EDISON, NJ–On Sunday, GMC Hoops took advantage of his lunch break at work to head on over to The Basketball Shooting Academy to take in some of the afternoon games there. Two of the games going on featured Piscataway against Middlesex, and Metuchen and Watchung Hills. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see all the action from these two games, but thanks to Metuchen’s Phil Switzer and Piscataway’s Dennis Wells, I was able to piece together something for you all.
Chiefs Rally In Second Half To Overcome Middlesex, 43-37
These neighborhood rivals don’t get together that often since P-Way competes in the much larger school division of the GMC Red while Middlesex plays in the smaller school GMC Blue. However, this is the fall league, and things are different. The Chiefs were without some of its more notable players such as Tristian Benjamin due to a showcase event that was taking place that weekend as well as commitments to football. Middlesex was without the likes of Mark “Sparky” Stockton due to football as well. Nevertheless, the Blue Jays competed quite well.
Both squads came into the contest undefeated as the Chiefs won their first two games over Hunterdon Central and Weequahic by two points each. The victory last week over Weequahic was on a last second shot by Jeff Adkins Jr. Meanwhile, Middlesex came into the contest after winning its first two games by defeating Roselle by 15 and Hunterdon Central by 1. With the likes of Ryan Farley, Mike Perone, and Mike Colacci leading the way, the Blue Jays garnered a 19-10 advantage over the first 17 minutes of the contest. Thomas Bennett then came up with a steal in the Middlesex backcourt for a layup from the left side that made the score, 19-12 at the 2:10 mark.
Neither team would score over the next 1:31 before the Chiefs pulled within four at 19-15 on a steal for a layup, and the foul for a conventional three point play at the 39 second mark of the first half. Ten seconds later, Adam Wells netted a pair of free throws that gave the Jays the six point margin it had at the brief intermission, 21-15. Piscataway had a chance to pull within four or better, but Bennett’s shot was off the mark as the two team’s went into the intermission. In the second half, the Chiefs took control with a 28-16 showing in the final stanza. P-Way began the half with an 11-5 run over the first 6:50 to tie the game at 26-26.
Fifteen seconds later, the Chiefs then took the lead took the lead for good on a baseline drive from the right side for a layup by Bennett that made the score, 28-26 at the 12:55 mark. Forty-three seconds after that, P-Way increased its lead to four with a turnaround shot that drew a foul, and produced two free throws for a 30-26 advantage at the 12:12 mark. Rob Mendito helped Middlesex cut the lead in half by drawing a foul on a layup attempt, and netting two foul shots for a 30-28 score at the 11:20 mark. However, Perone lost the handle and the ball went out of bounds on a subsequent possession at the 10:39 mark that prevented Middlesex from possibly tying the game back up.
Bennett then sank a pair of charity shots at the midpoint mark of the second half for a 32-28 lead, and the Chiefs pulled away with an 11-9 showing for the six point, 43-37 victory. Amir Wells helped seal the victory with a couple key three pointers down the stretch. With the victory, Piscataway moves up to 3-0 while Middlesex falls to 2-1.
| Team | 1 | 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piscataway (3-0) | 15 | 28 | 43 |
| Middlesex (2-1) | 21 | 16 | 37 |
Watchung Hills Pulls Away From Metuchen In Second Half, 58-49
While Piscataway and Middlesex were going head to head on Court #2, Metuchen was facing a non-conference foe in Watchung Hills from the Delaware East Division of the Skyland Conference. The Warriors are coming off a storybook season that saw them win the Somerset County Tournament for the first time since 1973. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs, are hoping to continue their recent run of success despite losing the school’s third all time leading scorer in DeJuan Miller, who is now catching passes at the University of Oklahoma.
Like Piscataway and Middlesex, both the Bulldogs and the Warriors came into their contest undefeated at 2-0. Metuchen defeated Columbia #2 by four on opening day, and then knocked off West Windsor-Plainsboro North by one on September 21st. Meanwhile, Watchung Hills earned their two wins by rolling past Woodbridge by 36 and downing Edison by 9. In the first half, Watchung Hills grabbed a one point, 30-29 lead at the break. Then, in the second half, outscored Metuchen by a 28-20 margin for a nine point, 58-49 victory in a game that was ended with a minute to go thanks to pushing and shoving on the part of both teams.
Forward Brandon Ward played a prominent part in the second half showing for Watchung Hills. He opened the scoring after the intermission with an offensive rebound and putback of a Jesse Ross miss for a 32-29 advantage at the 19:11 mark. Eleven seconds later, the Warriors swiped a steal that led to another Ward layup at the 19:00 mark for a 34-29 score. Almost twenty seconds later, Watchung Hills swiped a steal again that resulted in one more Ward field goal on a layin for a 37-29 lead with 18:41 left in the contest. The 7-0 spurt to start the second half proved to be the difference in this one although Metuchen didn’t give up so easily.
Sophomore guard, Elijah Sellers, who is expected to take on more responsibility this year for the Bulldogs, handed out an assist on a three pointer from the right corner by another sophomore with high expectations, Mike Crusco, for a 37-32 Watchung Hills advantage at the 17:45 mark. Twenty seconds later, Sellers was at it again with a floater that went in for a 37-34 Warriors lead at the 17:25 mark. Watchung Hills would score on another laup to make it 39-34 at the 16:43 mark, but junior Evan Carberry handed out an assist on a bounce pass to Vinnie Sardone for a jumper from the right wing that closed the gap to three at 39-36 with 15:41 to go.
Jesse Ross then made one of two from the line to put Watchung Hills up by four, and then the Warriors outscored the Bulldogs by an 18-13 margin the rest of the way for the nine point, 58-49 victory. The defending Somerset County Champs are now 3-0 on the fall while Metuchen slips to 2-1.
| Team | 1 | 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watchung Hills (3-0) | 30 | 28 | 58 |
| Metuchen (2-1) | 29 | 20 | 49 |