Ramblers Respond To Bayonne’s Third Quarter Onslaught To Draw Even
CARTERET, NJ–Over the past several seasons, Carteret Ramblers boys basketball has made some impressive strides. Â Two years ago, Carteret won the most games since winning the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament title in 2002. Â Last year, the Ramblers overcame huge losses to graduation to win the Blue Division again, and reach the 2013 GMCT Quarterfinals.
Entering the 2013-14 season, Carteret again has to overcome some losses due to graduation such as Joe McRae (Middlesex County College), Elijah Torres, and Tyrell Lockley. Â Luckily they have two key cogs returning in juniors Brandon Gilder and Jaquan Robertson, who are both entering their third season of varsity basketball, and have plenty of experience, talent, Â and athleticism. Â All of those assets were put to the test against Group IV school Bayonne out of Hudson County and the Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association.
The Bayonne Bees utilized fullcourt pressure that forced numerous turnovers, and kept Carteret from establishing a halfcourt offense in the third period. Â The result was an 11-1 tear to start the frame, and then after Gilder converted a three point play, and connected on a jumper from the right wing to close the gap to 13-6, Bayonne went on an 11-2 run to take a 24-8 lead with under a minute to go in the period. Â The only bright spot during the Bees spurt was a basket by Robertson with 1:42 to play. Â However, Carteret did begin to show signs of life in the final 32.3 seconds of the period.
First came a three point play from forward Byron Benjamin, another experienced player from last year’s squad to close the gap to 24-11 with just over a half minute left in the third.  Then, Robertson converted a steal by throwing down a one handed slam in the waning moments of the quarter to give Bayonne a 24-13 advantage heading into the fourth.  Using the momentum gained at the end of the third along with getting a motivational  pep talk in the huddle between quarters from head coach, Herman “Mugsy” White, the Ramblers began to play with some urgency, and the result was a 21-12 showing in the final stanza.
Gilder opened the frame with a three from the right wing to put Carteret ahead 3-2. Â Robertson then followed that up with a trey of his own from the left corner for a 6-2 advantage. Â Following a bucket by Bayonne to draw within two, Gilder, who attacked the basket with regularity in the final frame, converted a traditional three point play for a 9-4 lead. Â The Bees from Hudson County would score again to pull within three at 9-6, but the Ramblers put the period away with a 10-1 run that included scores from Gilder and Robertson for a 19-7 lead. Â Bayonne would score five of the last seven points of the period for the 21-12 Carteret edge in the frame.
Both teams won a quarter, and Bayonne got the slight edge with a 36-34 showing in the second half, but Carteret showed some resiliency against a quick, athletic, and ball hawking defense that did make life difficult at times for the Ramblers in the second half. Â Robertson has gained some more length, and has improved form and range on his jump shot. Â Gilder was almost relentless on the offensive end in the second half by driving to the basket, knocking down shots from the perimeter, crashing the boards, and getting to the line. Â Reserves Benjamin, Anthony Spinelli, and Sean Kenney scrapped and battled on both ends of the floor.
With Gilder and Robertson back as well as the likes of Benjamin, Spinelli, and Kenney, expect Carteret to be in the thick of things in the GMC Blue. Â True Spotswood is the favorite in the division, and Piscataway Tech and Bishop Ahr will be tough along with improved squads at J.F. Kennedy, Metuchen, and Middlesex, but the Ramblers exceeded expectations over the past two seasons, and still have enough talent and ability to contend again in the Blue.