Johnny Jones Leads More Balanced Panthers Attack with 19 Points
| Piscataway’s Danny Haus fights through double team from Perth Amboy’s Jairo Robles and Carlos Done. |
PISCATAWAY, NJ–The tenth ranked Perth Amboy Panthers are a much better team that their 7-7 record indicates. Â Amboy has been in just about every game except two non-conference losses to Union Catholic (in the opening round of the Anthony J. Cotoia Holiday Tournament in December) and Union City of Hudson County two weeks ago. Â The Panthers have lost several close ones including a two point decision to Old Bridge on opening night, a seven point loss to fifth ranked East Brunswick, a two point loss to Immaculata in the Cotoia Tourney, and close losses to South Brunswick and St. Joseph’s on the road. Â All of these tough tests are now paying off.
Behind the scoring of guard, Johnny Jones, who scored 11 of his team high 19 points in the first period and the steady inside game of senior forward, Nate Melendez, who had 12 points, the Panthers were able to jump out to an early lead on Piscataway, and never let the Chiefs get closer than 10 in the second half en route to a 58-45 victory. Â Amboy outscored Piscataway in three of the four quarters played, and led by 15 on several occasions in the second half. Â Donzell Cunningham, who led P-Way iin defeat against St. Joseph’s on Wednesday night with 11 points, accounted for almost half of the Chiefs points in the loss as he scored 22 including 14 in the second half, and 20 over the final three periods of the contest.
Ethon Diaz contributed for Amboy as well with 7 points including a three pointer in the early portion of the third period to give the Panthers a 36-22 lead. Â Danny Haus chipped in with 7 points including a late three in a losing cause for the Chiefs. Â Perth Amboy got off to a fast start by scoring the first six points including layups by Carlos Done and Jones before P-Way called a timeout just a minute and 11 seconds into the contest. Â Piscataway would eventually get on the board, but Jones netted a three from the right wing for a 9-2 lead at the 5:43 mark. Â After the Chiefs got a bucket to pull within five, Jones struck again on a trey from the right side to make it 12-4. Â Dashaun Best-Crossen answered Jones’ three with a trifecta of his own from the left wing midway through the first before Jones hit his third triple of the frame on another jumper from the right wing for a 15-7 lead.
Piscataway would trim the deficit a bit with 3 of the last 4 points of the first to trail 16-10 heading into the second, but Amboy opened up the period with a 10-5 run that included scores by Done and Melendez for a 26-15 advantage at the 3:39 mark. Â The Chiefs tried to stay within striking distance though by outscoring the Panthers 5-4 the rest of the half including a great leaping putback by Shamir Ahmed to end the second that pulled Piscataway within ten at 30-20 going into the intermission. Â At the break, Jones led Amboy with 11 while Cunningham led P-Way with 8. Â The third quarter opened with the Panthers scoring 6 of the first 8 points including Diaz’s three from the left side of the key at the 5:27 mark for a 36-22 lead. Â Piscataway was able to inch back to within 10 points again on two pairs of free throws including a couple by Cunningham, but Amboy scored 7 of the last 9 points as Jones connected on a three from the right corner, and Melendez made 3 of 4 from the line for a 43-28 advantage.
Piscataway was able to put together a bit of a run to start the fourth, but Eddie Griggs converted a acrobatic layup while being fouled for a three point play, and Jones hit his fifth three of the game from the left wing for a 50-37 lead with 5:01 remaining. Â The Chiefs scored 3 of the next 4 points including a layup by Nazir James off a nice dish by Haus for a 51-40 Amboy lead with 3:05 remaining, but the Panthers wouldn’t let them get any closer as they finished the game on a 7-5 run including a one handed slam by reserve forward, Jesus Garcia with 1:03 remaining for a 58-45 lead. Â Perth Amboy then got the rebound off a P-Way missed three attempt at the other end, and proceeded to run out the clock for the victory. Â With the win, Amboy improves to 7-7 overall and 5-4 in the GMC Red while Piscataway slips to 3-11 overall including a 1-8 mark in divisional play.