HILLSIDE, NJ–On Sunday evening, GMC Hoops traveled over to Hillside after being at the Randolph Roundball Festival to see the Cardinal McCarrick Eagles in action against Orange in the first game of the Joe Silver Holiday Tournament round-robin. St. Patrick’s transfer, Dana Raysor, poured in a game high 30 points including 14 in the fourth quarter while senior forward, Mo Isaac, chipped in with a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds to guide the Eagles to a hard fought, 61-52 win.
Orange led early by a score of 10-7 before Isaac made one of two from the line to close out the first period scoring. Jumanne McDaniel (5 points and 6 rebounds) opened the second with an offensive rebound and follow off a missed jumper by Isaac at the 7:33 mark to tie the game at 10-10. McCarrick then took the lead following an Orange turnover at the 7:17 mark, but the Essex County team got a field goal to knot the score again at 12-12 with 6:34 to go in the half. The Tornadoes had a chance to take the lead, but McCarrick senior guard, Craig Thomas (4 points) drew a charge at the six minute mark.
Orange would take charge for a bit with a 7-0 spurt after an Isaac dunk at the 4:46 mark that turned a 14-12 deficit into a 19-14 advantage. Pivotal play in the run was an offensive rebound by the Tornadoes off a missed free throw that led to a three pointer from the right wing at the 4:07 mark for the five point edge. The Eagles rallied back with a 15-8 rally that included an 11-4 spurt over the final 2:52 of the second for a 29-27 lead at the intermission. Raysor, who connected on eight field goals and four threes in the game, sparked the comeback with two his only two free throws of the game at the 3:51 mark to make the score 19-16.
Raysor then added seven more points in the run with a short baseline jumper from the right side at the 50.1 second mark, a three pointer from the left side at the 20.3 second mark to tie it at 27-27, and then a last second shot off an Isaac steal to give the Eagles the two point edge at the half. Isaac had the other four points in the late run with a foul line jumper at the 2:20 mark for a 23-20 lead, and then a layup off an assist by McDaniel at the 1:36 mark. Both teams combined for 38 points in the period with McCarrick gaining the 21-17 edge.
The second half didn’t start too well for the Eagles as Raysor hobbled off the floor moments into the third, but he would come back. Orange then tied the game at the 6:01 mark with a field goal, but Cardy Mac went quickly back out in front at 31-29 with just inside six minutes to play as Thomas fed Jeremy Cruz ahead on the break for a layup and his only points of the game. Cruz contributed again when he passed to Isaac for a pull-up jumper in the key and a 33-29 lead at the 5:25 mark. The Eagles then capped the 6-0 burst by getting a loose ball, which eventually got into the hands of Cruz, who dished to Isaac for the layin, and a 35-29 lead with 4:30 to go in the period.
McCarrick had chances to increase its lead after a 30 second timeout by Orange, but Isaac dropped passes from Raysor and Thomas on back to back possessions before the Tornadoes got a much needed basket to pull within four at the 3:42 mark. The Eagles then shot themselves in the foot again by being called for a lane violation after McDaniel made his first free throw at the 3:17 mark. However, head coach Joe Lewis took advantage of an Orange defense that was in disarray by having Thomas lob to Isaac off the inbounds underneath for a layup, and a 38-31 lead at the 2:50 mark. Up to this point, the Eagles had a 9-4 run in the frame, and a 20-8 surge over a span of 7:42.
Orange wouldn’t go away though. The Tornadoes closed the game with a 6-0 run to end the quarter to pull within one at 38-37 heading into the fourth. In the final period, both teams scored 38 points combined again, but once more, the Eagles got the lion’s share with a 23-15 edge. Raysor started the period with a floater, and then a layup as he was fouled for a 42-38 lead with 6:52 remaining. The Eagles, which missed numerous layups, had a chance to go up even further, but fine teamwork on breaking Orange’s pressure was foiled by missed shots inside by John Appiah and Isaac.
The Tornadoes closed to within 45-42, and had an opportunity to pull within one, but Thomas came up with another huge defensive play by drawing his second charge with 4:47 to play. Isaac then kicked off a 14-4 tear over the next three minutes or so with an offensive rebound and follow off a miss by McDaniel at the 4:22 mark. Raysor then connected for the first of two three pointers during the stretch on a shot from the left corner off the inbounds for a 50-44 lead at the 3;35 mark. The sophomore then scored on a pull-up jumper from the left elbow for a 52-44 advantage with 2:51 left. Thomas followed that up with a layup off of a steal for a ten point lead with 2:36 to play. McDaniel finished off the run with a layup for a 59-46 lead.
Orange closed the game with a 6-2 run, but it was too little, too late, as the Eagles improved to 3-1 on the season with a 61-52 win.