Wake Forest Commit Adams scored 20 of Game High 26 in 1st Half
NOTE: James Corrigan, the play-by-play man for the GMC Hoops Game of the Week broadcast, contributed to this report.
SOUTH RIVER, NJ—Top ranked St. Thomas Aquinas had four different players score in double figures, and nine different players get into the scorebook en route to an 81-26 victory over South River in another GMC Blue Division season opener on Thursday evening.
Quadry Adams, who recently signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Wake Forest next year scored 20 of his game high 26 points in the first half as the Trojans opened the game with a 25-0 showing in the first period followed by an 18-5 effort in the second for a 43-5 advantage at the intermission.
Senior teammate, Derrick Grant, who also signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Southern New Hampshire next year, chipped in with a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds while Woodbridge transfer, Kyree Henry added 11 points, 7 steals, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds.
Sophomore Jaquan Harris, a transfer from the Patrick School, who has already received offers from Rutgers and Auburn also contributed with 10 points, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 2 rebounds. Adams also led the way with 8 steals as the Trojans made it difficult for the hometown Rams to get the ball past mid-court.
Freshman, Lazaro Rodriguez was a bright spot in defeat for the Rams with a team high 11 points and 3 rebounds. The contest ranks as one of the worst losses for South River in the past 15 seasons. In the 2004-05 season, South River lost to Cardinal McCarrick, 74-30 on January 10, 2005 after beginning the year with eight straight wins.
Recently, the Rams also endured a 71-29 loss at home to eventual champion, Florence in the 2016 Central Jersey Group 1 semifinals. However, South River is a team in transition after graduating its entire starting five, losing two players to transfer, and getting a new coach in the middle of the summer. St. Thomas Aquinas begins the season at 1-0 overall and in Blue Division play while South River begins the season at 0-1 overall and in the GMC Blue.
The Trojans and Rams will be back in action on Saturday in the Friends of South Amboy Benefit Showcase with South River taking on GMC White foe, Sayreville at 6:00 PM followed by St. Thomas Aquinas battling Mater Dei Prep in the nightcap at 8:00 PM. Aquinas will then take on Bergen Catholic in the 2019 Hoop Group Tip-Off Classic in Elizabeth on Sunday at the Dunn Center while South River will face Calvary Christian of the GMC Gold at Sportika on Monday in a GMC crossover.