Sharpshooter Jagger Zrada and Moorestown are on a roll

First, about the name.

Moorestown senior guard Jagger Zrada’s parents are Rolling Stones fans. But they didn’t name their boy after the legendary band’s front man. Still, there is a rock-and-roll connection.

Zrada said his name was inspired by Creed leader singer Scott Stapp, who in 2000 wrote that group’s biggest hit, “Arms Wide Open” after learning he was going to be a father.

Stapp’s son is named Jagger.

“My parents read up on that,” Zrada said.

Next, about the game.

“His shot is lethal,” Moorestown coach Shawn Anstey said of Zrada. “He’s a machine out there.”

Added Willingboro coach Jeff Haddock: “He’s not just a spot-up shooter. That’s what makes him so good. He can shoot off the dribble.”

The 5-foot-9 Zrada played one of the best games of his illustrious career Monday night against Willingboro.

He made his first six shots, including five from three-point range, to send the Quakers on their way to a 67-55 victory in a clash between Burlington County rivals and projected No. 1 seeds in their respective sectional tournaments.

“It was one of those feelings every good shooter knows about when you come out and the basket seems like a swimming pool,” Zrada said.

Zrada knows the feeling. He’s Moorestown’s all-time leader in career three-point baskets with 211, including 54 this season.

A couple of weeks ago, Zrada became the 10th player in Moorestown history to reach 1,000 career points, and the first since 2001.

“He’s been a varsity player for four years and he’s been fearless from the start,” Anstey said.

Zrada is part of a senior class that has transformed Moorestown basketball. Zrada and classmates such as Nick Cartwright-Atkins, Vinnie Caprarola, Akhil Giri, and Brian McMonagle, among others, have pushed the Quakers back into South Jersey prominence.

Moorestown, which is No. 8 in the Inquirer Top 25 rankings, is 39-11 over the last two seasons while playing a highly competitive schedule.

“So many of us have been together since fourth-grade travel basketball, and now we’re seniors,” Zrada said. “I remember freshman, sophomore, junior year, the crowds really growing at Moorestown. It feels good to bring out more people and put Moorestown basketball back in the spotlight.”

Unlike many of his teammates, Zrada doesn’t plan to play college sports. He is likely to attend a large southern school, perhaps Miami or Clemson, and to focus on academics while perhaps participating in club basketball.

“I couldn’t give up basketball completely,” Zrada said.

Still, Zrada admits to an added sense of urgency as these last few weeks of the Moorestown season likely represent his final games in school-sponsored basketball.

“I know I could not be playing organized basketball again,” Zrada said. “I definitely want to give my all every time I step on the court.”

Zrada and the rest of the Quakers’ seniors know this season marks their last chance to win a sectional championship.

Last season, Moorestown dropped a 59-56 decision to eventual state champion Nottingham in the Central Jersey Group 3 final.

This season, the Quakers are the No. 1 seed in South Jersey Group 3.

“We had a really tough schedule this year, so hopefully that will help us when we get to the playoffs,” Zrada said. “We’re really motivated because we were right there last year. We felt like we had it.

“It definitely motivates us to come out even stronger this year.”