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GMC Hoops Summaries--December 21, 2011
Week One--Blue Division Clash

Nesmith And Hepburn Help Highland Park Hang On, 39-34

By Greg Machos
December 21, 2011

HIGHLAND PARK, NJ--Over the past several years, Middlesex and Highland Park have become well acquainted with each other. In addition to playing their usual two games in the Blue Division circuit, the Blue Jays and Owls have been meeting in the Shello/Santy Holiday Tournament in Dunellen. The past two years the two teams have scrapped in a number of low scoring defensive struggles. Wednesday night's game was no exception.

Leading by a 21-12 margin at the half, Highland Park led by a dozen on one occasion, and by eleven on four other occasions in the second half, but couldn't seem to be able to pull away from the pesky Middlesex squad. The Owls didn't help themselves by making unforced miscues a couple of times over the final two periods. Led by Nick Hionis (6 points), the Jays stayed within striking distance, and rallied with 10 unanswered points in three and a half minutes to pull within one at 31-30 with 3:10 to play.

Unfortunately, Middlesex couldn't get over the hump thanks to the athletic duo of Quatay Nesmith and Nadre Hepburn. Following a Highland Park timeout at the 2:45 mark, the Owls were able to break Middlesex's pressure, and go up by three as Nesmith (4 points and 8 rebounds) scored a layup with 2:32 left. Just under a half minute later, Hepburn came up with a steal and was fouled resulting in two free throws for a 35-30 lead with 1:53 remaining. The Blue Jays wouldn't go away though. MHS connected on a jumper at the 1:30 mark, and after a timeout with 1:01 left, scored a layup off a drive down the left lane with 37 seconds to go for a 35-34 HPHS lead.

Stopping the clock with a foul at the 31.2 second mark, Middlesex caught a break when Jason Potts missed both free throws, but Nesmith came to the rescue by stealing a pass at midcourt, and drawing a foul with 23.5 seconds to go. The football standout made both free throws for a 37-34 lead. Then, Hepburn sealed the win with a steal for a layup with nine seconds left to round out the 39-34 victory. Hepburn ended up with a game high 14 points and 5 steals while Potts chipped in with 11. Tommy Helmsetter led Middlesex with 12 points. Jordan Long added 8 points for the victors. Highland Park had more points from beyond the arc (12-6) and the foul line (5-4) while also having an edge in total field goals (15-14).

The Owls were able to jump out to a nine point halftime advantage thanks to an 11-6 showing in the first quarter, and a 10-6 showing in the second. Hepburn, Long, and Potts all had threes in the first half as Highland Park had a 9-0 edge in points from long distance. Hepburn then started the second half with a steal for a layup, and a 23-11 lead with just 11 seconds gone by in the third. The Owls had a chance to go up even further, but Helmsetter drew a charge on Nesmith at the 6:15 mark, and Hionis netted the first of his two threes at the 5:47 mark for a 23-15 Highland Park edge. Both teams had chances to score over the next 2:36, but failed to convert.

Finally, the Owls ended the scoring lull as Long connected on a three from the right wing at the 3:11 mark for a 26-15 lead. Jarret Bogus (8 points) then hit a floater with just under three minutes to go for a 26-17 HPHS lead. Hepburn then gave Highland Park its largest lead of the game by making one of two from the line at the two minute mark before Hionis closed out the third period scoring with his final three of the game at the 1:40 mark for a 29-20 Owls lead heading into the fourth. Potts opened the fourth with a drive from the right side for a layup, and a 31-20 lead with 6:40 to go.

After being held to just 20 points over the first 25:20 of the contest, Middlesex scored half of that in just three and a half minutes to get back into the game. Jarret Bogus started the rally with two free throws at the 6:30 mark, and another pair with 3:48 to play. Couple that with a tip-in a minute earlier, and the Jays had closed the gap to 31-26. Following an MHS timeout, the Blue Jays scored a layup, and forced a steal in the Owls backcourt that led to a quick score, and a one point Highland Park edge with 3:10 to go as the home team called for time. Middlesex wasn't able to get any closer as Highland Park pulled out the win.

With the victory, the Owls notch their first win of the 2011-12 campaign, and improve to 1-1 after an opening night loss to Metuchen (38-24). Meanwhile, Middlesex, which defeated J.F. Kennedy in its opener on Friday night, fell to 1-1 both overall and in divisional play. Both teams will be facing each other again in the Shello/Santy Tournament over the holidays.

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