SOMERVILLE, NJ–On Sunday night, GMC Hoops traveled down to the Immaculata High School right in Somerville after work to see action from the third night of games in the second annual Immaculata Fall League. The site saw two games, and one involved a team from the GMC. In the first contest, Colubmia played Watchung Hills while Hillsborough faced off against St. Joe’s-Green in the second.
Columbia Downs Watchung Hills, 40-33
GMC Hoops arrived just in time to see the end of this game after being at work until 7:30 PM. This game, which was an 7:00 PM start, went to the Cougars of Columbia Red. The Essex County school lead 37-30 with just under a minute and a half to play, and added a free throw with 1:01 left for an eight point lead before Watchung Hills, winners of the Bound Brook Summer League, drained a three pointer to close within five. Columbia Red then sealed the 40-33 victory with two free throws at the 40 second mark. With the win, Columbia Red improved to 3-0 on the fall while Watchung Hills fell to 1-2.
Hillsborough Edges St. Joseph’s-Green, 61-55
This was the featured game of the night for GMC Hoops at the Immaculata Fall League. St. Joseph’s-Green was the only GMC squad playing at IHS on Sunday as it squared off against Hillsborough. It was a tale of two different teams coming into this one as St. Joe’s-Green entered the night at 2-0 while Hillsborough was still searching for its first win at 0-2. The Raiders didn’t have to look long though for their first win of the season. After being tied 29-29 at halftime, Hillsborough embarked on a decisive 18-2 tear over the first ten minutes of the second half to take a 47-31 lead. The Falcons fought back to draw within six points with under a minute to go, but the Raiders would prevail by a final score of 61-55.
For the game, St. Joe’s-Green shot 21 of 51 from the floor for 41 percent including 3 of 13 from beyond the arc. The Falcons also made 10 of 14 from the foul line. Meanwhile, Hillsborough, which did a great job making the extra pass for layups, and moving the ball around on offense, connected on 27 of 50 shots for 54 percent including 2 of 7 from long distance. The Raiders did have some struggles at the foul line going 5 of 12. Both teams did a good job of taking care of the basketball. St. Joseph’s-Green committed only 12 turnovers while Hillsborough made 15. The Falcons edged the Raiders in points off turnovers (12-10). On the rebounding side, Hillsborough enjoyed a 31-26 edge including a 14-11 advantage on the offensive glass. St. Joe’s-Green made its second chances count though with slightly more second chance points (11-9).
In other statistical areas, the Raiders held an advantage in assists (17-8) while the Falcons had more steals (8-6) and blocks (5-1). Neither team drew a charge. With the exception of Hillsborough’s strong start in the second half, the contest was evenly played for the most part. There were actually five lead changes and five ties in the first half while neither team had a lead bigger than seven points. However, St. Joe’s was in control for much of the period as Hillsborough didn’t get its first lead of the game until the 4:28 mark. Despite some shooting struggles, Danny Brix, a transfer from Monroe, led the way for St. Joe’s-Green. Brix had six field goals including a three pointer, and made 5 of 8 from the line for a team high 18 points along with 4 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. Senior Kevin Mayce chipped in with 8 points on 3 of 4 shooting from the floor, and 2 of 2 from the line along with 9 rebounds.
Karim Awad also helped out in a losing cause by making 3 of 6 shots for 6 points along with 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. Sophomore Jimbo Long also struggled from the field, but still managed to score in double digits with 10 points as well as add a rebound. The first half saw balanced scoring from the Falcons, which went 11 of 25 in the first 22 minutes of play. Nick Straughn scored 7 points in the first half while Brix added 6 points, Mayce had 5 points and 5 rebounds, Long also had five points, and Awad scored four. Hillsborough shot better by going 13 of 22 from the floor. Both teams shot well from three as each hit two from beyond the arc (St. Joe’s-Green 2 of 6 vs. Hillsborough 2 of 4). The Falcons were able to keep the game tied at the break thanks to better foul shooting (5 of 7 vs 1 of 3 FTs), and making fewer turnovers (5 vs. 7).
