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GMC Hoops Summaries--February 8, 2010
Week Eight--Red Division Clash

Tucci Leads East Brunswick Past Piscataway, 67-51

By Greg Machos
February 8, 2010

PISCATAWAY, NJ--One of the best qualities of this year's East Brunswick Bears squad is how deep and balanced they are. With a good blend of young and veteran talent on this squad, it is no surprise to this web site that EB is doing this well at this point in the season. For example, on Monday night, East Brunswick had one player score in double figures while Piscataway had two. However, the Bears managed to win by sixteen. How? Simple. EB had 10 of its 13 players that played get into the box score. Of those ten, seven scored six points or more. Meanwhile, Piscataway had all ten of its players that played break into the scoring column, but only four scored six points or more.

Senior Mauro Tucci turned in perhaps his best performance of the season with 17 points including all three of his three pointers in a 21-5 surge that turned a 12-10 late first quarter lead into a 33-15 halftime advantage. Tucci connected on four field goals and three treys for his game high 17 in the 67-51 victory that was broadcasted live on WCTC AM 1450. Meanwhile, the Bears outgunned the Chiefs by a margin of 9-1 from beyond the arc for a 27-3 scoring advantage. East Brunswick came up with 18 field goals, nine threes, and four foul shots for its 67 while Piscataway had 20 field goals, a three, and eight free throws for its 51. EB outscored P-Way in three of the four quarters played. Junior Brian Wong led Piscataway with 13 points on five field goals and the team's only three while senior forward, Wayne Newsome chipped in with 10 points on six field goals and four foul shots.

After the Bears jumped out to its halftime lead, the Chiefs showed some life in the third quarter with a 19-11 start to pull within ten at 44-34. However, EB, which did a superb job of breaking Piscataway's full court pressure in the second half, scored the final five points of the period as junior Anthony Guisti (a three pointer, a field goal, and a foul shot for 6 points) connected on a three pointer from the right wing, and scored on a layup to end the quarter with a 49-34 EB lead. The Bears then opened up the fourth with a 8-2 run for a 57-36 lead, and were never threatened after that despite the fact that the Chiefs closed the game with a 15-10 run for the 67-51 final score. The game was fairly close early on as the Chiefs battled to stay close through much of the first quarter. With EB leading by just two points, it began to blow the game wide open.

Tucci connected on a three pointer for a five point lead, and then the Bears added another point for a 16-10 first quarter lead. Tucci added another two threes as the Bears started the second with an 8-0 run for a 24-10 lead. Tucci scored 13 of his points in the first half alone. Piscataway eventually broke the drought on a score by Wong, but East Brunswick closed the half with a 9-5 showing for a 33-15 advantage at the intermission. Senior guard, Julius Nadarajah (three field goals for 6 points) connected on a jumper at the 7:28 mark to open the third for a 33-17 EB lead before the Bears went on an 11-10 run over the next 4:58. Highlighting the run was a layup by junior Carl Thomore (two field goals and two foul shots for 6 points), a three pointer by sophomore Joe Ross (a three and two field goals for 8 points), and a score by Tucci. Meanwhile Piscataway got six points from Wong and four from Newsome for a 44-27 score at the 2:30 mark.

The Chiefs then scored seven straight points including a field goal by Nadarajah, a jumper by sophomore Tajae Sharpe (four field goals for 8 points), and a three pointer by Wong to close within ten at 44-34. However, Guisti got his three and a layup for the EB fifteen point edge after three periods. The Bears then opened the fourth by scored eight of the first ten points including a one of two showing from the line by Guisti at the 6:18 mark for a 57-36 lead. P-Way attempted to rally again with another 7-0 run including a three point play by Newsome, a rebound and coast to coast layup by Sharpe, and two free throws by senior forward, Justin Kirkland (a field goal and two free throws for 4 points) that made the score, 57-43 with 5:21 to play. The Chiefs wouldn't get any closer though. The Bears scored six of the next nine points including scores by senior Kevin Lantz (three field goals for 6 points), Thomore, and senior Miles Colmon (four field goals for 8 points) to take a 63-46 lead with 3:05 left.

Piscataway then outscored East Brunswick by a 5-4 margin, but the Bears came away with the 67-51 victory. Although the Bears won, St. Joseph's clinched the GMC Red by virtue of its Monday night victory over Edison (54-30). It was the first time since the 2005-06 season that the Falcons won a Red Division title, and tenth division title all time for St. Joe's. Nevertheless, EB improved to 17-3 overall on the season with the victory, 15-3 in conference, and 13-2 in the GMC Red. Meanwhile, Piscataway lost its second straight, dropped to 9-10 overall, 8-9 in the GMC, and 8-7 in divisional play. The Bears also are in first place in the GMC Hoops Trophy standings with a 4-0 mark. Video highlights and nalysis will be forthcoming in the blog.

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