Solid Game at Both Ends of the Floor Lift Bears Past Knights for 2nd Time
| East Brunswick’s senior forward, Addis Ralph battles for position down low with Old Bridge’s Kyle Parris in the first half. Ralph scored all 14 of his points in the first two quarters as the Bears defeated the Knights for the 2nd time this season, 59-53. |
EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ–For the second time this season Old Bridge took on East Brunswick with the Knights ahead of the Bears in the most recent GMC Hoops Top Ten, and for the second time, EB came away victorious. This time, the Bears played a much more complete game at both ends to get a much needed 59-53 victory at the newly renovated Bear’s Den at EBHS on Thursday night. Addis Ralph led three different EB players in double figures with 14, all in the first half. Meanwhile, EB limited Old Bridge standout, Connor Romano to just six points.
The Bears had 7 different players score versus only five by Old Bridge, and enjoyed a 7-0 edge in points scored off the bench. The big three of Matt Ross (11 points), Addis Ralph, and Mike Vick (9 points) combined for 34 of EB’s 59 points. Both teams combined for 13 three pointers, but EB limited Old Bridge to just six from beyond the arc, which was four less than the last meeting in Old Bridge on January 12th. The Bears netted seven including four by senior guard, Mike Brizuela, who finished with 12. East Brunswick enjoyed a 21-18 edge from long distance and a 32-26 advantage in points scored from within the arc.
The Knights, which went 9 of 11 from the charity stripe versus only 6 of 13 by the Bears, had four different players score in double figures led by senior guard, Stephen Strom, who had a game high 15 points on the night. Kyle Parris added 12 points while both C.J. Santoro and Will Osvald chipped in with 10 including two threes. Osvald had four treys alone in the third quarter in the last meeting between the two teams. EB outscored OBHS in three of the four quarters played including a 17-12 showing in the first that was highlighted by an 8-0 run to end the frame by the Bears. Up to that point, the game had been a bit back and forth.
East Brunswick had a 7-6 lead with 3:43 remaining in the first when Santoro drained the first of his two threes for a 9-7 edge. Following an East Brunswick score on its next offensive possession to tie the game, the Knights went ahead 12-9 on a traditional three point play by Strom at the 3:06 mark. Then, the Bears finished off the period with the final eight points including four by Justin Sewnarine (6 points), a bucket by Addis Ralph, and a putback by little brother Dante Ralph for the five point lead heading into the second. Old Bridge opened the second quarter with the first 7 points including a three by Strom from the right side of the key for a 19-17 lead at the 5:30 mark.
The Bears then scored the next four points including another basket by Addis Ralph for a 21-19 lead, and then scored 12 of the last 18 of the half including threes from the right side of the floor by Joe Sampson (3 points) and Brizuela, and two more scores by Addis Ralph for a 33-25 halftime lead. Ralph had 8 points in the first, and 6 more in the second to finish with his team high 14. Despite Old Bridge outscoring EB by a 9-6 margin from beyond the arc in the second, the Bears had a 15-12 advantage in points scored off threes in the first half. Strom led OB with 11 at the intermission. Both teams were able to muster enough offense despite the fact that two of their top players, Ross and Romano had a combined two points at the break.
The third quarter was the only period in the game where Old Bridge outscored East Brunswick. Led by Parris and Romano, who combined for 10 points in the period, the Knights outscored EB by a 17-12 margin to close the gap to 45-42. OB had five different players score while EB just had three. Mike Vick led the Bears in the third with 6 points including a drive to the basket for a layup as he was fouled. Parris, who also scored six in the frame for the Knights, sank a contested shot as well as he made a jumper from just inside the arc, and over the outstretched hand of Addis Ralph. Ross got into the act in the third by scoring three of his points in the period. Will Osvald and Mike Brizuela each hit threes for their respective teams.
In the final period, Ross took over, as he scored several times off drives to the basket, and made both of his free throw attempts. Vick and Brizuela each added three points as Vick went 3 of 4 from the line while Brizuela sank a three pointer from the right side. Old Bridge was led by C.J. Santoro, who had five points in the fourth including a three from the left wing, and a jumper from the right side that got a kind bounce. Parris, who scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half, added four more in the period on a field goal and 2 of 4 from the charity stripe. Despite the efforts of Santoro and Parris, the Knights were only able to get within four late at 53-49 before EB pulled away with 6 of the final 10 points mostly from the foul line courtesy of Ross and VIck.
With the victory, East Brunswick improved to 10-6 on the season including a 7-3 mark in the GMC Red, which clinches at least third place in the division. The Bears still have a couple division games left against Piscataway and South Brunswick. The game against the Vikings will be at EBHS on Thursday night at 7:00 PM. Originally, the game was scheduled to be played at Churchill Middle School, but the renovations on the gym at EB are completed, and all remaining East Brunswick home games will be played at EBHS. Meanwhile, Old Bridge drops to 12-6 overall with the loss, and 4-6 in division. In all likelihood, the Knights will probably end up with the 9th seed at the GMCT seeding meeting next week.
East Brunswick is looking for an opponent to play on Saturday after its original game with Columbia was cancelled. See details at https://gmchoops.com/blog/?p=6934. Old Bridge is scheduled to play Monroe at MTHS on Saturday morning at 10:00 AM.