Knights Defeat South Brunswick For 2nd Time To Advance To GMCT Elite Eight For First Time Since 2007
MONMOUTH JUNCTION, NJ–Thursday marked the third time this season that Old Bridge and South Brunswick played each other with each team winning on the other’s home court the previous two times. Â The Knights were playing for the right to play in the GMCT Elite Eight at Middlesex County College for the first time since 2007 while South Brunswick was looking to return to MCC for the third straight year.
The game lived up to my personal expectations of being a good one. Â There were numerous swings in momentum throughout the contest. Â Each team seemed to put together a huge run only to be answered by the other. Â However, a key run in the third quarter by Old Bridge turned out to be the difference in a 71-62 victory at SBHS. Â Trailing 33-31 in the early part of the third, the Knights put together a 15-2 tear that included eleven unanswered points to take a 46-35 lead. Â South Brunswick would fight an uphill battle the rest of the way.
The Vikings, which defeated the Knights the first time the two teams played back in the first full week of the season, almost made it all the way back in the fourth. Â Spearheaded by the efforts of junior guard, Corey Lumpkin, who had 13 points on the game, SB pulled to within three at 57-54. Â However, the Knights didn’t let the Vikes get any closer after that. Â Old Bridge was more efficient from the field as it connected on 28 of 53 shots for 53 percent. Â South Brunswick only shot 28 of 64 for 44 percent. Â Both teams had their struggles from beyond the arc with the Vikes going 3 of 17 while the Knights were just 1 of 7.
A key for OBHS was its foul shooting. Â The Knights were able to get to the line much more often than the Vikings, and took advantage with a 14 of 24 showing while SBHS was only 3 of 9. Â Old Bridge also got solid performances from the duo of senior forward Sultan Aminu (25 points) and junior guard, Tyler Drews (23 points). Â Aminu was dominant in the low block with 12 of 14 shooting from the floor while grabbing numerous rebounds, and making life difficult for South Brunswick big man, Chris Bourne, who scored in double figures, but missed a number of shots. Â Drews was 8 of 18 from the floor, but also handed out 10 assists. Â He set the tone early by scoring 8 of the Knights first 10 points.
What gave the Knights a huge boost in this game was the emergence of a third option in Chris Conrad. Â The senior guard has always had potential to be a key player, and this contest brought it out in him. Â Conrad was a scintillating 7 of 8 from the field including Old Bridge’s only three while also making 4 of 6 from the line for 19 points. Â The trio of Aminu, Drews, and Conrad combined for 27 of 40 shooting and 94 percent of OB’s scoring. Â This game had quite an up-tempo feel to it, and with Drews pushing the ball upcourt, and looking to either score or dish to Aminu or Conrad, the pace suited Old Bridge just fine.
South Brunswick had eight different players get into the game, and all of them scored. Â Vikings head coach, Joe Hoehman, substituted frequently throughout much of the contest until the fourth quarter when he settled on the rotation of Dion Hooper, Corey Lumpkin, Sean Keenan, Jordan Porch, and Chris Bourne. Â Old Bridge had 7 players get into the game with six of them scoring. Â Both teams scored in double figures in each of the four periods, but Old Bridge scored at least 20 points in each of the final two quarters as it outscored South Brunswick 43-37 in the second half.
The victory improves Old Bridge to 14-9 overall, and 10-7 in the GMC. Â The Knights, which had made five trips in six yearsto the GMCT Elite Eight from 2002 to 2007, will be making its first visit to MCC in six years. Â The Knights await the winner of 14th seeded Colonia and 3rd seeded North Brunswick, which will play on Friday afternoon at 4:00 PM at NBTHS. Â South Brunswick falls to 11-9 overall and 8-7 in conference play.