We've just archived the summaries on several scrimmages that we covered in the pre-season, the Freshmen and JV Games of the Week, and Freshmen and JV Roundups.

GMC Hoops Summaries--January 11, 2008
Freshmen Game of the Week--Week Four

Cook And Gardner Lead The Way As Little Zebras Roll Past SPHS, 59-23

By Greg Machos
January 11, 2008

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—At one point in the GMC Hoops Freshmen Game of the Week between South Plainfield and New Brunswick on Friday afternoon, SPHS Freshmen Coach, John Greco argued with an official stating that the Little Zebras had too many players on the floor. With the way NBHS rolled to an easy victory, who would blame him about that. New Brunswick jumped out to a 22-4 first quarter lead, and never really looked back in a 59-23 victory over South Plainfield in the opener of the tripleheader between the two schools. The Little Zebras, which improved to 7-1 overall with the win, have been playing extremely well to start the year with the likes of lanky forward, Jaquan Cook, and his manchild teammate, Devin Gardner leading the way along with guard Nyeem Coleman. Over the holidays in the 2007 Cardinal McCarrick Christmas Tournament, New Brunswick was the class of the eight team field by winning all three of its games including a 57-38 victory over the host school, McCarrick Little Eagles by a 57-38 score. The win was a significant one in the fact that Cardinal McCarrick was undefeated for the entire summer at the Colonia Freshmen League until it lost in the Championship to the host school Little Pats.

Cook connected on 5 of 8 shots from the floor, and one of two from the foul line in the second period for 11 points to make sure the fast start by his team wouldn't go to waste. In the second half, reserve, Andrew Gidding, who ended up making 5 of 7 shots over the final three periods of play, and 1 of 4 from the foul line for 11 points while collecting 4 steals, a block, and an offensive rebound, stepped up in the second half to help close out the game with a 12-0 showing in the fourth. In the game, New Brunswick scored in double figures in every quarter while preventing the visiting Little Tigers from doing the same except in the third when SPHS showed some faint signs of life. However, it was the 22-4 first quarter surge that truly put the game away. Over the final three quarters, New Brunswick made 17 of 44 shots for only 38.6 percent, but limited South Plainfield to just 8 of 25 shooting for 32 percent while forcing 21 Little Tiger turnovers in the same time span. Moreover, the Little Zebra size advantage, and athletic ability provided for many second chance opportunities as they dominated the offensive glass with a 16-4 advantage over the final 24 minutes of action. Overall in the rebounding department, New Brunswick held a 26-14 edge while winning in other stat areas such as steals (18-5), assists (11-4), and turnovers (11-21). Both teams were even in blocked shots (2-2) while neither team drew a charge in the span.

The game was pretty much already over by the time GMC Hoops arrived. Although there was just seven seconds remaining in the first period, the Little Zebras had already amassed a commanding 22-4 edge. The Tigers tried to make things more respectable with a 5-4 run to start the second that trimmed the deficit to 26-9 with 5:22 to go in the half as former East Brunswick and William Paterson standout, and current NBHS Freshmen coach, Larry Press called a timeout. Following the stoppage, the Little Zebras would get a score from Cook, but South Plainfield would respond with a three point play for a 28-12 lead at the four minute mark. Cook then got himself going again with a one of two showing on top of a couple of field goals for a 33-12 lead for the home team at the 1:40 mark. Cook then closed out the first half scoring with a basket to cap a quarter ending 7-0 run for an insurmountable 35-12 halftime lead. In the second period, New Brunswick only made 6 of 20 shots from the floor, but limited South Plainfield to only 3 of 9 shooting, and forced six turnovers. In the third quarter, Gardner, who sat out much of the second, got back to work in a hurry with a jumper, and then a steal and assist on a layup by Walek Dunlap that made it 39-12 before the Little Tigers got a score at the 5:25 mark for a 39-14 New Brunswick lead. South Plainfield tried to build off of that score with a 9-4 run over the next 4:36 for a 11-4 spurt that closed the gap to twenty at 43-23 with 49 seconds left in the period, but the Little Zebras struck quickly for four points as reserve guard, Derrick Lunn got an assist on a layup by Shadrach Ford, and then a steal for his own layup that made the score 47-23 heading into the fourth.

In the fourth, New Brunswick shut out the Little Tigers to close the game with a 16-0 run over the final 8:49. The period started with the Little Zebras going on a 6-0 run capped by a short baseline jumper on the left side from Gidding off an assist by Dunlap for a 53-23 lead with 4:04 left. New Brunswick then closed the game with six more points for the 59-23 rout. Some of the Little Zebras weren't through there as both Cook and Gardner played pivotal roles in the Junior Zebras rally from 32-25 down with a 29-11 surge over the final 11:06 for a 54-43 win over South Plainfield's JV. However, the Tigers did salvage a win out of the three games by getting a 64-48 victory in the varsity nightcap thanks to a game hgh 25 points by junior guard, Mike Burton, and 16 from senior forward, Bennie Gibson as well as a 21 of 28 performance at the foul line.

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