EDISON, NJ–On Tuesday night, GMC Hoops traveled over to Middlesex County College after work to take in all three 8:00 PM round of games from the third night of action at the 2010 Middlesex County College Summer League at the Physical Education Center on the main campus of MCC. The site also captured action from one of the 7:00 PM games, which ended late. Three of the four contests involved teams from the Greater Middlesex Conference as Keyport played Perth Amboy Tech on Court #3, East Brunswick Tech battled Sayreville on Court #1 at 7:00 PM, and in perhaps the best game of the evening, Roselle Park slugged it out with Monroe on Court #1 at 8:00 PM in a contest that went down to the wire.
Keyport Blasts Amboy Tech, 47-15
With the likes of Rashad Adams and Malcolm Batts in the lineup, you would think Amboy Tech would be one of the favorites to win this league this year. The Patriots have started off well at MCC this summer with a 3-1 record entering Tuesday night’s contest against Keyport. However, the Red Raiders, a potential opponent in Central Jersey Group I come next March, are undefeated, and shut down Amboy Tech on this night. Amboy Tech committed numerous turnovers, which Keyport gladly turned into easy basket opportunities. In addition, the Patriots were stymied by Keyport’s zone defense in a 47-15 loss.
Keyport led 21-7 with 47 seconds to go in the first half. Perth Amboy Tech got a basket from Adams at the 13 second mark for a 21-9 Red Raiders lead before they made one of two from the line at the 10 second mark, and two foul shots at the 9 second mark for a 24-9 halftime lead. Things got progressively worse for the Patriots as Keyport opened the half with a 21-2 surge in a 17:21 span for a commanding 45-11 lead. The rampage started with a steal off a pass intended for Batts that was converted into a layup for a 26-9 lead at the 19:47 mark. Amboy Tech would get a baseline jumper from the right side at the 19:32 mark for a 26-11 lead, but then Keyport reeled off six straight points including another steal for a basket at the 16:45 mark for a 32-11 advantage.
Neither team would score for the next 4:37 as Keyport misfired on two foul shots at the 13:50 mark, but redeemed itself with a three pointer from the right wing for a 35-11 lead with 12:08 to play. There was another lull in the scoring for 2:20 before Keyport struck again with another three pointer from the right side at the 9:48 mark that made the score, 38-11. Keyport added another score nearly two minutes later, and a steal for a layup at the 7:54 mark for a 40-11 lead. The Red Raiders then added two free throws with 4:28 left, and a three from the top of the key with 2:39 remaining to cap the tear for a 34 point lead. Amboy Tech would get four of the last six points of the night including an offensive rebound off an Adams miss and layin on the follow at the 1:45 mark, and then a spin move for a layup by Adams at the 40 second mark to round out the 47-15 Keyport win.
With the victory, Keyport improved to a still unbeaten 5-0 on the summer while Perth Amboy Tech dropped its second straight to fall to 3-2 on the season.
| Team | 1 | 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyport (5-0) | 24 | 23 | 47 |
| Perth Amboy Tech (3-2) | 9 | 6 | 15 |
East Brunswick Tech Defeats Sayreville, 54-38
GMC Hoops had a rare chance to see a good deal of a 7:00 PM game as East Brunswick Tech faced off against Sayreville. The site joined the action with 14:19 to play, and the Tigers already leading by a score of 31-19. The Bombers got a bucket at the 13:56 mark for a 31-21 E.B. Tech lead before the Tigers scored the next six points including an offensive rebound and follow at the 13:31 mark, another score at the 12:30 mark, and two free throws by Mike Hardy, who was fouled on a follow attempt at the 11:45 mark for a 37-21 lead. Sayreville tried to get within striking distance with a layin off a steal at the 10:43 mark, but Quincy Ross got those points back with a field goal at the 9:59 mark for a 39-23 advantage.
