The Alternative Press

MAPLEWOOD, NJ -- A unique duo has led the boys’ basketball team at Columbia High School this season, as two brothers are the Cougars’ top scorers. Junior David Runcie averages a team-leading 12.9 points per game and his younger brother Michael Runcie is close behind with a 12.1 point average.

“We are used to playing with each other,” David said. “We always played on the same teams growing up and play on the same AAU team.”

Their experience of playing together pays off, and also influences the style in which they play the game. Michael has been playing point guard for the Cougars with David playing the two.

“(Michael) is much more of a driver than me,” David said. “He can go in and kick it out to me.”

Michael added:  “I know where he likes to stand on the outside. I can find him easy when I have the ball.”

Like most brothers, when they are not playing for the Cougars they like to compete against each other. Since basketball is their favorite sport, they often play games one-on-one at home with David quietly admitting that Michael normally beats him.

This season has been the first one that both Michael and David started together for Columbia, with David coming off the bench last season. The team has struggled at times this year but both believe they can do big things next year.

“It’s going to be my senior year so I hope we are going to be good,” David said. “We have one of our guards that got hurt early in the year and he will be back.”

Michael echoed those thoughts: “We expect to do better and hopefully we can go far in the county tournament and do well in the state tournament.”

The reporter is participating in a hyperlocal journalism partnership between The Alternative Press and Seton Hall University's Department of Communication & The Arts.