PLAINFIELD, NJ—GMC Hoops traveled out to Plainfield High School once again to renew its coverage of the fall league season with a night of action in the 2007 HawksBasketball Fall-Ball Classic. On this night, the web site covered two games that both involved schools from the Greater Middlesex Conference, Woodbridge and Metuchen, which have also recently earned playoff berths in the league’s post-season tournament that gets underway in twelve days. The Barrons played first against Hunterdon Central in a game that took place on Court #1 at 6:30 PM while at 7:30 PM, Metuchen faced off against the host school, Plainfield on the same Court #1. Both games were very competitive, which can be a rarity in this league, but the Bulldogs really showed tremendous improvement over the beginning of their fall campaign with perhaps their best effort against a very talented Plainfield squad.
Hunterdon Central Pulls Out Victory Over Barrons In A Hard Fought Battle, 57-53
The Red Devils of Hunterdon Central, which compete in the Delaware West Division of the Skyland Conference, have been steadily improving this fall. Early on in the season, Hunterdon Central took on another GMC team in Metuchen back on September 19, 2007. On that day, the Bulldogs, a Group I school, defeated the Red Devils, a Group IV school, by a 39-28 score. Woodbridge also took on Metuchen the week before on September 12, 2007, and the Barrons came away with an easy, 44-24 victory. However, since that time, Hunterdon Central has steadily improved, and that improvement led to a key victory over Woodbridge that gives them a shot at landing the sixth seed in the upcoming playoffs. Using a 10-0 run over a span of 5:07, the Red Devils took an early 16-5 lead, and despite a rally by the Barrons over the final 8:28 of the half, HCHS was still able to hold a tenuous 26-23 lead at the break. Then, in the second half, Woodbridge overtook Hunterdon Central with a 15-10 run over a span of 10:43 span for a 52-51 lead with 1:30 left, but the Red Devils pulled out the 57-53 win with six of the game’s last seven points.
Arriving late to the game, GMC Hoops arrived at the gym at the 13:35 mark of the first half with Hunterdon Central leading by a 6-5 score. The Red Devils then began their 10-0 run with a score some twenty seconds later for an 8-5 lead at the 13:15 mark. Then, HCHS got a steal off Woodbridge underneath its own basket, went on a fast break for a layup attempt that was no good, but rebounded by another Red Devil player. The ball was then kicked out, and then passed back inside for another layup attempt for a foul, which was turned into two free throws for a 10-5 lead at the 11:55 mark. A little more than a minute and a half later, Hunterdon Central scored again off an inbounds play to a player on the right wing for a jumper that made it 12-5 at the 10:23 mark. Thirty seconds after that, the Barrons were forced to call a timeout when Hunterdon Central put in another score for an 8-0 run for a 14-5 advantage with less than ten minutes remaining before the intermission. The timeout didn’t appear to be the remedy at first since Mike Kirkin scored on an offensive rebound and follow to make it a 10-0 run for a 16-5 lead with 9:18 left before halftime. However, Tim Weber broke the schneid with a drive for a layup at the 8:28 mark to make the score 16-7. The two teams went back and forth for a bit as the Red Devils scored on another offensive rebound and putback to make it 18-7 at the 8:20 mark, Woodbridge made two free throws at the 8:13 mark to cut the lead in half at 18-9, and the Red Devils made it a double-digit lead again with a score at the 8:04 mark to make it 20-9.
Weber then put Woodbridge into double digits with another nice drive through the middle for a layin to cut the deficit to 20-11 at the 7:43 mark. Twelve seconds later, the Barrons used great teamwork to score again as Rich Ng picked up a steal, passed ahead to Weber, who in turn dished to Zambrana for a layin off the fast break to make it a 20-13 Hunterdon Central lead at the 7:31 mark. Gerard Bullock then made it a 6-0 Woodbridge run when he drove to his right from the left baseline, and then through the middle for a layin to make it a 20-15 game at the 5:41 mark. Keeping Woodbridge at arm’s length for the time being, the Red Devils came up with the next two scores including an offensive rebound and left handed layup on the follow to make it 22-15 at the 5:23 mark, and a nice feed for a layup at the 5:07 mark to make the score, 24-15. Ng closed the gap to seven again with a drive through the middle for a layin as the Barrons made it 24-17 with 4:52 left in the half by repeatedly taking advantage of the fact that no Hunterdon Central player would step in to either defend the drive through the middle, or better yet, take a charge. Unfortunately, the Barrons stubbed their toes a lot in this one thanks to several technical fouls including the first one assessed at the 3:34 mark. The good thing for Woodbridge was the fact that Hunterdon Central went 2 of 6 collectively as a team for the game in technical foul shots.
