SOMERVILLE, NJ–In addition to the two GMC games taken in by GMC Hoops at the 2016 Immaculata Fall League on Sunday, there were three games involving non-conference schools to help round out the day there. Below are capsules on those three games:
Hillsborough vs. Morristown
In this clash between, Somerset and Morris County schools, Morristown of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference, jumped out to a 16-8 lead despite two free throws and a layup by Hillsborough with 6:23 left in the first half.
Hillsborough crept even closer by scoring four straight points to close the gap to 16-12, but the Colonials ended the half with four of the last five points for a 20-13 lead at the intermission. Hillsborough continued to hang in there at the start of the second half.
Over the first 6:55 of the second half, the Raiders scored 8 of the initial 12 points including a three pointer from the top of the key to pull within three at 24-21. Morristown knocked down a three for a six point lead before Hillsborough got a bucket for a 27-23 score with 11:23 to play.
After Morristown made one of two from the line, Hillsborough scored on a layup from the left side for a 28-25 score with 8:53 left. Morristown then added a score for a 30-25 lead before a Hillsborough timeout with 7:43 to play. Following the stoppage, Morristown reeled off another six unanswered points including a layup at the 5:11 mark for a 36-25 lead.
Over the next 2:05, Hillsborough rallied again with six straight points on two threes including one from the right side that pulled the Raiders within five at 36-31 with 3:06 to play. Morristown scored 4 of the next 6 points for a 40-33 lead with 2:13 to go before Hillsborough rallied with four points including a layup at the 1:03 mark to pull within three at 40-37.
Hillsborough wouldn’t get any closer though. Despite a Raiders three with under five seconds to play, Morristown was able to sow up the 46-40 win by going 6 of 6 at the line down the stretch.
Bernards vs. Franklin
Franklin scored the first four points of the game before Bernards netted a three at the 15:55 mark to close the gap to 4-3. The Mountaineers then scored 4 of the next 6 points including a layup while being fouled for a 7-6 lead at the 14 minute mark.
Bernards then banked in a floater at the 12:43 mark to cap a 9-2 rally for a 9-6 lead and forced Franklin to call for time. Following the timeout, the Warriors tied the game at 9-9 on a three from the right wing at the 11:32 mark. After a Bernards three for a 12-9 lead, Franklin rallied with the next four points including a short jumper by Josh Gestosani at the 6:23 mark for a 13-12 lead.
Over the next 4:20, Bernards scored the next seven points including a three from the left wing and a finger roll that got a kind bounce for a 19-13 lead with 2:03 to go in the half. Franklin rallied to end the half with 4 of the last 5 points including a layup off a spin move with two seconds left for a 20-17 Bernards lead at the half. There were three lead changes and a tie in the first half.
Both teams opened the second half scoring with two points before Franklin tied the game at 22-22 on a three from the left wing at the 15:17 mark. Bernards retook control of the contest with the next seven points over a span of 5:41 for a 29-22 lead as Franklin called for time at the 9:36 mark. Over the next five minutes, Franklin scored 5 of the next 8 points including a layup with a little over 4 minutes left for a 32-27 Bernards lead.
Unfortunately for Warriors fans, Franklin was unable to get any closer as Bernards scored 4 of the last 5 points of the game for the 36-28 win.
Summit vs. Mendham
Mendham jumped out to a 29-8 lead with five minutes to play in the first half and then scored 10 of the ensuing 13 points including layups at the 1:47 and 1:10 marks for a 39-11 lead. Summit then scored 4 of the last 6 points of the half including a three in the closing seconds for a 41-15 Mendham lead at the break.
Summit started the second half on a positive note with 6 of the first 10 points to narrow the deficit to 45-21 at the 17:05 mark. Mendham did reassert itself though by scoring 6 of the next 8 points for a 51-23 lead with 11:33 left. Mendham then scored 9 of the next 13 points over the next 10 minutes or so for a 60-25 lead with about a minute and a half left.
Summit then rounded out the scoring with a bucket in the final minute as Mendham won, 60-27. The win by the Minutemen snapped a two game losing streak and evened their record at 2-2 on the fall.