As far as basketball tournaments in New Jersey are concerned, the Shore Conference Tournament may be one of the most difficult to win. With 47 schools in the conference and thenumber of qualifying teams often numbering in the mid-20s, the sheer depth of the annual tourney makes it difficult for teams seeded below the eighth spot to go far beyond the first round.

And unfortunately, even the best among Southern Ocean County’s squads weren’t treated kindly as the SCT opened up on Tuesday, Feb. 14.