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 18, 2011
Opening Weekend--2011 Tip Off Classic

Teaneck Rallies In Fourth To Defeat St. Joe's, 53-49

By Greg Machos
December 18, 2011

WEST ORANGE, NJ--The bar has been set very high for the St. Joseph's Falcons in 2011-12.  The two time defending GMC champions have an opportunity to do something that no GMC/Middlesex County team has done in almost 30 years.  Winning a third straight conference title would be an incredible accomplishment, but these Green Birds have even higher goals, a state championship.  The Falcons have played for the Non-Public A title three times including twice in the final two years of the Jay Williams era. All three times, St. Joe's came up short.

However, with the likes of Temple bound Quenton DeCosey and Stonehill bound Danny Brix as well as a solid nucleus that includes the likes of Jimbo Long, Karim Awad, Jalen Gilmore, freshmen Karl Towns and Marcus Ashamole, St. Joseph's players feel that anything short of that will be a disappointment.  After a solid win on the road at Colonia to open the season, the Falcons were given an opportunity to show many in attendance at West Orange High School in the third game from the second day of action at the Hoop Group Tip-Off Classic that they are a team to reckon with in New Jersey this year.

Taking on Teaneck in a game broadcast on MSG Varsity, the Falcons got out to a first quarter lead, but couldn't sustain it as Teaneck rallied for a one point edge at the half.  DeCosey took over early in the third to give St. Joe's the lead back at 37-31 heading into the fourth.  However, after trailing by seven in the beginning of the fourth, the Highwaymen rallied with a 23-11 surge over the last 5:41 including a four point play at the 1:26 mark for a 47-44 lead, and led by as many as five twice down the stretch before winning, 53-49.  Leading the way for the winners was Chris Jones, who turned in a double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds.

DeCosey also put up a solid double-double effort of 16 points and 11 rebounds along with 4 steals and 3 assists.  Towns also turned in a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds as well as three blocked shots.  Awad added 7 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal.  Long chipped in with 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, an assist, and a blocked shot.  Neville Fincher collected 7 points, 7 boards, and a block shot, but his block as well as an emphatic two handed jam give the Highwaymen much needed energy down the stretch to pull out the win.  Shakir Lindsey handed out 7 assists along with his 6 points all coming from the foul line.

Teaneck outscored St. Joe's in points off turnovers (12-7), three pointers (18-9), and points  off the bench (5-0).  Both teams shot fairly evenly for the game with the Falcons going 17 of 50 while the Highwaymen went 17 of 51.  Teaneck also enjoyed a slight edge at the foul line by going 13 of 19 for 68 percent while St. Joseph's went 12 of 20.  The Bergen County school also got the edge on the boards 39-38 including a 14-13 edge  on the offensive glass.  The Falcons had more blocks (4-1). There were five lead changes and four ties in the contest with neither team leading by more than eight points.

Against Teaneck, the Falcons looked sharp early on by jumping out to a 14-6 lead at the 7:18 mark of the second quarter.  Towns scored seven points in the first quarter including a three pointer from the left wing, a putback, and two free throws.  DeCosey got the final points of the first period, and the first bucket of the second.   However, with Brix on the bench thanks to a pair of personal fouls in just 5:45, St. Joe's was unable to sustain the solid start.  The Highwaymen, which won the North Jersey Section 1 Group III championship in 2011 before falling to Plainfield in the state semifinals, went on a 15-1 tear including two three pointers for a 21-15 lead.

The Falcons finished the half with the final five points including one of two from the line by Long and a three point play by Towns to narrow the deficit to 21-20 at the intermission.  DeCosey picked things up in the third quarter as he had a hand in all of St. Joe's points during an 8-1 spurt to begin the second half for a 29-22 lead.  The play that highlighted the run was a behind the back pass from DeCosey to Brix for a layup.  Teaneck battled back though with 7 of the next 9 points to close to 31-29 before St. Joe's called for time at the 1:28 mark.  Long got the only score for the Falcons on a jumper from the left corner off a pass by DeCosey.

After Teaneck tied the game at the 1:05 mark, Towns got his first points of the second half on a three pointer, and Awad converted a traditional three point play for a 37-31 edge heading into the fourth.  Both teams went into a scoring lull for over two minutes before DeCosey gave the Falcons a seven point lead again when he made one of two from the line at the 5:41 mark.  Teaneck would rally though with a three pointer by Jones, a huge dunk by Fincher, and a steal for a layup by Siddiq Patterson to pull within two points at 42-40 with 3:12 left.  The Highwaymen took the lead at 43-42 a short time later when they cashed in on a St. Joe's turnover with a trey by Jones at the 2:50 mark.

DeCosey put the Falcons back in front at 44-43 with a bucket off the drive, but Teaneck got the rare four point play from Jones to take the lead for good at the 1:26 mark.  St. Joseph's only got within three points the rest of the way as Teaneck won by four.

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