GMC Hoops Highlights–March 3, 2016–#6 East Brunswick @ #3 So. Brunswick–CJ Group 4 Elite Eight

Here are highlights from the action in 3rd seeded South Brunswick’s dramatic overtime victory over 6th seeded East Brunswick in the 2016 Central Jersey Group 4 Quarterfinals. t will most likely go down as the GMC Hoops Game of the Year. Two teams that were evenly matched managed to top two other memorable games at South Brunswick High School earlier this year with an even better one. The two teams dueled it out for not only four quarters, but also an overtime period before the game was decided.

The game was also full of clutch shots on both sides. Mike Ugarte sank to clutch threes in the third quarter to help South Brunswick rally from a 29-20 halftime deficit. Danesh Thirukmaran sank an NBA range three in the second half and then connected on a trey in overtime to give South Brunswick a 59-56 lead. Addis Ralph then connected on a three pointer that had a kind bounce with under a minute to go in overtime to tie the score at 61-61. Eric Savage made the biggest shot of all though by connected on a pull-up jumper from the foul line with time running out in the extra session to give South Brunswick the 63-61 win as fans poured out on to the court at SBHS to join in the celebration.

Neither team led by more than nine points. East Brunswick led throughout much of regulation. There was also a bit of controversy in this one. East Brunswick led 50-46 with under three minutes to play when Savage was fouled on a drive. He then made both ends of the bonus and on the second made free throw, a foul was called on EB again. Savage then stepped to the line and made another pair of foul shots to tie the game at 50-50. The game continued to go back and forth as Savage scored on a layup with 16 seconds to play to tie things up at 56-56. Then, after a jump ball going to the Vikings on an alternate possession, Savage took an inbounds pass from Chris James at half court, and put up a shot that hit back iron as time ran out.

The two teams played three times at South Brunswick with the Vikings winning each time by a combined total of just 8 points. On January 26th, the Vikes rallied from a 54-45 deficit with 1:26 to play to pull out a 57-56 victory. Then, in the 2016 GMCT Semifinals at SBHS, South Brunswick rallied from a 45-41 deficit with a 9-0 spurt to finish the game for a 50-45 victory and its first GMCT finals berth since 1993. The only game of the four won by EB was on February 11th in East Brunswick by the score of 81-68. The game was a wild up and down affair that saw the Bears turn a 29-19 early second quarter deficit into a 59-36 lead with a 40-7 surge over a 10 minute span.

East Brunswick’s big three of Matt Ross (21 points), Addis Ralph (19 points), and Mike Vick (17 points) combined to score 57 of the Bears’ 61 points. Only one other player, Justin Sewnarine, scored for EB with 4 points. South Brunswick had more balance with six different players scoring including the trio of Savage (22 points), Jaier Garrett (16 points), and Ugarte (15 points), who combined to score 53 of the Vikes 63 points. With the victory, South Brunswick improved to 22-4 on the season, and advanced to the sectional semifinals on Saturday to face Colts Neck at 2:00 PM. East Brunswick completed its season at 18-9.