2022 GMCT Boys Quarterfinals–#3 Colonia vs. #6 Edison

vs. Edison

On Sunday morning, the 2022 Greater Middlesex Conference Boys Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals will kick off with its first game between 3rd seeded Colonia and 6th seeded Edison. This will be the third meeting between these two schools this year, and the previous two were decided by single digits. Let’s take a closer look at the two teams.

No. 3 Colonia Patriots (19-3)–Coaching Staff

Jose RodriguezColonia Head Coach
Edwin SantanaColonia Varsity Assistant/JV Head Coach
Brian O’LoneColonia Freshmen Coach
Danny BrixColonia Varsity Assistant
Eric LemberakisColonia JV and Varsity Assistant

No. 3 Colonia Patriots (19-3)–Team Roster

Player Name Jersey No. PositionHeight/WeightYearHigh SchoolCollegeHometown
Saivon Pressley
2
Guard5'11/165Senior
Demond Nelson
3
Guard/Forward6'0/180Senior
Jaeden Jones
4
Guard5'11/165Sophomore
Anthony Gooden
5
Guard6'1/170Junior
Jeffrey White
10
Guard5'8/145Sophomore
Tymihr Van Kline
12
Guard6'0/170Senior
Matt Scherb
13
Guard5'10/165Senior
Noah Taylor
15
Forward6'5/190Junior
Meet Desai
20
Forward6'2/175Senior
Billy Anderson
21
Forward6'7/200Senior
Charles Hommel
23
Guard6'2/170Sophomore
Justin Gordon
24
Guard/Forward6'1/170Senior
Dylan Conklin
30
Forward6'3/175Junior
Michael Howell
32
Forward6'5/190Senior
Matthew McSorley
35
Guard/Forward6'2/170Sophomore

No. 3 Colonia Patriots (19-3)–Season Schedule

OpponentDateTime/ScoreLocationMedia
Carteret Fri, 17 Dec Season Opener
PPD
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
Edison Tue, 21 Dec GMC White
W 59-57
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
GMC Hoops
Sayreville Thr, 23 Dec GMC White
W 88-40
Sayreville HS Gym
(Parlin, NJ)
Sayreville Boys Basketball
Neptune Mon, 27 Dec Neptune Holiday Jubilee
PPD
Neptune HS Gym
(Neptune City, NJ)
NFHS
North Brunswick Tue, 4 Jan GMC White
W 73-50
North Brunswick HS Gym
(North Brunswick, NJ)
NFHS
Woodbridge Thr, 6 Jan GMC White
W 77-31
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
Lenape Sat, 8 Jan Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout
L 64-80
Montgomery HS Gym
(Skillman, NJ)
St. Thomas Aquinas Tue, 11 Jan GMC White
L 52-64
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
J.F. Kennedy Thr, 13 Jan GMC White
W 74-28
J.F. Kennedy HS Gym
(Iselin, NJ)
Woodbridge TV-35
River Dell Sat, 15 Jan Non-Conference
W 50-35
River Dell HS Gym
(Oradell, NJ)
Carteret Tue, 18 Jan GMC White
W 64-22
Carteret HS Gym
(Carteret, NJ)
Ramblers SC
Edison Thr, 20 Jan GMC White
W 56-48
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
Linden Fri, 21 Jan Investors Games
W 33-30
A.L. Johnson HS Gym
(Clark, NJ)
GMC Hoops
Sayreville Tue, 25 Jan GMC White
W 79-50
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
North Brunswick Thr, 27 Jan GMC White
W 65-48
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
Elizabeth Sun, 30 Jan Investors Games
W 55-51
A.L. Johnson HS Gym
(Clark, NJ)
GMC Hoops
Woodbridge Tue, 1 Feb GMC White
W 64-38
Woodbridge HS Gym
(Woodbridge, NJ)
NFHS
St. Thomas Aquinas Thr, 3 Feb GMC White
L 54-68
St. Thomas Aquinas HS Gym
(Edison, NJ)
NFHS
Paterson Arts and Sciences Charter Sat, 5 Feb Non-Conference
PPD
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
Carteret Sat, 5 Feb GMC White
W 81-45
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
J.F. Kennedy Tue, 8 Feb GMC White
W 73-32
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
Piscataway Fri, 11 Feb GMC Crossover
W 71-48
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS Network
Robbinsville Sat, 12 Feb Non-Conference
W 61-43
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
Plainfield Mon, 14 Feb Non-Conference
W 65-42
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
Sayreville Thr, 17 Feb GMCT Round of 16
W 86-53
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
Edison Sun, 20 Feb GMCT Quarterfinals
W 50-38
Middlesex County College Physical Education Center
(Edison, NJ)
GMC Hoops
St. Joseph's Wed, 23 Feb GMCT Semifinals
W 70-58
Monroe Township HS Gym
(Monroe, NJ)
GMC Hoops
St. Thomas Aquinas Fri, 25 Feb GMCT Championship
L 53-69
Monroe Township HS Gym
(Monroe, NJ)
GMC Hoops
Ramapo Thr, 10 Mar Group 3 State Semifinal
L 39-49
Phillipsburg HS Gym
(Phillipsburg, NJ)
GMC Hoops

