Rebuilt Cardinal McCarrick Eagles Off To Solid Start
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ–Just as fast as Cardinal McCarrick fell out of the elite group of teams in the Greater Middlesex Conference with a 13-35 record over the past two seasons, it has rebounded back into the Middlesex County basketball conscience with three victories to start the 2014-15 GMC boys basketball season. Â The Eagles ended the first week at 3-0 overall and 2-0 in Blue Division play with victories over Spotswood (49-37), South Amboy (68-31), and Bishop Ahr (56-32). Â The average margin of victory over those three games was a little over 24 points per game.
The three victories represents half the team’s win total from last year (6-17), and nearly half of the wins from two years ago (7-19). Â The fast start is also after what was quite a whirlwind off-season in which the Eagles hired their third coach in as many seasons with former St. Anthony’s assistant, Ben Gamble taking the helm, moved down to the GMC Blue after being in the White Division for the past five seasons, and had a number of new faces transfer in to the school. Â These new faces include: Â Hodari Bazemore (Susan Wagner of Staten Island), Gilberto Cue (Bergen Catholic), NyQuan McCombs (St. Anthony’s), and Elijah Mitchell (Patrick School). Â Bazemore led the Eagles to victories in the final two rounds of the playoffs at the Playaz Fall-Ball League in Paterson with team highs against Passaic Tech and Newark Tech. He also collected 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks in the win at South Amboy.
In that Fall-Ball League, the Eagles played the likes of Newark Tech, Passaic Tech, Hackensack, Passaic Valley, DePaul Catholic, and North 13th Street Tech. Â McCarrick finished 7-1 overall there. Â At the start of the summer, McCarrick also competed in the Hoop Group Summer Showcase at the Hoop Group Headquarters. Â Cue was the third leading scorer for the Eagles during the last two rounds of the Playaz Fall-Ball League playoffs. Â The point guard also put on a display in McCarrick’s second win of the season over crosstown rival, South Amboy. Â After the Guvs scored the first bucket of the game, the Eagles reeled off 17 straight points including 8 and two three point plays by Cue, who ended up with a game high 17 points along with 5 assists, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals in the 68-31 rout. Â The 37 point victory over South Amboy was the largest margin of victory in the brief three year history of the Friends of South Amboy benefit game. Â The previous two years, the contest between the Guvs and Eagles went to overtime with Cardy Mac winning by slim margins.
NyQuan McCombs was the second leading scorer for the Eagles in the last two playoff rounds. Â Without McCombs in the lineup against Caldwell in a pre-season scrimmage, the Eagles struggled to get going although their defense would help turn things around, and gain control of the exhibition. Â Then, in the win over South Amboy, McCombs collected 15 points, 4 steals, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Â He also netted a three from the right side that capped a 12-1 tear over a span of the first 4:30 of the second quarter to turn a tenuous 11-8 lead against Bishop Ahr into a 23-9 advantage that the Trojans were unable to overcome. Â Elijah Mitchell is the younger brother of Deshawn Mitchell, who played at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, and played college ball at UNLV and Rider. Â Mitchell had 10 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals in the win over South Amboy. Â Other key players on the new look McCarrick roster this year is forward, Santiago Dervishaj, who returns after playing at the school in the last half of the season, Ralph Menar, Josh Green, and Clinton Rowe.
Menar has played well in the two McCarrick games covered by GMC Hoops. Â Against South Amboy, the reserve collected a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. Â Then, versus Bishop Ahr, Menar scored a team high 15 points including 12 in the pivotal second quarter. Â He had four field goals and a three pointer along with a free throw during the frame that saw the Eagles lead by as many as 14 before the Trojans rallied to pull within single digits at the intermission. Â Josh Green is another reserve that can provide length, athletic ability, and additional scoring punch from the perimeter. Â Clinton Rowe has been at McCarrick all four years as has seen the highs and lows that the program has endured during that stretch. Â He was a standout player on the last freshmen squad at the school in 2010-11, and has stuck with it to enjoy the early success of this year’s squad. Â The early start has placed McCarrick in the GMC Hoops Top Ten rankings. Â The Eagles will be playing in the Kearny Kardinals Holiday Tournament over the holidays before returning to regular season play with a match-up on the road against CBA on January 2nd.