Taylor Leaving Ridge Hoops to Coach at St. Benedict’s Prep

Mark Taylor is leaving his post as head coach of the Ridge High School boys basketball team to take over the head coaching position at St. Benedict’s Prep School in Newark.

 “It’s one of the top ten programs in the country,” Taylor said on Wednesday of the St. Benedict’s basketball program.

Taylor was Ridge’s coach the past five years and developed the Red Devils basketball program into one of the state’s best.  

He said he will meet with the Ridge team Thursday before he begins his new position.

At St. Benedict's, Taylor replaces Roshown McLeod, who resigned earlier this year a few days after season after just one year on the job, posting an overall season record of 13-12.

Taylor already has coached the likes of NBA's Andrew Bynum — who plays center for the Lakers — and ex-Duke All-American Jay Williams at his previous coaching stop, Metuchen's St. Joseph's High School. He takes over a St. Benedict’s program that became one of the nation’s best over the past decade under then-coach Danny Hurley, who left the post to coach college basketball at Wagner College.

“It wasn’t easy at all to leave Ridge,” Taylor said. “It’s an easy decision to go to St. Benedict’s but hard decision to leave Ridge.

“We’ve developed a good program there the past five years and the players work hard and have great attitudes.”

This past season, Ridge went 15-12 for the season.Taylor helped steer Ridge to the Somerset County Tournament title in 2010, the first county title for Ridge since 1977. The team won 25 games in the 2008-09 season; a program record for wins in a year.

“The one thing that made it a tough decision was leaving the kids at Ridge,” Taylor said. “They are a great team and are in a good position right now.

“I expect the (Dylan and Jack) Kerwins to step up even more as leaders and it’s their job to keep the door open and drive through it.”

Ridge lost four players who left as seniors from this past year’s team – Conor Skea, J.B .Kole, Taylor Bliss and Tom Gambino. But the team will return next season with the Kerwins,  twins Dylan and Jack, guard Dillon Mahon, Brett Matzen, J.D. Moore and promising youngsters Matt Gerrity, Hugh Morris and Kevin Doolan.

“I think they can be county champs next year,” Taylor said of the Ridge varsity team coming up in the ranks. “With the way the Kerwins are playing, Mahon starting to grow — and the JV team winning the county title... we have a very nice group and they have enough to take it.” He added the JV players would step into bigger roles next year.

He stated he is a much better coach now because of his Ridge experience.

“I became a much better coach at Ridge than before I got there,” Taylor said. “I learned a lot and implemented a new stuff because we didn’t have the overwhelming physical talents I had at St. Joe’s.” 

Taylor played his college ball at Fordham University in the Bronx and high school at St. Joseph’s. He was born in Jersey City and grew up in Bridgewater. He said that St. Benedict's was planning to announce his appointment on Wednesday night.