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--January 7, 2010
Week Three--Blue Division Clash

Bulldogs Overcome Tough Start To Pull Away From Mustangs, 61-50

By Greg Machos
January 7, 2010

METUCHEN, NJ--Entering Thursday's late afternoon/early evening matchup, both J.F. Kennedy and Metuchen were in need of a GMC Blue Division win. The Mustangs, which were coming off a 55-48 loss at home to Middlesex, and were 1-2 in divisional play while the Bulldogs, a team projected to finish third in the division by the web site back in December, was looking to climb out of an 0-2 hole after losses to Spotswood and South River. Things didn't really look that good for Metuchen early on either. After James Warren scored a layup off an assist by Mike Crusco to open the game's scoring, JFK went on a 12-2 run to take a 12-4 lead with 2:18 left in the first.

However, the Bulldogs would recover. Vinnie Sardone sparked a 16-7 run over the next 10:18 with a three pointer from the left wing, and teammates Crusco, Evan Carberry, and Nick Callas followed suit as MHS took a 20-19 lead into the locker room. Then, in the second half, Crusco scored seven points over the final 4:55 of the third including a three pointer at the end of the period for a 38-33 lead. After Kennedy battled back to tie the game at 41-41 with an 8-3 run over the first 3:02 of the fourth, the Bulldogs went on a decisive 15-5 tear that included threes from Carberry and Callas for a 56-46 lead, and posted a 61-50 victory.

Following Kennedy's first quarter outburst, Metuchen outscored the visitors from Iselin in each of the final three periods. The Bulldogs only connected on 21 of 59 shots from the floor including 4 of 18 from beyond the arc, but limited JFK to 20 of 52 shots including 4 of 13 from long distance. A couple keys were foul shooting and turnovers. MHS, which has had some struggles in both over the years, did very well for itself in this particular contest. Metuchen went 15 of 24 from the line, and committed just 16 turnovers. Meanwhile, Kennedy made only 6 of 15 from the charity stripe, and made 20 miscues.

In other statistical areas, rebounding was close with Metuchen getting the edge both overall (34-32) and on the offensive glass (14-9). The Bulldogs also had advantages in steals (9-8) while the Mustangs had more assists (10-8) and blocks (4-0). Both teams drew one charge. Joe Marciano turned in a solid effort in a losing cause for Kennedy with a game high 25 points on 10 of 19 shooting from the floor along with 2 of 4 from the line. The JFK senior guard also picked up 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and a charge. Metuchen did a solid job on the rest of the Kennedy squad as only four other players scored.

The Bulldogs were especially tough on senior forward Rasheed Howard, who came into this game averaging 21.5 points per contest in the previous two games covered by GMC Hoops. In this game, however, Howard was limited to just 3 of 11 shooting and made one of four from the line for 7 points while collecting 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Junior guard, Dashion Robinson, who has been also scoring in double figures as of late, was also held to single digits with 9 points on 3 of 7 shooting from the floor including a three, and 2 of 4 from the line. A.J. Pichalski was particularly active on the glass with 11 rebounds and 2 blocks, but only made 3 of 11 shots for 6 points in the loss.

Meanwhile, Metuchen was led by Crusco, who scored 18 points on 6 of 14 shooting from the floor including a three along with 5 of 6 from the line. He also picked up 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. Carberry chipped in with a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds as he connected on 5 of 11 from the floor and made both his foul shots. Callas added 12 points on four field goals including a three while making three free throws. Kennedy was 5 of 14 from the field in the first period while making both its attempts at the foul line. More importantly though, the Mustangs limited the Bulldogs to just 3 of 14 shooting, and forced 9 turnovers in the opening frame.

JFK's first quarter outburst was highlighted by layups from Marciano, Howard, and Pichalski over the first 2:44 of the game. Marciano then capped the run with a drive from the right wing to the left side for a layup attempt that drew a foul and produced two free throws for a 12-4 lead. Sardone (3 of 7 FG for 7 points and a rebound), who has improved his shooting stroke, connected on his only three of the game to stem the tide before Pichalski closed out the first period scoring with an offensive rebound and follow off a Marciano miss for a 14-7 lead heading into the second quarter of play. The Bulldogs then continued to rally in the second with a 13-5 showing.

