The Freshmen Game of the Week, Freshmen Roundup, and the JV Roundup are now available. Check them out in our GMC Hoops Summary archive.

GMC Hoops Summaries--March 3, 2010
Week Eleven--North Jersey Section 2 Group III Tourney

Cinderella Carteret Goes Overtime To Advance To Semis, 59-56

By Greg Machos
March 3, 2010

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ--Just like on Monday night, GMC Hoops caught a game between two schools that had played each other twice before. The quarterfinal matchup between Carteret and New Brunswick was a rubber game of sorts. The first time these two teams played this season, the Zebras won easily on January 6th, 61-45 at the NBHS new gym. Carteret won the second time at home by a score of 46-43 on January 30th. Each won their opening round matchup in the North Jersey Section 2 Group III bracket as the sixth seeded Zebras won at home over 11th seeded Rahway (51-38) while the 14th seeded Ramblers came up with the upset of the night by defeating third seeded Somerville (53-47).

These two teams would be entangled in quite a game before the Ramblers pulled off another upset with a 59-56 victory in overtime. Carteret led by ten with 5:13 to go in the third, but couldn't put the Zebras away as they went 11 of 26 from the line in the second half and overtime. New Brunswick mounted a 26-16 surge over the final 13:13 to tie the game and force overtime. Neither team had a lead bigger than ten points while there were a total of five lead changes and six ties. After the game was tied at 48-48 with 2:58 remaining in the extra session, the Ramblers went on a decisive 6-0 run over a span of 1:29 to take a 54-48 lead with just under a minute and a half to play. Carteret, which made 5 of 10 foul shots down the stretch in overtime, had to hang on as New Brunswick pulled to within two late, but couldn't tie the game and force a second overtime.

For the game, Carteret and New Brunswick split the first four periods with the Ramblers winning the first two while New Brunswick won the last two. However, Carteret won the extra session to win the game. The Ramblers scored in double figures in each of the quarters while New Brunswick scored in double digits in four of the five frames. The game was dominated by turnovers as Carteret and New Brunswick combined for 41 in the game. CHS shot 22 of 43 from the field including a 3 of 7 showing from beyond the arc for 51 percent while NBHS was limited to just 20 of 52 shooting from the floor including a 1 of 6 showing from downtown for 38 percent. At the line, the Ramblers went 12 of 28 for 43 percent on the game while the Zebras were 15 of 21 for 71 percent. In other statistical areas, New Brunswick got the edge in turnovers (18-23), but the Ramblers won on the boards with a 31-22 overall edge including a 11-10 edge on the offensive glass. Carteret also had more charges (3-0), but New Brunswick had more assists (16-13), steals (14-4), and blocks (4-2).

Unlikely heroes for the Ramblers were Ryan Joseph and Junior Rodriguez. Joseph, a senior forward made 5 of 8 shots from the floor and one of three from the line for 11 points along with 5 rebounds while Rodriguez made 3 of 5 from the field, and 4 of 7 from the line for 10 points, 5 boards, and an assist. Xavier Fuller, a 6'5" senior center, chipped in with 8 points on 4 of 6 shooting along with 12 rebounds, an assist and a block. Maninder Singh helped out with 8 points as well on 3 of 5 shooting from the floor and a perfect 2 of 2 at the line. Singh also handed out six assists while swiping two steals, and drawing a charge. Dakar Hamlet also had eight points along with five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block. For New Brunswick, sophomore forward, Milton Pittman made 5 of 10 shots from the floor, and 6 of 8 from the line for a game high 16 points along with 7 rebounds, 7 steals, 2 assists, and a block. Jaquan Cook chipped in with 15 points on five field goals, a three pointer, and 2 of 3 from the foul line while also picking up 6 rebounds, and a block.

Simuel Williams, a senior guard and three year starter, contributed for New Brunswick with two field goals and 6 of 7 from the line for 10 points along with 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. Although NBHS had three players that scored in double figures, it only had seven get into the scoring column while Carteret had nine. New Brunswick took the early lead in this one on a Cook layup as both teams struggled taking care of the basketball offensively. In just the first 2:37 of the contest, both teams combined for seven turnovers. Carteret then took control though with a 7-0 run that included a three pointer from the left wing by Shaquille Jackson (5 points and a rebound) at the 3:35 mark for a 7-2 lead after he had scored earlier on a jumper. Williams got the Zebras within three on a pair of free throws at the 2:46 mark to make the score, 7-4, but Avery Carter got one of those points back on a one of two showing from the foul line at the 2:39 mark for an 8-4 score.

Pittman then missed a pair of free throws at the 2:25 mark, and after a 30 second timeout by Carteret at the 1:43 mark, both teams exchanged scores as Cook got on the board with a layin, and Rodriguez got a bucket in traffic underneath for a 10-6 Ramblers lead after one. Carteret went 4 of 9 from the floor including one of two from three point range, and made one of two from the foul line. Meanwhile, New Brunswick was only two of five from the field, and connected on 2 of 4 free throws while committing six turnovers in the period. Carteret also had six miscues. In the second, New Brunswick started things off with a 10-6 run to tie the game at 16-16. However, the Ramblers took the lead again as they closed the half with an 8-2 run consisting of a three by Justin DeJesus from the left wing, a trey by Mike Merz (3 points) from the right wing, and a layup by Hamlet. DeJesus (5 points, 2 charges, and a rebound) gave Carteret added momentum by drawing two charges during the stretch.