After the two technical foul shots were missed, Woodbridge went right back to work with a score from Bullock to make it a 24-19 Red Devil lead at the 3:34 mark. Bullock, who had eight of Woodbridge’s 18 points over the final 13:35 of the first half, scored again 1:13 late on a foul line jumper that trimmed the Hunterdon Central lead to just three at 24-21. The Barrons then crept closer when Edrise Pope-Wright grabbed a rebound and passed upcourt to Ng, who drove to the basket for a spin and off-balanced shot as he fell to the floor that was off the mark, but rebounded by Zambrana, who passed to Bullock for a shot attempt and foul. Bullock then made two free throws for a 24-23 Red Devil edge at the 1:34 mark. The Barrons then actually had a chance to take the lead, but Hunterdon Central double teamed Bullock for a steal that was turned into a layup with 1.5 seconds remaining for a 26-23 halftime lead. In addition, the Red Devils got another break when Woodbridge was assessed its second technical of the game, which resulted in a 27-23 lead at the start of the second half. The technical had put a damper on what was a strong finish to the first half by the Barrons, which closed out the period with an 18-10 showing to close within three going into the brief break. Besides Bullock’s eight point effort in the final 13:35, Weber added four points while three others including Ng and Zambrana each chipped in with a field goal.
Following the technical foul shots to start the half for the four point HCHS advantage, Woodbridge got on the board to cut the deficit in half when Ng scored on a one handed shot to make it 27-25 with 19:25 to go in the game. Then, Zambrana followed that with a layup to tie the contest at 27-27 with 18:30 to go. Hunterdon Central got its first field goal of the second half with a layup to take a 29-27 lead at the 17:46 mark. For the game, there were a total of 11 lead changes and five ties in the contest although Woodbridge didn’t have its first lead of the game since our arrival until the 6:13 mark of the second half. Less than twenty-five seconds later, the Red Devils made it a four point lead when a player drove the length of the floor for a layup at the 17:22 mark to make the score, 31-27. The Barrons then cut the lead to two again as Bullock came up with a drive of his own for a layup from the right side to make it 31-29 with 17:05 left. Hunterdon Central promptly responded with penetration to the middle of the key, and kick out to the left baseline for a jumper that was good for a four point, 33-29 lead with 16:55 to go. Woodbridge came right back with a score of its own as Blair Dolphin connected on a jumper from the left wing to make it 33-31 with 16:42 remaining. The volleys of baskets continued as HCHS went back up by four as a player pump faked on the left low block to score on a layup for a 35-31 lead with 15:52 to play.
Nine seconds later though, Woodbridge replied with another score as Dolphin made a nice pass underneath to Bullock for a basket to pull within two again at 35-33 with 15:43 to go. A little over a minute later, Woodbridge tied the game up as Ng made a pair of free throws to make it a 35-35 game at the 14:40 mark. At this point, the Barrons had outscored the Red Devils by a 30-19 margin (including a 12-8 run in the first 5:20 of the second half) over a 14:38 span since trailing 16-5 early on. Yet, Hunterdon Central stayed in control of the situation as it got a score off a jumper for a 37-35 edge at the 14:00 mark, and then had numbers on the break for a layup sixteen seconds later for a 39-35 advantage with 13:44 remaining in regulation. Once again though, Woodbridge hung on thanks to Bullock, who got a kind bounce and roll on a shot for a 39-37 HCHS lead at the 13:15 mark. The Red Devils then went back up by four, 41-37, when a player made two foul shots at the 12:34 mark. HCHS then got a steal off Bullock at the top of the key in the Woodbridge forecourt at the 12:13 mark, and promptly called timeout. Following the stoppage, the Barrons managed to cut the lead to two again as Bullock rebounded a missed Hunterdon Central shot, drove upcourt, and dished to Ng on the right wing for a layup to make the score, 41-39 with just under twelve minutes to play.