No. 6 Edison Eagles (16-6)–Coaching Staff

Charlie MohrEdison Head Coach
Mike MeagherEdison Varsity Assistant
Eric BreiningEdison Varsity Assistant/JV Coach
Tyler JackowEdison Freshmen Coach

No. 6 Edison Eagles (16-6)–Team Roster

Player Name Jersey No. PositionHeight/WeightYearHigh SchoolCollegeHometown
Brian Hobson
0
Guard5'11/170Senior
Niko Barnes
1
Guard6'3/180Senior
Elisha White
3
Forward6'4/190Senior
Joseph Greer
4
Center6'5/200Senior
Joseph Montesano
5
Guard5'10"/170Senior
Matt Yascko
10
Guard5'10"/183Junior
Justyn Britton
11
Guard5'10/160Senior
Jonathan Baio
12
Guard5'10/165Junior
Selbin Sabio
21
Guard5'9"/172Junior
Michael Strachan
24
Forward6'2"/188Junior
Ermin Kapo
30
Forward6'2"/175Junior

No. 6 Edison Eagles (16-6)–Season Schedule

OpponentDateTime/ScoreLocationMedia
Woodbridge Sat, 18 Dec GMC White
PPD
Woodbridge HS Gym
(Woodbridge, NJ)
GMC Hoops
A.L. Johnson Sat, 18 Dec Friends of South Amboy Charity Basketball Games
W 61-50
South Amboy MS-HS Gym
(South Amboy, NJ)
GMC Hoops
Colonia Tue, 21 Dec GMC White
L 57-59
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
GMC Hoops
J.F. Kennedy Thr, 23 Dec GMC White
W 75-40
J.F. Kennedy HS Gym
(Iselin, NJ)
JFKMHSTV
South Plainfield Tue, 28 Dec Anthony J. Cotoia Holiday Tournament - Opening Round
W 71-45
Anthony J. Cotoia Gymnasium @ South Plainfield HS
(South Plainfield, NJ)
Tiger TV
Scotch Plains-Fanwood Tue, 28 Dec Anthony J. Cotoia Holiday Tournament
PPD
Anthony J. Cotoia Gymnasium @ South Plainfield HS
(South Plainfield, NJ)
Plainfield Wed, 29 Dec Anthony J. Cotoia Holiday Tournament
L 70-73 OT
Anthony J. Cotoia Gymnasium @ South Plainfield HS
(South Plainfield, NJ)
GMC Hoops
Carteret Tue, 4 Jan GMC White
PPD
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
Edison HS Athletics
St. Thomas Aquinas Thr, 6 Jan GMC White
L 55-77
St. Thomas Aquinas HS Gym
(Edison, NJ)
NFHS
Freehold Boro Sat, 8 Jan Non-Conference
W 58-42
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
Sayreville Tue, 11 Jan GMC White
W 74-51
Sayreville HS Gym
(Parlin, NJ)
Sayreville Boys Basketball
North Brunswick Thr, 13 Jan GMC White
W 72-42
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
Edison HS Athletics
Piscataway Sat, 15 Jan GMC Crossover
W 56-49
Piscataway HS Gym
(Piscataway, NJ)
Woodbridge Tue, 18 Jan GMC White
W 77-54
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
Edison HS Athletics
Colonia Thr, 20 Jan GMC White
L 48-56
Colonia HS Gym
(Colonia, NJ)
NFHS
Carteret Sat, 22 Jan GMC White
W 74-30
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
Edison HS Athletics
J.F. Kennedy Tue, 25 Jan GMC White
W 72-57
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
Edison HS Athletics
Carteret Thr, 27 Jan GMC White
W 67-31
Carteret HS Gym
(Carteret, NJ)
Ramblers_SC
J.P. Stevens Sat, 29 Jan City of Light Game
PPD
J.P. Stevens HS Gym
(Edison, NJ)
GMC Hoops
Union Catholic Sun, 30 Jan Investors Games
PPD
Harwood Arena @ Kean University
(Union, NJ)
GMC Hoops
St. Thomas Aquinas Tue, 1 Feb GMC White
L 37-71
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
Edison HS Athletics
Sayreville Thr, 3 Feb GMC White
W 59-41
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
Edison HS Athletics
Linden Sat, 5 Feb Non-Conference
L 44-58
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
Edison HS Athletics
North Brunswick Wed, 9 Feb GMC White
W 48-41
North Brunswick HS Gym
(North Brunswick, NJ)
NFHS
Middlesex Thr, 10 Feb GMC Crossover
W 68-61
Middlesex HS Gym
(Middlesex, NJ)
GMC Hoops
Middletown South Sat, 12 Feb Non-Conference
W 68-41
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
Edison HS Athletics
East Brunswick Thr, 17 Feb GMCT Round of 16
W 57-52
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
GMC Hoops
Colonia Sun, 20 Feb GMCT Quarterfinals
L 38-50
Middlesex County College Physical Education Center
(Edison, NJ)
GMC Hoops
Woodbridge Tue, 22 Feb GMC White
W 62-56
Woodbridge HS Gym
(Woodbridge, NJ)
NFHS
Spotswood Wed, 23 Feb GMC Crossover
W 74-55
Frank Cangelosi Gym @ Edison HS
(Edison, NJ)
Edison HS Athletics
J.P. Stevens Fri, 25 Feb City of Light Game
L 42-47
J.P. Stevens HS Gym
(Edison, NJ)
J.P. Stevens Athletics

