in the NBA from 2004-2014, current assistant coach Brooklyn Nets

Luol Deng ’03 –
2004 first round draft choice (7th pick in the NBA Draft Phoenix Suns), NBA All-Rookie Team 2005, NBA All-Star 2012 & 2013, NBA Sportsmanship Award 2007, J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award 2014, 13,361 career points, played in the NBA from 2004-2019

Charlie Villanueva ’03 – 
2005 first-round draft choice (7th pick in the NBA Draft Toronto Raptors), NBA All-Rookie Team 2006, Had a 50 point game, Played in the NBA from 2005-2016, 

Mike Tobey ’12 – Charlotte Hornets (University of Virginia)
Signed as a free agent in 2017, currently plays for Valencia Basketball in the Spanish ACB and the EuroLeague

Marial Shayok '14 – Drafted by the Philadelphia 76'ers in 2019 (54th overall by the Philadelphia 76'ers from Iowa State), Led the G-League in scoring 2020, currently plays for Fenerbahce in the EuroLeague

NBA Action Shots
Luol Deng ’03 - McDonald's High School All-American ACC Freshman of the Year (Duke) # 7 pick in the 2004 NBA Draft (Chicago Bulls). Photo courtesy of the Chicago Bulls/Bill Smith	Charlie Villanueva ’03 - McDonald's High School All-American First Blair alum to win an NCAA Basketball National Championship (UCONN)
Royal Ivey ’00 - Two time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (Texas) #37 pick in the 2004 NBA Draft (currently with the Philadelphia 76'ers)	Mike Tobey '12 - Mike will go down as one of the winning- nest players in UVA History and was signed in 2017 by the Charlotte Hornets.

Current & Former College Players

Coach Mantegna's Camps & Clinics

Blair Academy Basketball 'Elite Skill Development Camp' 2026

• WHO: Serious-minded male and female players (rising 7th to 12th graders)
• WHEN: June 22-24, 2026 (5:30-8:00 p.m.)
• WHERE: Blair Academy Hardwick Hall Athletic Complex
• WHY: High level skill development and tactical training for middle school and high school players
• GOAL: Teach skill development and the nuances of basketball tactics to older players
• COST: $250 for the three sessions of instruction (receive $25 off if you register before April 28th)
• CAMP DIRECTOR: Joe Mantegna, Head Boys' Varsity Basketball Coach at Blair Academy, coachmantegna@gmail.com (862) 268-4282 
• REGISTER HERE

Blair Academy Basketball 'FUNdamentals Camp' 2026 — information to come

• WHO: Boys and girls in grade and middle school
• WHEN: July 27-July 30, 2026 (9am-12pm)
• WHERE: Blair Academy Hardwick Hall Athletic Complex
• WHY: Entertaining and informative basketball environment for players of all skill levels
• GOAL: Grow basketball at a grassroots level in northwestern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania
• COST: $250 for four sessions of instruction (receive $25 off if you register before May 30th)
• FAMILY DISCOUNT: $100 for each additional sibling
• CAMP DIRECTOR: Jon DeJesus, Assistant Boys' Varsity Basketball Coach at Blair Academy, jdejesus221@gmail.com (570) 499-9802
• REGISTER HERE 

Blair Basketball Facts & Figures Since 1999

• Coach Mantegna's 27-year record: 518 wins – 165 losses
• Eleven Blair alumni have played in the NCAA Final Four: Royal Ivey '00, Patrick Davidson ’03 (Duke), Luol Deng ’03 (Duke), Charlie Villanueva ’03 (University of Connecticut), Jordan Davidson '05 (Duke), Wellington Smith '06 (West Virginia), Tim Delaney '15 (Villanova), Keenan Worthington '19 (Duke), Jaylen Blakes '21 (Duke), Kyle Cuffe '21 (Kansas), Michael O'Connel '21 (NC State).
• Over 90 Blair alumni had played at the college level, over 70 of these at the Division 1 level.
• Five Blair alumni have played in the NBA: Luol Deng ’03, Charlie Villanueva ’03, Royal Ivey '00, Mike Tobey '12, Marial Shayok '14. (Royal now coaches for the Houston Rockets in the NBA).
• Seventeen Blair alumni have played professionally internationally:  Shamari Spears ’06 , Wellington Smith '06, Justin Robinson ’07,  Julius Coles ’07, Alexis Wangmene '07, Nate Healy ’09, Chris Matagrano ’09, Mike Tobey '12, Joe Hart '12, Elijah Burns '15, Jack Rauch '16, Akoldah Gak '21, Tucker Richardson ‘19, Gabe Ravetz ‘19, Henry Makeny ‘20, Jaylen Blakes '21, Michael O'Connel '21
• Eighteen Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) Tournament Championships (2000-2003, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)
• Seven New Jersey prep “A” or Prep Open state championships (2009, 2011, 2014, 2019, 2024, 2025, 2026)
• Blair was the only high school in the nation to have two McDonald’s and Parade All-Americans in 2003 (Luol Deng ’03 and Charlie Villanueva ’03) 
• Deron Rippey, Jr '26 was a rare back to back NJ Gatorade Player of the year (24-25 & 25-26), 25-26 Naismith National Player of the Year, USA Today First Team All American, National Prep Player of the Year, Morgan Wooten Player of the Year, McDonald's All American, USA NIKE Hoop Summit Team member
  
