Summaries section to be updated with 2011-12 game articles soon.

GMC Hoops Summaries--December 16, 2011
JV Game Of The Week--Opening Night

Chukwuani Lifts McCarrick Past Woodbridge, 46-38

By Greg Machos
December 16, 2011

SOUTH AMBOY, NJ--Since defeating Bishop Ahr for the 2008 East Brunswick JV Tournament Championship, Cardinal McCarrick's JV has endured some lean seasons. The Junior Eagles did managed to reach the final of the EB JV tourney in 2009 before losing to Monroe, but have struggled to be competitive the past two years. McCarrick is hoping that will change in 2011-12.

During the offseason, the Junior Eagles made some positive strides including a fifth place finish during the regular season, and a berth in the semifinals of the Colonia JV Summer League. With the likes of Aaron Lewis, Anthony Manning, Jason Williams, Steven Scott, Sean McRae, and Tavian Chukwuani, McCarrick is looking to field a much more competitive squad. On Friday night, the Junior Eagles made another big step toward that thanks to the efforts of Chukwuani, Manning, and Williams.

Chukwuani scored 13 points including 9 of 10 from the foul line, swiped 5 steals, grabbed three offensive rebounds, and drew a charge. The forward saved his best for last with 4 points, an assist, and a charge in the final 2:03 of the contest to help thwart a Woodbridge rally, and provide the difference in a 46-38 victory. Manning also scored 13 points while collecting 7 steals and 2 assists. Williams turned in a yeoman like effort with 7 points, 4 steals, 2 assists, and 2 offensive rebounds. Scott (5 points, 3 steals, and 2 assists), McRae (4 points, 3 steals, and an assist), and Lewis (4 points, a steal, and an offensive rebound) also contributed.

Turning in a solid effort in defeat for the Junior Barrons was sophomore Andrew Hughes. The younger brother of Keith Hughes, scored 12 points with 11 of those coming in the second half. He also had a solid effort on the boards with double digit rebounding. Chukwuani scored 4 points in the first, a point in the second, two points in the third, and eight points in the fourth. With 5:54 to go in the game, McCarrick appeared to be in control of the game with 38-26 lead after Manning drove the left lane for a layup. However, Woodbridge battled back with a 10-2 rally in a span of just 3:16 to pull within four with 2:38 to play.

Hughes, who scored five points in the third and six points in the fourth, scored four points during the run on putbacks at the 3:42 and 2:59 marks. Chukwuani gave the Junior Barrons an opportunity to pull closer when he committed a turnover at the 2:20 mark, but redeemed himself a short time later with a rebound and an assist to Lewis for a layup, and a 42-36 lead with 2:03 remaining. The McCarrick forward then made a huge play by drawing a charge at the 1:47 mark. He followed that up with a layup at the 1:22 mark for a 44-36 lead before wrapping up the eight point victory with two free throws in the waning moments.

The Junior Eagles got off to a solid start by taking a 13-2 lead in the first quarter. While Woodbridge didn't get its only field goal of the period until the 2:30 mark, McCarrick got five points from Williams and three points from Manning in addition to the four from Chukwuani. Despite a tough shooting night for Lewis, and the team going 7 of 15 from the line in the first half, the Junior Eagles still managed to increase its lead to a dozen at 20-8 before going into the locker room ahead by ten at the intermission. Scott scored three of his five points in the period while McRae added a basket, and Lewis chipped in with a field goal.

The third period saw Cardy Mac take its biggest lead of the game before Woodbridge closed the period with the final five points to trail 32-22 heading into the fourth. Manning led the way for the Junior Eagles in the frame with 6 points and 4 steals while Williams chipped in with 2 points, 4 steals, and 2 assists. After the Junior Barrons opened the second half scoring with a scoop shot at the 7:22 mark to close within eight, McCarrick went on an 11-4 spurt in a little over four and a half minutes for a 32-17 lead. Williams teamed up for eight of those points while Chukwuani added two technical foul shots at the 4:14 mark. Williams had three of his four steals as well as both assists during the run.

Hughes began to wake of from his slumber at the 2:32 mark of the third with a three pointer, and he then followed that up with another score at the 1:07 mark when he faked up and drove in from the right wing for a layup that closed the gap to 32-22 heading into the fourth. Hughes picked up right where he left off at the end of the third when he hit a tough shot from the right baseline for a 32-24 McCarrick just nine seconds into the final frame. Cardinal McCarrick appeared to have weathered the blow though by scoring six of the next eight points including a floater that banked in for Scott at the 7:38 mark, two free throws by Chukwuani at the 6:41 mark, and the layup by Manning with just under six minutes to go.

Despite struggling for most of the game, Woodbridge still had a chance to win the game. The Junior Barrons were picking up momentum, and four 3:16 of the fourth, they were seizing the moment. After making one of two free throws at the 5:44 mark, a pair of charity shots at the 5:34 mark, and another one of two with 4:23 to go, Hughes got his two putbacks, and WHS swiped a steal that led to a layup and a four point McCarrick lead with 2:38 remaining. However, Chukwuani and the Junior Eagles wouldn't let their foes get any closer, and won their season opener by eight. View the play-by-play from the contest in the blog.

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