Hillsborough Holiday Tournament–December 30, 2009

Raiders Edge Sayreville To Win Championship, 48-45

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ–On Wednesday night, GMC Hoops wrapped up its holiday tournament coverage with a trip to Hillsborough High School for its tourney, which involved two GMC teams including Sayreville. The Bombers were taking on the hometown Raiders for the tournament championship. This was a nip and tuck battle that saw 13 lead changes and 2 ties while neither team had a lead bigger than five points. Hillsborough overcame a tough start to pull out the hard fought, 48-45 victory for the title.

Despite sixteen points from senior guard, Tarif Jackson, the Bombers weren’t able to get over the hump against Hillsborough, which was led by Frank Mitchell, who had a game high 18 points while tournament MVP, Kyle Banfield chipped in with 11 points. The Bombers got their 45 points on 12 field goals, four three pointers, and nine free throws while the Raiders got 9 field goals, three treys, and 21 foul shots for their 48 points. Things started off well for Sayreville as it jumped out to a 7-2 lead over the first 3:57. Highlighting the early run was a steal by Jackson, who passed to Jarrell Smith (8 points) in the left corner for a baseline drive that drew a foul, and produced two free throws.

Hillsborough responded though with a 9-2 run over the final 4:03 including a three pointer by Jason Jolliffe (10 points) from the right wing, and a steal for a layup to get out in front, 11-9 before Smith replied with a three pointer from the right wing for a 12-11 Bombers lead after one period. The second quarter started off with Hillsborough getting the first four points on two free throws, and a steal for a layup that broke a lull in the scoring of several minutes, and put the Raiders in front again, 15-12. Sayreville fought back again though with scores by Smith and Dave Milewski (6 points) for a 16-15 lead at the 3:32 mark.

The two teams continued to go back and forth as the Raiders got a basket for a 17-16 lead before Milewski replied with a basket of his own for an 18-17 advantage. Hillsborough netted two free throws to go ahead again 19-18, but Darryl Stephenson (6 points) tied the game at 19-19 with a one of two showing of his own from the line at the 59.5 second mark. The Raiders then closed out the half with the final points on a steal for a layup with 28 seconds left in the period as the two teams went into the locker room with Hillsborough ahead, 21-19 at halftime. There were a total of eight lead changes and one tie in the first 16 minutes.

In the third quarter, Hillsborough started things off with a jumper from the right side for a 23-19 lead at the 7:33 mark. Following a thirty second timeout by Sayreville with 7:13 to go in the third, Mark Keir swiped a steal, and drove in for a layup attempt that drew a foul, and produced one of two free throws from the foul line at the 6:51 mark. Forty-seven seconds later, Keir was back at it again with a drive and kick to Jarrell Smith for a three pointer from the right side to tie the game at 23-23 with 6:04 left in the half. The Raiders went back out in front with a pair of free throws at the 5:02 mark that capped a 4-0 run, and made the score, 27-23.

The Bombers retaliated with four of the next five points to draw to within a point at 28-27 before the Raiders went back up by three on a layup at the 3:07 mark for a 30-27 lead. Sayreville then closed out the third period with a floater by Jackson at the 2:29 mark, and an offensive rebound and putback attempt by Syd Holt (6 points) that resulted in two free throws that closed the gap to 32-31 entering the fourth. Jackson gave the Bombers the lead early on in the fourth with a floater, and then the Sayreville defense forced a five second call that coerced Hillsborough head coach, Ian Progin to call for time at the 6:46 mark with the Bombers ahead again, 33-32.

Following the timeout, Hillsborough connected on a Jolliffe three pointer from the right side to go out in front, 35-33 at the 6:17 mark. A short time later, the Raiders entered the bonus, and made two free throws at the 5:32 mark after missing the front end of a one and one at the 5:49 mark. Trailing by four, the Bombers got the ball inside to Stephenson, who registered a traditional three point play at the 4:47 mark for a 37-36 Raiders lead. There was a lull in the scoring for a minute and a half before Jackson sank a three pointer at the 3:17 mark for a 39-37 Sayreville lead.

On Hillsborough’s next possession, Jolliffe struck for a three from the top of the key that got a kind bounce to put the Raiders back in front, 40-39 with under three minutes to go. The Raiders then added two free throws at the 2:11 mark for a 42-39 lead before Sayreville coach, Shawn Currie, called for time. Sayreville got to within one on several occasions including a Milewski score at the one minute mark, a running one hander by Jackson at the 45 second mark, and two free throws by Keir at the 6.7 second mark, but it couldn’t get over the hump as Hillsborough went 10 of 10 from the line in the fourth period to seal the 48-45 victory.

With the victory, the Raiders improve to 4-0 on the young season while Sayreville falls to 3-2 overall. Video highlights courtesy of my cell phone will be posted soon.