SOUTH AMBOY, NJ–For the first time in over two weeks, GMC Hoops traveled over to South Amboy Middle/High School to take in some action from the 2011 Raritan Bay Summer League. There were four games on the night including a finale from the High School Division between Merrill Park and Jersey Shore. The Monmouth County team used a 16-2 tear in the first half to turn a 15-11 deficit into a 27-17 lead, and hung on from there for the 49-40 victory.
First Half Tear Propels Jersey Shore Past Merrill Park, 49-40
The final contest of the night on Wednesday at the Raritan Bay Summer League was a contest from the rugged High School Division between Merrill Park and Jersey Shore.
Merrill Park jumped out to a 10-7 lead only to have Jersey Shore score four of the next five points to tie the game at 11-11 midway through the first half. Â The Mustangs then scored four unanswered points to take a 15-11 lead before Jersey Shore responded with a 16-2 Â tear over a seven minute or so stretch of the half for a 27-17 lead. Â
The Mustangs scored the last three points of the half to narrow the gap to seven at 27-20 going into the intermission. Â Merrill Park continued to chip away at the lead with an 8-6 run over the first 2:11 to pull within 33-28 at the 17:49 mark. Â The Woodbridge Township team got as close as four points at 35-31 with less than 12 minutes to go.
However, Jersey Shore pulled away again with six straight points over a span of nearly four minutes including a layup and a foul at the 8:14 mark, and despite missing the bonus free throw, it led 41-31. Â Merrill Park then got a bucket with 8:09 left, but the Monmouth County team got a layup, and then a steal for another layup with 7:51 left for a 45-33 lead before the Mustangs got a basket that compelled Jersey Shore to call for time with 7:25 to play, and a 45-35 lead.
Despite seeming like a team in disarray during the timeout, Merrill Park continued to hang in there with a transition layup at the 6:10 mark to pull within single digits at 45-37. Â However, Jersey Shore responded with a solid possession that led to a layup, and a 47-37 lead with just under five minutes to play. Â Jersey Shore added to that with a steal that resulted in a layup attempt that drew a foul, and one of two from the line for a 48-37 lead with 3:32 left.
With a double digit lead, and time on its side, Jersey Shore spread the floor, and took some time off the clock, but missed a layup with two and a half minutes to play. Â The Mustangs got the rebound, pushed the ball down the floor, and scored a layup while being fouled for a three point play with 2:04 left, and a 48-40 Jersey Shore lead.
Needing to stop the clock, Merrill Park fouled to foul for nearly 40 seconds as Jersey Shore spread the floor, dribbled and passed the ball around before losing the ball out of bounds with 1:21 left. Â The Mustangs weren’t able to take advantage though as Jersey Shore swiped a couple steals, and drew a foul with 50.3 seconds left. Â
Despite missing both free throws, Jersey Shore got the offensive rebound, and drew another foul with 47.3 seconds left and made one of two from the line for a 49-40 lead. Â After an injury timeout with 32.4 seconds left, Jersey Shore ran out the clock for the nine point win.