OLD BRIDGE, NJ–On Tuesday evening, GMC Hoops traveled out to Old Bridge High School to take in the first round, or Round of 16 contest in the 2016 Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament between 10th seeded J.P. Stevens and 7th seeded Old Bridge.
This game was a rematch of a contest won by Old Bridge back on January 30th at OBHS (72-62). This time, the match-up was much closer as the Hawks of JPS controlled the tempo throughout and made the Knights play a more half court game. For the better part of three quarters, the Knights struggled as they couldn’t get their patented perimeter game going.
Stevens, led by the trio of Rishav Ghosh, Mike Lionikis, and Alex Corrigan, overcame an 8-1 deficit with two minutes left in the first quarter to take a 20-16 at the intermission. The Hawks outscored the Knights by a 19-8 margin over the last 10 minutes of the first half for the lead. Then, in the third quarter, JPS outscored OB by a 12-9 margin for a 32-25 lead heading into the fourth.
Trailing 38-29 at one point in the fourth, Old Bridge rallied with a 12-1 tear that was sparked hustle and big defensive plays by forward and baseball standout, Zach Attianese, a three point play by Connor Romano, a three pointer by Stephen Strom, and a three point play by Strom to take a 41-39 lead. Stevens did manage to tie the game at 41-41 prior to a Knights timeout with 3:59 left.
Following the stoppage, Old Bridge scored 5 of the last 8 points and held off a couple scoring opportunities by J.P. Stevens in the last 5.3 seconds for a 46-44 win. Strom led the Knights with 22 points while Romano chipped in with 12. Ghosh led the Hawks with 15 points while Lionikis chipped in with 13 and Corrigan added 11. With the win, Old Bridge advances to the GMCT Elite Eight for the 2nd time in 4 years to face Red Division rival, South Brunswick on Sunday. Below are game notes from the action:
First Quarter
2:00–Arrive with Old Bridge leading 8-1 and Stevens just called a timeout.
0:00–J.P. Stevens ends the first period on a 10-4 run on threes from Alex Corrigan and Mike Lionikis and four points by Rishav Ghosh. Corrigan’s three came just before the buzzer for a 12-11 Old Bridge lead. Stephen Strom (8 points) and Connor Romano (4 points) combined for all of OB’s scoring while four different players scored for Stevens including Ghosh (4 points), Corrigan (3 points), Lionikis (3 points), and Javon Scott (1 point). The Knights scoring came on 5 field goals and 2 of 4 from the foul line. The Hawks compiled their 11 points on two threes, a field goal, and 3 of 4 from the line.
Second Quarter
5:45 left in the first half and Old Bridge calls time after Stevens opens 2nd with two more scores including one by RIshav Ghosh for a 15-12 lead. Hawks now on a 14-4 run.
2:00–J.P. Stevens now leads 20-14 after a 5-2 run on a floater and a three pointer by Alex Corrigan. Stephen Strom had the only points for OB with a pair of free throws.
0:00–Game has gone to the half in Old Bridge, and the 7th seeded Knights got a late score from Kyle Parris to trail 10th seeded Stevens, 20-16. Stevens outscored OB, 19-8 over the last 10 minutes of the first half. The Knights only field goal in the 2nd came on Parris’ last second shot. J.P. Stevens first half scoring: Rishav Ghosh leads the Hawks with 8 points while Alex Corrigan chipped in with 7. Old Bridge’s first half scoring. Stephen Strom leads the Knights with 10. Connor Romano chipped in with 4. The trio of Strom, Romano, and Parris accounted for all 16 of OB’s points. Stevens tallied its 20 points on 4 field goals, 3 treys, and 3 of 6 from the foul line. OBHS got its 16 points on 6 field goals and 4 of 6 from the line.
Third Quarter
6:56 left in the third and Stevens calls time with a 21-16 lead after making one of two from the foul line.
6:23 left in the third quarter and OB calls time after Mike Lionikis scored on this floater to cap a 5-0 Hawks start to the 2nd half for a 25-16 lead.
3:00–JPS takes a 30-21 lead on a score from the right low block by Lionikis after an earlier free throw by Connor Romano.
2:04 left in the third and Old Bridge closes the gap to 30-24 after a three by Zach Attianese from the left side of the key at the 2:45 mark.
42.7 seconds left in the third quarter and JPS leads OB, 32-25.
0:00–After three periods, JPS leads OB 32-25. Hawks dictating tempo and style of play. Stevens outscored OB 12-9 in the period. Mike Lionikis leads the way with 8 points on four field goals while Shivam Patel added a field goal, and both Jay’von Blacknall and Javon Scott went 1 of 2 from the line. Old Bridge was led by Zach Attianese and Connor Romano with 3 points. The Knights were limited to just a three and 6 of 8 from the line. OB didn’t have a field goal for the first 5:15 of the third, and only two field goals after the last two periods. Stevens had five field goals and 2 of 4 from the line.
Fourth Quarter
5:42 left in the game and Old Bridge pulls within 38-34 on this three point play by Connor Romano. C.J. Santoro had a three pointer from the left side earlier.
4:30–Old Bridge is now on a 16-7 surge following a three point play by Stephen Strom for a 41-39 lead. Strom had a three from the left corner earlier to draw the Knights to within one at 38-37.
3:59 left in Old Bridge and the Knights call time with score tied at 41-41 after a basket by Stevens.
2:37 remaining and Stevens closes the gap to 45-44 on a three from the left corner by Alex Corrigan.
1:05 left in the game and OB leads JPS 45-44. The Knights have scored 4 of the last 7 points including a bucket by Romano and a steal for a layup by Zach Attianese.
5.3 seconds left in the game and there’s a timeout after a JPS turnover with OB leading 45-44.
0.0–Game just ended here in Old Bridge with the 7th seeded Knights surviving 10th seeded J.P. Stevens, 46-44. The Knights got one of two from the line by Parris while Stevens last second attempt is off the mark. After only having a three and a field goal over the previous two periods, Old Bridge outscored the Hawks by a 21-12 margin in the fourth with 5 field goals, 2 threes, and 5 of 8 from the line. The Hawks had its 12 points on 4 field goals, a three, and made their only foul shot. Stevens scoring for the game. Rishav Ghosh led the Hawks with 15. Mike Lionikis added 13, and Alex Corrigan added 11. Old Bridge scoring for the game. Stephen Strom led the Knights with 22 while Connor Romano chipped in with 12. For the game, Old Bridge tallied its 46 points on 11 field goals, 3 treys, and 15 of 22 from the line. J.P. Stevens compiled its 44 points on 13 field goals, 4 threes, and 6 of 11 from the charity stripe.