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. Â Cardinal McCarrick and Neptune joined forces to form one of the squads in the camp. Â 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. Â Contests were played at 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00 PM. Â Earlier in the evening McCarrick/Neptune played Ocean Township. Â To cap the night, the split squad played against Asbury Park on the Celtics Court. Â The game went back and forth. Â 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. Â McCarrick/Neptune took the lead first with a score within the first minute of play. Â Asbury Park responded with two points to tie the game before the Eagles/Fliers went back out in front at 4-2. Â 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. Â McCarrick/Neptune would recover though by scoring the next four points for a 13-9 lead at the eleven minute mark. Â 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. Â 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. Â 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. Â It was an up and down first half. Â Very up-tempo. Â Both teams were running and gunning, and in some cases dunking. Â 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