The Little Guys Make A Big Statement
TOMS RIVER, NJ–In the 26 years of the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions, the Non-Public schools have dominated. Â Since Camden won the T of C back in 2000, no public school has won the climatic event of the New Jersey high school boys basketball season. Â It is even more difficult for the smaller schools in Group I and II to win the coveted gold ball at the end of the year. Â
Despite some great small school teams over the years such as the likes of Bloomfield Tech, Newark Science, and University of Newark in Group I and the 1993 Middle Township squad led by the likes of Florida State recruit LaMarr Grier, which remains the only Group II school to reach the Championship Game. In recent years, the likes of Newark Tech in Group II and Asbury Park, Point Pleasant Beach, and Pitman in Group I have represented the small schools well in the T of C, but haven’t been able to get to the final.
Two years ago, Point Pleasant Beach gave Group IV powerhouse, Atlantic City all that it could handle before bowing out in overtime. Â Pitman did likewise last year against Linden before losing a close one. Â Newark Tech overcame a slow start against Newark East Side to pull off an upset in the quarterfinals. Â The Terriers would then be soundly defeated by eventual 2013 T of C champion, Roselle Catholic. This year though, the small schools are looking to make history, and so far both Paulsboro and Newark Tech have been impressive. Â The Terriers of Newark Tech are back at it again this year with their third straight T of C appearance, and this one was perhaps the most satisfying of them all.
After starting the season with four straight losses, going 2-8 in its first 10 games, and having a 4-11 record going into the final month of the regular season, Newark Tech, the Group II champ, has made a run for the ages with 9 straight wins, and 12 victories in its last 14 games. Â Meanwhile, Paulsboro, a program that has been knocking on the door in Group I, finally broke through this year, and the Red Raiders are not just content with that. Â Paulsboro, located in South Jersey, followed up a dominant performance over University in the Group I State Final on Sunday, turned in another impressive performance in a 90-65 rout over Group III champion, Bergenfield.
Trailing 15-8 in the first quarter against the Bergen County school, the Raiders put together a 38-11 surge over the remainder of the first half to take a 46-26 lead, and then led by as many as 25 in the second half while not letting Bergenfield get any closer than 19 en route to the convincing victory. Â Saleem Little led the way for Paulsboro with 29 points while Theo Holloway chipped in with 18 points including a breakaway dunk in the third period. Â The Raiders used a 1-3-1 trap to get Bergenfield out of its early rhythm, and was able to produce a lot of scores in transition. Â The victory improved Paulsboro’s record to 31-2 overall on the season, which is the best remaining in the T of C field. Â The Red Raiders reward, a date with top seeded Roselle Catholic in the semifinals on Friday night at Pine Belt Arena. Â Paulsboro is making the most of this trip after being defeated in the state semifinals two and three years ago.
In the other TOC quarterfinal, Newark Tech fell behind early to Paterson Eastside, the Group IV state champion, which defeated a Linden squad in the state semifinals at the Dunn Center that was projected by many to win it all, and be the first public school to win the TOC since Camden in 2000. Â The Ghosts jumped out to a 14-6 lead by about the midway point of the first period, but the Terriers scored 7 of the last 9 points of the frame, and then got a three from CJ Webb to open the second with a 16-16 tie. Â From there, the two teams went back and forth for a bit before Newark Tech overcame a 24-20 deficit with a 13-2 tear to end the first half for a 33-26 lead. Â Paterson Eastside opened the third with a three from Nhazir Smith and a dunk by Shakur Juiston to pull within two, but Newark Tech, led by Mustafa Lawrence with 24 points, never relinquished the lead en route to a 66-56 victory.
Webb ended up with 21 points while Jordan Zagadou chipped in with 14. Â Lawrence has been a key contributor to all three Newark Tech squads that have reached the T of C since 2013. Â The Terriers, which are now 16-13 on the season, now face a Pope John team that only beat them by two in overtime earlier in the season. Â Can one or both of these two teams continue to play great basketball, and defeat the goliaths that they have in front of them in the TOC semis on Friday night at Pine Belt Arena? Â History doesn’t give them much of a chance, but these two teams aren’t surprised that they’re here, and believe that they can play with anybody. Â Having that type of attitude and belief, gives these small schools enough to play with the big boys on the big stage.