COLONIA, NJ–On Thursday night, July 10th, GMC Hoops made an originally unscheduled visit to Colonia Middle School to take in some of the action from the 2008 Colonia JV Summer League. The site has not been able to get out to the league recently, and figured it should try to make up for lost time. Once again, the featured matchup was a game involving Cardinal McCarrick II, but this time it’s opponent was slightly different in Colonia III. So, it was a battle between the two lone freshmen teams in the league on this night in the 7:00 PM contest. The first half saw Colonia III take a three point, 25-22 lead into the intermission thanks to a 5-4 run over the final 2:18 of the half.
When the half ending run began, Colonia III was ahead by two at 20-18. Some thirty-three seconds later, Colonia scored a basket while being fouled, and sank the bonus free throw for a traditional three point play that made the score, 23-18 at the 1:45 mark. On Cardy Mac II’s next possession, the Little Eagles clicked for a field goal that closed the gap to three at 23-20 with 1:22 to play before halftime. A little less than a half minute later, Colonia made both ends of a one and one to increase the advantage to five at 25-20 with less than a minute to play in the first half. Then, on Cardinal McCarrick II’s next possession, the Little Eagles got the final points of the half thanks to a layup by Robert Nunez with 33 seconds remaining to make it a three point contest at the brief break.
The second half began with no scoring for nearly the first minute and a half until Nunez skied for a rebound, and went coast to coast for a layup that made the score, 25-24 at the 18:39 mark. However, about a minute and a half later, Nunez, who is prone to get into foul trouble, picked up one that put Colonia at the line, but the Little Pats couldn’t take advantage by missing the free throw at the 17:15 mark. A bit more than two minutes later, Colonia III grabbed an offensive rebound of its own miss, and drew a foul on the follow that resulted in two free throws for a 27-24 lead at the 15:10 mark. A little more than a minute later, McCarrick II tied the game up at 27-27 on a nice kickout form the left low block to the left wing for a three pointer with 14:05 mark. Forty-nine seconds afterward, Colonia III took the lead back with an offensive rebound and putback that made the score, 29-27 at the 13:16 mark.
The Little Pats then came up with a big play on the defensive end with a block on a McCarrick drive for a layup attempt at the 12:35 mark. However, the Little Eagles would still manage to tie the affair by being fouled on another drive that resulted in a pair of free throws with 12:07 left. Nunez then made a nice baseline drive on the right side for a score, and a 31-29 lead at the 11:05 mark. Cardy Mac II then capped its 11-4 spurt over the first 9:42 with an offensive rebound and putback at the 10:18 mark for a 33-29 advantage. Colonia III then ended its schneid with an off balanced shot to close the gap to two again at 33-31 inside of nine and a half minutes to play. Following a McCarrick II timeout at the 9:16 mark, the Little Eagles went back up by four on a jumper from the left corner that made the score, 35-31 at the 8:37 mark. Then, on a subsequent Colonia III possession, the Little Eagles stripped a Colonia III player for a steal, and then handed out an assist on a layup for a 37-31 lead with 7:48 to play.
On the next Colonia III possession, the Little Patriots pulled within four again on a jumper from the foul line extended for a 37-33 score at the 7:16 mark. Neither team scored for the next four minutes as Colonia III missed a free throw at the 5:35 mark, and Nunez lost the ball out of bounds for a turnover at the 5:22 mark. Then, following a Colonia III timeout at the 4:18 mark, Nunez drew a charge with 3:48 to play that stopped a Colonia III scoring chance. Thirty-three seconds later, Nunez came up big on the offensive end with a score underneath for a 39-33 lead at the 3:15 mark. Jordan McDaniel gave Colonia III some hope again with a steal and drive up the length of the floor for a layup, and a foul to convert the traditional three point play, and made the score, 39-36 at the 1:37 mark. Nunez would answer though with a jumper in the key for a 41-36 McCarrick II lead at the 1:26 mark.
However, the Little Eagles couldn’t put the game away thanks to taking unnecessary shots rather than running time off the clock. Colonia III then took advantage with a layup at the 47.2 second mark that trimmed the deficit to three again at 41-38. McCarrick II then called for time with a hair over 30 seconds to play, and following the timeout, the Little Eagles had a chance to put the game away. Unfortunately, Cardy Mac II couldn’t finish things off by first missing the front end of the bonus, and then losing the ball out of bounds with 21.4 seconds to play in regulation. Colonia III, coached by former Carteret standout, Andrew Hill, called for time at the 14.7 second mark to set up for a final play. The Little Pats couldn’t execute the play though out of the timeout as a jumper from the left baseline went off the rim. McCarrick II then grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and made one of two from the line to close out the 42-38 victory.
| Team | 1 | 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal McCarrick II | 22 | 20 | 42 |
| Colonia III | 25 | 13 | 38 |