NEPTUNE, NJ–On Monday night, GMC Hoops traveled down to Rebounds for the second time this summer to take in the eighth night of action from the 2009 Hoop Group Headquarters High School Boys Summer League. This league has 34 teams in it. Many of which are from the Shore Conference. One team from the GMC is competing, and that is Spotswood. On this night, the site took in two games. One of the contests involved Spotswood, which was taking on Brick Memorial of Ocean County in an 8:15 PM matchup. See the results from the two games the site saw.
Osofsky Fires In 26 To Lead Chargers Past Brick Memorial, 63-57
The Spotswood Chargers were looking to rebound after last week’s loss to Asbury Park as they took on the Mustangs from Brick Memorial. It was another fast paced game that actually had a significantly larger amount of points than last week’s contest against the Bishops. Both teams battled each other from start to finish in the first half as they each scored 30 points. However, in the second half, Spotswood would ultimately prevail thanks to a 33-27 showing in the game’s final 20 minutes. Tyler Osofsky led the way for the Chargers with 26 points on 8 of 18 shooting overall including 4 of 8 from three point range while also making 6 of 7 from the line, grabbing 7 rebounds, handing out 3 assists, and swiping 2 steals in the victory. Soon to be junior, Garrett Walters chipped in with 16 points on 7 of 14 shooting from the floor including 2 of 5 from long distance.
Overall, the Chargers shot 24 of 51 from the field for 47.1 percent including 7 of 17 from three point range for 41.2 percent. Spotswood also went 8 of 13 from the line for 61.5 percent. The visitors from Middlesex County did have some trouble with rebounding though as the larger and more athletic Brick Memorial caused problems there. Spotswood only managed to get 27 rebounds overall including eight on the offensive glass. The Chargers did fare better in the turnover department with only 12 overall despite a very furious pace, and handed out 17 assists, and swiped nine steals. The game started out with Spotswood taking an 8-4 lead in the first three and a half minutes of play. Osofsky then put the Chargers up by seven with a trey from the right wing at the 16 minute mark for an 11-4 score.
On its next possession though, Brick Memorial responded with a three pointer from the right wing to close the gap to four again at 11-7 with 15:25 to go in the half. Spotswood retaliated as Osofsky scored on a field goal at the 15 minute mark for a 13-7 advantage. The Mustangs promptly replied with a three point play on its next offensive series to pull within three at 13-10 with 14:30 to go in the half. The Chargers responded with another field goal to go ahead by five, 15-10 at the 14 minute mark. Spotswood then went up by eight as it first got a stop on the defensive end, and then James Pareti passed to Walters for a three pointer from the left wing that made the score, 18-10 with 13:43 to go in the first half. Brick Memorial got those three points right back though with three foul shots with exactly 13:00 to go before the intermission. Over the next two and a half minutes, Spotswood got the next five points including a three pointer by Osofsky, and then a layup that was created by a steal and assist by James Pareti to make the score, 23-13 with 10:30 to go in the half.
After Spotswood got its biggest lead of the half, Brick Memorial reacted with a 15-5 spurt over the next 8:32. Following a Mustang field goal, and one of two from the line by the Chargers at the 9:06 mark, Brick Memorial got another score that forced Spotswood to call for time at the 8:11 mark. The Mustangs then added another basket, and a three pointer at the 7:27 mark for a 7-0 run, and a now tenuous 24-22 lead for Spotswood. There would be no scoring for over a minute and a half before Tom Pareti got into the act with a steal and drive for a layup attempt that drew a foul, and produced two free throws for a 26-22 advantage at the 5:53 mark. Brick Memorial then made one of two from the line to pull within three, but Walters found Osofsky for a layin while the latter was fouled. The soon to be senior then missed his only foul shot of the night as the Chargers led by five, 28-23 with 3:48 to go in the half.
Brick Memorial responded with a three point play at the 2:15 mark to pull within two at 28-26, and then tied things up at 28-28 with a steal for a layup with just under two minutes to go in the half. The Mustangs had a chance to get the lead for the first time after swiping another steal, and getting fouled on a layup attempt, but misfired on both free throw attempts as the score remained tied at 28-28 with 1:23 to go before halftime. Tom Pareti gave the Chargers the lead again with a layup at the 55.0 second mark, but Brick Memorial tied it again at 30-30 on a drive for a floater with 30 seconds to go, and that’s how the score remained going into the brief break. In the second half, Brick Memorial started strong with the first five points, but Spotswood regained its composure, and went on a decisive 18-4 run over the next 6:29 for a 48-42 lead with 12:30 left.
The Mustangs got on the board first in the second half with a baseline drive from the left side for a layup while being fouled for a three point play, and a 33-30 edge at the 19:22 mark. Brick Memorial then connected on a jumper for a 35-30 lead with 18:37 left. The Chargers quickly struck back though with a three pointer, and then a conventional three point play by Tom Pareti to go back in front, 36-35 with 17:35 to go. Neither team scored for the next 1:40 before Brick Memorial called for a timeout at the 15:55 mark. Following the timeout, James Pareti made two layups set up by steals and assists from Osofsky for a 40-35 lead at the 15:00 mark. The Mustangs answered with four consecutive points to pull back to within one, but Walters canned a deep three from the left wing at the 14:05 mark to give the Chargers more breathing room with a 43-39 lead. Osofsky followed that with a three of his own, and Spotswood drew a charge at the other end to take a 46-39 advantage before Brick Memorial called for time at the 12:39 mark.
Following the timeout, Spotswood got another score for a nine point lead before the Mustangs clicked on a three pointer to end the Charger onslaught, and close the gap to six again, 48-42. Osofsky then made a three pointer, and a couple free throws to highlight a 5-2 run by Spotswood to take a 53-44 lead at the 10:25 mark. The Chargers would then take its biggest lead of the night on a jumper by Walters with 9:35 remaining in the contest. Brick Memorial would tighten things up again with a 11-2 run over the next 6:19 including a 7-0 spurt to draw within two at 57-55, but after a brief lull in the scoring, the Mustangs were assessed a technical foul with 1:47 left, and Osofsky made them pay with two charity shots for a 59-55 lead. On the ensuing Spotswood possession, Osofsky found Tom Pareti for a layup that made the score, 61-55. Osofsky then closed out the Charger scoring with two more free throws for a 63-55 lead as Spotswood went on to win, 63-57.
| Team | 1 | 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotswood | 30 | 33 | 63 |
| Brick Memorial | 30 | 27 | 57 |
Unfortunately, this will be the final time that GMC Hoops will be down at Rebounds since next week’s game is at 5:15 PM, and there’s a work conflict. The site will be back out at Rebounds this fall for some action.