Rutgers Team Camp–June 28, 2008

PISCATAWAY, NJ–Despite working some overtime himself on Saturday, GMC Hoops managed to get out to the Rutgers Athletic Center, and check out the final round of games in night two of the three day Rutgers Team Camp. Four teams from the Greater Middlesex Conference were competing in this camp, which had a total of 44 teams from 35 different schools. Teams played a total of ten games over the three days. The only team from the GMC that was in action during the 9:15 PM hour was Sayreville.

For a while, the Bombers seemed entangled in a difficult struggle with Lenape Valley, but after only leading by six at 32-26 with 14:13 to play, Sayreville embarked on a decisive 13-0 tear over a 5:56 span that summed up the 30-13 showing by the GMC school in the second half, and won the game, 55-33. Arriving with about 17 minutes to go in the game, GMC Hoops saw Sayreville out in front by a score of 27-22 after leading at the half, 25-20. Neither team would score for a bit more than the first minute after the site’s arrival, but then Lenape Valley got on the scoreboard with a nice acrobatic move for a layup from the left side that made the score, 27-24 with 15:54 left. The Bombers then reeled off the next five points as Paul DeLaCosta came up with a three point play at the 15:05 mark for a 30-24 lead, and then Rob Pizzi netted a jumper from near the top of the key for a 32-24 lead.

Lenape Valley then got a steal, and drove in for a layup to cut the deficit to six again at 32-26 with a little over 14 minutes to go, but that would be as close as it would get for the rest of the contest. Pizzi then sparked the key run with a steal and an assist on a DeLaCosta layup that made the score, 34-26 with 13:24 to go in the game. DeLaCosta himself then handed out an assist of his own with a dish to James DeMild for a layup from the right side that put the Bombers up by ten at 36-26 with 12:40 to play. On the very next Lenape Valley possession, Pizzip swiped another steal, and passed off to DeLaCosta in the right corner for a three pointer that made it a 13 point lead at 39-26 with 12:25 left. There was a short lull in the scoring activity until DeMild came up with a layup at the 10:39 mark for a 41-26 Sayreville lead.

Twenty seconds later, Pizzi, who was all over the place on defense with not only numerous steals, but also a couple blocks in the second half, collected another theft, and passed to DeLaCosta for a jump shot that hit iron, but was picked up for an offensive rebound and putback by another Sayreville player to make the score, 43-26 at the 10:19 mark. The Bombers then capped the devastating rampage with a steal that created a fast break opportunity filled with quick passes culminating in a reverse layup by Pizzi for a 45-26 lead as Lenape Valley called for time with 8:17 left. From there, the reserves for both squads filled out the remaining time, and Sayreville closed the contest with a 10-7 showing to finalize the 55-33 victory.

Team 1 2 Total
Sayreville 25 30 55
Lenape Valley 20 13 33