Over the past couple weeks, I have watched a couple games where the team with the lead in the fourth quarter didn’t play smart basketball down the stretch. Both games involved East Brunswick Tech, but it wasn’t the Tigers that were ahead. Last Friday, the Tigers were playing against South River in a GMC Gold tilt.
The Rams led by 12 points going into the fourth quarter, and didn’t let E.B. Tech get closer than four points in the final frame. However, South River didn’t put the game away. Rather than take time off the clock, draw fouls, and go to the line for free throws, the Rams were inexplicably taking shots, and giving the Tigers more chances to get back into the game. Fortunately for South River, the Tigers weren’t able to capitalize, and lost 64-56.
Moving ahead to this past week, on Wednesday, I happened to catch another E.B. Tech game. This time, it was against Piscataway Tech. The Raiders trailed 20-9 after the first period, but did a great job of coming back with a 53-27 surge the rest of the way for the 62-47 victory. However, P-Way Tech did a similar thing in the fourth. On a number of occasions down the stretch, Raider players were taking jump shots with the lead. It wasn’t necessary. Just needed to take time off the clock. Good thing junior guard Galen Smith took control of the situation, and pulled the ball out.
These types of things shouldn’t happen. Both games ended up closer than perhaps they should have been because of it. Next time, the teams may not be that fortunate, and lose the game.