 |
Russell Leads Tiger Surge Past Monroe, 67-56 |
By Greg Machos
January 17, 2008SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ—On a wintry night outside that wasn't fit for most men or beasts, the Falcons of Monroe, and some members of its fabled Purple City Bird Gang traveled to South Plainfield High School, and the Anthony J. Cotoia Gymnasium to take on a Tiger team that has been much more competitive than its mere 3-9 record would indicate. In the first 13 games of the season, the Tigers had ten of its contests decided by ten points or less including six losses by five points or less. Harkening back to last year, it's safe to say that South Plainfield in 2007-08 and Sayreville of 2006-07 are one in the same except for the uniforms, team mascots, and the usual things that distinguish teams. Ironically though, while Sayreville's squad of last season failed to qualify for the state tournament, this year's Tigers still had a faint shot to make the field. If SPHS could find a way to win the close ones, and catch some of the magic and urgency that the Tiger football team had this past fall, a major winning streak wouldn't be out of the cards. Meanwhile, Monroe, which entered the game as the tenth ranked team in the latest GMC Hoops Top Ten, had been struggling. After starting the season with such promise at 4-0, and then with a solid 1-2 performance in the 2007 Brothers of the Sacred Heart Tournament at St. Joseph's, the Purple Birds have since swooned with four losses in their last six contests including a defeat on the road at North Brunswick on Tuesday night.
Originally intending to see the Freshmen and JV squads of both teams in action earlier in the day, GMC Hoops made a last minute change since the site had only covered the Purple Birds once so far this season, and it wasn't a game in its entirety since the New Brunswick contest at MTHS back on December 21st was already several minutes into the second quarter when we arrived that night. This game had a bit of everything. If you like offense, then the first and fourth quarters were for you as both teams combined for 37 in the opening period, and 47 in the final period. On the other hand, if you liked defense, then the middle two periods were for you as South Plainfield won each of the frames by close 11-8 and 11-9 margins respectively. The play was overall very good as well with both teams only combining for five turnovers in the first half, and 23 for the game although Monroe had more mental lapses in the second half, which contributed to the Tigers ultimately prevailing in the final outcome. In the first period, both teams came out firing as the Falcons made 8 of 15 shots including 2 of 5 from long distance while canning all three free throw attempts, and the Tigers hung in there by making 8 of 14 shots. Although Monroe controlled things for much of the first half including a 10-4 spurt over a 2:03 span of the first to take a 15-8 lead at the 3:27 mark, it failed to put the Tigers away, and that would eventually be the Falcons undoing.
With 2:02 left in the third quarter, Monroe was holding a tenuous three point, 38-35 lead, but missed a chance to get some much needed breathing room by missing two foul shots, and the Tigers then embarked on a decisive 19-3 run that spanned 7:05 into the fourth quarter for a 54-41 lead before Falcon junior guard, Steve Blish, who ended the game with a game high 21 points on 7 of 12 shooting including 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, and a 4 of 6 effort at the line, connected on a trey from the right wing as he was fouled for a four point play that made the score, 54-45 with 2:57 left. Monroe would score four of the next six points including two free throws by sophomore guard/forward, Kenny Pace for a 56-49 Tiger lead at the 2:04 mark, but the Falcons couldn't get any closer as South Plainfield closed the game with an 11-7 edge for the much needed 67-56 victory over a ranked opponent. Senior SPHS forward, Troy Russell led the way for the winners with a splendid performance. Not playing much in the victory last Friday night over New Brunswick, Russell pumped in 18 points on 9 of 13 shooting from the floor while picking up 7 boards, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Junior guard, Mike Burton chipped in with 15 points on six field goals including a three while making 2 of 3 at the line to go along with 2 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist. Sophomore forward for Monroe, Timmy Brix, chipped in for the losers with 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting including 2 of 3 from three point land while collecting 3 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a charge. For the rest of the individual statistics, check out the contest's stat page in the GMC Hoops Game Stats section.
