Outlook: The last time these two teams met in the GMCT was the 1994 season when Ahr upset St. Joseph's, which had lost guard, Mike DeRocckis at mid-season when he transferred out of the school. The year before though, DeRocckis was on fire in the last Elite Eight meeting between the two schools in the 1993 GMCT. That season, the Falcons were the third seed behind Perth Amboy and St. Peter's, and eventually won the tournament over South Brunswick in overtime.

Despite only being miles apart, and in the same bracket in Non-Public A South during state tournament competition, these two schools rarely play one another. Much of that is due to the fact that BGA competes in the GMC Blue while St. Joseph's has been a perennial team in the always tough GMC Red. Ahr had been in the White Division for many years prior to moving down to the Blue for the 2002-03 season. However, both teams have built solid programs in recent years with St. Joseph's having a great deal of success at the JV level with now six Final Four appearances in the last seven seasons while Ahr has reached the JV and Freshmen Final Fours in each of the last three years.

This game along with the 3:30 PM contest between Colonia and J.P. Stevens figure to be the most competitive right off the bat since not only the seeds are very close, but all four teams have compiled fantastic records for this juncture of the season. All four have a shot at winning 20 games if they haven't done so already. The Falcons are a very young squad with eight sophomores and three freshmen on the roster. However, there are some upperclassmen and veterans on this team in seniors Paul Konopacki and Steve Brandenberg along with juniors Gerard Lewis and Nikko Vastola. Steve Rennard is one of the eight sophomores, but he has already had a great deal of varsity experience since he started as a freshman in 2006-07.

On the other side of the ledger, Bishop Ahr has a fairly experienced and veteran team. The current group of seniors consisting of Mike Williamson, Kevin Uszenski, Martese Street, Derek Figueredo, and Billy Rooney, actually were the top seed as freshmen in the 2005 Perth Amboy/GMC Tournament. They have stayed together all of the past four years with Williamson, Rooney, and Street seeing significant varsity time last year while Uszenski and Figueredo saw time as reserves off the bench. The Trojans handed Cardinal McCarrick its only division, and conference loss in 2007-08 with a 72-68 victory on December 22nd in South Amboy. BGA has only lost to Curtis of Staten Island, McCarrick (75-55 on January 26th at Ahr), and Piscataway (49-32 on February 2nd at P-Way).

Breaking down the two lineups, I see Ahr having an edge on the perimeter with Williamson, Uszenski, and Figueredo while the Falcons have the edge inside with Lewis and freshman Robbie Ashamole against Martese Street. Konopacki's athleticism will also prove to be a factor here, and let's not forget about Vastola, who has a great tendency to crash the offensive boards for rebounds and putback attempts. Guard play is very close with Rennard and Vastola matching up against Rooney and Williamson. Key here will be how well Vastola plays. Early in the season, especially in games covered by GMC Hoops, Vastola struggled. However within the past few weeks he has steadily picked things up offensively. If he has a game like he did in the pre-season scrimmage against Elizabeth, that will help St. Joe's a long way. The Falcons will have to be careful driving to the basket, where Uszenski has the ability to draw key charges like he did in games versus McCarrick.

Both teams have played great defense by allowing less than 50 points per game, but the Falcons have allowed fewer as the top team in points allowed with 42 points per game. St. Joseph's has also played a tougher schedule with its plethora of GMC Red opponents on top of the fact that they played Somerset County Tournament finalist Ridge, Memorial, Moore Catholic, Staten Island Tech, Colonia, South Plainfield, New Providence, and Hoboken. However, Bishop Ahr had to contend with McCarrick twice, an improved Middlesex squad, and Spotswood three times including a 41-36 win by the Trojans over the Chargers in the Round of 16. On top of that the BGA also played Roselle Catholic, Curtis of Staten Island (13-1 at the time of the game), and Piscataway.

GMC Hoops Pick: St. Joseph's.

