SOUTH AMBOY, NJ–On Monday night, GMC Hoops traveled over to South Amboy Middle/High School to take in the final two games of the night at the 2011 Raritan Bay Summer League. It was a South Amboy doubleheader as the 7th and 8th Grade Guvs squad took on the Lightning while South Amboy battled Union Catholic in a matchup from the High School Division in the finale. Both South Amboy teams won.
South Amboy Downs Lightning, 41-34
After being at work until 7:30 PM on Monday night, we arrived at the gym with about 6 minutes to go in the game. Had a brief chat with league co-directors Tom Reilly and Gary Lange. South Amboy was leading 30-27 after making 1 of 2 FTs following a timeout. Â Neither team scored for the next minute or so before the Lightning called for time with 4:22 to go. Â
The scoring lull continued for nearly 30 seconds more following the timeout before South Amboy scored on a layup from the left side for a 32-27 lead with 3:55 to go. Â Responding quickly, the Lightning answered with a basket at the 3:30 mark, but South Amboy scored five more points including a left handed layup at the 3:04 mark, and a layin off of a baseline drive with 2:29 remaining for a 37-29 lead. Â
The Lightning began to rally by first sinking a jumper from the right side for a 37-31 South Amboy lead with 2:04 to play. Â Then, the Lightning pulled within three at 37-34 after getting a rebound off a missed layup by South Amboy, and getting out on the break, to set up for a three pointer that got a kind bounce at the 1:04 mark. Â South Amboy gave the Lightning a chance to tie, but the Lightning couldn’t take advantage as they missed a three attempt, and then a layup on the follow. Â
South Amboy made two free throws with 32.8 seconds left, and then scored again on a layup with 4.8 seconds to go to put the game away in the 41-34 victory. Â The hometown Guvs trailed 20-15 at the half, but rallied in the second half with a 26-14 surge for the win. Â South Amboy had 18 field goals including a three pointer, and made 4 of 12 from the foul line for the game while the Lightning had 14 field goals including three treys, and made 3 of 8 from the foul line.
Murphy Steal For Layup Lifts South Amboy Past Union Catholic
In the finale of Monday night action at the Raritan Bay Summer League in South Amboy, the hometown Guvs took on Union Catholic in a matchup from the High School Division. Â The Vikings didn’t have enough players (only had three) so a couple of players from the 7th and 8th Grade South Amboy squad filled in.
If you are a fan of offense, this wasn’t the game for you. Â Both teams struggled to put points on the board in this one. Â The two squads only combined for 56 total points in the game with the majority of them coming in the second half of play. Â After trailing 20-16 with 11:28 to go in the second half, South Amboy seemed to take control of the game with an 11-0 run over a span of 5:26 to take a 27-20 lead.
However, Union Catholic, which was held scoreless for 6:58, and went without a field goal for 7:56, found a way to get back into the game with a 7-0 spurt in a span of 3:04 to tie the game at 27-27 with just under a minute and a half to play in regulation. Â Highlighting UC’s rally were three pointers from the right wing at the 3:32 and 1:26 marks to help knot the game.
South Amboy would emerge victorious from the struggle though. Â After Nick Kales turned the ball over, and Union Catholic called for time with 1:16 to play, Dan Murphy swiped a steal at mid-court, and went the distance for a layup to give the Guvs at 29-27 lead at the 45.2 second mark. Â The Vikings still had a chance to win, or force overtime as they held for a last shot. Â Unfortunately a long jumper from the left wing was off the mark, and the Governors grabbed the rebound before running out the clock for the 29-27 victory.
Soon to be sophomore, Nick Kales led the way for the winners with 14 points on six field goals and 2 of 4 from the foul line. Â Kales scored six straight points during the stretch in the second that gave South Amboy the biggest lead of the game. Â Murphy ended up with 5 points including four in the second half while younger brother Tim Kales added 3 points all coming in the first half. Â Mike Garcia made a free throw for his only point. Â The Guvs also got six points from other sources on jumpers.
For the game, South Amboy made 12 field goals while connecting on only 5 of 15 from the charity stripe. Â The Guvs had no three pointers in the game while Union Catholic had three treys to outscore their foes by a 9-0 margin in points from beyond the arc. Â The Vikings scored their 27 points on 10 field goals including three treys while making 4 of 6 from the foul line. Â South Amboy jumped out to 8-3 and 10-5 leads in the first half only to have UC rally with a 7-2 run including a three at the 51 second mark to tie the score at 10-10.
The Guvs went immediately back in front going into the intermission when Nick Kales sank a baseline jumper at the 37 second mark for a 12-10 lead. Â The elder Kales then began the second half scoring when he pivoted and connected on a short jumper from the right side with 18:17 to go for a 14-10 edge. Â Union Catholic then took over the game as the Guvs offense went into a scoring drought of 6:40. Â The Vikings went on an 8-0 spurt over 5:38 to take its biggest lead of the game at 18-14 with 11:52 left.
South Amboy held the lead for 28:34 of the contest while Union Catholic held the lead for only 8:41. Â The game was tied for 2:45. Â The contest had four lead changes and five ties. Â GMC Hoops plans to be back out at Raritan Bay next week.