Colonia’s Playoff Run Ends With Loss To Linden In Championship, 47-43
LINDEN, NJ–On Thursday afternoon, GMC Hoops traveled over to Linden High School to take in the Championship Game of the 2009 Linden Summer League between the host school, Linden Tigers, and the surprising Colonia Patriots, which despite its losses to graduation, put together a fine playoff run including a victory over Hillsborough in the semifinals on Wednesday. CHS was giving up a lot of size in this matchup, but it would be Linden’s three point shooting early on that helped shaped the ultimate outcome. Similar to its victory over Paterson Kennedy in the other semifinal some 24 hours earlier, the Tigers jumped out to an early lead. Linden led by a score of 20-7 early in the second quarter before the Patriots rallied over the next two and a half periods with a 36-25 showing to close to within two with 27 seconds remaining.
Unfortunately, for the Colonia faithful in attendance, these gritty Patriots were unable to get over the hump, and pull off the upset as Linden made two free throws with 22 seconds to play, and held on for a 47-43 victory. One of the keys to LHS’s victory was how the Tigers were able to contain the explosive C.J. Gray, who scored 14 points in the final 2:40 in the win over Hillsborough. On Thursday, Gray was limited to just 12 points on 3 of 9 shooting (all threes) and 3 of 3 from the line while also collecting 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal. Picking up some of the slack for Colonia was soon to be junior, Matt Wagner, who made 4 of 8 shots (all threes) scored 12 points while handing out 4 assists, and collecting a steal, block, and a charge. For the game, the Patriots shot 16 of 40 from the floor for 40 percent including 8 of 19 from beyond the arc for 42.1 percent while only making 3 of 6 from the line.
On the other side of the ledger, Linden went 17 of 41 shots overall for 41.5 percent including 4 of 8 from downtown while making 9 of 19 shots from the foul line for 47.4 percent. The Tigers forced Colonia to commit 19 turnovers in the contest while making only 11 themselves. In other statistical departments Linden outrebounded Colonia by a 26-22 margin including a 10-5 advantage on the offensive boards. Colonia had more assists (12-10), but the Tigers had more steals (7-5) and blocks (4-3). Each team drew a charge. Colonia actually outscored Linden in the final two periods of the game after an even second quarter, but the difference in the game would be the first period with the Tigers outscoring the Patriots by nearly a two to one margin. It would be all the difference Linden would need in this matchup despite a determined effort by Colonia.
In the decisive first period, the Tigers shot 7 of 16 from the floor including 2 of 3 from long distance while limiting the Patriots to just 3 of 11 shooting from the floor including 1 of 5 from downtown. Linden also forced five Colonia turnovers. Both teams started the game by making shots from the perimeter as the Tigers netted a three pointer from the right wing for a 3-0 lead at the 9:49 mark while Colonia tied the game with a trey at the 7:25 mark. LHS then scored three straight points on a one of two showing from the foul line at the 6:45 mark, and then a hook shot at the 5:35 mark for a 6-3 lead. The Pats then pulled to within one on a layup at the 5:14 mark before Linden made a jumper from the foul line for an 8-5 lead as Colonia called for time with 4:23 to go in the first. At this juncture of the game, both teams were off to sluggish starts shooting wise as Linden made just 3 of its first 8 shots while the Patriots were only 2 of 8.
However, after the timeout, Linden made 4 of 8 shots over the remaining balance of the period while Colonia was just 1 of 3 from the floor. The Tigers scored on a fine drive and spin move from the right side for a layup, and a 10-5 lead. Then after a Patriot layin at the 1:40 mark, Linden connected on a three pointer from the left wing at the 1:11 mark, and then the Tigers swiped a steal for a layup with 46 seconds remaining in the first for a 15-7 lead heading into the second period of play. In the second quarter, Linden started out by picking up where it left off with the first five points of the period including a three point play at the 8:07 mark for a 20-7 lead. The Patriots tried to get rolling again when Gray scored six of his nine points including a three pointer off a kickout by Wagner at the 7:30 mark, and then again at about the 7:00 mark when Gray juked his defender to create space for another three pointer, and a 20-13 Linden lead.
