Old Bridge’s Jasmine Jackson Earns MVP Honors By Leading White Team To Victory, 67-65
PERTH AMBOY, NJ–Prior to the start of the GMCBCA Senior Boys All-Star Game at 8:00 PM, the senior GMC girls went at it in a game that was much more competitive. As a matter of fact, the contest was decided in the final minute of play. Jasmine Jackson of Old Bridge High School converted a traditional three point play with 28 seconds left to lead the White Team to a 67-65 victory over the Black Team.
GMC Hoops didn’t arrive until midway through the second half when the score was 53-46 in favor of the the Visiting Team (Black shirts) with 6:30 remaining. Â The Home Team (White shirts) rallied with a 5-2 run to pull within four at 55-51, but then the visiting team scored three of the next four points to take a 58-52 lead with five minutes to go. Â Following a timeout by the Visiting team with 3:41 to go, Klaudia Korley of Old Bridge drew a foul on a drive to the basket with 3:25 left, and made one of two from the line to close the gap to 58-53. Â
On the missed second foul shot, Dominica Gnaba of Edison got the offensive rebound, drew the foul, and made another one of two to close the gap to 58-54 with 3:15 left. Â Marie Tinana of Carteret brought the lead back to six on a drive for a layup at the 3:09 mark, and then Jocelyn Summers of Highland Park scored on a putback of a Tinana miss for a 62-54 Visiting team lead. Â The Home Team got a basket to pull within six again before Jasmine Jackson, drew a foul, and made one of two for a 62-57 Visiting team lead.
On the ensuing possession, Alex Nardoza of Woodbridge got a steal at halfcourt, and drove in for a layup and a foul that resulted in a three point play for a 62-60 Visiting team lead with 1:34 left. Â Following a timeout at the 1:19 mark, Jackson, who was fouled prior to the stoppage, made two free throws to tie the game at 62-62. Â The Home team then got a stop on the defensive end, and the ball got into the hands of Jackson, who drove to the hoop, drew the foul, and made both free throws for a 64-62 lead.
Moments later, Summers sank a three pointer from the left side with 53 seconds left for a 65-64 Visiting team lead. Â The edge didn’t last long though as Jackson converted another traditional three point play with 28 seconds to go for a 67-65 lead. Â The Visiting team had several chances to tie or take the lead, but Summers missed a three, and Cardinal McCarrick’s Olivia Gorczynski missed another trey following the offensive rebound. Â The Visiting team had one final chance after getting possession again, but Gorczynski’s shot was off the mark and the Home team held on for a two point, 67-65 victory.
The Home team outscored the Visiting team by a margin of 21-12 over the final 6:30 to get the win including a 13-3 tear over the last three minutes.