Brix opened the scoring with a field goal, but Hillsborough quickly tied it with a basket and a foul on James Ziemba (a point, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal) at the 20:40 mark. The Falcons then scored five of the next seven points over a span of 3:04 including a three pointer by Brix, and a layup by Awad for a 7-4 lead at the 17:36 mark. The Raiders knotted the game again at 7-7 with a three pointer from the right wing at the 17:15 mark, but Mayce put St. Joe’s-Green back in front with an offensive rebound and follow of a Brix miss for a 9-7 lead at the 16:36 mark. Mayce’s layup sparked a 9-2 run that continued with a nice give and go between Straughn and Ziemba that resulted in a Straughn layup at the 15:17 mark. Long then capped the run with a drive along the left baseline for a floater, and 6-0 run for a 13-7 lead with 14:39 left in the first half, and then a deep three from beyond the top of the key off a pass from Brix at the 13:45 mark for a 16-9 advantage.
Hillsborough rallied with a 7-0 run including a layup and one of two from the line at the 11:35 mark for a 16-12 Falcons lead prior to a St. Joe’s-Green timeout. Following the stoppage, the Raiders scored back to back layups for a 16-16 tie. To make matters worse, Ziemba had already picked up two fouls. Straughn put the Falcons back in front with two free throws for an 18-16 lead. After Hillsborough tied it again, sophomore Tom Cicalese got an offensive rebound of a missed three by Long, and put it back in for a 20-18 edge with 6:51 to go in the first half. Ziemba then got his only point of the game when he drew a foul, and made one of two from the line at the 5:45 mark for a 21-18 lead. The Raiders then scored the next four points including a steal for a layup at the 4:28 mark for a 22-21 lead. Since trailing 16-9, Hillsborough outscored St. Joe’s-Green by a 13-5 margin.
Awad would put St. Joe’s back in front though with a layin for a 23-22 lead before there was an official timeout at the 4:06 mark. Hillsborough would get another score to pull ahead again by one before Brix set up Mayce for a layup while being fouled. Mayce then made the bonus free throw for a 26-24 lead with 2:31 to go in the first half. Hillsborough scored the next five points including a three pointer at the 1:41 mark for a 29-26 lead. However, the Falcons would tie things up going into the locker room as junior Jalen Gilmore (2 of 3 FGs for 4 points and a rebound) connected on a jumper from the left wing off an assist by Brix, and then Brix made one of two at the line with no time on the clock for the 29-29 halftime score.
The first twelve minutes or so of the second half would be the difference as Hillsborough went right to work with a three point play at the 21:30 mark, and then a steal for a layup and foul that resulted in another traditional trifecta at the 16:58 mark for an 8-2 run and a 37-31 lead. The Raiders then added a layup at the 16:17 mark, and then another steal for a layup at the 14:15 mark for a 15-2 run, and a 44-31 advantage. Hillsborough scored another three points for a 47-31 advantage before Gilmore got an offensive rebound and putback, and Brix drew a foul on a layup attempt for two free throws at the 47-35 lead with 9:31 remaining. Hillsborough scored four of the next five points for a 51-36 lead before Brix drew three Raider defenders along the right baseline, and then sank a fadeaway shot at the 7:17 mark for a 51-38 lead. Brix then got a steal and handed out an assist on a Long layup at the 6:45 mark for a 51-40 Raider lead as Hillsborough called for time.
Eventually building up to a 13-6 run, the Falcons got a three pointer from Long and a steal for a layup by Awad to close the gap even further to 57-49 lead with 2:20 to go. St. Joe’s-Green actually trailed 59-53 with under a minute left, but couldn’t get any closer as Hillsborough went on to win, 61-55. With the victory, the Raiders improved to 1-2 on the fall while St. Joe’s-Green suffered its first setback, and is now 2-1.
| Team | 1 | 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough (1-2) | 29 | 32 | 61 |
| St. Joseph’s-Green (2-1) | 29 | 26 | 55 |
GMC Hoops will be back out at Immaculata High School on Sunday night for action from the fourth week of games in this fall league.