Aminu, Old Bridge, McCarrick, And Monroe Earn Week Four Honors

Junior Forward Leads Way To Earn Player Of The Week Honors As Knights Put Together Solid Week

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ–Coming into the 2011-12 campaign, much was not expected for the Knights of Old Bridge. After last year’s 4-17 campaign, the Knights were not projected to contend for the rugged GMC Red title. However, during the offseason I happened to see them a couple of times down at the Monroe Sports Center Fall League, and you could tell that the team was making strides.

One player in particular showed significant improvement. Junior forward, Sultan Aminu looked bigger, stronger, and more importantly, he was finishing plays, which he wasn’t doing last year. Couple that with an improved sophomore guard Tyler Drews, and senior forward Isaiah Velez, and you have a team that could get double digit wins. Things didn’t start off that well for the Knights. With losses in six of their first seven games, Old Bridge was quickly finding itself in familiar territory. However, last week helped change all of that, and Aminu was a big reason why.

The Knights won all three of their contests in week four including a 75-65 victory last Monday over Union Township, which was the first GMC victory over a Union County Conference school this season, a 60-46 decision over Red Division rival, J.P. Stevens, and a 42-41 squeaker over another Red Division foe in Perth Amboy. In the win over Union, Aminu had a break out performance with a career high 37 points on 13 field goals and 11 foul shots. He then followed that up with an 11 point performance in the win over Stevens, and added 14 in the victory over Amboy. For the week, Aminu averaged just under 21 points per game on 24 field goals and 14 foul shots. As a result, Aminu was honored as the GMC Hoops Player of the Week.

So far this season, Aminu is averaging 15.5 points per game, and he has scored in double figures in 10 of Old Bridge’s 11 games. The only game where he did not register double digits was in a loss against East Brunswick when he scored 8 points. So far this season, Aminu has tallied up 71 field goals and 29 free throws. He also has occasionally hit a three pointer or two like he did in a game against Piscataway as a freshman. The Sultan of Swat can also block some shots and rebound. He has been able to raise the level of his game this year by finishing well. Last year, Aminu struggled to finish off fast breaks and missed shots up close. This year, he is converting.

The frontcourt tandem of Aminu and Velez is a solid one. Velez demands the ball in the low post. He calls for the ball louder than any other low post player in the GMC right now, and he hasn’t disappointed. He also does a great job of getting low, and in position for offensive rebounds, especially on free throws for putbacks. In the game against J.P. Stevens, there were several times where Velez outworked the Hawks for offensive rebounds and putbacks. He also does a great job of hustling and doing anything to help the team win. Drews, who was selected for the All Tournament Team in the Cougars vs. Cancer Classic at Cranford over the holidays, has become a better ball player too this year. He has improved his shooting, ball handling, he’s going to the basket, and is playing with much more confidence.

Combine the improvement of these three along with the hustle and scrappiness of Alex Sastoque and Justin Simboli as well as the development of other players such as Chris Conrad and Jordan Marrero, and the Knights were able to earn GMC Hoops Team of the Week honors as well in the GMC Profile. With the three game winning streak in week four, Old Bridge was able to equal its win total from all of last year. The Knights also started week five on a positive note by only losing to South Brunswick by three on the road (54-51). On opening night, the Vikings defeated OBHS by a 72-64 margin, and the Vikes had a double digit lead in the second half.

For Game of the Week honors, GMC Hoops decided to go with Cardinal McCarrick at Monroe on January 10th. In that game, the Eagles jumped out to a 19-2 lead in the first half only to have Monroe rally with a 32-21 surge over the next two periods to pull within six at 40-34 with 2:30 remaining in the third period. McCarrick went on an 11-5 run over the next 4:35 to take a 51-39 lead with less than five and a half minutes remaining. However, led by Ryan Genevieve, who had a three pointer, and three foul shots after being fouled on another three attempt with 20 seconds to go, Victor Sorrento, who put in a follow during the run, and the shot blocking by Chuka Onukwugha, the Falcons put together an 18-8 spurt to pull within two at 59-57.

The Eagles then got one of two from the line by Jumanne McDaniel with 8 seconds to go, and Marques Townes, who only missed two shots in the game, blocked a three point attempt from the right wing by Sorrento as time was running out to preserve the 60-57 Cardy Mac victory to move into first place in the GMC White.