Bucs Outscore Sayreville 35-19 Over Final Two Periods for Consolation Victory
LITTLE SILVER, NJ—After falling to fifth seeded Long Branch (46-45) in heartbreaking fashion on Tuesday, the eighth seeded Sayreville Bombers were looking to salvage a win on the final day of the 2021 Albert E. Martin Buc Classic at Red Bank Regional High School on Thursday when it took on the host school Red Bank in the 7th Place Consolation Game. Unfortunately, Red Bank proved to be too much in a 61-41 win.
The Bombers battled their way back from a double digit first half deficit with a 10-0 rally to close the gap to 26-22 after making two technical free throws before the start of second half play, but were outscored 35-19 the rest of the way. Led by All Tournament Team member, Nick Valentino as well as Jackson Hyman and Brian Tobin, the Bucs scored the first 8 points of the contest, and led 17-7 after one period.
Despite Sayreville making a half court shot at the buzzer to end the opening frame, it fell behind even further through the first half of the second period as Red Bank scored 9 of the first 14 points to take a 26-12 lead. The Bombers then put together their strongest stretch of the game by scoring the final 8 points of the second quarter.
Sophomore Jaden Hargrove sparked the Sayreville comeback by swiping a steal and drawing a foul on the subsequent drive to the basket that resulted in a one of two showing from the foul line. On the next defensive series, the Bombers made Red Bank work, and Devlin Mills deflected a pass at of bounds.
Peter Luster then scrapped to force a loose ball and a tie up that produced a jump ball, and a Sayreville possession. The Bombers then took advantage on the offensive end as Hargrove drove in for a score from the right wing to make it a 26-15 Red Bank lead. Following another stop on defense, Sayreville pulled within single digits at 26-18 as Kyler Crespo kicked out to Luster for a trey from the left wing.
Crespo, who was a bright spot in the loss to Ranney on Monday, got on the board as he took in a pass from Hargrove in the right low block, backed his defender up, and scored to cap the first half scoring while putting the Bombers within six at 26-20 going into the intermission. Sayreville had momentum, and showed plenty of life as its defense stepped up while Red Bank’s offense grew stagnant.
After the Red Bank bench was assessed a technical as the two teams went to the locker room at the half, Sayreville was awarded two technical free throws prior to the start of the second half. Max Negron, who netted two treys in the second half, stepped to the line, and made both charity shots to cap the 10-0 Bomber rally, and narrow the deficit to four points at 26-22.
However, Sayreville was unable to get any closer. Red Bank, led by Valentino and Tobin, would outscore the Bombers by an 18-11 margin in the third for a 44-33 lead despite the efforts of Hargrove, who scored on another drive to the basket in the frame. The Bucs then began the fourth with 8 of the first 13 points over a span of 2:19 highlighted by a putback from senior Donovan Bradley for a 52-38 lead with 5:41 left.
Red Bank then closed out the contest with 9 of the last 12 points for the 61-41 win. Two of Sayreville’s three points came courtesy of a putback by sophomore Emanuel Domingo. With the loss, Sayreville fell to 0-4 on the young season, and are scheduled to return to play next week with a game versus GMC White rival, J.F. Kennedy, at the Bomb Shelter on Tuesday, January 4th at 7:00 PM.