Blue Colts Hang On To Get First Victory For New Head Coach, Chris Tarver, 63-60
EDISON, NJ–It was the start of a new era at Middlesex County College. After several years under the guidance of former Piscataway standout, and Hillside boys basketball coach, Corey Lowery, the Blue Colts were pressing onward with first year head coach, Chris Tarver. Lowery had not only turned Middlesex into a winner overnight, but also a national power on the Division III JUCO level with a couple Region XIX Championship Game appearances, and an Elite Eight finish. Tarver, an AAU coach with the Monmouth Power, was taking his first ever collegiate head coaching position after being an assistant with Lowery for the past few years.
The Colts also were retooling after losing Arman Wilson and Shamai Santiago, two key players for MCC the past two seasons. Nevertheless, M.C.C. has Bryan Waluk returning to the lineup along with newcomer Myles Reuben, a former standout at J.P. Stevens. Shawn Fenton is coming in from South River, and J.J. D’Amico of Colonia returns as well. Middlesex also has veteran Yusuf Leary returning with the group. In the season opener, M.C.C. was taking on Burlington County College in a Garden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) and Region XIX clash.
The Colts trailed early on by a score of 10-5, but got threes from Leary and Reuben, and a score down low by Fenton for a 13-10 lead. After Burlington tied the game with the next three points, Reuben struck again for a three pointer, and a 16-13 lead. The newcomer from North Edison then made one of two from the line for a 17-13 lead, and then a three for a 20-13 lead with 8:53 to go in the first half as the Barons called for time. The Colts had capped a 15-3 tear. BCC got a three of its own to pull within five at 21-16, but Reuben hit another three pointer for a 24-16 advantage at the 8:34 mark. Up to this point in the game, Reuben already compiled 17 points including five treys. Yusuf Leary had five points, and Fenton chipped in with two.
Burlington County College would rally though with a 12-6 spurt over the next five minutes or so to pull within a basket at 30-28, but the Colts would score five of the last six points for a 35-29 lead at the intermission. At the break, Reuben had a team high 21 points including 5 of 7 from three point range while Leary added 8 points, and Fenton chipped in with 6. The trio accounted for all of the Blue Colt scoring. Waulk had four assists at the half while Leary had 2 rebounds, an asssist, and a steal, Reuben has two rebounds, and Fenton has two rebounds.
The second half started out with Bryan Waluk making one of two from the line with 19:49 to go in the contest for a 36-29 lead. Burlington would pull within five with a basket before Middlesex scored eight of the next 11 points including a three and a baseline drive from the left side by Waluk for a 41-34 lead before Tarver called for time at the 17:15 mark. Burlington fought back again though with a 13-7 run over the next five minutes to pull within a point at 48-17 with 12:15 remaining in regulation. Fenton accounted for some of the MCC scoring with a bank shot from the left wing, and a three pointer from the right side. The Barons then took its first lead since early in the first half with a pull-up jumper at the 10:53 mark for a 49-48 score. Middlesex then called for time at the 10:35 mark.
Burlington would add a free throw for a 50-48 lead before Leary connected from three to put the Colts back on top at 51-50. The Barons quickly replied with a score for a 52-51 lead, but former Plainfield hoops player, Dominique Blackmon, netted one of two from the line to tie the score at 52-52 with 9:02 left. Several minutes of scoreless basketball went by before Reuben connected for another trey from the right side for a 55-52 lead with 6:34 left. Burlington then responded with a score of its own at the 5:46 mark for a 55-54 MCC lead. Fenton then clicked on a short baseline jumper from the right side for a 57-54 advantage with 5:12 to play.
The Blue Colts then got a steal for a layup by Emmanuel Omowole for a 59-54 lead, and then got another score on a jumper from the right side by Fenton for a 61-54 lead with 4:09 to go. The Barons made a pair of foul shots to draw within five again at 61-56. The free throws sparked a 6-2 run to close the gap to 63-60 with exactly two minutes to go. Middlesex couldn’t put the game away, but Burlington wasn’t able to take advantage. The Barons had a chance to pull within one with a minute remaining, but Reuben came up with the blocked shot, Fenton got the rebound, and the South River native was fouled with 58.5 seconds left.
Fenton missed the front end of the one and one, and Burlington got the rebound. However, the Barons were stymied again as Fenton redeemed himself by drawing a charge with 37.1 seconds to go. Again, the Blue Colts weren’t able to put the game away as BCC was able to get the ball back twice over the next 19 seconds. Once more though, the Barons weren’t able to take advantage, but still had one more chance to pull within one, or even tie the game. Following a timeout with 17.9 seconds to go, Burlington County College put up several more shots from the floor, but they fell well short. The Colts got the rebound with 4.9 seconds to go. On the ensuing inbounds, the ball went to Fenton, who was fouled with 3.4 seconds to go.
The freshman forward again missed the front end of the one and one, but the Barons desperation heave was well short again, and Middlesex County College came away with the hard fought, 63-60 victory. The trio of Reuben (24 points), Leary (16 points), and Fenton (14 points) accounted for 86 percent of MCC’s scoring. Waluk chipped in with 6 points while Omowole had two and Blackmon had one. Reuben was limited to just three points in the second half, but they were very important ones, and he had six threes in the contest. Fenton and Leary both scored 8 points in the final 20 minutes while Waluk got all his points in a span of just 2:45 of the second half. The win was the first collegiate victory for Chris Tarver as MCC starts the season at 1-0. BCC begins the year at 0-1.
GMC Hoops will have a more detailed summary posted on the site as well as video highlights from this game posted soon.