Following a Sayreville timeout at the 9:56 mark, the Bombers got within 14 points again on a drive for a layup at the 9:35 mark, but East Brunswick Tech, which was playing without standout, Rob Brown, got a baseline jumper from the right side to fall at the 9:14 mark, another jumper at the 8:15 mark, and a three pointer from the right wing at the 5:43 mark for a 46-28 lead. Sayreville countered with five unanswered points over the next 3:07, but Dequan Calimese put an end to that with a reverse layup at the 2:36 mark for a 48-33 lead. Hardy then handed out an assist on a nice give and go for a layup, and a 52-36 edge with 1:22 to play as East Brunswick Tech came away with the 54-38 win.
With the victory, E.B. Tech improved to 2-3 on the summer while Sayreville fell to 1-4.
Roselle Park Edges Monroe On Late Layup, 38-37
Again, the site saved the best for last in this latest post on the Middlesex County College Summer League. The Monroe Falcons took on the Roselle Park Panthers in a game that had a late start, and finished well after 9:00 PM, but it was worth the wait. The Purple Birds, which were bolstered by the presence of varsity standouts such as Ahmid Williams and Danny Brix, made a game of it in the second half with a 13-0 run that turned a 31-19 deficit to a 32-31 lead with 4:57 to play. It would be the first of four lead changes and two ties over the final five minutes of play before Roselle Park emerged victorious with a 38-37 win.
Roselle Park looked to be in control of things with a 20-15 lead at the half, and then a 7-2 run over the first 7:30 of the second half for a 27-17 advantage at the 12:30 mark. Monroe would fight back though. Williams would get things going for the Falcons with a steal and assist on a layup at the 12:04 mark for a 27-19 lead. The Panthers countered with a layup while being fouled by Brix at the 11:45 mark for a 29-19 lead. Roselle Park then went up by a dozen thanks to an offensive rebound and follow at the 9:50 mark. Monroe rallied though with 13 unanswered points sparked by a baseline drive from the left side for a layup by Williams at the 9:42 mark. The run continued as Williams penetrated and kicked to Mike Mahmoud for a three pointer from the left side at the 8:25 mark.
The Purple Birds then added a layup with 8:18 to play for a 31-26 Roselle Park lead. Seven seconds later, the Panthers turned the ball over on a five second violation, and Monroe promptly took advantage as Mahmoud connected again from beyond the arc for a 31-29 Panther lead with 7:52 to play. After getting a stop on defense, Monroe scored again to tie the game at 31-31 on a Williams layup at the 7:01 mark. Roselle Park had a chance to take the lead again, but missed a free throw at the 6:17 mark. Monroe then went in front for the first time since early in the game as Nick Isola was fouled down low, and made one of two from the line at the 4:57 mark to cap the 13-0 spurt for the 32-31 lead.
The Panthers ended a scoreless drought of 6:04 by making one of two from the line after being fouled underneath at the 3:46 mark to tie things up at 32-32. Isola gave the Falcons the lead again though on a layin with 2:49 to play. Roselle Park countered with a layup at the 2:30 mark for a 34-34 tie, and then took the lead once again at 36-34 with a layin at the 1:23 mark. The game continued to go back and forth despite both teams missing scoring chances. Isola missed two free throws at the 52 second mark, but Roselle Park couldn’t take advantage as it turned the ball over at the 44.9 second mark. Monroe then went in front on a three pointer from the right wing by Mahmoud with 26.1 seconds left.
The Panthers didn’t cower in the face of adversity though. Roselle Park came right back down on its next possession, and scored a layup with 11.5 seconds to play for a 38-37 lead. The Falcons had a chance to win the game, but Mahmoud’s shot at the buzzer missed, and the Panthers came away with a hard fought, 38-37 win. With the victory, Roselle Park improved to 4-1 on the summer while Monroe dropped to 1-4.
| Team | 1 | 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roselle Park (4-1) | 20 | 18 | 38 |
| Monroe (1-4) | 15 | 22 | 37 |
GMC Hoops plans to be back out at Middlesex County College next Tuesday night.