A minute after that score, Dolphin forced a jump ball situation, and the Barrons got the ball back to set up a tying score as Ng returned the favor by passing to Bullock for a jumper to knot the game at 41-41 with 10:29 left. Quickly responded to reassert control of the game, the Red Devils scored a layup for a 43-41 lead at the 10:22 mark. The Hunterdon Central lead went back up to four again as they took advantage of the great hustle and save by Dolphin for a drive along the left baseline and dish across the pain for a layup to make it 45-41 exactly midway through the second half. Once again, Woodbridge wouldn’t let Hunterdon Central get to far ahead as Ng connected on a jumper from the left wing for a 45-43 score at the 9:40 mark. Speaking of the lead, neither team had a lead bigger than eleven points in the game, and no lead was bigger than four points in the entire second half, and in the final 22:21 of the contest. More than a minute and a half later, Bullock rebounded and outlet a pass upcourt to Zambrana for a layup that tied the game again at 45-45 with 8:05 left. The Barrons had a chance to take the lead some 45 seconds later, but Bullock’s rebound and drive upcourt for a layup attempt was blocked by a Hunterdon Central player, and despite being fouled on the play, couldn’t convert the two free throws. The missed second foul shot was rebounded by Pope-Wright, but the Barrons ultimately couldn’t convert the second chance opportunity.
Over a minute later, Woodbridge seized on an opportunity as Weber drew an offensive foul on an HCHS player. Three seconds later, the Red Devils were given a technical in a contest that saw four of those. The Barrons then took its first lead since very early in the game with one of two free throws that made the score, 46-45 at the 6:13 mark. WHS then took its biggest lead of the game with a layup by Weber off a nice feed from Bullock for a 48-45 score at the 4:49 mark, but the Barrons pretty much gave the lead right back to HCHS as they were assessed their third technical foul of the game, which first resulted in a pair of free throws by the Red Devils to make the score, 48-47 at the 4:45 mark, and then a field goal by the Hunterdon County school for a 49-48 lead as the Barrons called for time at the 3:05 mark. After the timeout, Woodbridge fell behind a bit further as Hunterdon Central, which is based in Flemington, scored again with a left handed hook shot down low following an Ng turnover at the 2:47 mark to make the score, 51-48 with 2:21 to play. Woodbridge rallied back to not only end the HCHS 6-0 run, but also take the lead with a jumper by Bullock from Ng at the 1:55 mark to make the score, 51-50, and then a layup for a 52-51 lead with 1:30 left.
Unfortunately for the Barrons, that would be the last lead they would have in this one. Hunterdon Central took the lead back on the next offensive possession by outhustling their GMC opponent for a loose ball, and offensive rebound that resulted in a jumper from the right wing that was true to make the score, 53-52 at the 1:14 mark. Woodbridge tied the game up as Bullock came up with a steal, and drive upcourt for a shot that missed, but Dolphin was there for the offensive rebound and putback attempt that he was fouled on for one of two from the charity stripe that squared the game at 53-53 with 43.17 left in regulation. The Red Devils then took the lead for good with an offensive rebound and putback of their own at the 21.1 mark to make the score, 55-53, and then closed the game out with two free throws off an intentional foul by Bullock to make the final score, 57-53. With the win, Hunterdon Central goes into its final game with a record of 3-6, and all they needed was a victory over Spotswood on Monday, October 22nd, to seal the sixth spot, and a probable matchup against Roselle in the Quarterfinal round. Meanwhile, Woodbridge, missed a golden opportunity to get the sixth seed themselves with the defeat, and despite a win due to forefeit by Franklin on Monday, will need help to get seeded higher than seventh.
