McCleery Hits Game Winning Shot at 0:02 in Holiday Tourney
HIGHLANDS, NJ–The South Amboy Governors may be one of the surprise teams of this early season. Projected to finish next to last in the GMC Gold, the Guvs have won 3 of its last 4 games with its latest victory coming in the opening round of the Shore-Middlesex Tourney.
John McCleery hit the game winning shot with two seconds to go to lift South Amboy past the host school Henry Hudson, 39-37 in the opening round of the holiday tournament. The Guvs, who led the entire game, couldn’t shake a pesky Henry Hudson squad that tied the game at 37-37 on a free throw with under 20 seconds to play by Jay Anthony.
Trailing 5-4 after one period, South Amboy put together a 15-4 showing in the second period to take a 19-9 halftime lead. Henry Hudson battled back with a 12-5 run in the third to pull within 24-21 going into the fourth, and outscored the Governors by a 16-13 margin for most of the fourth to tie the game late. The Admirals used the three ball to get back into the game.
While the Guvs enjoyed a 28-20 edge in points scored inside the arc, and a 8-2 advantage in points scored from the line, the Admirals enjoyed an 15-3 edge in points scored from long distance. Alan Kazar led South Amboy in victory with 9 points and 5 rebounds while McCleery chipped in with 8 points, 4 boards, and 2 assists. Isaiah Munoz also scored 8 points for the winners.
Tom Fennell (20 points) and Anthony (11 points) accounted for 84 percent of Henry Hudson’s scoring in the game. Fennell had all five of the Admirals three pointers. With the victory, South Amboy improved to 3-3 overall on the season and advanced to the Championship Game to take on Keansburg, an 81-76 winner over South River in overtime in the other opening round tourney game. Henry Hudson falls to 0-4.