Van Auken Lifts Delsea to 53-50 South Jersey Group 3 Quarterfinal Win

Led by guard/wing Van Auken, Delsea Regional edged Tri-County Conference rival Cumberland 53-50 in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group 3 quarterfinal on March 2, 2026, advancing the Crusaders to the semifinal round. The victory moved Delsea to 16-11 on the season after a first-round 52-39 win over Pinelands on Feb. 27.

The March 2 result completed another chapter in a season-long rivalry between the two Cumberland County programs. Delsea beat Cumberland 50-45 at home on Jan. 14, lost at Cumberland 61-51 on Feb. 9, dropped a Tri-County Conference Tournament quarterfinal to Cumberland 52-47 on Feb. 17, and then reversed course in the South Jersey quarterfinal with the 53-50 margin.

Delsea’s run through the bracket followed a Feb. 27 opener in which Matt Cosentino’s coverage noted Van Auken posted a double-double as the Crusaders beat Pinelands 52-39. After the March 2 win Delsea stood 16-11; two days later the Crusaders improved to 17-11 by knocking off top-seeded Deptford in the semifinal.

The semifinal in Deptford on Wednesday, March 4, played at Deptford Township High School, showcased Van Auken’s versatility. D2 Sports Network reported Colorado state football commit Luke Van Auken charted 21 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks in Delsea’s 46-42 win over Deptford, with Ryan Casiano finishing with 10 points, four rebounds and an assist and Dahmir Hart contributing nine points, three rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. Deptford’s Jordan Williams scored 14 points with nine rebounds, Brian Orio dished a game-high eight assists and Luke Vilary added nine points and four rebounds in the 22-7 season for the hosts. Collin Conway of D2 Sports Network captured teammates Dahmir Hart (3) and Blake Bottino (5) celebrating during the Deptford victory.

Van Auken’s impact extends beyond a single game. Courier-Post reporting and coach Tom Freeman’s comments underline the 6-foot-7, 260-pound athlete’s physical profile and cross-sport development. Freeman said, "He's very, very tough to deal with when he's right. We are seeing that. You can't simulate that in practice." Freeman added, "He's quicker," "He's faster. He's stronger. He put in the work, going to a guy for three days a week because he was trying to get a football scholarship. We've benefited from him wanting to be a Division 1 football player, luckily for us." Freeman also noted, "Honestly, he worked on zero basketball in the off-season. He worked on football skills. He saw somebody to do some speed and agility stuff. He's a totally different athlete. He worked on his athleticism, and that has transmitted onto the court."

Van Auken reflected on matchups and role, saying, "It's something that my coaches really want me to do. I feel like I'm a weird matchup for some big men from other teams. If they want to play big with me, I can stretch them out and go by them. If they want to play out on me and they're smaller, I can just go down and bang with them."

With the semifinal win, Delsea will visit third-seeded Ocean City in the South Jersey Group 3 championship on Saturday, carrying a 17-11 record and the momentum of a season that has featured multiple tight games against Cumberland and a balanced attack in the postseason.