At the intermission, Cook (6 points), Pittman (5 points), and Williams (5 points) accounted for 89 percent of the Zebras scoring. Meanwhile, the Ramblers had a more balanced attack with six players getting on to the scoresheet. Carteret went 6 of 9 from the floor in the second while New Brunswick was 5 of 8 from the field. The Ramblers shot 10 of 18 in the first half while New Brunswick was 7 of 13. The Ramblers made three of six from deep while the Zebras only took one shot beyond the arc. NBHS was 4 of 6 from the line while CHS was just one of two. Both teams combined for 20 turnovers in the first half with Carteret making the lion's share (11 miscues). The third period began with Carteret scoring four of the first six points of the second half to increase its lead to eight at 28-20 with 5:48 to go in the period. The run was highlighted by a jumper from Joseph off an assist by Hamlet, and then a layin by Fuller. The Ramblers then took their biggest lead of the game as Singh dished to Rodriguez for a layup, and a 30-20 advantage as the Zebras called for time with 5:13 left in the third.

After the full timeout, New Brunswick got going as Troy Wilcox (3 of 5 FGs and an FT for 7 points, 3 steals, 2 rebounds, an assist, and a block) lobbed inside to Cook for a layup and the foul that produced a traditional three point play at the 4:26 mark. Wilcox then got a three point play of his own at the 3:59 mark for a 30-26 Carteret lead. Joseph retaliated for the Ramblers with a layup, and a foul, but missed the bonus free throw for a 32-26 lead with 3:05 left in the third. Williams then got a score, and New Brunswick had a chance to get closer, but Cook was called for basket interference at the 2:16 mark. Hamlet missed two foul shots at the 2:07 mark, but Cook lost the ball out of bounds. DeJesus then drew a foul, but made only one of two from the line for a 33-28 lead with 2:02 to go in the quarter. Nyeem Coleman (2 of 3 FGs for 4 points and a rebound) sank a jumper to close the gap to three at 33-30 with 1:29 to play in the frame, but Singh netted two from the line for a 35-30 edge heading into the fourth.

New Brunswick opened the fourth quarter scoring on a Pittman putback before Carteret got its first points in the fourth on a jumper by Joseph. The Ramblers had a chance to go up even more, but after Hamlet grabbed a rebound, and drew a foul on a drive for a layup, he missed both charity shots at the 6:12 mark, and the score remained 37-34 in favor of CHS. Following a full timeout by Carteret at the 4:47 mark, Pittman netted two foul shots at the 4:24 mark to pull the Zebras within one at 37-36. Rodriguez made one of two from the line for a 38-36 lead with 4:20 to go in regulation, but Williams knotted the game up for the first time since the second period with two free throws for a 38-38 score with exactly four minutes remaining in regulation. The Zebras then had a chance to take the lead, but Nigel Scott (2 of 5 FGs for 4 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals) threw the ball away at the 3:19 mark. Carteret then went back out in front when Singh dished to Joseph for a floater, and the 40-38 lead with 3:07 left in the fourth.

After the Zebras missed a shot, Williams passed to Cook for the team's only three of the game, and first lead since the first quarter at 41-40 with 2:27 to go in regulation. Hamlet had a chance to put the Ramblers back out in front, but missed both free throws at the 2:20 mark. Following a timeout with 2:12 to play in regulation, Carteret took the lead again at 43-41 as Rodriguez got an offensive rebound off a block by Pittman, and scored on the follow as he was fouled for a three point play with 1:49 to go in the fourth. Scott passed to Cook for a layup on New Brunswick's next possession to tie the score at 43-43 with 1:22 to go in the fourth. Williams then gave NBHS a 45-43 lea with 1:09 to go on a pair of free throws. Hamlet then made one of two from the charity strip with 53.5 left, and Cook made one of two with 52.7 to go in the fourth for a 46-44 score. Following a timeout at the 42.3 second mark, Singh was called for traveling with 36.8 seconds to play. However, Hamlet picked up his teammate by swiping a steal and going the distance for a game tying layup with 11.3 seconds to go in the fourth. The Zebras tried to win it on a last second, but it missed.

Moving into the overtime period, Singh put Carteret ahead with a drive from the left wing for a layup and a 48-46 lead at the 3:21 mark. Cook then tied it with a layup off an assist by Scott with just under three minutes to play. Fuller then sparked a decisive 6-0 spurt with a layup, and a putback following another score by Singh for a 54-48 lead with just less than a minute and a half left. Wilcox then got a score for New Brunswick, and Rodriguez only made one of two from the line for a 55-50 lead. However, the Ramblers got the loose ball on the missed second foul shot, and called for time with 56 seconds left. Coleman connected on a jumper that pulled the Zebras within three at 55-52, but Joseph made it a two possession game with one of two from the line at the 37.9 second mark. Cook pulled New Brunswick within two on a jumper, but DeJesus gave Carteret a bit more breathing room with another one of two showing from the line for a 57-54 lead with 24.7 seconds left. Scott then missed two key foul shots with 19.7 seconds left on the clock, and Hamlet made one of two for a 58-54 lead with 12.4 to go.

New Brunswick still had a shot as Scott scored on a putback with 4.5 seconds remaining, but Rodriguez made one of two from a 59-56 lead, and Cook's shot from three at the buzzer hit the backiron, and Carteret emerged victorious with a 59-56 victory. The Ramblers advance to the semifinals, where they will travel to second seeded Millburn High School. Carteret improved to 12-12 on the season including a 10-10 record in conference play while New Brunswick concludes its season at 15-10 including a 12-9 mark in the GMC. Analysis will be forthcoming in the blog.

RETURN TO THE GMC HOOPS HOME PAGE

If you are finished checking the GMC Boys Basketball Summaries, and would like to see other parts of the website.  Click below to return to the home page.

• Return to the GMC Hoops Homepage

If you have any questions about, or any suggestions for this website, please feel free to either fill out our guestbook, or contact me at gmachos@gmchoops.com.