MONROE, NJ–On Thursday night, GMC Hoops traveled a long way to the Monroe Sports Center after covering action at the Montgomery Team Camp earlier in the day. The site managed to get over to MSC just in time to cover the bulk of the action from the second half of Colts Neck’s win over Spotswood, and Manalapan’s last second victory over South Amboy.
Colts Neck Rolls Past Spotswood, 69-42
Arrived at MSC with about 13 minutes to play in the game, and Colts Neck was leading by a score of 43-32 before the Cougars scored on a three pointer at the 11:30 mark for a 46-32 lead. Â The Monmouth County school added a bucket, and then another three at the 9:46 mark as Spotswood trailed by the score of 51-32. Â
Following the timeout, Colts Neck got a baseline jumper from the right side at the 9:36 mark for a 53-32 lead, and then added another bucket for a 55-32 lead before Jamal Lewis drove in for a score at the 8:21 mark to end a scoring drought of over four and a half minutes. Â The Chargers added another score before the Cougars got a jumper and a drive for a layup to take a 59-36 lead.
Dalonte Grant and Tommy Soulias added baskets to close the gap to 59-40 with 6:28 remaining. Â Colts Neck finished the game with a 10-2 tear for the 69-42 win.
Manalapan Edges South Amboy On Three Point Play At 5.5, 33-30
Joined the action with 17 minutes to play, and the score tied at 19-19. Â Both teams slugged it out for the next 9:10 as the Braves outscored the Guvs by a margin of 5-4 for a 24-23 with 8:50 to go. Â Both teams exchanged scores for the next 1:29 for a 26-25 lead with 7:21 remaining. Â
The Braves added another score for a 28-25 lead, and then drew a foul at the 3:57 mark, but after a South Amboy timeout, the Braves failed to make the foul shot, and couldn’t convert the ensuing offensive rebound. Â Nearly two minutes later, South Amboy crept within one again as Nick Kales took the ball on the right wing, and drove left across the key for an off-balanced shot that got a kind bounce for a 28-27 Manalapan lead. Â
The Braves came right back down the floor though, and got a basket for a 30-27 advantage. Â The Guvs wouldn’t let the Monmouth County school get any further ahead as Steve Herdman scrapped and clawed despite being knocked to the floor six times to force a Braves turnover. Â Aaron Radich then drew a foul, and make one of two from the line with 1:30 to play to close the gap to 30-28. Â
South Amboy then tied the game at 30-30 with 17.7 seconds left, but Manalapan answered with a layup and a foul for a conventional three point play with 5.5 seconds to go for a 33-30 lead. Â Herdman had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but his three point attempt from the right wing hit the front of the rim as time ran out. Â
GMC Hoops thanks Steve Mate of the Monroe Sports Center for providing the information on this league.