LINDEN, NJ–Wednesday was the second day of action in the Monday/Wednesdy Division of the 2011 Linden Summer League at Linden High School. Not only did GMC Hoops get a chance to see the Colonia Patriots in action, but it also took in the final two periods of St. Patrick’s matchup against Susan Wagner of Staten Island. The Celtics rolled to victory over Wagner with a 60-26 win while Colonia surged in the second half for a 50-39 win over Chatham of Morris County.
St. Patrick’s Rolls Past Wagner Behind Bembry, 60-26
Almost two weeks ago, GMC Hoops saw St. Patrick’s in action at the Hoop Group Summer League Showcase against Paterson Eastside in the Quarterfinals. The Celtics struggled in that game, especially from the perimeter as they lost by a score of 54-40. Deandre Bembry, a transfer from North Carolina, was one of the few bright spots for the Elizabeth school in that game.
Bembry played well again, but it was also solid perimeter play, and an uptempo style that Susan Wagner of Staten Island couldn’t compete with in a 60-26 Celtics win. Already leading by the score of 32-12 at the 8:30 mark of the third quarter, St. Pat’s closed the game with a 28-14 surge for the 34 point victory. Bembry scored 8 points from the 8:30 mark of the third to the 5:36 mark of the fourth when he left the game for good with St. Patrick’s leading 53-21.
Over the final 18:30 of the game, the Celtics connected on four jumpers including three treys from the perimeter. St. Pat’s was only 7 of 13 from the line during that same span, but it was well out in front as it led by as many as 36 in the second half en route to the win. Arriving with 8:30 to go in the third, GMC Hoops sat down to see the Celtics already comfortably ahead at 32-12. St. Patrick’s kept pouring it on with a 14-4 tear over the next 6:25 to go up 46-16 with just under three minutes to play in the period.
The Celtics started the run with a three pointer from the right wing at the eight minute mark for a 35-12 lead. St. Pat’s then added layups at the 7:00 and 6:00 marks before Bembry threw down a dunk at the 5:15 mark for a 41-16 lead. The Elizabeth school then got one of two from the foul line at the 3:55 mark, and then a steal for a layup moments later for a 44-16 lead with 3:42 to go in the third. St. Patrick’s experienced a brief lull of 1:37 in its scoring before getting a putback for a 46-16 advantage with just over two minutes remaining in the frame.
Susan Wagner got a three pointer late in the period before the Celtics made one of two from the line with no time left in the third for a 47-19 lead heading into the fourth. Things got worse for Wagner in the fourth. The Staten Island school only had one field goal and seven points in the period. Over the first 8:15 of the final period, Wagner only had two points as it fell victim to a 10-2 run by the Celtics for a 57-21 St. Pat’s lead. Wagner didn’t get a field goal in the frame until the final seconds of the contest.
St. Patrick’s limited Wagner to only four field goals including a three in the final 18:30 of the game. After Susan Wagner got the first points of the period on two free throws at the 8:55 mark, the Celtics scored ten straight points including a layup at the 8:30 mark, and a score by Bembry as he was fouled at the 7:45 mark. St. Pat’s went into another brief scoring lull of 2:09 before Bembry was fouled, and made two free throws for a 53-21 lead at the 5:36 mark. The Celts then made one of two free throws with exactly four minutes to go, and then a three pointer from the left corner at the 1:45 mark for a 36 point advantage.
Wagner then closed the game with a 5-3 run including two free throws at the 1:09 mark, one of two free throws at the 38 second mark, and a layup with eight seconds left to shape the final 60-26 score.
Jones Helps Colonia Shut Down Chatham, 50-39
The second game of this Wednesday Doubleheader at the Linden Summer League was much closer, but also had a stretch of dominance by one of the teams that determined the outcome of the game. Trailing 33-28 with 5:22 to go in the third, Colonia ratcheted up the defensive pressure, and put together a 22-6 surge the rest of the way to come up with a hard fought, 50-39 victory over Chatham of Morris County and the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference.
Gone are the likes of C.J. Gray, Dave Cole, and Matt Wagner, but the Patriots still have Jordan McDaniel as well as Greg Jones returning for the 2011-12 season. In addition, they will have more contributions from soon to be junior Trent Barneys. McDaniel scored 7 first period points on two field goals including a three pointer along with two foul shots to keep the Pats within two at 15-13 heading into the second. However, McDaniel was held scoreless the rest of the way. Not a problem though as Jones stepped in to lead CHS to the victory.
The hustle and gritty play from the two sport standout ended up being the difference as Jones collected 9 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists in the game with the majority of those numbers compiled in the second half. Besides though stats though was the solid box outs of the taller Chatham players including one in the third period that stopped a Cougar forward dead in his tracks. There was also the hustle demonstrated by getting on the floor for the basketball. His teammates fed off of that energy to limit Chatham to only one field goal over the final quarter and a half to turn a five point deficit into an 11 point, 50-39 victory.
Prior to Colona’s second half run, the game was quite a battle with neither team having a lead bigger than five points while there were six lead changes and four ties. Chatham actually had possession of the lead for 23:12 of the first 29:47 of the contest. During that same 29:47, the Patriots only held the lead for 2:39. The other 3:56 was deadlocked in a tie. Colonia connected on 16 field goals including four three pointers, and went 14 of 17 from the line for its 50 points. Meanwhile, Chatham was limited to 13 field goals, 5 threes, and 8 of 11 from the line. The Cougars outscored the Pats by a 15-12 margin from beyond the arc, but Colonia outscored Chatham by six from the charity stripe.
The Patriots trailed by five a little less than five and a half minutes to go in the third period when it scored the final nine points of the frame, and scored the first two of the fourth for an 11-0 run to take a 39-33 lead with 9:06 to go. Barneys sparked the run by drawing a foul on the drive, and making two free throws at the 5:03 mark. Jones continued the rally by skying for a rebound, driving the ball upcourt, and pulling up for a jumper to pull the Pats within one at 33-32 with 3:55 remaining in the third.
One of the Pats big men drove the right baseline for a layup, and a 34-33 lead at the 13 second mark, and then ended the period by getting a steal he cashed in for a layup as he was fouled to convert a three point play with no time left in the period with Colonia now leading 37-33. Jones then capped the run with a steal for an easy layup at the 9:06 mark for a six point Patriot lead. Meanwhile, Chatham’s offense was stymied as it was held without a field goal for a span of 14:11 until making a three pointer to close the gap to 47-39 with 1:11 to play.
Chatham did break the 11-0 Patriot run with two free throws at the 8:40 mark to draw within four again at 39-35. However, Colonia went on a 11-4 run the rest of the way for the 50-39 victory. Jones began the closeout of the Cougars with a short baseline jumper from the left side at the 6:58 mark for a 41-35 lead. Colonia then went on a scoring drought of 4:36 before getting a basket on a putback with 2:22 remaining for a 43-35 lead. Chatham then ended its own scoring drought of 6:40 with a one of two showing from the line at the two minute mark for a 43-36 Colonia lead. Barneys then added two free throws with 1:43 left for a 45-36 lead.
The Patriots, which were 8 of 9 from the foul line over the last 15:03 of the contest, got two more charity shots at the 1:25 mark, and then after a three by the Cougars at the 1:11 mark, they got one of two from the line by Jones with 0:55 to play. Colonia then wrapped up the 50-39 win with layup on offense and a charge on defense in the waning moments.
GMC Hoops will be back out at the Linden Summer League on Thursday.