St. Thomas hires former standout as its next boys basketball coach
After dominating the Greater Middlesex Conference boys basketball scene for the first half of this decade, the St. Thomas Aquinas boys basketball team took a step back this year.
The Trojans have had four coaches over the past 12 months, which is one more than the number of players it had on the court at the end of its GMCT semifinal loss to Colonia.
In its quest to move forward, St. Thomas is looking to its past by hiring former Trojans standout and former college coach Tom Weiler, the team’s leading scorer in 2014-15, to take over the reins and rejuvenate the program.
“First and foremost, it’s being back at the school that I know and that I love, that I wholeheartedly believe in as a greater place for student-athletes,” Weiler said for his motivation. “What was more convincing for me to go to the high school level after being at the college level for a few years and just seeing the landscape of what basketball is at both the college and high school level. I just felt the high school spot is a good place to affect change, especially in this day and age where it’s really a competitive field to get in to college basketball and the next level. Those were the main things that drew me to it, having that opportunity to affect that change with the younger level I found is really important moving forward.”
Upon graduating from the school -- then still known as Bishop Ahr -- the Old Bridge native spent five years at Centenary University in Hackettstown after breaking his leg during his junior college campaign, before returning to his alma mater for a year as freshman coach and varsity assistant under Bob Turco.
The Old Bridge native then rejoined his former college coach, Tim Fusina, for two season at Sussex County College, then spent the last two years with Fusina at Waynesburg (Pa.) University.
St. Thomas has been in flux since Turco left after last season and was replaced by assistant Austin Whitehurst, who was suspended for eight games due to an alleged recruiting violation. He then was terminated after allegations that he was texting his assistants during games, something Whitehurst denied but accepted due to concerns that the NJSIAA might levy further sanctions against the school.
Victor Verdecia took over as interim coach and will be retained on the staff, as will assistant Mike Rosario, the former St. Anthony and Rutgers star. St. Thomas was 15-12 this past season, playing an arduous schedule with a majority of road games.
Athletic Director Jerry Smith made discipline and communications his primary priorities for the next coach and feels Weiler brings the right balance to the position.
“Tom graduated from the school, which is not a requisite, but it helps,” Smith said. “He was a college recruiter and that checks another box for me because he knows that process. He’s grown up so much.”
Weiler has watched every Trojan game from last season since he began pursuing the position and is very aware of the promising nucleus the team has returning in juniors Albion Ahmetaj and Daniel Jennings, sophomore Aidan Carter and freshmen Zymere Weaver and Tristan Harvey.
In addition to providing the communication and discipline that Smith is seeking, Weiler has a vision for how the Trojans will play.
“Playing fast, getting up and down the floor. Offensively, getting the ball down the court, putting pressure on the paint, putting pressure on the baseline and the rim as much as possible is what we’re going to look to do,” said Weiler. “From there, if you stop us in transition, we’re going to force you to guard us, force you to work.”
“Defensively, similar ideas,” he continued. “We’re going to want to get up and down, we’re going to pressure you. Usually I’m a man-to-man coach, so I like that grittiness and that toughness at the defensive end. That’s where it’s going to start for us.”
He admits that his new position is just beginning to settle in.
“It’s definitely surreal, it feels like just yesterday I was wearing the jersey,” said Weiler. “Ultimately the goal was to get back closer to home. This is everything I’ve been working towards. It’s a dream come true.”
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ St. Thomas hires former standout as its next boys basketball coach
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