Blue Bishops Withstand 2nd Half Rally By University To Pull Out Victory
PISCATAWAY, NJ–When you have a team that plays up-tempo basketball like Asbury Park does, anything can happen. Momentum can turn on a dime. Aggressiveness can be your own worst enemy. Big leads can evaporate. In the 2012 NJSIAA Group I State Championship at Rutgers on Sunday night at the Rutgers Athletic Center, Asbury Park had to hang on after taking a 15 point halftime lead to win its second straight Group I state title.
Building off the momentum from its dominant performance over previously unbeaten and South Jersey Group I champion, Paulsboro in the state semifinals on Wednesday night, Asbury Park jumped out to a 41-28 lead late in the second quarter before scoring four of the last six points to take a 45-30 lead into the locker room. However, University, which made a tremendous run throughout the state tournament as the 10th seed in North Jersey Section 2 Group I rallied back with a 43-27 surge over a span of 14:41 of the second half to actually take a 73-72 lead with 1:19 to play.
Buoyed by the three point shooting of Keith Foster (17 points), the only remaining player from the last Phoenix team to win a state title back in 2010, and the play of point guard Akrum Wadley (12 points), leading scorer Elijah Brown (23 points), and Joe Kelley (13 points), the Phoenix battled back with a furious rally that fed off of a tough man-to-man defense, drawn charges, steals and hustle for loose balls. While Asbury Park was able to battle through the pressure to make some nice give and go plays for layups by Amir (16 points) and Armond Conover (22 points), University was able to stifle the Bishops just enough to get back into the game and briefly take the lead.
On top of that, University which was known more for its patient and smart guard styled offense, demonstrated that it could go up and down with the Bishops if necessary. The open floor game of Asbury Park also provided transition opportunities for University that created space for Foster to hit threes and Brown and Kelley to go to the basket for layups. However, Asbury Park, which lost to University in the 2009 Group I State Final (65-54), showed the same heart of a champion that helped it defeat Paulsboro in the state semis by coming right back down the floor, and scoring. Thomond Hammary, who scored 20 in the 79-76 victory, put the Blue Bishops up for good when he converted a three point play with 1:11 remaining for a 75-73 lead.
Missed free throws down the stretch would cost University. Right after Hammary gave Asbury Park the lead, the Phoenix had a chance to tie the game up with exactly a minute to play, but missed two free throws. The Newark school, which lost to Seton Hall Prep in the Essex County Tournament Championship, also missed a foul shot with 13.5 seconds to go. The Phoenix were only 6 of 12 from the line in the fourth quarter after going a perfect 4 of 4 from the line in the third. Meanwhile, Asbury Park was 7 of 11 from the charity stripe in the second half. It was another exciting game in this 2012 state tournament, which has seen a number of close finishes, overtime thrillers, and great displays and talent and athletic ability. The contest was also another fine display of heart and determination by both teams.