Colts Neck's JT: From TR North To The Izod Center

I don’t really remember John Truhan from his playing days as a point guard on the Toms River North basketball team. It was much later that I would learn he was on the court when Southern’s Steve Lally hit a buzzer-beating desperation shot to win the 1985 WOBM Christmas Classic. Once we became friends I would even kid Truhan that if he was covering Lally like he should have it would have been the Mariners who won the championship.

While Truhan might have missed out on that title as a player he has more then made up for that with his success as a Girls Basketball coach, first at Toms River South and now at Colts Neck. Tonight his Cougars meet St. John Vianney in the Tournament of Champions final at the Izod Center and it’s a moment “JT” has been working for his entire career.

That diminutive guard with an afro who graduated high school 23 years ago has become one of the state’s best coaches and his record bears that out.
In five seasons at TR South he won three “Class A South” titles and in 2001 his Indians claimed the Central Jersey Group 3 championship before losing in the overall Group 3 final. South tied a school record for victories with back-to-back 22-win seasons during Truhan’s tenure.

That was only a preview of things to come as there’s been even greater success in his six seasons at Colts Neck. The Cougars have won three division titles and in 2008 became the first public school in 19 years to claim the Shore Conference Championship. After losing twice in the sectional finals Colts Neck claimed the overall Group 4 crown this month and have beaten Rumson and defending champion Malcolm X. Shabazz to reach tonight’s TOC Final with a school-record 29 victories.

Truhan’s overall coaching record of 222-70 is especially impressive when you consider he has built winning programs at two different public schools.
Tonight with a starting lineup of five juniors he goes after the ultimate prize in New Jersey and I’m among the many rooting for him. Included in that group will be his wife Kim, daughter Kristy and son John Jr. Win or lose they’ll be waiting for him when the long season comes to an end.