Here is a slideshow of photos from the action in the Week 6 contest at the 2016 Immaculata Fall League at the Branchburg Sports Complex between Franklin and Watchung Hills.
In this battle of two old Skyland Conference rivals that have battled each other going back to the days of the Mid-State Conference, Watchung Hills jumped out to an 11-3 lead before a Franklin timeout at the 15:18 mark.
The Warriors from Warren scored three of the next 5 points over a span of about five and a half minutes for a 14-5 lead at the 9:44 mark. Watchung Hills then added 8 of the next 12 points including a couple threes for a 22-9 lead with 5:03 remaining in the opening half.
Watchung Hills didn’t stop there in this battle of Warriors. Instead, it added seven more points including a three, a jumper, and a putback for a 29-9 lead as Franklin called for time with three minutes to go in the first half. Franklin tried to get something going down the stretch by scoring 5 of the last 7 points of the period, but still trailed, 31-14 at the break.
Watchung Hills went back to work to start the second half with a 10-3 spurt before Franklin drew a foul on a three pointer, and made two free throws for a 41-19 Watchung lead with 15:58 left. Franklin tried to climb back into the game again by scoring 7 of the next 10 points in just 3:18 to narrow the deficit to 44-26 with 12:40 to go. The Warriors from Somerset continued to battle.
Over the next 4:27, Franklin scored another four points on putbacks as it pounded the offensive boards to close the gap to 44-30 with 8:13 to play. Following a timeout, Watchung Hills reasserted itself by scoring 9 of the next 11 points for a 53-32 lead with 6 minutes to go. Franklin then scored 4 of the next 6 points before an intentional foul gave Watchung Hills one of two FTs from the line for a 56-36 lead with 3:47 left.
The Warriors from Warren then scored four more on two transition layups for a 60-36 lead at the 2:16 mark. Watchung Hills went on to win, 62-36.