After the 17-win campaign in 2024-2025, the Cinnaminson High School boys’ basketball team had high hopes going into this season. However, with the graduation of seven seniors at the end of last season, the Pirates record currently sits at 8-17 as the team approaches the end of the season.
With a new lineup and little varsity experience returning, this season has been about learning how to play at a higher level, building chemistry, and figuring out how to win close games.
Assistant Coach Charles Casey said the biggest difference from last year’s team to this year’s team is that last year’s team had both experience and size.
“None of the players that were on the team last year got really a whole lot of varsity minutes, so we’ve been trying to grow as varsity players,” Casey said.
He added that the team has shown massive amounts of improvement from the beginning of the season, showing “better composure on the court” and “confidence” as the season has progressed.
One example that Casey mentioned was the team’s performance early in the game against Thrive Charter, a team he said was ranked 17th in the state.
“Starting off the game, it was eight to eight off of us, just having confidence that we could run with them. For a young team, moments like that matter because they show the players they can compete even when the record does not reflect it,” Casey said.
Senior point guard and captain Shawn Munson said the hardest part of the team’s transition from last season to this season has been a new young lineup that is still learning to play together.
“It’s a whole new lineup, no returning players from last year, so we got to get some players to step up for us,” Munson said.
Munson added that the biggest issue has been chemistry, explaining that the team has had games where it “clicks” and games where team chemistry has become more of a challenge.
“We’re struggling a little bit, but in all these upcoming games, we have to put more chemistry and play better as a team, and then we’ll get the wins,” Munson said.
Size has also been a factor. Munson said the Pirates are not as big as some of the teams that they play against, which impacts how physical they can play on the court.
“We are not as big of a team. We have two over six-foot guys, that’s about it,” Munson said.
Casey also agreed that physical strength is an area the team needs to improve in. He explained that the team has the skills that they need to compete, but bigger and more physical opponents can wear them down.
“I think strength and for lack of a better word, like weight, is an issue. When we get pushed around sometimes, it doesn’t look good,” Munson said.
Even with the challenges that the team faces, the players believe that the team has strengths that don’t show up in the statbook. Munson said the Pirates show a ton of confidence on the court and can score from the perimeter.
“We’re a good shooting team,” Munson said, confirmed by his 91 three-pointers on the season.
Junior Ben Smith agrees that confidence is key. Smith explained that the team’s best aspect is the chemistry that they are growing week by week.
“I think we got off to a terrible start,” Smith said, “but in the past week or two, our chemistry has really built together.”
Smith pointed out that the team has started to succeed, stating that they have “two wins in the past three games” and are “really gelling together.”
Leadership has become the main focus for the seniors and captains due to the underclassmen seeing more time on the court. Munson describes his role as a senior point guard as being “the brains of the court,” saying he tries to “handle the ball, and get everyone involved,” proven by having 55 assists so far this season. Munson said he also makes sure that all teammates are succeeding off of the court as well.
Casey said the captains and seniors have helped keep the team grounded.
“They’ve been like a very calming force,” Casey said. “They never really get rattled.”
Smith said his job as captain is to “lead by example” and be a vocal leader alongside the rest of the captain group. Smith also emphasizes how important it is to keep the energy up even after losses, when it is not always easy.
The players said they try to move on quickly, learn from mistakes, and focus on the next game rather than getting stuck on the last one or thinking about their record. Instead they think more about the progress they have made from the start of the season to now.
As the season moves into its final stretch, the Pirates are focused on finishing stronger than they started. Munson said there is still time to change the story.
“We have 11 games left and are gonna win a whole lot of those games,” Munson said midway through the season.
Smith’s mindset for the rest of the season is to give everything to the seniors who have put in years of work.
“We put our hearts on the court, and we pour it all out for our seniors. They deserve everything and anything that we can give them, especially Henry Stewart,” Smith said.
With a younger roster learning on the fly, the Pirates’ slow start may be less about lack of wins and talent and more about the time it takes to replace seven graduating seniors. If the team continues to grow, the Pirates’ second half of the season can look very different from their first half.
