Four graduating basketball players are Grigal Scholarship winners

Thanks to the sharp-eyed shooters from deep on the basketball court, four students of the Class of 2024 at Bridgewater-Raritan High School received scholarships.

Four members of the Bridgewater-Raritan High School basketball program—-Aubrey Bartolotto for the girls’ team and Justin Rondinone, Trent Blisset and Johnny Magner from the boys’ squad— were recipients of the 2024 Dan Grigal Scholarship.

The four soon-to-be Bridgewater-Raritan High School graduates were joined at the high school on Monday, June 17, by Melissa Grigal, who presented each with a check of $1,500 to be used for their college careers.

Melissa created the scholarship in memory of her husband, Dan Grigal, who had served as the boys’ basketball coach and Physical Education Teacher at the Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School, who lost his life after a battle with cancer in June of 2021.

The fund was established to assist a boy and a girl basketball player from the high school who meets the following criteria: pursuing basketball in college or contributing to varsity basketball and showing love and passion for the sport. At the same time, they had a great work ethic a positive attitude, and someone other players consider a leader.

Two graduating senior basketball players were the first recipients in 2022 and three senior players were recognized last year.

However, due to some kee shooting from three-point land, four senior basketball players received checks this year.

“The highly successful “Threes for Grigal fundraiser,” raised us $3,600 this year, allowing us to recognize more deserving players,’’ Gene McAteer, the head boys’ basketball coach at Bridgewater-Raritan, reported.

The fundraiser lasted the entire season when people pledged various amounts of donations.

The boys’ basketball team’s sound aim from beyond the arc resulted in 169 baskets from 3-point range, the most since the 2012-2013 team connected on 177.

Those deserving players all plan to play some sort of collegiate basketball, but they will concentrate more on academics.

Aubrey will enroll at the University of South Carolina—the home of the 2024 NCAA women's basketball tournament champion.

She plans to play club basketball while she studies Exercise Science.

Justin and Johnny are also heading to colleges that have historically been icons in men’s basketball, where they each will play club basketball.

Justin will attend North Carolina State University but is undecided on his major in studies, while Johnny is going to Indiana University, and he’ll focus on Finance.

Trent will also study Finance and he will try out for the basketball team at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

“This year, we were able to raise more money, and that allowed us to have more kids honored, and that is great,” Melissa Grigal said.

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