Seton Hall, Rutgers basketball trophy made of Asbury Park planks

When Rutgers and Seton Hall have their annual basketball game this Saturday, there will be more on the line than just an early-season victory over an in-state rival: The teams will be playing for pieces of the old Asbury Park boardwalk. 

The new Garden State Hardwood Classic trophy is made from planks from the Asbury Park boardwalk that was destroyed during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. 

The concept for the trophy came from Kevin Lorincz -- the Rutgers assistant director of athletics communications -- back in 2013, who explained to USA Today the process of getting the trophy in the works. 

"I called down to Asbury Park and said, 'Do you have any boardwalk planks you're disposing of?' " Lorincz recalled. "They said, 'Absolutely.'"

The trophy is shaped as the state of New Jersey, and the team logos are displayed according to their geographic location within the state. 

- Jack Jorgensen