Barrons Score At The Line To Hold Off Hawks As Glover Stars
WOODBRIDGE, NJ–In between two winter storms, Woodbridge and J.P. Stevens managed to get a boys basketball game in on Tuesday night. The two teams have endured quite a bit of hardship during the 2013-14 campaign, but are still battling as he head toward the GMCT, which starts at the end of next week. Â The Barrons have had an up and down season at 8-8, but considering the loss of 80 percent of the starting lineup from last year’s breakthrough season, there is a lot that head coach Matt Gigliello, and his troops can be positive about. Â
Meanwhile, J.P. Stevens entered Tuesday night with a 4-13 record that is very deceiving.  The Hawks have scrapped and competed  in almost every game, lost many of their contests by single digits, and even came up with one of this season’s biggest upsets by knocking off North Brunswick.  The game itself reflected the trials and tribulations that both schools have endured this season, especially from an offensive standpoint.  Both teams really struggled to take care of the basketball, and put the ball in the basket, particularly in the early stages of the contest.  However, like they both have all season, Woodbridge and J.P. Stevens hung in there, and continued to battle.  The Barrons were able to prevail in the end thanks to greater success from the foul line.
In a game that saw both teams combine for 35 of 46 shooting from the foul line, and account for 46 percent of all the points scored in the game, Woodbridge went 23 of 31 from the line including a stellar 14 of 16 effort from the charity stripe by freshman, Quassim Glover, to come away with a hard fought 41-35 win. Â The Barrons only had six two point field goals, and two threes, but outscored Stevens by nearly a two to one margin at the charity stripe to come away with the win. Â Give the visiting Hawks credit though. Â Early on it didn’t look good at all for the team from North Edison. Â Woodbridge jumped out to a 16-2 lead with 4:42 to go in the first half as Stevens went without a field goal for the first 11:18 of the contest. Â But, JPS didn’t give up. Â Instead, they ended the half on a 9-4 run to pull within single digits at the intermission, and then rallied from a 34-25 deficit in the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run to pull within a point.
Woodbridge had six different players score in the contest including two in double figures as Glover ended up with a game high 18 points while teammate and junior, Zahneer Shuler, chipped in with 10 points. Â J.P. Stevens also had six players score in the game, but only one in double figures as Nick Dooley led the Hawks with a team high 12 points. Â Stevens had more two point field goals (10-6), but the Barrons outscored Stevens by a 6-3 margin from beyond the arc, and a 23-12 margin at the foul line for the win. Â Woodbridge outscored J.P. Stevens in each of the first three periods, but the Hawks rebounded to make things interesting with a 14-9 showing in the fourth. Â The Barrons also had fewer team fouls (19-22). Â The game started out very sluggishly as both teams didn’t have a field goal over the first 3:24 of the contest. Â The Barrons still managed to grab a 2-0 lead thanks to two free throws by Glover.
Following a timeout by WHS, the Barrons went into overdrive as their defense forced turnovers, and they were converted into points during an 8-2 run over a 2:58 span for a 10-2 lead. Â Glover had two scores during the run including a reverse layup. Â Shuler also added a layup during the spurt. Â Francois Ballou (6 points) accounted for the only Stevens scoring with two free throws to tie the score at 2-2. Â Woodbridge picked up right where it left off to open the second period with 6 more points including a three by senior Josh Oloweekere (5 points), two free throws by Zaire Robinson for his only points of the game, and one of two from the line by Glover for a 16-2 lead a little more than midway through the period. Â The Hawks battled back with a 9-4 run to end the half though as Dooley scored two field goals, Veer Patel added a three point play, and James Corrigan added a basket to close the gap to 20-11 at the intermission. Â Stevens continued to battle back in the second half.
After a three pointer from the right side of the key by Shuler to give Woodbridge a 23-11 lead within the first minute of the third period, J.P. Stevens scored 6 of the next 8 points to pull within eight points at 25-17 with 3:38 left in the frame. Â However, the Hawks were unable to get any closer for the balance of the period as the Barrons finished the stanza with a 7-4 run as Shuler, who scored 7 of his 10 points in the third, scored 5 points as he drew a foul on another three point attempt to make three foul shots, and got a bucket to put WHS back up by double digits entering the fourth. Â In the final period, Woodbridge didn’t even score a field goal, but still managed to win the game despite the strong finish by Stevens. Â The period began with Oloweekere netting two free throws for a 34-25 lead before JPS rallied to pull within one. Â Alex Corrigan inspired the run with two free throws and then a three pointer to narrow the deficit to 34-30 with 3:39 remaining.
Following a Woodbridge timeout, the Hawks crept closer with a free throw by Patel, and then a steal that was turned into a breakaway layup by Ballou to pull the Hawks within one at 34-33 with just over two minutes remaining. Â Glover then took over for Woodbridge though as he made 5 of 6 from the line to give the Barrons a 39-35 lead with less than a minute remaining. Â Stevens could only get as close as three points with 1:02 left on two foul shots by football standout and point guard, Chewie Chukwuneke (4 points). Â Keshaun Henry then wrapped up the win with two free throws for the 41-35 victory. Â With the win, Woodbridge improved to 9-8 overall on the season including an 8-7 mark in the GMC, and a 6-5 record in the White Division. Â J.P. Stevens falls to 4-14 overall on the year including a 4-12 mark in conference, and a 2-9 record in divisional play.