| Team | 1 | 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunterdon Central (3-6) | 26 | 31 | 57 |
| Woodbridge (3-6) | 23 | 30 | 53 |
Metuchen Gives Plainfield Fits Before Falling, 55-46
It was perhaps Metuchen’s best performance of the fall, but it still wasn’t good enough. With the score tied up at 8-8 at the 11:05 mark of the first half, Plainfield outscored the Bulldogs by a 12-2 margin over the next 7:52 including an 10-0 run during 4:02 of that period to take a 20-10 lead. The hometown Cardinals then outscored Metuchen with four of the last six points of the half for 14-2 half closing tear, and a 24-12 lead at the intermission. Consequently, the home team managed to pull out the win, 55-46 in the 7:30 PM game despite the Bulldogs outscoring Plainfield by a slim 34-31 margin. Metuchen had scored almost as many points in the second half as both teams had in the opening half (36). There were four lead changes and three ties within the first 11:45 of the contest, but Plainfield, which didn’t have a lead greater than a dozen in the contest, led the rest of the way in the final 28:15 thanks to the decisive mid first half run. The Cardinals held the twelve point advantage at several points in the game including halftime (24-12), the 16:37 mark of the second half (30-18), about the 15:30 mark of the second half (32-20), and with 4:07 left in the game (49-37).
Metuchen was able to make it interesting through a combination of getting back on defense to eliminate fast breaks and easy basket opportunities, deploying a 2-3 zone that forced the more talented Cardinals to attempt to score more from the perimeter, and better execution on offense thanks to the play of point guard, Mark Switzer, who ensured Metuchen’s control of the tempo. While Plainfield did have its hands full, the Cards started the game with its reserves and the starters didn’t enter the contest until the 16:31 mark. In spite of that, PHS, which competes in the rough and tumble Watchung Conference during the regular season, couldn’t seem to take off as most would think they would at the start of the game. Another factor could have been the shorter court that the game was played on since there was a game going on at the same time. Nevertheless, Metuchen competed very well against a school that is much bigger in size, and is more talented. At the beginning of the contest, neither team scored for the first 2:42 until Switzer got the Bulldogs on the board first with a drive and bounce pass to Akheeme Green for a short jumper along the baseline to make it 2-0 at the 17:18 mark. The Cards tied the game up on the next possession with a shot along the baseline to make the score 2-2 at the 16:58 mark. Plainfield then got the ball back moments later, and had a chance to take the lead, but was called for traveling at the 16:31 mark as the regulars entered the game.
Almost exactly a minute later, Metuchen had an opportunity to take the lead as Codey Preston stepped to the line. However, the tall and lanky junior forward misfired on his two foul shot attempts, and the game remained knotted at 2-2. On a subsequent Cardinal possession, Ricky Terry gave his team the lead with a drive to his left into the key for a score that made it 4-2 at the 15:06 mark. Anthony Baskerville then increased Plainfield’s lead to four with a jumper that made the score, 6-2 at the 14:23 mark. Neither team scored for almost a minute and a half until Switzer hooked up with Green again with a nice entry pass for a score that made it 6-4 at the 12:54 mark. Mike Price made it a four point advantage again on a jumper from the right wing with 12:06 remaining before halftime to make it 8-4. The Bulldogs hung tough though with a 4-0 run that consisted of a score nearly half a minute later to close the gap to two again at 8-6 with 11:40 to go until the intermission, and then a pair of free throws from Preston at the 11:05 mark to knot the game at 8-8. MHS had a chance to take the lead when Nick Collas grabbed an offensive rebound, and fired an outlet pass upcourt to Switzer for a drive that drew a foul at the 10:26 mark, but it was on the floor rather than on the shot, and the Bulldogs couldn’t capitalize.
A bit more than a minute later, Plainfield took the lead again as the Cards scored on an offensive rebound and putback off a missed jumper from the left wing to make the score, 10-8. However, Green, who had one of his better offensive efforts of the fall, scored his sixth point of the half on a layin to square the contest again at 10-10 with 8:51 to go in the half. Unfortunately for Metuchen, that would be the last time it would tie the game. Over the final 8:51 of the opening half, the Cardinals found their stride, and put together what would ultimately be, the game deciding run. During this stretch, Plainfield would score 14 of the last 16 points of the half with the Bulldogs getting their only points on a layup by Collas off a nice assist from Preston at the 2:38 mark. The Cards had six field goals including five layups (three came off steals), and netted a pair of free throws over this key span. For a little more than four minutes, the Bulldogs became a bit unglued from their game plan, and it proved to be the difference. You’ll often hear the phrase made by coaches during the course of a high school basketball game that you have to play 32 minutes. Metuchen’s unraveling during this key juncture is proof of how valid that phrase is.
