Well,
there is some very good news about Ben
Gamble taking the position of head boys’ basketball coach at Bayonne High
School.
At
least this time, the school isn’t about to close.
Gamble
spent two decades as Bob Hurley’s
right-hand man as the assistant coach to the legendary Hall of Famer at St.
Anthony High School in Jersey City. But that school eventually closed.
Gamble
was also the head coach at Cardinal McCarrick High School in South Amboy, but
that school permanently shut its doors.
Then Gamble went to Mater Dei in Middletown, turning that program into a Monmouth County powerhouse, winning the school’s first-ever Shore Conference Tournament title in 2016 and won again in 2017. He reached the Shore Conference Tournament championship in all three years at the school.
Then Gamble went to Mater Dei in Middletown, turning that program into a Monmouth County powerhouse, winning the school’s first-ever Shore Conference Tournament title in 2016 and won again in 2017. He reached the Shore Conference Tournament championship in all three years at the school.
Gamble
then returned to his roots in Hudson County, taking the head coaching job at
Marist. In two seasons with the Royal Knights, winning 20 games the first year
and 22 the next, reaching the finals of the Hudson County Tournament each time.
But
sure enough, Marist permanently closed its doors in June, leaving Gamble
without a coaching home once again..
“I
started to think that I might have to sit out a year,” Gamble said. “When
McCarrick closed, I received about four or five calls right away. But this
time, when the announcement was made to close Marist (in January), I was not
thinking at all about me. I was worried about how I would keep everyone focused
on the season. I wasn’t worried about me. I was worried about whether a 15, 16,
or 17-year-old kid could concentrate on basketball, when everyone was asking
them about where they were going next year.”
The
Royal Knights lost to St. Peter’s Prep in the Hudson County Tournament final in
late February, then lost to Roselle Catholic in the second round of the NJSIAA
Non-Public Group 2 state tournament, ending the season at 22-4.
“Once
the pandemic came, right after the Roselle Catholic game, everything was shut
down,” Gamble said. “I then had the time to look and think about what I wanted
to do.”
Gamble
then saw on the Bayonne website that the Board of Education was looking for a
new boys’ basketball coach, when Steve Russell stepped down after a 7-19 season.
“I
applied on my own,” Gamble said. “I knew Bayonne well from over the years. I
always knew the town had talent.”
Gamble
mentioned three homegrown Bayonne natives in Paul Mulcahy (Rutgers), Corey
Stokes (Villanova) and Ronald
Roberts (St. Joseph’s of Philadelphia) that played NCAA Division I
basketball, but did not attend Bayonne High.
“One
of the biggest misconceptions that parents have is that their kids can only get
exposure in the Catholic schools,” Gamble said. “You get exposure when your
team is good, not because a team comes from a public or a Catholic school. That’s
what I want to establish. I want to establish an identity that kids can go to
college from Bayonne. I think I already have an advantage in that department.”
Gamble
said that since he’s been a head coach, he’s sent as many as 12 players to
big-time college basketball.
“I
can give our players the avenue to still succeed if they stay home,” Gamble said.
Incredibly,
Gamble’s Marist teams did not face Bayonne over the last two years, but he did
watch Bayonne play Memorial as his Royal Knights prepared to face the winner in
the Hudson County Tournament.
“I’m
confident that I can give kids confidence and steer them in the right
direction,” said Gamble, who was a fine basketball and baseball player at St.
Anthony in the late 1970s-early 1980s. “I can make sure that they are
succeeding both academically and athletically. We sent 12 kids to college for
free and one went to Princeton. These are things I can refer to. Our teams have
been in a lot of good events.”
Gamble
said that he’s already geared up to take on the challenges of his new job.
“I’m
excited,” said Gamble, a retired corrections officer. “I have my adrenaline flowing.
I think I can get this done. I’m proud of what I’ve done before. I think I can
get this done. I’m excited about the challenge. I’m excited about the
challenge. I’m excited to still be in the area. I’m still standing. I’m not
going to be an overnight success, but we will be successful.”
And
with his track record, how could anyone doubt Ben Gamble?
Jim.. Mater Dei Prep is very much still open and running.
ReplyDeleteJim Hague Sports: Gamble Takes Job As Bayonne Head Basketball Coach >>>>> Download Now
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My mistake....changing it now
ReplyDeleteJim,
DeleteQuick question cause i feel it was left out of this post. Why did Gamble leave Marter Dei Prep if in your words he was " turning that program into a Monmouth County powerhouse, winning the school’s first-ever Shore Conference Tournament title in 2016 and won again in 2017. He reached the Shore Conference Tournament championship in all three years at the school."
I mean why leave a powerhouse you built for Marist ( a school rumored to be closing for the past 2-3 years prior to actually closing this past year)
Curious on the exit at Marter Dei Prep cause this is a huge get for Bayonne!!! Can you provide the answer?
I heard there were differences of opinion between coach Gamble as to how his program was to be run.
DeleteI heard there were differences between coach Gamble and the administration as to how his program was to be run. He's far from the first coach to go down in flames because of philosophical differences.
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