Marciano Pumps In 18 While Howard Has Strong Second Half To Finish With Game High 21 In Rout of Destroyers
ISELIN, NJ–On Tuesday night, GMC Hoops traveled out to John F. Kennedy Memorial High School in the Iselin section of Woodbridge Township to see the Mustangs take on the Dunellen Destroyers in one of the first two crossover games of the season (South River played Piscataway Tech in the other). Like the game between Spotswood and Metuchen on Monday night, this game was already no contest by the time that the site arrived.
The game started out promising for Dunellen, which won its opener over South Amboy (50-49) on Friday night, and then had its game against Union Catholic cancelled on Saturday due to the recent snowstorm. The Destroyers started out with five straight points, but then the game turned on them like a sudden avalanche as JFK finished the first half with a 32-9 showing for an 18 point lead at the half. By the time the site had arrived to watch the game, Kennedy was already ahead by a comfortable margin at 28-10 with 2:29 remaining in the second quarter.
Sean Gibney netted two free throws at the 2:25 mark to close the game to 28-12, but Marciano answered with a baseline jumper from the right side for a 30-12 lead with 2:12 left. Both teams then exchanged scores for a 32-14 JFK lead. Dunellen could have gotten closer, but missed two free throws, and then each team threw the ball away on their next two possessions. The Destroyers had a chance to get a shot in before halftime, but A.J. Pichalski came up with the block as time expired with the Mustangs still on top by plenty, 32-14. In the second half, Rasheed Howard, who was on the bench to close out the first half, came out with a vengeance as he scored 19 of his game high 21 points over the final two periods.
Kennedy began the third quarter much like it had ended the first half with a 10-2 blitz as Howard scored all the points including two layups, a dunk, a jumper, and another field goal for a 42-16 lead before the Destroyers scored five of the next seven points including a three pointer by Gibney to make the score, 44-21 with 4:33 to go in the period. DHS made it a 10-4 run with another 5-2 burst that included a Jonard Hall layup while being fouled at the 3:07 mark. Hall failed to convert the conventional three point play as he missed the bonus free throw so the score stood at 46-26 with 3:07 to play. The Mustangs got a little sloppy at this point by turning the ball over in their backcourt. Hall took advantage by throwing down a two handed jam that made the score, 46-28. Following a 30 second timeout by JFK coach, Chris Banos, Dunellen got another steal for a layup to draw within 16 at 46-30 with 1:37 left in the period.
Following a full timeout by the Mustangs, JFK ended the quarter with a 4-0 run that included a layup by Pichalski off an assist by Howard, and then another Howard field goal for a 50-30 lead. Howard, who was also a standout on the gridiron this past season for Kennedy, opened up the fourth period with a three point play for a 7-0 run, and a 53-30 lead with 7:32 left. Hall fouled out of the game with 6:49 to play after scoring 12 points. Howard then sank two free throws for a 55-31 lead. The Mustangs then closed the game out with a 13-9 showing that included a nice move for a layup by junior guard, Jordan Toczynski at the 1:50. With the 68-40 victory, Kennedy, which lost a heartbreaker in overtime at home to Highland Park on Monday night (54-53), improved to 2-1 while Dunellen drops to 1-1. More details on this game will be out later along with video highlights courtesy of my cell phone.