OLD BRIDGE, NJ–On Wednesday night, GMC Hoops traveled down Route 9 South and County Road 516 East to Old Bridge High School to see the early season Red Division clash between eighth ranked Piscataway and third ranked Old Bridge, and the much anticipated contest didn’t disappoint.
The Knights jumped out to an early an early 8-1 lead behind Kyle Parris (17 points), who opened the scoring with a three from the top of the key, and followed with a layin and a free throw. Piscataway responded with a 6-1 run that included a three pointer from Jordan Davidson (13 points) to close the gap to 9-7, but Parris answered with a a one handed slam as he was fouled for a three point play, and a 12-7 lead with 3:20 remaining in the frame.
Piscataway rebounded again though by finishing the opening stanza on a 9-4 run that included a three pointer by D’Ondre Dent (16 points) at the 1:31 mark, and a layin by Keshawn Grant in the final minute of play to tie the score at 16-16. The Chiefs then opened the second quarter with a free throw by Mehki Morgan and two technical foul shots by Dent at the 6:27 mark for a 19-16 lead.
Old Bridge then turned the tables by ending the first half on a 13-6 tear that was sparked by a layup from the left low block by Will Osvald at the 3:40 mark, and then capped by six unanswered points in the final minute or so of the second period including layups by Jared Meyer and Julius Belton, and a floater from Rich Calandrino (12 points) for a 29-25 halftime lead.
The Knights began the second half strong by scoring 7 of the first 10 points of the period including threes from Mike Olivia and Will Osvald to take a 36-28 lead at the 3:47 mark of the third. Once again though, P-Way fought back by putting together a 7-2 spurt capped by a three point play by Davidson near the end of the frame for a 38-35 Old Bridge lead heading into the fourth and final period.
Early on in the fourth, the Knights gave themselves a little more breathing room by scoring 6 of the first 9 points including a highlight reel putback dunk by Parris for a 44-38 lead at the 5:27 mark. The Chiefs responded again by scoring the next seven points including a three by Dent at the 3:00 mark, a putback by Grant, and then a bucket by Davidson for a 47-45 lead.
Old Bridge continued the back and forth volley between the two teams by retaking the lead at 48-47 on a three from the left corner by Belton with 2:21 to play. Calandrino then added a pair of free throws for a three point Knights lead before Grant scored on another putback to close the gap to one at 50-49 with 1:02 left. Belton made a pair of free throws for a three point lead again before Mattias Arrindell got to the line and made one of two for the Chiefs to close the gap to 52-50 with 29.8 seconds to play.
After Belton went to the line again and made both ends of the bonus for Old Bridge, Davidson pulled the Chiefs back within one possession at 54-52 by scoring on a layin off a spin move with 20.2 seconds to play. Piscataway had a chance to win after Old Bridge missed the front end of a one and one, but the Chiefs shot attempt was just off the mark as time expired. Below are game notes from the action:
First Quarter
5:41 left in 1st and Old Bridge takes a 5-1 lead thanks to a three from the top of the key and a layin by Kyle Parris.
3:20 left in 1st and Old Bridge ends a 6-1 PWAY run on a one handed slam for a 3 pt play by Parris to take a 12-7 lead. P-Way had pulled to within two with its run that included a three pointer by Jordan Davidson.
1:31 left in the first quarter and we’re all tied at 12-12 after a D’Ondre Dent three from the right wing.
0:00–End of first quarter and score is tied at 16-16 on a transition layin from the left wing by PWay’s Keshawn Grant.
Second Quarter
6:27–PWAY–takes a 19-16 lead on one of two from the line by Mehki Morgan, and then two technical foul shots by Dent.
3:40 left in the first half and OB trails PWAY 19-18 after a Will Osvald layup from the left low block off a nice dish by Julius Belton.
0:00–Old Bridge ends the half on a 6-2 run that includes layups by Jared Meyer and Belton as well as a floater in the paint by Rich Calandrino for a 29-25 lead. Old Bridge 1st half scoring: Kyle Parris leads all scorers with 12, which all came in the first quarter. Rich Calandrino chipped in with 8. PWay’s first half scoring: D’Ondre Dent leads a balanced Chiefs attack with 7 while Jordan Davidson has 6.
Third Quarter
3:47 left in the third and OB leads PWay 36-28 after a three from the top of the key by Mike Olivia and a trey by Will Osvald. Knights open second half on a 7-3 run. Scored 13 of the last 18 points of the game.
0:00–End of 3rd and despite a three point play by Jordan Davidson, PWAY trails OB, 38-35. Chiefs end the third on a 7-2 spurt.
Fourth Quarter
5:27 remaining in 4th and Old Bridge scores 6 of the first 9 points of the period including a highlight reel putback dunk by Parris to take a 44-38 lead.
3:00 left in regulation and PWAY rallies to tie score at 45-45 after a Dent trey from the right wing and a putback by Grant.
2:47–PWAY takes its first lead since the second quarter at 47-45 on a score by Davidson.
2:21 left in 4th and OB takes a 48-47 lead on a Julius Belton trey from the left corner.
1:02 left in 4th and OB calls timeout with a 50-49 lead after a putback by P-Way’s Grant.
29.8 Left in 4th and OB calls timeout with the ball and a 52-50 lead after PWay’s Mattias Arrindell makes 1 of 2 FTs.
20.2 seconds left in 4th and PWAY calls time after a layin off a spin move by Jordan Davidson closes the gap to 54-52.
0:00–Game just ended and Old Bridge hangs on for a 54-52 win! Piscataway had a chance to force overtime, but after a missed front end of the bonus by OB, the Chiefs last second shot attempt went off the rim as time expired. Parris led the Knights with 17 points while Calandrino chipped in with 12, and Belton added 11. Dent led the Chiefs with 16 points while Davidson chipped in with 13.