NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ–On Tuesday afternoon, prior to covering an All Perth Amboy Doubleheader in the 2016 GMCT Preliminary Round, GMC Hoops traveled over to North Brunswick High School to take in the Round of 16 match-up in the 2016 East Brunswick/GMC JV Tournament between the top seeded Raiders, and 16th seeded Spotswood.
The Chargers, coming off a Preliminary Round win over Sayreville, trailed 38-22 early in the third quarter, but then scored 15 unanswered points to pull within one. However, North Brunswick scored the final four points of the period, and then went on a 13-0 run in the fourth to pull away from a 47-42 lead to take a 60-42 lead en route to a 64-46 victory. Avery Clagget led the JV Raiders with a game high 25 points including five three pointers.
Seven different players got into the scorebook for North Brunswick including Jhonell Brown with 10, Jordan Salisbury with 8, Josh Vick with 7, Mwanza Fitzpatrick with 6, and Quadir Bulter with 4. Matt Vento led Spotswood in a losing cause with 17 points while Abdul Nieskens chipped in with 13 and Justin Dekovics added 7. Both teams combined for 14 three pointers in the game with the JV Raiders and the JV Chargers each getting seven. Below are game notes from the action:
First Quarter
Six different players scored for North Brunswick as the JV Raiders took a 20-14 lead after one. Jhonell Brown led NBTHS with five points including one three while Jordan Salisbury and Taimoo Kargbo each chipped in with 4.
Spotswood only had three players score in the period led by Abdul Nieskens, who had 9 points on I three treys. Matt Vento chipped in with 4 points. North Brunswick tallied its 20 points on 7 field goals, a three pointer, and made all three of its foul shots.
Spotswood scored its 14 points on three treys, two field goals, and one of two from the foul line. The JV Chargers outscored the JV Raiders by a 9-3 margin from beyond the arc.
Second Quarter
North Brunswick lengthened its lead in the 2nd by outscoring Spotswood by an 11-8 margin. The JV Raiders got three treys in the period including two by Avery Clagget and one by Jhonell Brown. Clagget (8 points) also added a field goal as he and Brown accounted for all 11 NBTHS points in the frame.
Four different players scored two points for Spotswood in the second including Nieskens, Vento, Harris, and Nate Carone. NBTHS had its 11 points on three treys and a field goal while Spotswood had four field goals and went 0 of 2 from the line.
Third Quarter
6:45–Arrive with North Brunswick leading 35-22. The JV Raiders then add a three pointer from Claggett to cap a 7-0 run for a 38-22 lead.
3:15–Spotswood rallying to get back into the game. The JV Chargers are currently on a 12-0 run including two threes from the right wing by Vento, a pull up jumper by Nieskens, and a follow by Dekovics to close the gap to 38-34.
1:55–North Brunswick calls time still clinging to a 38-34 lead.
1:00–Spotswood pulls within one at 38-37 on a three from the left wing by Dekovics.
0:00–North Brunswick scores the last four points of the period on a transition layup by Josh Vick, and a pair of free throws after the buzzer by Quadir Butler for a 42-37 lead. Spotswood outscored North Brunswick by a 15-11 margin in the period. Four different players scored for the Junior Raiders while three different players scored for Spotswood. NBTHS had 3 field goals, a trey, and made both of its free throw attempts while Spotswood had three treys, three field goals, and missed both of its free throw attempts.
Fourth Quarter
5:11–North Brunswick now leads 51-42 after a Mwanza Fitzpatrick layup off a penetration and bounce pass feed from Jordan Salisbury. The JV Raiders open the period on a 9-5 run including an earlier three by Clagget and the last four points.
4:39–Spotswood calls timeout after Avery Clagget nets a three pointer from the right side for a 7-0 run and a 54-42 lead.
2:20–North Brunswick reels off the last six points including a layup by Josh Vick for a 60-42 lead.
0:00–Game just ended with North Brunswick winning, 64-46. Spotswood’s Derek Buhl closed out the scoring with a drive into the middle for a layup. North Brunswick outscored Spotswood by a 22-9 margin in the fourth. The JV Raiders had five different players score led by Clagget, who had 12 points in the frame. Spotswood just had four different players score.
Clagget finished with 25 while Brown chipped in with 10. Jordan Salisbury added 8 while Josh Vick contributed with 7, Mwanza Fitzpatrick contributed with 6, and both Quadir Butler and Taimoo Kargbo finished with 4. Spotswood was led by Matt Vento with 17 while Abdul Nieskens added 13, Justin Dekovics chipped in with 7, Nate Carone, Derek Buhl, Harris, and Fuzesi had 2 while Tyson rounded out the scoring with one.
North Brunswick had 6 field goals, 2 threes, and went 4 of 4 from the line while Spotswood had three field goals, a three pointer, and went 0 of 2 from the foul line. For the game, North Brunswick got its 64 points on 17 field goals, 7 threes, and a perfect 9 of 9 from the foul line. Spotswood tallied its 46 points on 12 field goals, 7 threes, and 1 of 8 from the foul line. Both teams were even in points scored from beyond the arc (21-21), but NBTHS had a 34-24 advantage in points scored within the arc, and a 9-1 edge at the charity stripe.