Outlook: Last year in the Elite Eight, Piscataway was the hunter as it took on, and upset Colonia to advance to its first GMCT Final Four since 1996. This time, they are the hunted as the second seed after being the top team in the GMC for half the season. On the other hand, Carteret is making its first Elite Eight appearance since the 2001-02 season when Omar Alston led a team coached by current St. Joe's head coach, Dave Turco, to its first conference title since 1986. Both teams are very athletic, and defensive minded teams that consist of a number of players from very successful football programs at the respective schools.

Piscataway enters the contest with only three losses on the year including two in overtime to Bridgewater (55-54 at the Vaughn Stapleton Classic in December) and McCarrick (70-65 on January 19th in South Amboy). The lone other loss was a recent defeat to national prep powerhouse, Oak Hill Academy from Virginia in the 2008 Prime Time Shootout at Rutgers. The Chiefs have beaten teams such as Immaculata of Somerville, Seton Hall Prep, J.P. Stevens (twice), St. Joseph's (twice), South Brunswick (twice), Westfield, Bishop Ahr, and an improved Dunellen squad in the GMCT Round of 16. The Chiefs were hurt by the fact that junior forward, Tristian Benjamin had been out of the lineup due to a suspension for disciplinary reasons.

On the other hand, Carteret got off to somewhat of a sluggish start with a 3-4 mark after its first seven games including a defeat at the hands of previously winless Old Bridge on January 5th at OBHS. Following that loss the Ramblers began to play like it was capable of with nine consecutive wins including a convincing win over North Brunswick on January 22nd at CHS. The Ramblers have played the likes of J.F. Kennedy, a team that finished the year strong despite injuries, and had its first 10 win season in five years, currently unbeaten Rahway, Colonia (split), Monroe (split), Sayreville (won 2 of 3 including GMCT Round of 16), South Plainfield (beat twice), and Montgomery of the Skyland Conference.

Both teams have a tendency to struggle offensively, particularly with the outside shot, and have some difficulty making free throws. However, the Chiefs have the edge in the guard positions, especially since James White has the capability of taking over games like he did at South Brunswick on January 24th while Bryan Waluk can battle the big boys for rebounds. Al Tampa has the ability to be a perimeter threat for the Ramblers. If he can get himself going early, especially from beyond the arc, Carteret will be in good shape. In the frontcourt, the Chiefs have a decided edge in the fact that the have a lot of size upfront with J.D. Griggs, Omar Smith, and Benjamin while sophomore Wayne Newsome comes off the bench along with Aaron Hush, who played his best game of the season in the loss to Oak Hill.

Robert "Double-Double" Jackson, a junior forward for Carteret has the tenacity in his play to bridge the gap in terms of size on the frontlines for the Ramblers. He is a fierce competitor, who goes after everything, especially rebounds and loose balls. A three year varsity player, Jackson has particularly come into his own the past two seasons. An X-factor here for CHS will be senior forward, Brian Williams. With only three points against Sayreville in the Round of 16, Williams actually spent a good deal of time on the bench. If he shows up to play, sees a lot of minutes, and keeps his emotions in check unlike he did against Rahway at the 2008 Kowal Games two weeks ago, the Ramblers will have another key player on the low blocks. Williams also does a fine job passing to complement his interior play.

Defense is the strong suit for both these teams. Each team has allowed less than 50 points per game this season with Piscataway ranking second in points allowed this year behind St. Joseph's with 43.7 points per game. Meanwhile, Carteret has been pretty stingy themselves by allowing only 48 points per contest. Whichever team can get their offense to the point where it is at least approaching its defensive effort will win the game.

GMC Hoops Pick: Piscataway

Outlook: The last time these two teams played during the season was in 1999 when Colonia with the likes of freshman Justin Chiera, Justin Derkack, Isiah Christian, and Bryan Chapman rolled over a J.P. Stevens team that was struggling at the time although it had scored its biggest win of the season prior to that contest with a win on the road at Piscataway. The two teams also met in the Elite Eight back in the 1995 GMCT when the Pats won easily. However, the last time these two teams met in a game where both where in the Top Ten in Middlesex County was in the 1986-87 when the upstart Hawks, led by a sophomore named Tony Newsom, pulled off the biggest surprise of that GMCT by knocking off top seeded Colonia, and its standout player, Gary Battle in the Final Four.