For the game, Monroe made 21 of 49 shots for 42.9 percent including 7 of 16 from three point land for 43.8 percent. Unfortunately, the Purple Birds were also as good at the line as they were from three by also making 7 of 16 charity shots. Moreover, the Falcons made just 13 of 34 shots over the final three periods including 10 of 24 in the second half. On the other hand, the Tigers connected on 29 of 55 shot attempts for a torrid 52.7 percent from the floor, and while they only made one of seven from beyond the arc, they netted 8 of 11 at the line for 72.7 percent. In other team statistic departments, Monroe dominated the boards with a 32-20 overall rebounding advantage aided by a 16-4 edge on the offensive glass. The Falcons also had more charges (1-0), but while assists were even (13-13), the Tigers held advantages in turnovers (8-15), steals (7-6), and blocks (2-1). Each team had a quarter with twenty or more points, but South Plainfield scored in double digits in all four periods while Monroe was held to single digits in two of the frames. The first quarter was as back and forth as a ping-pong match with both teams seeming to answer the other's score with one of their own. After Monroe had jumped out to the early 2-0 lead, Burton tied the contest at 2-2 with a jumper at the 6:40 mark. Then, Monroe took the lead as Brix connected on a three that was set up by a drive and kick by Joey Ruopoli. South Plainfield would later get another score to draw within one at the 5:30 mark.
Over the next two minutes and change, the Falcons appeared to put the Tigers on the ropes with a 10-4 spurt consisting of two field goals, and then a three pointer from the left wing by Blish that was set up nicely by Baretto for a 15-8 lead with 3:27 to go in the first. SPHS would then get a bucket to pull within five, but Blish struck once more with a three point play of the more conventional variety as he was fouled while scoring a layup, and then made the bonus free throw for an 18-10 advantage at the 2:44 mark. Bennie Gibson would then score on a field goal off an off-balanced pass from Christian Cole on the right baseline to make it 18-12 before Blish inbounded the ball at the other end to Brian Rudowitz for a layup attempt that drew a foul at the 2:10 mark. Rudowitz, the younger brother of current Stonehill player, and Monroe's all time leading scorer, A.J. Rudowitz, made the first free throw, but on the second attempt, the Purple Birds were called for a violation, and the shot was not allowed as the score stood at 19-12. South Plainfield would score four of the final six points in the period for a 21-16 Monroe lead as the two teams played very fast pace, high octane offense, that didn't yield a single turnover until there were 3.3 seconds left in the period when Brix stepped on the end line for the Falcons. The second quarter saw a bit more in the way of turnovers as both teams combined for four more, but the defenses had begun to step up, and it showed with MTHS only making 3 of 10 shots in the frame while South Plainfield connected on 5 of 13.
Blish tried to pick up right where he left off midway through the first with a steal for a layup as he drew another foul, but missed the bonus free throw, and a chance to convert another conventional three point play for a 23-16 lead at the 7:44 mark. Over the next 2:05, neither team did much of any scoring at all as Teddy Skwiat's offensive rebound and putback for South Plainfield were the only two points during the span as the Tigers called timeout with Monroe leading by five, 23-18 at the 5:39 mark. Following the stoppage, Monroe increased its lead to eight as Pete Patalano netted a three pointer from the right wing off an assist by Pace before SPHS rallied with five straight points including a three point play from Skwiat on a layup as he was fouled at the 3:21 mark of the second that made the score, 26-23 in favor of the Purple Birds. A little over a minute later, South Plainfield pulled to within one as Chris Lesniak got a layup as he was fouled, but missed the bonus free throw for a 26-25 MTHS lead at the 2:17 mark. The Falcons then scored three of the last five points of the first half to take a 29-27 lead at the intermission. Looking at the first half scoring, Blish led all scorers with 13 points on 5 of 6 field goals including 1 of 2 from long distance, and 2 of 3 from the foul line while also collecting an assist, steal, and rebound. Brix chipped in with 8 points on 3 of 4 from the floor including 2 of 3 threes, and picked up a rebound, assist, and a charge. Ivan Baretto added two field goals for four points as well as four rebounds, and two assists. Over on the South Plainfield side, there was more balanced scoring as both Burton and Bennie Gibson scored six points each.
