Hoop Group Headquarters Team Camp–August 8, 2011

McCarrick-Neptune Squad Defeats Asbury Park, 61-45

NEPTUNE, NJ–On Monday night, the Hoop Group Headquarters Team Camp got underway in Neptune with eight teams playing in the event.  Cardinal McCarrick and Neptune joined forces to form one of the squads in the camp.  The Eagles brought the likes of Ahmid Williams, Marques Townes, and Alonzo Hamilton to play.

Each of the teams in the camp played two games per night.  Contests were played at 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00 PM.  Earlier in the evening McCarrick/Neptune played Ocean Township.  To cap the night, the split squad played against Asbury Park on the Celtics Court.  The game went back and forth.  Over the first 6:30 of the game, there were four ties.

Williams started with four Neptune players while three McCarrick players including Townes and Hamilton came off the bench.  McCarrick/Neptune took the lead first with a score within the first minute of play.  Asbury Park responded with two points to tie the game before the Eagles/Fliers went back out in front at 4-2.  The Blue Bishops then scored the next four points for a 6-4 lead, but McCarrick/Neptune rallied with five of the next eight points to tie the game at 9-9.

The Eagles/Fliers had a chance to take the lead, but missed a dunk at the 13:24 mark.  McCarrick/Neptune would recover though by scoring the next four points for a 13-9 lead at the eleven minute mark.  Asbury Park got a score to draw within two midway through the half, but the Eaglges/Fliers scored the next three points for a 16-11 lead.  The Bishops pulled within a basket at 16-14 by hitting a three from the left wing at the eight minute mark.

Cardinal McCarrick/Neptune went on a 12-7 run that included a two handed jam, and a one handed slam by Townes for a 28-21 lead.  Asbury Park then closed out the first half scoring with a three pointer from the left corner as time was running out for a 28-24 Eagles/Fliers lead.  It was an up and down first half.  Very up-tempo.  Both teams were running and gunning, and in some cases dunking.  Not a real big surprise though since both squads were very talented and athletic.

Over the first ten minutes of the second half,  McCarrick/Neptune outscored Asbury Park by a 13-7 margin including a floater by Townes and  jumper from the right baseline by Hamilton for a 41-31 lead.  The Eagles and Fliers stayed in front at 43-34 with eight minutes to go in the game before the Bishops went on a 9-2 spurt over the next couple minutes for a 45-43 McCarrick/Neptune lead.  The Eagles and Fliers then went on an 11-2 spurt over the next three minutes including an alleyoop pass by Townes for a dunk, and then a three pointer from the left corner by Hamilton for a 56-45 lead before Asbury Park called for time with 2:59 to go.

From there, McCarrick/Neptune scored the final five points to win by the score of 61-45