Amboy’s Canela Hits Clutch Threes Down In Stretch And OT To Lift MCC, 82-76
EDISON, NJ–After watching the final two quarters of the scrimmage between North Brunswick and Hopewell Valley, GMC Hoops took 95 North to Route 1 North, and headed all the way back to Northern Middlesex County and the Physical Education Center on the main campus of Middlesex County College to take in the Region XIX JUCO matchup between the Colts and Bergen Community College. Â Â This is the fifth time that the site has seen Middlesex in action this year with the Colts compiling a 3-1 record in the four previous games.
Arriving at halftime, the site picked up the action with the score tied at 41-41 to start the second half. Â Bergen got off to a fast start with a 10-5 spurt to take a 51-46 lead. Â The visitors from Northeastern New Jersey opened the second half scoring with a three pointer from the right wing, and then added a conventional three point play after the Colts got their first score of the half on a two handed dunk from #4. Â Bergen added another three point play for a 49-43 lead before Myles Reuben got on the board with a three point play of his own to close the gap to 49-46.
After Bergen added a layup for a five point lead, Middlesex rallied with two free throws by Myles Reuben, a basket by Jeremy Cruz to pull within three at 53-50 when BCC called for time at the 13:20 mark. Â Following the timeout, Bergen got a layup to go up by five, and then drew a charge on Kearny Canela at the 12:59 mark. Â Both teams went into a scoring lull for a bit as neither team scored for the next 2:05 before Middlesex head coach, Chris Tarver called for time with BCC still leading 55-50 at the 10:54 mark. Â Following the stoppage, Cruz got the Colts going again when he drew a foul on a scoring attempt and made two free throws at the 10:39 mark.
Bergen responded promptly with a three pointer from the left wing at the 10:19 mark, but Middlesex narrowed the deficit to four with a layup by South River alum, Magdy Assawi for a 58-54 BCC lead. Â After an Middlesex score that closed the gap to two, Bergen drew a foul on a three point shot attempt, and made all three foul shots for a 61-56 lead at the 9:14 mark. Â Over the next five minutes, MCC chipped into the BCC lead with a 5-2 run that included two free throws by Reuben at the 6:39 mark for a 63-61 BCC edge. Â The pace picked up a bit down the stretch after both teams. Â Each team hit a free throw before BCC struck for a trey from the left wing at the 3:09 mark for a 67-62 lead.
Middlesex responded promptly by coming back down, and getting the ball to Canela on the left wing for a three, and a 67-65 BCC lead with 2:43 left. Â The Colts then got a stop, and set up Canela again for a three pointer that put them in front by the score of 68-67 with 2:09 remaining. Â MCC continued to clamp down on defense, and got the ball to Reuben for a shot off the drive at the 1:09 mark for a 70-67 lead. Â The slight edge didn’t last long though. Â Despite the stomping and chants of defense from the sparse home crowd, BCC was able to tie the game on a three from the left side with 50.3 seconds left. Â The Colts, which made several mental mistakes down the stretch, turned the ball over at the 32.7 second mark.
Both teams were unable to score though as Bergen failed to convert with less than 20 seconds to go in regulation, and Cruz missed a three off an inbounds with 1.8 seconds to go.  So, both teams went to overtime with the score tied at 70-70.  In the extra session, Middlesex jumped out in front on threes by Canela and Emmanuel Omowole for a 76-70 edge before BCC called time out with 3:46 left.  Despite being forced to use almost all of the shot clock, and settling for a long  jumper on its next possession, Bergen was able to pull within two at 76-74 with 1:17 left on back to back layups thanks to bad passing by the Colts.  Middlesex wouldn’t let Bergen get any closer  as Omowole made two free throws at the 59.7 mark, Cruz added two more at the 36.8 second mark, and Canela sank two with 19.7 left for an 82-74 lead.
Despite giving up an easy layup off a carless turnover with 3.8 seconds to go, Middlesex went away with the 82-76 win.