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Isola Lifts Falcons Past Hunterdon Central In OT, 68-64 |
By Greg Machos
December 26, 2011SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ--Coming into its first round game of the 2011 Anthony J. Cotoia Tournament against Hunterdon Central, the Monroe Falcons had been one of the biggest surprises of the season in the Greater Middlesex Conference. Knocking off fourth ranked North Brunswick in the season opener, and then rolling past another GMC White foe in Edison, the Purple Birds were making it known that they were back. A big reason for that has been the senior guard tandem of Ryan Genevieve and Victor Sorrento.
Genevieve entered Monday's game averaging 20.5 points per game including a 27 point performance in the win over Edison while Sorrento was averaging 17.5 points per game along with 8.5 rebounds per game, and 4 assists per game. Sorrento pumped in 25 points in the opening night upset over North Brunswick. However, the play of junior center, Nick Isola has also been a big help. Against the Raiders, Isola quietly recorded a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds. Then, in the contest versus Edison, he added 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Monday against Hunterdon Central was another solid performance for the junior.
Isola registered his second double-double of the young season with 12 points and 12 rebounds against the Devils including six points in the overtime to help the Falcons stay unbeaten with a 68-64 victory. Leading by the score of 63-62 with under two minutes to go after a three pointer by Hunterdon Central, the Falcons scored five unanswered points from the line including a perfect 4 of 4 by Isola to wrap up the victory. Sorrento turned in another solid effort with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds while Genevieve led all scorers with a game high 25 points. Junior Ryan Stolte also made some contributions with 6 points on two threes including one for a 43-40 lead with 44 seconds to go in the third.
From that point on, neither team had a lead bigger than six points while there were three lead changes and six ties over the final 9:11 of regulation and overtime. The game didn't start out all that well for the Falcons. Trailing 15-13 after one period, Monroe went into the locker room down double digits at the half following a 14-6 second period showing by Hunterdon Central. Over the first two periods, the Purple Birds shot only 6 of 27 for 22 percent according to the Star-Ledger. However, MTHS responded in the second half with a 24-14 showing in the third quarter to take a 43-40 lead before Hunterdon Central tied it on a three to end the period. The Purple Birds wound up shooting 17 of 33 in the second half and overtime to pull out the win.
There were 13 three pointers in the game with Monroe outscoring Hunterdon Central by a margin of 24-15 from long distance. The Falcons also held an edge in points scored from the foul line (14-7) while the Devils had more two point field goals (21-15). Both teams had three players score in double figures as Hunterdon Central was led by Evan Klimchak with 18 points while Mitch Miller chipped in with 13 points, and Donato Scaramella added 11. Both teams outscored each other in two of the periods in the game with the fourth ending in a 13-13 tie. Monroe had a 12-8 showing in the extra session to pull out the victory. After Sorrento tied the game with a layup at the 6:07 mark of the second, the Red Devils scored 10 of the next 11 points over a span of 2:26 for a 25-16 lead at the 3:41 mark.
Hunterdon Central made two free throws at the 6:01 mark, one of two from the charity stripe at the 5:44 mark, a transition layup off a steal of an errant pass with five minutes to go in the half, a three pointer from the left wing at the 4:26 mark, and a bucket at the 3:41 mark to make up the run. Sophomore guard, Chris Germano tried to stem the tide with a three pointer from the left corner at the 2:46 mark, but HCHS ended the half with the final five points including a layin off a fast break at the 1:51 mark, and a bucket in the last minute of the half for the 29-19 lead at the intermission. Monroe came out with some fire to start the second half as it scored 7 of the first 9 points to pull within five at 31-26 with just under a minute and a half gone by in the third.
Senior forward, Josh Polefka sparked the run with a follow at the 7:32 mark, and then after the Purple Birds got a three at the 7:11 mark, Genevieve put in an off balanced shot from the left baseline at the 6:32 mark for a five point HCHS lead. The Devils thwarted the rally for a bit by scoring 6 of the next 10 points including a fast break layin at the 6:13 mark, and another bucket at the 3:46 mark for a 37-30 lead. Monroe responded with a 13-3 run over a 3:02 span to take its first lead since the start of the game. Genevieve ignited the spurt with a basket at the three minute mark. Isola and Sorrento followed up with conventional three point plays at the 2:32 and 1:11 marks to tie the game at 40-40, and then Stolte drilled a three from the left wing for a 43-40 edge.
Hunterdon Central responded with a three pointer at the 24 second mark to tie the game again at 43-43, and the score remained that way into the fourth when Monroe opened the final period in regulation with five of the first six points over a span of just 1:15 for a 48-44 lead. The Devils again bounced back with six of the next eight points including a transition layup at the 6:01 mark and a three pointer to tie the game at 50-50 with just under five minutes to go in the fourth. Isola, who went 8 of 10 from the line for the game, made one of two from the charity stripe for a 51-50 lead at the 4:40 mark, but HCHS scored a basket on its next possession and added a layup at the 1:51 mark for a 54-51 lead.
Moments later though, Genevieve tied the game again at 54-54 with a triple from the right wing. The Falcons had a chance to take the lead, but the Devils swiped a steal from Genevieve, and went in for a layup to take a 56-54 lead with 1:21 remaining. Genevieve redeemed himself a short time later by drawing a foul and making both free throws to tie the score again at 56-56 with just under a minute to play in regulation. Hunterdon Central tried to hold for the final shot, but turned the ball over with 18.6 seconds to play. After both teams utilized a timeout, the Falcons went to Genevieve for the win, but his shot off a spin move with 3.7 seconds left in regulation wouldn't fall. The Devils then called time out, and after putting the ball in play and getting fouled on the floor at the 2.2 second mark, called for time again. However, a last second heave inside the midcourt line was off the mark.
In the first minute of the extra session, the two teams continued to go at it. Monroe drew first blood as Genevieve fired in a trey from the top of the key at the 3:30 makr for a 59-56 lead. Hunterdon Central came right back down and got a three of its own on a jumper from the left wing at the 3:12 mark. Isola then put the Falcons in front for good at 61-59 with a putback off a Genevieve miss with 2:55 remaining. The Purple Birds then got a break when Sorrento dove for a loose ball, and called for time to keep possession with 2:25 to play. Following the stoppage, Monroe got another basket for a 63-59 edge at the 2:10 mark, but the Red Devils pulled within one again on a three pointer at the 1:50 mark. HCHS wouldn't get any closer though as Isola and Sorrento combined to go 5 of 6 from the line in the last 51 seconds to seal the 68-64 win.
With the victory, Monroe improves to 3-0 overall and advances to the semifinals of the Cotoia Tournament on Wednesday at 11:00 AM against Ewing, which was a 75-62 winner over Randolph in the first game of the day at SPHS. Meanwhile, Hunterdon Central falls to 1-2 overall, and will face Randolph in a consolation game on Wednesday. View the play-by-play from this contest.
Team |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
Monroe (3-0) |
13 | 6 | 24 | 13 | 12 | 68 |
Hunterdon Central (1-2) |
15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 8 | 64 |
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