  Blair Academy alumni have competed at top universities, including:

Grit - A Blair Basketball player should strive to conduct themselves on and off the court with courage, determination, tenacity and resilience. 

Gratitude - A Blair basketball player should have the perspective to appreciate every day and every opportunity afforded to them.

Joyfulness - A Blair Basketball player should never lose sight of the fact that basketball is only a game and should be at it's core a fun and joyful experience to share with one's teammates.

Selflessness - The Blair Basketball Cause Over Self motto is at the very core of all that we do.  We always value the team over any selfish motives.

Podcasts

Simple Talk Ep. 3 - with Joe Mantegna

The Euro Stepping: No Lies Told with Joe Mantegna

The Basketball Strong Podcast: Putting Cause Above Self on the Court, Mentoring Young Players Through Personal Tragedy, and Continuing his Father's High School Coaching Legacy

United Basketball & Champions 101: Ep 124 Joe Mantegna | Coaching Elite Players

Sports Business Secrets with Kevin Tarca: Episode 194: Head Coach of Blair Academy, Joe Mantegna

Duke Basketball Report: Episode #310 with Joe Mantegna 

Slappin' Glass Podcast: Joe Mantegna on Radical Truthfulness, Pistol Action, and the Two-Sided Fast Break

Basketball Immersion: Joe Mantegna on Teaching Basketball and Radical Transparency

By: Nico Parauda '13

The definition of Mudita:
Mudita is an altruistic concept found in Buddhist teaching. Defined as “vicarious joy”, it
is a primary pillar of Blair Basketball Culture. In sports, mudita is exhibited as genuine
excitement for teammates’ success.

Background:
Mudita is a Sanskrit and Pali word that has no direct English translation. The German
word “Schadenfreude” (taking pleasure in someone else’s misfortune) is often used as
an antonym for mudita. Mudita’s closest English synonyms are empathy, sympathy,
solidarity, and compassion - but these only begin to describe mudita. Mudita is defined
as a sympathetic or empathetic joy, boundless delight in the well-being of others.
Mudita is one of four Bubrahmavihārās in Buddhist teaching and the most difficult to
master. Similar themes are found in the Bible. The apostle Paul said, "Rejoice with those
who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" (Romans 12:15).

Mudita should not be confused with pride. Pride is defined as “a feeling of deep pleasure
or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements or the achievements of those with
whom one is closely associated.” Mudita is characterized by joy for others' happiness,
even if we did not contribute to that happiness.

The enemies of mudita are envy and greed. One way to combat this is by practicing
gratitude and appreciation. If we consciously acknowledge that we have all that we need,
there far is less to be envious or greedy about. By practicing mudita we are actively
eradicating our own greed and craving.

The happiness born of shared pleasures, shared love, shared possessions, shared
delights in another's success, will surpass the meager selfish happiness of the miser. -
C.F. Knight

Letting Go of Ego:
Practicing mudita requires a level of humility that most people raised in our
individualistic, zero-sum society simply are not prepared for. That is why it is so
valuable to cultivate mudita at the adolescence team level. Because it is easier to feel
genuine happiness for people we care about, the “shortcut” to cultivating mudita is to
care. If we know our teammates' story - their fears and aspirations, if we genuinely care
about them - sharing in their joyfulness will come naturally. To care deeply about others
in this way requires removing the ego.

If we are able to let go of our ego and the joy for others rises naturally within us, we will
find happiness much easier to come by. Let go of your self-pity and jealousy and
joyfulness will abound. A Ryan Holiday quote illustrates the inverse relationship
between egotism and mudita.

Ego is the enemy - giving us wicked feedback, disconnected from reality. It’s defensive,
precisely when we cannot afford to be defensive. It blocks us from improving by telling
us that we don’t need to improve. Then we wonder why we don’t get the results we
want, why others are better and why their success is more lasting.