The home team started the tear with an offensive rebound that led to a Baskerville layup for a 12-10 lead at the 8:15 mark. A little more than ten seconds later, the diminutive Cardinal guard was back at it again with a steal for another score that increased Plainfield’s edge to four at 14-10 with 8:04 remaining before the brief break. Nearly twenty-five seconds after that, the Cards were on the move once again as they got another offensive rebound that resulted in a putback attempt and foul. Two more points were added as the foul shots were good to make the score, 16-10 at the 7:40 mark. Following a Metuchen timeout at the 7:32 mark, the pivotal onslaught continued as the Bulldogs failed to convert an opportunity created by Evan Carberry when he passed to Collas for a layup attempt and foul with 6:20 remaining in the period. Collas was unable to make either free throw, and nearly a minute later, PHS pushed its lead to eight as Ricky Terry picked up another steal for a layup, and an 18-10 advantage. Four seconds later, Metuchen coach, Corey Preston, called for time once more. However, like the previous Bulldog stoppage some two minutes and change earlier, this didn’t seem to have an effect as Isiah Epps dribbled in on the right wing for a short jumper to make it 20-10 at the 4:13 mark. The Bulldogs finally ended a scoring drought of 6:13 when Preston, who has very good court awareness for a big man, found Collas for a layup to trim the deficit to single digits again at 20-12 with 2:38 to go in the half.
Plainfield then closed out the half with four straight points to double Metuchen’s score at 24-12 going into the short intermission. The Cardinals capped the late first half tear with a steal off of Preston that ended up in the hands of Price for a layup with 24.6 to play before the break. In the second half, there was much more activity on both offensive ends as the two teams combined for 65 points. Surprisingly, Metuchen outscored the home team, but it still wasn’t enough to overcome the halftime deficit. The Bulldogs opened up the second half scoring when Carberry pulled down a rebound of a miss jumper by Epps, drove the ball upcourt, and dished left to a cutting Vinnie Sardone for a layup to make it a ten point game again, 24-14 with 19:39 to play. Epps atoned for his misfire with an offensive rebound and putback of another missed shot for a 26-14 lead at the 18:12 mark. A half minute later, Carberry registered another assist with a pass to Green for a jumper from the right side to make it 26-16 at the 17:42 mark. Switzer then got into the act with a basket of his own on a jumper from the left wing that got a kind roll to make it an eight point game at 26-18 with 17:16 to play. Baskerville then scored four unanswered points with a basket at the seventeen minute mark, and two free throws at the 16:37 mark to make it a twelve point lead again at 30-18.
Carberry continued to play unselfishly with his second assist in nearly two minutes as he passed to Switzer for a jumper from the left wing for a ten point, 30-20, Plainfield lead with 15:50 left. Plainfield would get another score to go up by twelve with about 15:30 remaining before Sardone got on the board again with a layup to trim the deficit to 32-22 at the 15:17 mark. Codey Preston brought the Cardinal lead back down into single digits when he made two more charity shots at the 14:44 mark to make the score, 32-24. A little more than a half minute later, Mike Price found a teammate on the right wing for a jumper that made the score, 34-24 at the 14:06 mark. Matt Knight then followed that up with one of two from the line at the 13:33 mark for a 35-24 advantage. The younger and more inexperienced Bulldogs continued to scrap like its mascot would for a bone or chew toy as Preston made one of two at the line for a 35-25 score, and then Green blocked a shot on the defensive end, which was then rebounded by Elijah Sellers, who drove upcourt and dished right to a cutting Carberry for a layup as he was fouled, but he missed the bonus free throw for a 35-27 at 11:30 mark.
