Paterson Eastside Downs St. Patrick’s To Advance To Semifinals On Sunday
NEPTUNE, NJ–For the first time in several years, GMC Hoops managed to get out over to the Hoop Group Headqquarters to see some of the action from the first day of play at the HG Summer Showcase, or what was formerly the HBC/Metro Classic. Â Twenty four teams from several states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Massachusetts participated including some of the Garden State’s best boys basketball programs.
One of the final games of the evening took place between Paterson Eastside and St. Patrick’s in the quarterfinal round of the tournament with the winner to face off against St. Benedict’s Prep of Newark in the semis on Sunday. Â St. Pat’s got a bye in the first round, and then defeated Milton Academy of Massachussetts in the second round while Paterson Eastside had a bit of a tougher road since it didn’t get the first round bye, but got to the Elite Eight round by tough opponents in Crisfield of Maryland in the opening round, and then Seton Hall Prep in the Round of 16.
The Celtics are going through a period of transition with not only the departures of the likes of Derrick Gordon and Michael Gilchrist to graduation, but also long time head coach, Kevin Boyle opting to take a head coach position at Florida powerhouse Monteverde Academy. Â There is a familiar face on St. Pat’s this year. Â Former Cardinal McCarrick standout, Â Dana Raysor, transferred back to St. Patrick’s last summer, and is looking to get more minutes with the Celtics this year.
The Ghosts of Paterson Eastside, which won the Group IV State Championship before falling in the Tournament of Champions quarterfinal to Newark Central in a thrilling overtime game, jumped out to a 12-3 lead. Â St. Patrick’s scored six of the next eight points thanks to the efforts of Deandre Bumbree, a junior transfer from North Carolina, to close the gap to 14-9, but the Ghosts went up by double digits with an 8-3 spurt for a 23-12 lead. Â Eastside maintained the 11 point advantage going into the intermission, and went up even further with a 9-2 spurt to open the second half including a two handed jam for a 35-18 lead with 13:56 to go.
Eastside then got a 7-6 edge over the next three minutes or so including a three pointer from the left wing to take its biggest lead of the game at 42-24 with about 10 minutes to play. Â Raysor, who was saddled with foul trouble in the first half, then got on the board with one of two from the line at the 9:45 mark, and then a layup off a steal by a teammate at the 9:35 mark before picking up another foul with the score 42-27 at the 9:24 mark.
The Ghosts added another basket for a 44-27 lead before St. Pat’s got a three point play at the 8:15 mark, and then connected on a three pointer from the right side at the 6:13 mark to pull within 47-33 as a timeout was called. Â Following the timeout, Paterson Eastside scored a bucket before the Celtics got a three at the 4:45 mark, and then a layup off an inbounds play at the 4:19 mark after the Ghosts turned the ball over with 4:39 left. Â The perennial powerhouse out of Elizabeth crept within twelve at 50-38, but couldn’t get any closer.
Paterson Eastside got a score at the 3:00 mark, and then another basket at the 2:16 mark for a 54-38 lead. Â St. Pat’s tried to go back into the game with threes, but failed to connect on several occasions from the perimeter. Â The Celtics really struggled from the outside for the entire game. Â Only hitting the front of the rim on a number of shots from beyond the arc. Â St. Patrick’s would get a jumper from left wing with about 30 seconds to go, but Paterson Eastside advanced to play St. Benedict’s in the semifinals on Sunday with a 54-40 win.