Sophomore DeCosey Sensational In Breakout Performance
METUCHEN, NJ—GMC Hoops capped its tripleheader with the main event of the evening, a varsity showdown between St. Joseph’s and Piscataway. This was the first time both teams took the floor against each other since the Championship Game of the 2009 Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament, which P-Way won, 63-58. It wasn’t much of a rematch though since St. Joe’s was simply dominant in an 83-39 win. A good deal of the reason for that was because of sophomore Quenton DeCosey, who turned in the best performance of his young career to date.
DeCosey connected on 12 of 14 overall from the field including 4 of 6 from three point land, and made 1 of 2 foul shots for a game high 29 points along with 9 rebounds, 2 steals, a block, and an assist. As a team, the Falcons shot a blistering 70 percent from the floor by making 35 of 50 shots including 8 of 15 from beyond the arc. Andrew Morgan chipped in with 5 of 6 shooting including a three pointer for 12 points along with 2 assists, and a rebound. Senior guard, Steve Rennard added 11 points including three treys to up his career point total to 1,189. The Falcons jumped out to a 28-8 first quarter lead, and then added a 21-6 showing in the second to lead 49-14 at the intermission.
St. Joe’s played just about flawless basketball with only ten turnovers including just four in the first half. The Falcons outscored the Chiefs in each of the first three periods with the final quarter ending in a 14-14 draw. In the opening period, St. Joseph’s made 13 of its 18 shots while only making one turnover. DeCosey went 4 of 5 from the floor in the first while Rennard made 2 of 3 from three point range. In the second, the Falcons started off with 9 of the first 11 points for a 37-10 lead at the 4:42 mark including a layup and dunk by DeCosey, who was greeted with a chorus of “Qs” by the Falcon Flock student section each time he scored, and strolled back upcourt to play defense. The advantage then ballooned to 46-12 with 2:28 to go in the half as Rennard hit his third and final three of the game while Morgan scored on a layup off a nice pass by Robert O’Grady (3 of 3 FG for 6 points, 2 assists, and a block).
DeCosey, who made all four of his shots in the second period to go 8 of 9 from the floor in the first half, capped the Falcon explosion with a three pointer from the left wing for a 49-12 lead before Piscataway rounded out the first half scoring with a field goal to trail by 35 at the break. At the break, St. Joseph’s was 22 of 30 from the floor including 4 of 7 from long distance while it limited P-Way to just 6 of 25 shooting. DeCosey then used his smooth stroke from the perimeter to connect on three more treys in the third while Morgan added one of his own to highlight a 20-11 showing for a 69-25 lead. From there, the reserves came in and cleaned up as the Falcons rolled to the 44 point victory to improve to 6-0 in division and conference play, and 8-2 overall. Piscataway drops to 5-4 with the loss.
I had first seen DeCosey play in the Championship Game of the 2009 Perth Amboy/GMC Tournament against Piscataway. It was a great game between two solid teams. However, DeCosey stood out the most with his size, ball handling ability, and scoring. Then, over the summer, I saw him again at the Linden Team Camp when he put on a solid performance against CBA. His jumper has even improved since then. He’s the type of player that St. Joseph’s needs to better compete with CBA, Seton Hall Prep, and Immaculata in Non-Public A. He has size, good ball handling skills, athleticism, and shooting ability. His development takes a lot of pressure off Rennard, which is key in light of the loss of Gagan Dhaliwal.
Andrew Morgan appears to be a top candidate for GMC Hoops Most Improved Player. Besides being more aggressive going to the basket, his jump shot has significantly improved since his sophomore year. Having O’Grady play this year is a big plus for St. Joseph’s because like Paul Konopacki a couple years ago, he uses his skills as a volleyball player during the spring, to block shots inside. Eric Peterson (5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal) and Nick Contino are veteran role players that will do anything to help the team win. And, on a final, more humorous note, the St. Joseph’s Falcon Flock student section gets an award for best coregraphy during free throws.