Colonia appeared to be one of the favorites to win it all in the GMC this season. After a fine summer that consisted of a solid effort at the 2007 Linden Summer League, and a good showing at the 2007 TBSA Fall League, the Patriots started the season with seven straight wins including a victory over Moore Catholic of Staten Island in the 2007 Brothers of the Sacred Heart Tournament at St. Joe's back in December. for the best start the school has had since the GMC Hoops site was launched back in the 2000-01 season. However, after Nnamdi Usuwa left the team for disiciplinary reasons, the team struggled with a 5-4 record in its next nine games despite a nice win on the road at St. Joseph's on January 5th thanks to the heroics of senior guard, Brandon Hall. Close losses to Sayreville (55-52) and Cardinal McCarrick (46-44) at home highlighted the period for the Pats. The low point came when Colonia lost on the road at Carteret on January 18th.

Following that, the Pats have gotten on the right track with six wins in their last seven games with the only defeat coming at the hands of Hackensack (59-54) in a Showcase in Paterson back on January 26th. The win streak propelled Colonia to its eighth division title in the past 14 years, and its tenth since the GMC's inaugural season back in 1985-86. Not to be left out, this year's J.P. Stevens team defied many expectations even the very strong ones by GMC Hoops. The Hawks put together a season much like the one in 1986-87 with 20 wins in its first 24 games including victories over St. Joseph's, Scotch Plains, and a recent win over South Brunswick at the buzzer. The only defeats suffered by Stevens was to Piscataway (twice), Rahway, and a tough setback on senior night to an upstart and improved Old Bridge squad. After losing to Piscataway the first time on January 3rd, JPS went on to win ten straight including victories over Academy Charter, North Brunswick, and South Brunswick.

Like Colonia, the Hawks have done it with defense by allowing only 43.7 points per game tying them with Piscataway for second in the conference in points allowed. Colonia is fourth in that category by allowing 46.3 points per contest. The Hawks have a very talented junior class with the likes of Kenny Bland, Myles Reuben, Nick Pol, Tahir Swinton, and Herb Smith. As freshmen, this group won the 2006 Perth Amboy/GMC Freshmen Tournament by defeating Bishop Ahr for the Championship. The win capped a spectacular season with the team going undefeated in conference play, and losing only to North Hunterdon. In addition, Stevens has solid seniors including point guard, Alex Cacoilo, forward Darnell Sorrell, Conner Medler, Matt Margon, and Teryl Dunlap. Looking at these two teams, Colonia has the edge in the backcourt, but Hall will have to stay out of foul trouble. Also, watch out for Cacoilo, and Pol. If both get hot, the Hawks will have a good chance to advance. Same goes for Colonia. In the games covered by GMC Hoops, Hall and J.J. D'Amico have not had great games together. If they do in this one, the Pats have a shot to advance.

On the front line, I will call it an even matchup since both Jeff Mentzel and junior Mike Nweme have played better as of late while Jordan Edmonds has been able to score for the Pats. Bland has the ability to be a force on the inside, but despite having many chances underneath, he has failed to capitalize on them. He needs to position himself for scores better, and take the ball strong to the basket in order to finish well. If he does that, he will take his game to another level. Sorrell is an X-factor here. If he plays like he did against St. Joseph's at JPS back in December, Stevens has a good shot of winning. Dunlap has the wing span to alter shots and provide help off the bench. Both teams are battle tested with tough schedules in the roughest two divisions in the GMC this season. However, if one gets off to a sluggish start like J.P. Stevens did at South Brunswick some ten days ago, it could be a long day. Turnovers will also play a key role. For instance, if the Pats turn the ball over like it did against McCarrick in the second half, that will hurt their chances.

This figures to be the most competitive of the four games today, and the seeds reflect that. Colonia has the intangible of playing in more big games such as this over the years, but Stevens has surprised many this year, and that trend could continue. Colonia also has a sour taste in its mouth thanks to its premature exit at the hands of Piscataway last year.

GMC Hoops Pick: Colonia