MHS opened the stanza with a 4-0 run on layups by Callas and Carberry for a 14-11 Kennedy lead at the 6:54 mark. Marciano then made a bank shot to put the Mustangs up by five before Crusco netted two foul shots at the 4:28 mark, and Sellers made one of two at the free throw line to close the gap to 16-14 with 3:31 to play in the half. Robinson put a temporary halt to the Bulldog run with a three point play at the 2:43 mark, but Metuchen closed the half with the final six points including a soft jumper from the left wing by Sardone off a Carberry assist at the two minute mark, and a layup by Kuari Quals (3 points and 2 rebounds) off an assist by Troy Mallory (3 assists, 3 rebounds, and a steal) for the one point lead at halftime.

Both teams shot about the same with JFK going 8 of 27 from the floor in the first 16 minutes while Metuchen was 8 of 28. Each team also hit three free throws, but the difference was Sardone's three pointer. Rebounding was even at 17-17 although Metuchen had a slight edge on the offensive glass (6-4). Turnovers had also become more even with Kennedy holding just a slight edge (10-11). Marciano led all scorers with eight points along with two rebounds, two steals, and an assist while Sardone led the Bulldogs with 5 points. In the third, the Bulldogs got the first four points for a five point lead before Kennedy rallied to tie. MHS and JFK went back and forth for a bit before Crusco helped Metuchen take a five point lead.

Callas swiped a steal at the 6:39 mark, and following a Metuchen timeout, the senior cashed in on it by being fouled on a follow, and sank two free throws for a 22-19 lead at the 6:27 mark. Crusco then scored on his own follow of a Callas miss that prompted the Mustangs to call for time trailing 24-19 at the 6:04 mark. Following the timeout, JFK stepped it up on defense by forcing a five second call at the 5:53 mark, and then got going offensively again as Marciano netted a three pointer from the right wing off a pass from Nick Spoganetz (3 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal) to pull within two at 24-22 with 5:46 to play in the third.

After a one of two showing from the line by Callas at the 5:28 mark, Marciano tied the game at 25-25 with another three from the right wing with 5:01 remaining in the period. Crusco gave the Bulldogs the lead again with two free throws for a 27-25 score at the 4:55 mark, but Kennedy replied with four of the next six points including a jumper by Marciano, and a drive for a layup by Rameez Rathore (3 points, 2 assists, and a steal) to tie the game again at 29-29 with 3:16 to go in the third. Crusco then swiped a steal for a layup for a 31-29 lead at the 3:06 mark. Both teams then continued to go back and forth exchanging scores as Sellers made two free throws at the 40.7 second mark for a 35-33 Bulldog lead.

Crusco came up with a big shot by hitting on a three pointer from the left side as time ran out in the third for a 38-33 lead. Showing a sense of urgency to start the fourth and final period of play, Kennedy came out strong with 8 of the first 11 points including one of two from the line by Rathore at the 7:48 mark, a three pointer by Marciano at the 7:10 mark, and Howard's first field goal since the early first to tie the game at 41-41 with 4:58 remaining. However, Metuchen wasn't going to let this one slip away. Callas drove in for a layup and a 43-41 lead at the 4:51 mark. After Sellers missed a front end of a one and one at the 4:32 mark, Crusco made one of two for a 44-41 lead with 4:21 to play.

Marciano then missed the front end of a one and one at the 4:04 mark, but Callas couldn't take advantage as he missed both his foul shots at the 3:45 mark. Crusco would pick up his teammate though as he drove in for a layup and a 46-41 lead with Kennedy calling timeout at the 3:22 mark. The Bulldogs then got another score to go up by seven before Robinson drained a clutch three pointer to keep the Mustangs within striking distance at 48-44. Moments later, A.J. Williams, who along with Rathore show plenty of enthusiasm and energy when they're in the game, swiped a steal for JFK, and was fouled, but missed the front end of a one and one at the 2:39 mark.

Metuchen then scored eight of the next 10 points including a three pointer and a layup by Carberry, and a three by Callas to take a 56-46 lead as J.F. Kennedy called for time with 1:18 left. From there, the Bulldogs outscored the Mustangs by a 5-4 margin to wrap up the 61-50 win. With the victory, Metuchen improved to 4-2 on the season overall and 1-2 in the GMC Blue while Kennedy fell to 5-3 overall, and 1-3 in divisional play. Read the notes on this game as well as analysis of all of Thursday's games in the GMC Hoops Blogosphere.

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.