WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ–On Thursday night, GMC Hoops took the trip over to Wall Township High School for the Championship Game of the 2015 Jersey Shore Basketball League between Larson Ford and Sterns Trailer. Â In a back and forth game that had 12 lead changes and 10 ties while neither team had a lead larger than 13 points, each team had an answer for the other. Â
Trailing 65-60 early in the third, Larson Ford embarked on a 29-9 surge over about 8 minutes as Colonia’s Jordan McDaniel scored 13 of his points on three treys along with a dunk while former Plainfield standout and Piscataway Tech head coach, Mike Gordon added 9 including a three and a foul line jumper to cap the run for an 89-74 lead. Â Sterns Trailer, led by Jerome Hubbard, Blake Hamilton and Deon Jones rallied back with a 27-11 surge over its own over a span of 8:01 to take a 101-100 lead on a three by Jones with 3:04 remaining. Â
Larson Ford would win the crown though by outscoring Sterns Trailer by a 10-4 margin the rest of the way sparked by a three from Gordon with 1:43 remaining and capped by a dunk from Dan Singleton with under 10 seconds to play to wrap up the 110-105 victory. Â Below are game notes from the action:
First Quarter
9:00–LF–jumps out to a 4-2 lead on two jumpers by Willie Idris.
8:00–ST–rallies back with the next 4 points including a score by Deon Jones for a 6-4 lead.
7:38–LF–Dan Singleton converts a three point play for a 7-6 lead.
6:58–LF–Kareem Collins connects on jumper for a 9-6 lead.
6:41–ST–Blake Hamilton scores for a 9-8 LF lead.
6:28–LF–Jordan McDaniel scores while being fouled but misses bonus FT for an 11-8 lead.
6:15–ST–Darnell Wilkes converts a three point play for an 11-11 tie.
5:45–LF–takes a 15-11 lead on scores by Collins and Singleton.
2:45–LF–Singleton drives in for layup and foul to end a 6-2 ST run. Â Missed bonus FT for a 26-20 lead.
2:39–LF–Mike Gordon fires in three from well beyond the top of the key for a 29-23 lead.
2:11–ST–Jerome Hubbard fires in a three from the right wing for a 29-26 lead.
1:39–ST–Hubbard draws a foul and makes both FTs to answer earlier LF score for a 31-28 LF lead.
0:31–ST–Hubbard sinks a three for a 33-31 LF lead.
Second Quarter
8:04–LF–scores 5 of the first 7 points including a bucket by McDaniel for a 38-33 lead.
7:04–ST–takes a 39-38 lead on back to back threes by Deon Nesmith.
3:00–LF–now leads 50-48 after scores by Idris and Collins. Â There have been 5 lead changes and two ties over last 4 minutes.
2:47–LF–Collins fouled, but misses both FTs.
2:39–ST–Corey Soanes puts in a shot for a 50-50 tie.
2:30–LF–Singleton fires in a three from the left wing for a 53-50 lead.
2:01–ST–Nesmith converts a three point play for a 53-53 tie.
1:48–LF–Singleton scores on a follow of his own miss for a 55-53 lead.
1:30–ST–Larry Smith fouled and made both FTs for a 55-55 tie.
1:03–ST–Hubbard nets three from right wing for a 58-55 lead.
0:30–LF–basket for a 58-57 ST lead.
0:05–ST–Soanes scores off missed jumper by Smith for a 60-57 lead.
0:00–ST–gets steal as time runs out for a 60-57 halftime lead.
Third Quarter
8:05–ST–jumps out to a 68-64 lead after McDaniel tied things up at 60-60 with a three from the left corner to open the half. Â Hubbard had two threes during the 8-4 ST run while McDaniel added another score.
7:01–LF–roars back with a 5-0 run on a three by McDaniel and a layup by Gordon for a 69-68 lead.
6:00–LF now up 72-70 after layup by Gordon.
4:26–LF–on an 8-0 run after another three by McDaniel and a three point play by Collins for a 78-70 lead.
2:55–ST–Wilkes scores on a putback for an 82-74 LF lead.
2:23–LF–McDaniel dunks on a breakaway off a steal for an 87-74 lead.
2:07–ST–calls timeout after three by Gordon from the right wing for an 87-74 lead.
1:26–ST–Jones fouled and misses both FTs.
1:05–LF–Gordon gets kind bounce on foul line jumper for an 89-74 lead.
50.0–ST–Hubbard basket for an 89-76 LF lead.
43.0–LF–Collins fouled and makes 1 of 2 FTs for a 90-76 lead.
27.0–ST–Nesmith scores for a 90-78 lead.
0:00–LF–misses heave at the buzzer, but leads 90-78.
Fourth Quarter
5:55–ST–has rallied back with a 16-6 run including a dunk by Hamilton and a couple scores by Jones including a three from the right wing to close the gap to 96-94.
5:12–LF–timeout after ST ties it at 96-96 on a score by Wilkes.
4:26–LF–takes a 98-96 lead on a score from CollinsÂ
3:39–LF–Collins spins for layup and a 100-96 lead.
3:04–ST–on a 5-0 run after a three by Jones from the left wing for a 101-100 lead.
2:38–ST–timeoutÂ
2:24–ST–Hamilton fouled and missed both FTs.
1:43–LF–Gordon fires in three from the left corner for a 103-101 lead.
1:05–LF–Collins scores inside for a 105-103 lead.
0:56–ST–Jones drives in for a layup and a 105-105 tie.
0:39–LF–Collins fouled and makes 1 of 2 FTs for a 106-105 lead.
0:24–LF–calls timeout after getting loose ball.
0:19–LF–Gordon fouled and makes both ends of the bonus for a 108-105 win.
0:14–ST–timeout.
0:07–LF–Singleton throws down two handed jam for a 110-105.
0:00–LF–gets rebound and runs out the clock for a 110-105 win