MATAWAN, NJ–Holiday tournament action got underway for some GMC teams on the day after Christmas with several tournaments around the area starting up. One of the tourneys was the Matawan Huskies Holiday Tournament, which Old Bridge was competing in. The Knights squared off against Howell in the 1:00 PM game.
Led by 18 points from junior guard, Tyler Drews, and senior forward, Sultan Aminu, the Knights broke away from a 27-22 halftime lead with a 30-4 surge over a span of 11:29 to take a commanding 57-26 lead with four and a half minutes remaining. Howell made things respectable with a 11-2 spurt including three treys to end the game with Old Bridge winning 59-37.
Kola Adeleye chipped in for the Knights with 8 points while Billy Andrews and Chris Conrad each added 7. Aaron Trimble led the Rebels in a losing cause with 9 points while Joe Purcaro chipped in with 8 and Luke Sorge added 7. Below are some notes from the contest.
Pre-Game Notes
The Knights of Old Bridge are competing in this holiday tournament for the first time since GMC Hoops launched the web site in the 2000-01 season. For many years, Old Bridge competed in the WOBM Christmas Classic down in Toms River. Then, two years ago, the Knights competed in the Randolph Holiday Tournament, and then last year, the Knights played in the Cougars versus Cancer Tournament in Cranford.
The Knights entered the contest at 2-1 with two wins over Perth Amboy (55-36 on opening night) and Wardlaw (70-25 on December 20th). The only loss suffered by OBHS was in their home opener against South Brunswick (58-52). Old Bridge is led by the tandem of senior forward Sultan Aminu and junior guard Tyler Drews. Old Bridge is seeded third in the tourney behind Columbia of Maplewood and top seeded Linden. The Knights got sixth seeded Howell in the opening round. The Rebels entered the contest at 0-3 with three losses in Shore Conference North A Division play. All three defeats were by an average of almost 32 points per game.
First Quarter
7:32–OB–Kola Adeleye–fouled–makes 1 of 2 FTs for a 1-0 lead.
7:00–OB–Tyler Drews gets layup off steal for a 3-0 lead.
6:34–HOW–three pointer from left wing for a 3-3 tie.
5:09–OB–Billy Andrews–three pointer from right corner for an 8-3 lead.
4:53–HOW–timeout after a steal for a layup by Chris Conrad for a 10-3 OB lead.
4:49–HOW–turnover.
4:45–OB–Sultan Aminu–fouled–misses both FTs.
4:20–OB–Andrews scores layup in transition for a 12-3 lead.
3:48–HOW–calls another timeout after Aminu drives in for layin from right wing and a 14-3 OB lead.
3:21–HOW–hits jumper from left wing for a 14-5 OB lead.
3:00–HOW–#15 gets basket and the foul—missed bonus FT for a 14-7 OB lead.
1:31–HOW–#15–fouled on shot attempt–makes both FTs for a 14-9 OB lead.
48.1–HOW–misses shot–OB fouled on the rebound–OB ball
0.0–OB–Drews hits three pointer from left wing for a 17-9 lead after one.
Second Quarter
5:34–HOW–starts 2nd quarter with a 4-2 run including a basket as he is fouled for a 19-13 OB lead
5:17–OB–Drews fouled–makes both FTs for a 21-13 lead.
5:01–OB–Kola Adeleye pulls up for jumper from left wing for a 23-13 lead.
4:47–HOW–layup for a 23-15 OB lead.
3:30–HOW–basket for a 23-17 OB lead.
2:32–OB–Drews fouled–makes both FTs for a 25-17 OB lead.
1:48–OB–Adeleye swipes steal in HOW backcourt for a layup and a 27-17 lead.
1:05–HOW–three pointer for a 27-20 OB lead.
41.9–HOW–layup for a 27-22 OB lead.
10.4–OB–Drews fouled on the floor–Knights unable to score.
OB leads 27-22 at the half.
Third Quarter
6:32–OB–Aminu–opens half with layup and a 29-22 lead.
6:15–HOW–connects on jumper from left wing for a 29-24 lead.
4:30–OB–Drews hits three from the left corner for a 37-26 lead.
3:14–HOW–calls timeout after an OB score ffor a 12-4 spurt to open the half. OB leads 39-26.
2:06–OB–Aminu dump off pass to Conrad for a 41-26 lead.
1:27–OB–Aminu scores on putback for a 43-26 lead.
1:24–HOW–timeout
48.5–OB–Drews nice entry pass to Aminu for layup and a 45-26 lead.
12.6–OB–Drews fouled on floor
0.0–OB–Billy Andrews jumper hits iron at the buzzer–OB leads 45-26.
Fourth Quarter
7:32–OB–Aminu scores down low for a 47-26 lead.
6:47–OB–Conrad three point play for a 50-26 lead.
6:19–OB–Aminu scores on layup off nice entry pass for a 52-26 lead.
5:49–OB–Drews connects for a three pointer from the left wing for a 55-26 lead.
4:31–OB–Drews drives and dishes to Aminu for a layup and a 57-26 lead.
4:02–HOW–three pointer from right wing for a 57-29 lead.
3:54–OB–turnover.
3:25–HOW–three pointer from right wing for a 57-32 OB lead.
1:54–OB–Adeleye drives and dishes to Dante Whipple for a layup and a 59-35 lead.
1:06–HOW–#32–hits short baseline jumper from left side for a 59-37 OB lead.
0:00–OB–runs out the clock for the 59-37 win.
Old Bridge Scoring
Tyler Drews–18 points
Sultan Aminu–16 points
Kola Adeleye–8 points
Billy Andrews–7 points
Chris Conrad–7 points
Justin Simboli–2 points
Dante Whipple–2 points
Howell Scoring
Aaron Trimble–9 points
Joe Purcaro–8 points
Luke Sorge–7 points
James Carraher–5 points
Zack Rovner–3 points
Luke Weber–3 points
A.J. Barreto–2 points