Chargers Travel Out To Warren County For Non-Conference Win And Second Straight Victory, 71-70
BLAIRSTOWN, NJ–The Spotswood Chargers traveled to North Warren for an independent match up and secured an exciting 71-70 victory. The game started out with both teams exchanging baskets and at the end of the first quarter, Spotswood held a two point lead, 17-15. In the second quarter Christian Joest of North Warren (21 points) was exiled to the bench with his fourth foul. This foul sent Spotswood Senior Nick Olesinski to the line for a 1-1, making the first and missing the second. The rebound was controlled by the Chargers and followed by a score resulted in seven unanswered points. Spotswood retained their lead at half time by a four point margin 39-35. The first half was a profitable one from three point land for Spotswood, converting on seven of eleven as a team.
The third quarter found Spotswood with a comfortable cushion 52-43, only to wither away in the fourth. At the 1:38 mark of the last session North Warren held a three point lead 68-66. On the ensuing possession North Warren scored on a lay up pushing the score to a four point margin. With 22.9 left Spotswood found Ross Gerhart three feet deep of the three point line and he knocked it home to bring the game within one. Time was called and both teams prepared for the final seconds. North Warren inbounded the ball and at 14.6 Cody Pace stole the ball at the division line and found Ross Gerhart breaking toward the basket, who converted the lay up. North Warren inbounded but never got a shot off and Spotswood preserved its victory.
Spotswood as a team nailed eleven three pointers of which Ross Gerhart had five. Gerhart matched his season total of 32 points, while Cody Pace notched 15. The Chargers with a two game win streak, continued its improved team play. Nick Olesinski finished with 9 and Pat Dwyer addded 7.  With the victory, the Chargers, which upset seventh ranked Monroe on Saturday afternoon at home, won its second straight, and are now 4-5 overall on the season, and 2-1 against non-conference opponents. The Patriots of North Warren drop to 3-5 on the year, and with Spotswood’s win, the GMC is now 6-10 against the Skyland Conference on the season, and 45-35 overall against non-conference foes while the Blue Division itself is 13-8 in 21 games against teams outside the conference.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotswood (4-5) | 17 | 22 | 16 | 16 | 71 |
| North Warren (3-5) | 15 | 20 | 12 | 21 | 70 |