Following a timeout called by Plainfield coach, Tony Graham at the 9:54 mark, Metuchen battled on the offensive glass and surprisingly came down with four offensive rebounds it was able to convert as Carberry scored on a putback to make it a 35-29 game with 9:20 left. The Bulldogs weren’t able to get any closer though as Ricky Terry picked up a steal off an errant pass by Codey Preston, who was trying to be a bit too cute with a behind the back pass to Carberry underneath amongst several Cardinal defenders. Terry then came back up the court for a layup that made it a four point turnaround for a 37-29 lead. Terry scored again shortly afterward with a layup that compelled Metuchen to call for time trailing 39-29 with 8:16 remaining in the contest. The Bulldogs continued to hang tough though as Codey Preston and Sellers combined on a nice give and go for a Preston layup to close the gap to eight again at 39-31 with 8:03 left. After another Plainfield score, Preston, who ended up with three field goals, and made 7 of 10 at the line for 13 points, notched two more at the foul line to cut the deficit to 41-33 with 7:21 to go. The Cards got another score before Sellers plucked a steal for a layup to bring the deficit back down to eight again at 43-35 with 6:01 left. Following a timeout at the 5:55 mark by the home team, Plainfield went back up by double digits as Baskerville found Shaun Blackmon for a layin to make the score, 45-35 at the 4:58 mark, but Metuchen came right back down the floor for a Greene layup that made it 45-37 at the 4:52 mark.
Keeping their opponent at bay, the Plainfield Cardinals pushed the margin back to its largest of the game as Epps connected on a jumper from the left wing for a 47-37 lead at the 4:31 mark, and an easy layup by Price to make it 49-37 with 4:07 to go as the Bulldogs called timeout. Emerging from the stoppage, Metuchen tried to climb back into the game as Switzer did a nice job of stepping into the gaps of the Plainfield defense, and giving a solid bounce pass to Preston for a layup to close the gap to ten again at 49-39 with 3:31 left. Collas then followed that up with a short jumper from the left side to trim the deficit to single digits again at 49-41 with 3:02 to play. The Cards went back up by double digits as Epps knocked down a jumper from up top for a 51-41 lead at the 2:44 mark. Collas made one of two at the line for a nine point Plainfield lead with exactly two minutes to go before the Cards picked up a layup for a 53-42 advantage with 1:47 left. On the very next Metuchen possession, Preston then made a nice skip pass along the baseline to Carberry for a jumper from the left corner that was true for a 53-44 Cardinal lead at the 1:33 mark. Plainfield then added a layup for a 55-44 edge with 1:21 remaining before Metuchen got its final points of the game on a score at the 1:02 mark. The home team had a chance to finish the contest with a double digit win, but Price missed an uncontested layup as time expired for the 55-46 score.
With the victory, Plainfield raised its record to 6-3 on the fall while Metuchen dropped to 3-5. Both teams will be back in action on Monday as the Cardinals will face off against Watchung Hills in a game that could determine, who gets the second seed in the upcoming playoffs. The Warriors will enter the pivotal contest with a 7-2 mark, and a win by Plainfield could vault it into second place by virtue of winning tiebreakers against Watchung Hills and Roselle, which the Cards defeated by a 73-46 margin back on September 12th. Meanwhile, Metuchen faces off against Shabazz in a battle of Bulldogs that also play a role in the standings since the Newark school could also move into second place with a win if Plainfield defeats Watchung Hills since the Bulldogs of Essex County defeated Plainfield back on October 3rd.
| Team | 1 | 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield (6-3) | 24 | 31 | 55 |
| Metuchen (3-6) | 12 | 34 | 46 |
GMC Hoops plans to be out at Plainfield High School again next week to see HBA’s traditional All-Star Bash, which includes a Girls All-Star Game, Slam Dunk and Three Point Shooting Competition, and the Boys All-Star Game. Action gets underway at 6:30 PM. The following week, the playoffs get underway with the top eight finishing teams in the regular season competing including GMC member schools, Woodbridge and Metuchen. Both teams earned playoff spots thanks to 4-6 marks compiled during the fall, but the Barrons got the higher seed thanks to a early season 44-24 win over the Bulldogs on September 12th.