Despite missing two free throws at the five minute mark, and a Wagner three pointer from Dave Cole (2 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, and a block), Linden increased its lead to nine by scoring five points over a 2:52 span to take a 25-16 lead with 4:08 left in the first half. The Tigers then added another score on a lob pass down low for a layup, and a 27-16 lead with 1:35 to go before the intermission. The Patriots responded with their weapon of choice, the three pointer to outscore Linden, 6-5 down the stretch for a 30-22 Tiger lead at the half. In the game’s first 20 minutes, Colonia was 8 of 19 from the floor including 6 of 12 from three point range while Linden was 12 of 27 from the floor including 4 of 6 from downtown. The Tigers forced 12 Patriot turnovers while only making five themselves. Gray led Colonia at the break with 9 points while Wagner chipped in with 6.
Over the final two quarters, Colonia held Linden to just 17 points on 5 of 14 shooting from the field while scoring 21 points on 8 of 21 shooting. The third quarter started off with Linden going up by double digits on a lob pass inside for a layin, and a 32-22 score at the 8:54 mark. Twenty-three seconds later, Wagner answered with a three pointer from the left corner off an assist from Cole for a 32-25 Linden lead at the 8:31 mark. The Tigers answered with two free throws for a 34-25 lead with 7:41 to go in the period, but the Pats got those points back on an inbounds underneath for a layup, and a 34-27 Tiger edge at the 5:01 mark. A little more than a minute later, Linden made one of two from the line for a 35-27 lead with 3:51 to go in the stanza. The Tigers added another point before CHS got a layup while being fouled with 2:38 to go in the period for a 36-29 score. LHS got a three pointer to lead by double digits again before Gray got his final points of the contest when he was fouled on a three pointer at the 1:10 mark that resulted in three free throws, and a 39-32 Tiger lead moving into the fourth.
In the fourth, things got interesting as Colonia continued to chip away at the Linden lead to give the Tigers a scare in the end. LHS got off on the right foot to being the final frame by missing one of two from the line at the 9:16 mark. Wagner then got CHS going with an assist on a layup at the 8:36 mark for a 39-34 score. Following a Linden timeout at the 8:29 mark, the Tigers scored on a nice strong drive from the right side for a 41-34 lead with 8:06 remaining. The Pats pulled within five again on a layup with seven minutes to go before the Tigers made one of two from the line for a 42-36 lead with 6:33 left. After Colonia called a timeout at the 5:39 mark in order to avoid a turnover, Linden got a stop, and then went on to make one of two from the line at the 4:23 mark for a seven point lead. The Patriots didn’t give up though as Wagner handed out an assist on a layup by Aubrey McLaughlin at the 3:09 mark, and then a layin by Cole at the 1:45 mark to pull within three at 43-40.
Moments later, Linden drew a foul, and stepped to the line with 1:39 left. Despite misfiring on both foul shots, the Tigers scrapped for two offensive boards, and put the second one in for a layup, and a 45-40 lead. Colonia continued to battle though as it got another three pointer by Wagner from the top of the key to close to within two at 45-43 as the Pats called for time with 27 seconds remaining. Following the timeout, CHS fouled right away, but Linden put the contest away with two free throws at the 22 second mark to round out the 47-43 win. While Monroe looks to be the early favorite in the GMC White, Colonia made notice with its fine run through the playoffs. Losing J.J. D’Amico, Nnamdi Usuwa, and Mike Nweme to graduation will hurt, especially inside, but the Patriots have good ball handlers and shooters to still make the upcoming 2009-10 campaign compelling.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linden | 15 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 47 |
| Colonia | 7 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 43 |