Stevens Routs North Brunswick, 77-39 at NBTHS
NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ–You would think the North Brunswick Raiders would be brimming with confidence on the heels of a 5-game winning streak. Unfortunately, after a quarter and a half of play, that confidence would be shattered.
    Myles Reuben and Kenny Bland were the Saturday night party crashers, as the duo combined for 37 of J.P. Stevens’ points to help the Hawks blow out North Brunswick, 77-39.
   There’s not a whole lot to report on this one, as Bland, a junior forward,  took over the game early, with 11 of his 20 points coming in the opening quarter. North Brunswick would be outscored 19-8 in the first, and it would mount from there, as once Bland cooled of in the second, Reuben would get into the mix, scoring 10 of his 20 points in the second, and the other 10 in the third. Turnovers and missed opportunites did not help the Raiders at all, and before they could blink, they were down 41-17 to the Hawks at halftime.
   In the second half, Stevens would outscore North Brunswick, 36-21, as it seemed like the visitors couldn’t miss another shot. Every shot seemed to fall from the hands of Rueben, Bland, as well as junior guard Nick Pol, who finished with 13 points. There was never a real threat by the Raiders from start to finish. Jeff Ashamole (13 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block) did play well for North Brunswick, but he was the lone highlight on this day. With the victory, J.P. Stevens won its fourth game in a row, improved to 10-2 overall on the season, and 6-1 in conference play. Meanwhile, North Brunswick dropped to 6-4 overall, and 5-4 in the GMC.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.P. Stevens (10-2) | 19 | 22 | 25 | 11 | 77 |
| North Brunswick (6-4) | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 38 |
High scorers: J.P. Stevens – Myles Reuben (20 points); Kenny Bland (17 points); Nick Pol (13 points)
North Brunswick: Jeff Ashamole (13 points)
   C.J. Brathwaite was held to one point in the first half. If you were a North Brunswick fan, that was pretty much all you needed to know about this one. In my three and a half seasons of covering this team for GMC Hoops, I have never witnessed them take that kind of beating from anyone. Well, now it’s time to regroup, and get ready for Monroe on Tuesday night. By the way, Monroe is 7-4, and only lost by 4 to powerhouse Colonia in their last game, so the Raiders better have their shooting gear on. With the next 2 games at home, it’s time to continue their run towards the state playoffs. Sayreville pays a visit on January 17th with an 8-3 record, followed by Carteret at 6-4.
   It looks like despite, the lopsided loss tonight, this team should be fine going forward. However, coach Ed Breheney may have to crack the whip one time, just to be sure.