SOUTH AMBOY, NJ–On Tuesday night, GMC Hoops once again headed out to the Raritan Bay Summer League after work to take in the nightcap game of the quadrupleheader. The featured game by the web site was between Roselle and St. Ambrose from the 7th and 8th Grade Division. Prior to coming into the gym to cover the action from the finale, GMC Hoops had time to chat with Gary Lange one of the co-directors of the league. For those, who may not be aware, Lange was a 1,000 point scorer at South Amboy in the late 60s and early 70s. His older brother played on the 1963 Group I State Championship team that upset Woodridge in the title game. The older brother also went on to play at a Military Prep school with none other than Pete Maravich, a member of the NBA All Century team.
Getting back to the game, the web site joined the action in this contest with 16:50 to go in the first half, and Roselle already leading 6-2. Twenty seconds later, the Runnin’ Rams scored on a layup that made the score, 8-2 at the 16:30 mark. Nine seconds later, Roselle was back on the board again thanks to a steal for a layup that made the score, 10-2 at the 16:21 mark. The Union County team continued its onslaught with an offensive rebound and reverse layup on the follow for a 12-2 lead at the 15:54 mark. Roselle would ultimately take a 14-2 lead before St. Ambrose, which is based in Old Bridge, scored the next three points including two free throws at the 14:24 mark that made the score, 14-5. St. Ambrose would call a 30 second timeout at the 13:39 mark, but the stoppage wasn’t the tonic as Roselle just picked up right where it left off. At the 13:05 mark, Roselle went up by double-digits again with a dish down low for a layup that made it 16-5. About 2:20 later, the Runnin’ Rams were on the board again with an offensive rebound and follow off a missed layup for an 18-5 lead at the 10:45 mark.
Both teams would score seven points each over the final 10:45 of the half for a 25-12 Roselle lead at the half. St. Ambrose finished the half with a hard drive up the left side of the floor for a layup as time expired. In the second half, there wasn’t as much scoring with both teams combined for 22 points. Roselle got the lion’s share of the points in the 13-9 showing to preserve its lead, and get the victory. St. Ambrose got on the board first to close to within eleven at 25-14, and then the Rams were called for traveling at the 16:25 mark. Roselle would get on the board finally in the second half for a 27-14 lead, and then blocked a shot at the 14:40 mark. The Rams went up by 15 with a jumper from the left side that got a kind bounce, and forced St. Ambrose to call for time at the 11:27 mark with Roselle in front, 29-14.
Following the timeout, Roselle went up by 17 with an offensive rebound and follow off a missed breakaway layup that made the score, 31-14. The next 4:12 saw a dearth in scoring with the stretch ending on a blocked shot to set up a fast break opportunity that ended with a missed layup. The missed layup attempt was grabbed for an offensive rebound, and putback attempt that resulted in two free throws, and a 33-14 lead with 6:39 to go. Roselle wrapped up the game with an offensive rebound and follow after a free throw for a 36-15 lead, and then St. Ambrose scored six of the last eight points for the final 38-21 margin. GMC Hoops plans to be back out at the Raritan Bay Summer League next week for the final two days of action this summer.
| Team | 1 | 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roselle | 25 | 13 | 38 |
| St. Ambrose | 12 | 9 | 21 |