No. 3 Colonia Patriots (19-3) vs. No. 6 Edison Eagles (16-6)–Head to Head Meetings


No. 3 Colonia Patriots (19-3) vs. No. 6 Edison Eagles (16-6)–Recent History

Since the 2013-14 season, Colonia and Edison have played each other a total of 17 times with the Patriots winning 13 of the contests. In those games, Colonia has averaged 55.5 points per game while Edison has averaged 42.1 points per game. The last time Edison defeated Colonia was on January 25, 2020 at Cangelosi Gym (60-50). All of the Eagles recent wins have been at the friendly confines of the FNC.

Generated by wpDataTables

Key Players

Colonia

  • Saivon Pressley: 5’10” Sr. G with 1,295 career points, and averaging 19.0 ppg this season.
  • Billy Anderson: 6’7″ Sr. F with 313 career points, and averaging 13.2 ppg this season.

Edison

  • Niko Barnes: 6’3″ Sr. G with 891 career points, and averaging 21.1 ppg this season
  • Elisha White: 6’5″ Sr. F with 413 career points, and averaging 16.7 ppg this season

COLONIA vs. EDISON DID YOU KNOW?

Colonia HS principal Ken Pace coached at both schools. After winning the GMCT in 1990, and an GMCT Elite Eight appearance in 1991 at J.F. Kennedy, Pace moved on to coach at EHS in the 1992-93 season. The year before Edison qualified for the 1992 GMCT as the 16th seed with a record of 8-12, and battled top seeded and eventual champion, Bishop Ahr before bowing out, 53-47 at Middlesex County College.

Unfortunately, the Eagles were only 4-15 in 1992-93. Pace then moved on to Colonia in 1993-94, where he took a Patriots team led by Gene Derkack and Chris Chiera that had lost its first 12 games of the 1992-93 season, and then won 7 of their last 8 under Jack Krieger, and guided them to back to back GMCT Final Fours in 1994 and 1995, and a Central Jersey Group 3 Championship in 1994.


Prediction:

You know the old saying that it is always tough to beat a team three times in a season. Just ask 2012-13 East Brunswick, which swept the season series with arch rival St. Joseph’s only to lose to the Falcons in a classic double-overtime thriller in the 2013 GMCT Championship.

However, so far in the 2022 GMC Tournament, that has not happened. There have been five games in the previous rounds of the tourney where the teams have played twice before, and one team won both contests. Each of those five games have been won by the team that won the previous two:

  • Perth Amboy Tech 52–Calvary Christian 38–GMCT Play-In Round
  • North Brunswick 60–J.F. Kennedy 45–GMCT Play-In Round
  • South River 59–Highland Park 42–GMCT Preliminary Round
  • Colonia 86–Sayreville 53–GMCT First Round
  • Monroe 64–Old Bridge 54–GMCT First Round

Both of the previous contests between the two teams have been decided by single digits. Colonia is not as big nor as deep as they were a year ago when it defeated St. Thomas Aquinas to win the Karl Anthony-Jay Williams Pod, and the de-facto GMC Championship.

Edison can match-up well since the Eagles have two solid bigs of their own in White and Joe Greer. However, the Patriots are still deeper than the Eagles, which lost junior guard Adam Schonberger to injury during the summer. This will be another close, knock-down, drag out fight, but in the end, Colonia will prevail.

Final Score: Colonia 58–Edison 53