TRENTON, NJ–Last Friday, GMC Hoops concluded its ninth season of coverage with a trip to Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton to take in the semifinal round of the 2009 Tournament of Champions. It was the second trip ever to SBA, and the first since 2005 when the site took in that year’s Prime Time Shootout including a game that featured St. Joseph’s of Metuchen, led by Andrew Bynum, knocking off Rochester East.
Despite getting to the venue on time at 5:30 PM, the site had to wait through a long line to buy tickets for the event. There were a lot of Immaculata fans there to see the Spartans match up against Science Park in the opener of the doubleheader. Consequently, GMC Hoops wasn’t able to begin taking in the action until the third quarter. Science Park, the Group II State Champion, and Quarterfinal round winner over crosstown and divisional rival, University, led at the half by the score of 21-20. The Spartans roared out of the gate to start the second half with an 18-7 showing including a 12-2 spurt to take a 38-28 lead.
Immaculata, the Non-Public A Champion, and second seed in the tournament, looked to be on its way to its first ever T of C Championship Game appearance as they got two threes from Matt Dudzinski (10 points), a three from Theo Riddick (21 points), and several long range shots from Gamal Mohammed (13 points) to take its double digit lead. However, behind the leadership and scoring of Rameel Johnson (25 points) and Kenneth Ortiz (16 points), and the timely contributions and inside presence of 6’7″ sophomore center, Ramon Johnson, the Chargers from the Colonial Hills Conference, rallied to the tune of a 21-4 surge for a 49-42 lead, and the Spartans never recovered in a 59-49 defeat.
Neither team had a lead bigger than 10 points in the second half while there were five lead changes and two ties in the final 16 minutes of action. Ortiz, who had a mammoth effort in the Quarterfinals against Group I State Champion, University with 33 points, entered the finals of the T of C against St. Patrick’s with 24.5 points per game average in the first two rounds. Rameel Johnson, who seemed frustrated with Immaculata’s 2-3 zone in the third quarter, still wound up averaging 23 points per game over the first two rounds of the ultimate in state tourneys.
Despite the determined spirit of the Lenape fans, the nightcap game lacked much drama as top seeded St. Patrick’s jumped out to a 6-0 lead, and led 18-7 at the end of the first quarter. Lenape, the Group IV State Champion, closed to within 19-11 before the Celtics, the Non-Public B State Champion, scored 13 of the next 20 points for a 32-17 lead. Lenape, a member of the Olympic Conference, got a three point play in the final minute, and a layup as time was running out in the first half from Kendall Peters (9 points including 7 in the second quarter).
The third quarter saw the top ranked Celtics take over with an 18-4 onslaught over the first 5:56 for a 50-24 lead. Junior transfer Kyrie Irving (20 points), sophomore center Michael Gilchrist (13 points), and senior Dexter Strickland (12 points) caused trouble all game with Irving getting 15 of his points in the second half including 11 in the third quarter alone. Lenape fought valiantly, but was outgunned, and never recovered in a 66-40 loss. Mike Celestin, the hero of the Indians last second victory over Neptune with his second game winning shot in the last five games, chipped in for the losers with 7 points.