In this way, it is important not only to rejoice in the successes of our teammates but to
acknowledge our individual successes are, in fact, not individual at all and accept them
with humility and appreciation for all those that made it possible.

Mudita has the power not only to improve a team, but the world. Happiness is infectious
and exercising shared joy requires optimistic faith in mankind as a whole.
If this potential for unselfish joy is widely and methodically encouraged and
developed... The seed of mudita can grow into a strong plant that will blossom forth
and find fruition in many other virtues, as a kind of beneficial "chain reaction":
magnanimity, tolerance, generosity (of both heart and purse), friendliness, and
compassion. When unselfish joy grows, many noxious weeds in the human heart will
die a natural death (or will, at least, shrink): jealousy and envy, ill will in various
degrees and manifestations, cold-heartedness, miserliness (also in one's concern for
others), and so forth. Unselfish joy can, indeed, act as a powerful agent in releasing
dormant forces of the Good in the human heart. - Nyanaponika Thera

"Mudita: The Buddha's Teaching on Unselfish Joy", four essays by Nyanaponika Thera,
Natasha Jackson, C.F. Knight, and L.R. Oates. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30
November 2013, https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/various/wheel170.html

Boys’ Junior Varsity Basketball Program

Like Blair's varsity basketball team, the JV team believes basketball is a simple game played by complicated people and not a complicated game played by simple people.

A boys' basketball team that is fundamentally sound, mentally tough and unselfish will always have a chance to win. To what degree will largely be determined by the talent level and commitment of the players and the daily demands placed on the team by the coaching staff. Blair's JV basketball program emphasizes simplicity and execution; the demands of the coaching staff are abundantly clear.

About Coach Chery

Isaiah Chery joins Blair’s mathematics department following his work as an Algebra II instructor at Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Massachusetts, where he also served as a football, basketball, and track-and-field coach, a head dorm parent, student advisor and advisor to the school’s Black Student Union. During a fellowship at The Lawrenceville School, he taught economics and government courses while also supporting students in Algebra II. He later spent a summer at Choate Rosemary Hall coaching students in competitive debate and public speaking. A 2022 graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, Isaiah earned his BA in economics and government. 

About Coach Fleming

Emma Fleming, Blair’s Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Information & Athletics Facilities, earned her BS in public relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in 2026, where she also minored in sports management. She brings experience in sports communications and digital marketing through her roles as a digital content intern for Firecracker Sports, a marketing assistant for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and a communications resident for Little League International.
In addition to her professional experience, Emma is passionate about all things softball. She served as president and coach of Syracuse Club Softball, spent three years as assistant director of the Nike Softball Camp in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and was inducted into the Trenton Softball Hall of Fame.  

View directions to athletic events.

View more photos from the most recent season here.

Boys’ 3rds Basketball Program

Like the varsity and JV basketball teams, the 3rds team believes basketball is a simple game played by complicated people and not a complicated game played by simple people.

A boys' basketball team that is fundamentally sound, mentally tough and unselfish will always have a chance to win. To what degree will largely be determined by the talent level and commitment of the players and the daily demands placed on the team by the coaching staff. Blair's 3rds basketball program emphasizes simplicity and execution; the demands of the coaching staff are abundantly clear.

Meet Coach Prezioso

With a deep commitment to youth athletics and community leadership, David Prezioso brings a wealth of coaching experience to Blair Academy. Having built a long history of coaching both hockey and baseball, he also serves as the president of his local little league, where he works to foster a passion for sportsmanship and team development. In addition to his role with the boys’ thirds basketball program, David is also an assistant coach for the boys’ JV soccer and varsity baseball teams.

David earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Delaware. He is a local business owner and lives in Blairstown with his wife, Tara ’96, who works as a school counselor at Blair, their son, Ty ’27, and their two dogs, Roxy and Sal.

Meet Coach Hodakowski

With a Buccaneer family lineage too long to detail, Bridget Hodakowski ’99 has worked at Blair since 2011, for many years in the advancement office supporting the annual fund, alumni engagement and school governance. In 2021, she returned to where she started her career years earlier as a member of Blair’s admission office. For several years, she served as prospective families’ first point of contact with the School and warmly welcomed them to campus as admission coordinator. In 2024, she was appointed to the faculty and now serves as Assistant Dean of Admission and assistant coach for the 3rds boys’ basketball team. 

A former member of the Board of Governors, a current rep for the class of 1999 and proud Blair alumna, Bridget holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Dickinson College and found her passion in education while working as an assistant director in undergraduate and graduate admission at Stevens Institute of Technology in the early 2000s. She lives with her husband, Marc, and their children, Jack ’29 and Drew, in Mason Hall. 

View more photos from the most recent season here.

View directions to athletic events.