ROBBINSVILLE — The make-up of the roster is a bit different, but the principles are the same for the Ewing boys basketball team under third-year head coach Paul Jones. The Blue Devils want to send double teams, speed you up, create turnovers, and then get out and run down the floor. It was a clini c in that regard Thursday night as Ewing rode flurries of fastbreak points to win at Robbinsville by the score of 61-46. “It’s creating havoc up top with man on ball,” Jones said. “Just make them turn. As long as we get two turns, then we can create some pressure because they have their back towards us and they won’t see if a trap is coming, if ‘not a trap’ is coming. It’s just different strategies and watching film and seeing what maybe their last opponent did to help us out.” Ewing’s Kristian Thomas dribbles the ball in the frontcourt against Robbinsville during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Ewing’s Davion Morton, 4, puts up a shot as he’s surrounded by Robbinsville defenders during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Robbinsville’s Jackson Davis passes the ball to a teammate against Ewing during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Robbinsville’s Connor Yuncza, right, leaps in the air to pass the ball as Ewing’s Michael Upshur, left, defends during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Robbinsvlle’s Gavin Hopkins, right, dribbles the ball up the court as Ewing’s Terrance Traylor, left, defends during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Ewing’s Michael Uphsur, 11, follows through on a 3-point shot as Robbinsville’s Jackson Davis, 2, defends during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Robbinsville’s Tyler Bunnell, right, and Ewing’s Shawn Robertson, left, jump center during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Ewing’s Terrance Traylor, center, goes up for a shot between Robbinsville defenders Dylan McEvoy, left, and Gavin Hopkins, right, during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Robbinsville’s Tyler Bunnell, 12, moves between Ewing’s Terrance Traylor, left, and Shawn Robertson, right, during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Robbinsville coach Conor Hayes looks on from the sideline against Ewing during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Ewing coach Paul Jones yells to his team against Robbinsville during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Show Caption1 of 11Ewing’s Kristian Thomas dribbles the ball in the frontcourt against Robbinsville during a CVC boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 in Robbinsville. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Expand That game plan was so successful that Robbinsville turned the ball over eight times in the first quarter and more than 20 times overall, which was ultimately the story of the game. Terrance Traylor erupted for 27 points, Michael Upshur netted 10 and Kristian Thomas added seven to lead the Blue Devils to a 3-0 start. They also have wins over Ridge and Notre Dame. Ewing even had a few players out sick Thursday, which hurt their depth in the front court. But it’s a more guard-driven team in general than last year’s team that rode 6-foot-5 big man Joel Cineus to the Central Jersey Group III final. “This year we’ve got to fly around on the defensive end and create a lot of havoc up top, knowing that we don’t have the reinforcements like we did last year in the back end,” Jones said. Traylor, a third-year starter alongside Thomas, is averaging 24 points per game so far as a senior and is well on pace to surpass 1,000 career points. “For me, he’s been the best guard in the CVC the last two years,” Jones said. “He’s led the CVC in steals and assists the last two years, and that’s a fact. I feel like he’s the best guard, but this year he’s coming just to prove it. He’s playing with a little chip on his shoulder, but he’s also playing free. He doesn’t have that weight on his shoulder, on his back, to try to go out and be the man, because we have a whole team behind him.” Jones also spoke highly of another senior in 6-foot-3 forward Shawn Robertson, who is stepping into a bigger role this season. “Outstanding kid,” Jones said. “He anchors our defense, and I can’t be more proud of him. You saw what he did last year to this year, changing his body getting ready for the year. He’s been amazing. This team is just a little different led by our two senior guards. But we’re ready for the task at hand.” It’s a story different for Robbinsville, which is 1-2 after a tough three days facing perhaps the CVC’s two most athletic teams in Trenton and Ewing. “Credit to Ewing, they executed what they wanted to execute,” head coach Conor Hayes said. “We talk about, if a double comes, pick up the ball with two hands and make the pass to the right person. And we continually try to split double teams, triple teams. We’re gonna turn the ball over.” The Ravens’ main advantage was with Tyler Bunnell down low. He finished with 19 points and is 59 away from breaking his other brother Evan’s all-time school record of 1,142. But across the board, Robbinsville has its work cut out offensively. Hayes lamented his team’s decision-making and inability to carry over what it preached in the film room to the game. The good news is that the Ravens have a long season to become the strong CVC team that they typically have been in recent years. “You can’t win at a varsity level against good teams like Trenton and Ewing when your focus isn’t in the right place and you’re that careless with the ball,” Hayes said. “We didn’t finish inside, we didn’t shoot well from the outside, we didn’t take care of ball, and we gave up offensive rebounds. There’s not much positive I’m taking out of this except for we get another chance to learn from a lot of mistakes on film again tomorrow, and then get back in the practice gym.” Robbinsville next faces Manalapan on Saturday in the CVC-Shore Invitational at Manchester Township. Ewing will play at Pemberton on Saturday and then take on College Achieve Central Charter in the CVC-Shore Invitational on Sunday. For Jones, this is what he calls the first of three seasons: regular season, the CVC Tournament and the state tournament. The Blue Devils believe they have the potential to win the CVC again and then get back to the sectional final and win it this time. “We’re hungry,” Jones said. “We got a taste of it last year, didn’t shoot from the free-throw line. I kind of remind them that every so often — that we’ve got to take care of what’s free — but we’re definitely hungry and we’re ready for the task at hand.” EWING (61) Traylor 11-4-27, Andino 2-0-5, Thomas 1-5-7, M. Upshur 5-0-10, J. Upshur 2-0-4, Morton 1-0-3, Carter 2-1-5. Totals — 24-10-61. ROBBINSVILLE (46) Bunnell 6-7-19, Butler 3-1-7, Yuncza 2-0-4, Davis 4-0-10, McEvoy 1-0-3, Hopkins 1-1-3. Totals — 17-9-46. Ewing (3-0) 18 6 15 22 — 61 Robbinsville (1-2) 13 6 11 16 — 46 3-point goals: Traylor, Andino, Morton (E), Davis 2, McEvoy (R). ...read more read less