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--December 20, 2008
Opening Weekend--2008 Tip Off Classic

White Leads Union As Farmers Roll Past CBA, 67-48

By Greg Machos
December 20, 2008

UNION, NJ—Despite a busy work schedule that prevented GMC Hoops from getting out to any action until 7:30 PM Saturday night, the web site still managed to get out to the Hoop Group Tip-Off Classic to see at least one game for the seventh straight year. After watching a thrilling ending to Union Catholic's victory over Dunellen at the Faber, the site ventured out into the beginnings of yet another winter storm, and drove up Route 22 East to Union High School to see the nightcap of the first day of action between Shore Conference and Non-Public A South powerhouse, Christian Brothers Academy, and the host school Union.

For those of you, who may have forgotten, Union is coached by an alumnus of the school that has ties to the Greater Middlesex Conference in Tony DiGiovanni, who had previously coached at Piscataway and then New Brunswick before taking the head job at Union after the 2005-06 campaign. DiGiovanni, also previously served as an assistant under Bob Hurley at St. Anthony's before taking the Piscataway job, and played Quarterback for legendary Union football coach, Lou Rettino, who the gym at UHS is now named after. There are also other GMC ties at UHS as well.

Former North Brunswick standout, Frank DeLuca, who graduated from NBTHS in 1996 before moving on to play post-graduate ball at Solebury Prep, now serves as an assistant to DiGiovanni. Last season was a breakthrough year for Union after several seasons of struggle. In 2007-08, the Farmers emerged as a contender in the Mighty Watchung Conference by going 21-7 overall, and 13-3 in conference. Union defeated the likes of Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Linden, and Plainfield (twice) while also competing against the likes of American Christian, Mount Vernon, Watchung Hills, Piscataway, and Cardinal McCarrick.

With one of its top players from last year in Travis Taylor now standing out at Monmouth University, one would think that Union would be down a bit this year. However, that is not the case with the likes of Aishon White, Dion Nesmith, Bryce Lewis, Javon Moore, Jonathan Merceus, and James Daniels all returning this season. The Farmers are looking to go beyond last year's run into the semifinals of the North Jersey Section 2 Group IV State Tournament before losing to eventual champion Piscataway as well as challenge Linden, St. Patrick's, and Plainfield for Union County supremacy.

Meanwhile, Christian Brothers Academy has a team that is looking to get further into the Non-Public A South Tournament this year after bowing out somewhat early by their standards last season. The Colts have the likes of Brian Neller and Patrick Light, who are now seniors along with Adam Spangler. There are also supporting cast members such as Matt McMullen, Sean O'Connor, Roy Mabrey, Matt Byrnes, and Mike Engemann. Prior to last season, CBA had ended St. Joseph's seasons the past two years in the semifinals of Non-Public A South in both 2006 and 2007. Both years, CBA went on to win the sectional championship.

In this particular contest, Union jumped out to a 23-13 first quarter lead, and led by as many as 18 in the first half, and 20 in the second half before winning by a final score of 67-48. Team MVP in the game Aishon White led the charge with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. White had 16 of those points in the first quarter as he hit his first six shots of the game, and accounted for 70 percent of the Farmer offense in the opening frame. White then capped the night with a three point play on a dunk that capped a 10-2 run to open the second half for a 48-29 lead midway through the third. The junior guard tallied his game high 19 points on three field goals, four three pointers, and a free throw.

Nesmith, a senior guard, chipped in with 16 points on six field goals, a three pointer, and a free throw. Steve Alce contributed with 11 points on four field goals and three foul shots while Jonathan Merceus, a 6'5" junior forward, stood out in the second half, and ended up with 10 points on three field goals and four free throws. James Daniels added 5 points on two field goals, and a free throw before leaving at the 5:59 mark of the third with an apparent ankle injury. Javon Moore (4 points on a field goal and 2 free throws) and Bryce Lewis (a field goal) rounded out the scoring for the Farmers while Tony Gilchrist, Nana Ansah, Bryan Morris, Hassan Purdie, Chidoziem Ikwenegbu, and Chris Petrucelli all played, but didn't score.

Meanwhile, for CBA, senior forward, Patrick Light earned team MVP honors by leading the charge with 14 points on five field goals, a three pointer, and a foul shot along with 7 rebounds. Neller added 11 points on three treys, and two foul shots. Everyone else that scored for the Colts only tallied up single digits. As a matter of fact, no one else on CBA scored more than four points including R.J. Hobbie (a field goal and two free throws), McMullen (a field goal and two foul shots), Mabrey (two field goals), and Spengler (a three pointer and a foul shot). Jon Rohan (a field goal for two points), Matt Byrnes (a field goal for two points), Sean O'Connor (two free throws for two points), and Travis Farrell (one point) rounded out the scoring for the Colts.

Union outscored CBA in each of the first three quarters before the visitors from Lincroft in Monmouth County won the fourth and final frame with an 8-7 showing. The Farmers racked up their 67 points on 20 field goals, 5 three pointers, and 12 free throws while CBA tallied its 48 on 11 field goals, 5 treys, and 11 foul shots. In the first half, White (16 points) and Nesmith (10 points) accounted for 68 percent of the Union scoring while Light (11 points) and Neller (8 points) comprised 70 percent of CBA's offense. As mentioned earlier, Union jumped out to a 23-13 lead as White connected on all of his first six shots including four from beyond the arc. When GMC Hoops arrived at UHS to see the game, there was 6:30 left in the second half, and Union leading 28-15.

Moments after the site's arrival, CBA got a basket at the 6:25 mark to close to within eleven at 28-17. Following a timeout at the 6:08 mark, Daniels, who scored four of his five points in the final 5:46 of the first half, connected on a field goal for a 30-17 lead. Twenty seconds later, Lewis found Daniels again for a reverse layup underneath, and a 32-17 lead. The Farmers, which drew at least four charges in the contest, forced Neller to commit an offensive foul at the 4:54 mark. Forty seconds later, Nesmith capitalized on the Colt miscue with an acrobatic layup that prompted a CBA timeout at the 4:14 mark. Following the stoppage, McMullen stpped to the line to make one of two charity shots for a 34-18 Union lead with 3:32 left before the intermission.

The Colts then called a 30 second timeout with 3:14 to go in the half, but it didn't do much to change their looming predicament as Daniels drew a charge on Mabrey at the 2:42 mark. Nesmith then missed a one and one at the 2:30 mark, but the Farmers got the offensive board, and Nesmith made good on the second chance by making a scoop shot as he was fouled. Although the senior guard missed the bonus free throw, Union was now ahead, 36-18 with 2:18 to go before halftime. At that point, CBA put together their best run of the game with a 9-2 spurt to close out the second quarter including a three pointer from the top of the key by Spengler at the 2:02 mark, and then another field goal at the 1:43 mark to help make it 38-27 at the break.

In the second half, UHS went back to work right away with a 10-2 spurt to open the third including two free throws by Alce at the 6:22 mark, a Nesmith layup at the 5:30 mark, and then the dunk for a three point play by White for his final points of the game, and a 48-29 Farmer lead. Union then closed out the third with a 12-11 showing over the final four plus minutes for a commanding 60-40 lead entering the fourth. Over the first 3:29 of the final stanza, CBA started making rumblings with six of the first eight points of the period that prompted DiGiovanni to call a timeout with the score, 62-46 at the 4:31 mark. However, the Colts wouldn't get any closer as the Farmers scored five of the last seven points for the 67-48 victory.

With the win, Union starts the season on a good note at 1-0 while CBA falls to 0-1.

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