S. Jersey Boys: Valentine powers Winslow Twp.

Shawn Valentine tossed in a game-high 21 points and helped Winslow Township hold off host Timber Creek, 51-50, last night in a season-opening showdown of Olympic Conference Patriot Division boys' basketball contenders.

Defending South Jersey Group 3 champ Timber Creek, ranked No. 5 in The Inquirer's South Jersey preseason Top 10, used a big third quarter and Collin Johnson's 17-point game to build a 38-35 lead entering the fourth period.

Valentine, who hit a pair of three-pointers, was backed by Bill Belton with 13 points.

Also in the Olympic, another Patriot power, Shawnee, stifled visiting Triton, 73-52, as guard Dillon Fields collected 15 points and four assists.

Burlington County.

Down by five points after three quarters, Willingboro followed center Karee Ferguson to a 47-39 comeback win over visiting Cinnaminson. Ferguson, a 6-foot-7 senior, finished with 11 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocked shots, and Jarvis Perry hit 14 points.

Behind a defense that blanked host Moorestown in the first quarter and an offense that featured Nnamdi Njoku's 12 points, Rancocas Valley posted a 44-30 success.

Desmond Hubert poured in a career-high 31 points and completed a triple-double with 14 rebounds and 10 blocked shots as New Egypt ran past visiting Burlington City, 57-27. The triple-double was the first in school history.

Six points each in the fourth quarter by Brent Foster (13), Derek Johnson (18) and Bryant Watts aided Westampton Tech's 59-54 win over visiting Pemberton.

Colonial.

Senior point guard A.J. Greenwald saved 14 of his 20 points for the second half, and dished out 15 assists as West Deptford defeated visiting Gateway, 72-54.

Highly regarded junior Tyrone Mann-Barnes started his junior season with 24 points, seven steals and three assists as Collingswood beat visiting Lindenwold, 62-53.

Tri-County.

Dylan Colgate's 26 points and Luke Dickson's 15 ignited Pitman's 59-51 win at Clayton, which got a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double from David Follis.

Kingsway dealt visiting Cumberland a 75-50 setback behind sophomore guard Rondell Gilmore's 16 points, seven steals and five assists.

Cape-Atlantic.

Jamal Cunningham scored eight of his 12 points after halftime to keep Absegami ahead of host Egg Harbor Township for a 57-48 win. The Braves made 12 of 21 foul shots to EHT's 0 for 2.

St. Augustine, which moved up to the big-school American Conference this season, opened with a 55-42 win over visiting Oakcrest. Bill Giberson, a 6-foot-4 senior forward, posted 14 of his 18 points in the second half, supporting Isiah Morton's 20-point, five-assist, four-steal effort.

Nonleague.

Camden Academy Charter jolted visiting Paulsboro, 54-46, by putting together a 22-11 fourth-quarter comeback in which 6-foot-5 center Elijah Austin netted all of his eight points.

Schalick got a pin by Andrew Corbett at 140 pounds and a 9-1 major decision from Kevin Hill at 112 but dropped a 69-10 verdict to Great Valley (Pa.) at the Border Battle Tournament at Rowan University.