Looking at the first half statistics, Monroe was 11 of 25 from the floor for 44 percent including 4 of 10 from beyond the arc, and 3 of 6 from the foul line. On the other hand, South Plainfield was 13 of 27 from the field including an empty handed 0 of 5 from three point range while making just one of two at the line. Turnovers were limited on both sides, and each team did a fine job of playing error free basketball in the first two periods with Monroe making only two miscues, and South Plainfield having three. However, over the final two quarters, the Falcons lost their focus somewhat while the Tigers stayed on course, and that proved to be a key factor. Things started off slowly in the third for both teams as each squad just managed four points over the first four minutes of the frame with Monroe Township holding to a still tenuous 33-31 lead. Over the next 1:58, the Falcons outscored the Tigers by a 5-4 margin for a 38-35 lead when Joey Ruopoli grabbed an offensive rebound, and attempted to put it back in when he was fouled at the 2:02 mark. Unfortunately, the junior guard, stepped up to the line, and misfired on both foul shots keeping the Tigers within three. Taking advantage, the Tigers got a triple from Burton nearly fifty seconds later from just to the right of the top of the key to knot the game at 38-38 with 1:13 left in the third, and more importantly, embark SPHS on a decisive 19-3 tear. The Tigers then had a chance to take the lead late in the period, but Burton's trey attempt from the left wing hit iron as time expired. Still tied at 38-38 going into the fourth, both teams would pile on plenty of points in the final frame by going into the bonus and double bonus early.
Up to this point in the contest, South Plainfield had not held a single lead. However, early in the fourth, that would change as Monroe's inability to put away the Tigers early gave them hope, and ultimately gave the home team the confidence to pull away for the victory. Seventeen seconds into the frame, SPHS took not only its first lead, but also the lead for good as Mike Muglia dished to Russell for a layup that made the score, 40-38. Thirty-five seconds after that, Monroe was called for a traveling violation, and then the Tigers went ahead by two as Russell drove to the basket for a layin that made the score, 42-38 at the 6:38 mark. Blish made one of two from the free throw line to close the gap to 42-39, but then Skwiat connected for a field goal that put the Tigers up by five, 44-39 with 6:15 remaining. Gibson would draw his fourth personal foul at the 5:06 mark, and Monroe would get another score for a 44-41 SPHS lead before the Tigers scored four straight points including a Russell layup from Christian Cole, and then a layup by Cole himself for a 48-41 lead as the Purple Birds called for time at the 4:14 mark. The timeout didn't seem to be the remedy for MTHS as the Tigers quickly went up by nine when Burton got a steal for a layup to make the score, 50-41 with 4:07 to play. South Plainfield then scored four more points for a 10-0 run, and 19 of the last 22 points for a 54-41 advantage before Blish connected for a three pointer from the right wing off a drive and kick by Barreto, and drew the foul for a four point play that made the score, 54-45 with 2:57 remaining. However, by that point, it was too little, too late. Although the Falcons scored four of the next six after that including two charity shots by Pace at the 2:04 mark for a 56-49 lead, the Tigers closed the game with an 11-7 run for a 67-56 victory.
With the victory, the Tigers improved to 4-9 overall on the season, and 3-4 in the GMC White while Monroe dropped to 7-6 on the year, and 4-3 in divisional play. South Plainfield has also won half its season total of victories when GMC Hoops has been in attendance with a 2-1 record in games covered by the web site. Monroe is 1-1 in those games.
Team |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
South Plainfield (4-9) |
16 | 11 | 11 | 29 | 67 |
Monroe (7-6) |
21 | 8 | 9 | 18 | 56 |
RETURN TO THE GMC HOOPS HOME PAGE
If you are finished viewing the GMC Hoops Summaries, and would like to see other parts of the website. Click below to return to the GMC Home Page.
Return to the GMC Hoops Home Page
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.