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Piscataway
Makes Statement With Suffocating "D" |
By Greg Machos
December 26, 2007BRIDGEWATER, NJ—There are a couple of well known addages concerning defense. One is that Defense is your best offense, and the other states that Defense Wins Championships. Well, for Piscataway, both could never be truer on Wednesday afternoon at Bridgewater-Raritan High School in the opening day of action in the 2007 Vaughn Stapleton Classic Round Robin. Despite turning the ball over some 28 times on offense, the Chiefs forced Immaculata of Somerville to commit 25 miscues of their own, and make just 10 of 43 shots from the field for 23.3 percent including 3 of 15 for 20 percent from beyond the arc in a 47-32 victory over the Spartans. For Piscataway, this was a huge statement game not only to the GMC, but most importantly to the rest of the Central Jersey area, and the rest of the state. The message, loud and clear, stated this team will be one to reckon with when the state tournament comes around in March. One key to accomplishing its stranglehold on this contest was shutting down Immaculata guard, Gamal Mohammed. A transfer last year from Kearny Christian Academy after being one of the top three point shooters in the state two years ago, Mohammed was just limited to 1 of 8 shooting overall, and didn't get his field goal until the 2:22 mark of the fourth quarter on a goaltend by the Chiefs.
Frustrated by Piscataway's stifling defense, Mohammed got testy nearly 45 seconds later when got entangled on the baseline underneath with the Chiefs Brian Waluk. What resulted was a double technical on both players at the 1:39 mark. Another factor in the Chief smothering of the Spartans was how P-Way shut down Immaculata forward, Jeff Cullinan. In the first half, the Spartan senior forward scored 7 points on 3 of 6 shooting from the floor including a three pointer while grabbing 6 boards. However, in the second half, Cullinan only made 1 of 5 shots for two points, and ended the contest with 9 points on 4 of 11 shooting along with 11 rebounds, 3 steals, and a charge. Mohammed added five rebounds, two steals, and an assist. Theo Riddick, a talented tailback for Immaculata during football season, led the way in the losing effort with 10 points, but on just 2 of 11 shooting including 1 of 6 from two point range, and 1 of 5 from downtown while also connecting of 5 of 8 foul shots. Riddick also handed out an assist, and swiped a steal. Meanwhile, for the Chiefs, senior guard, James White led the charge with 12 points despite some struggles from the field. The three year varsity player had three field goals including a three pointer, and made 5 of 8 at the charity stripe for all his scoring while collecting 6 rebounds, 4 steals, and an assist. J.D. Griggs chipped in with 4 of 8 from the floor including a one handed dunk that put an exclamation point on things late in the game, and 3 of 6 at the line for 11 points. Griggs also had 7 rebounds, a block, assist, and a steal. To see the rest of the Piscataway individual stats, check out the game stats page for this contest.
For the game, Piscataway went 15 of 36 from the floor as a team for 41.7 percent including a 33.3 percent showing from three. The Chiefs also got a lot of scoring at the line getting a bit more than one third of their points on foul shots by going 16 of 27 for 59.3 percent. Meanwhile, Immaculata, went only 9 of 16 at the charity stripe for 56.3 percent including a 2 of 6 effort by reserve guard, Jonathan Mack (2 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block) Both teams went into the double bonus midway through the fourth quarter, which had a hand in P-Way being able to pull away. In other team statistical areas, Piscataway held the edge in rebounding (36-25), blocks (2-1), and assists (7-5) while Immaculata had advantages in steals (17-14) and turnovers (25-28). Both teams drew two charges on the day. Although Piscataway won every quarter by increasing margin, the Chiefs did have their struggles early on as the Spartans went ahead by three at 13-10 with 5:10 remaining in the first half. However, P-Way put together an 18-5 tear over a 9:13 span to take a 28-18 lead with 3:57 remaining in the third, and never relinquished control despite several approaches by the Somerset County and Skyland Conference Delaware East Division member school. This victory was very satisfying for Piscataway since it has bee roughed up by Immaculata in recent years at the Vaughn Stapleton Classic.
Two years ago, the Spartans defeated the Chiefs by a 65-47 score, and then last year they won by even more, 54-29. On top of that, Immaculata thwarted Piscataway in the Championship Game of the 2007 Bound Brook Summer League Tournament, 43-28. In the first period, the Spartans managed to only trail by a point despite only making 2 of 9 shots. What helped was the fact that not only did Immaculata make all four of its free throw attempts, but it also forced eight Piscataway turnovers. The Chiefs made 4 of 10 from the floor, and 2 of 4 at the line for the 10-9 lead. P-Way took the lead early as Omar Smith inbounded to Tristian Benjamin down low for the junior forward's only points of the game that made the score, 2-0. Smith then followed that up with a bank shot that he made after catching a deflected pass for a 4-0 lead. Riddick finally got the Spartans on the board with a pair of free throws after getting Benjamin into foul trouble with his second personal at the 5:41 mark. With the score now at 4-2, Riddick went back to work on defense with a steal off Brian Waluk for a layup that tied the game at 4-4 with 5:19 left in the first. Neither team scored for a bit more than a minute and a half before Cullinan made his only three of the contest on a shot from the top of the key at the 3:45 mark that capped the 7-0 Spartan spurt for a 7-4 lead. Griggs finally put an end to the run by making one of two from the charity stripe to close the gap to two at 7-5 with exactly three minutes remaining in the first. The senior forward then tied things up with a jumper in the paint off a pass from Smith for a 7-7 tie at the 2:24 mark.
Jimmy Fisher put the Spartans back on top with two free throws after being fouled by Wayne Newsome at the 1:16 mark for a 9-7 lead, but then the sophomore, who made a nice contribution off the bench in Benjamin's absence with 3 points and 4 rebounds, scored all of his points in the final minute of the period including a field goal, and then one of two at the line with 1.2 left in the frame for a 10-9 Piscataway lead entering the second. In the final stanza of the first half, the Chiefs made 4 of 9 shots, and 1 of 2 at the line while Immaculata connected on only 3 of 13 from the floor, and on 1 of 2 free throw attempts. Brian Dudzinski gave the Spartans the lead again early on with an offensive rebound and putback that made the score, 11-10 when Immaculata head coach, Mike Frauenheim called for a 30 second timeout. Following the stoppage, the Somerset County School equaled its biggest lead of the game as Mack made a nice entry pass to Cullinan for a layup that made the score, 13-10 at the 5:10 mark. Waluk got Piscatway on the board for the first time in the period with a field goal at about the 4:45 mark, but then Mack stepped up to the line, and made one of two for a 14-12 advantage with four and a half minutes to go in the opening half. Neither team scored in the next 51 seconds until Waluk took a pass from Griggs on the left side, and sank a jumper to knot the score at 14-14 with 3:39 left in the half.
Both teams traded scores before Piscataway took the lead on one of two from the line by 6'4" junior forward, Aaron Hush for a 17-16 lead at the 1:58 mark. Immaculata had an opportunity to either tie or take the lead, but Riddick missed the front end of a one and one with 23.3 seconds left, and then Justin Blake got his only points of the game on a mid-range jumper from the left baseline off a pass by White for a 19-16 halftime lead. Statistically speaking at the intermission, Piscataway was 8 of 19 from the floor for 42.1 percent while Immaculata was just 5 of 22 for 22.7 percent including 1 of 3 from long distance for 33.3 percent. The Spartans did make up for that a little bit with a 5 of 6 showing at the line for 83.3 percent while P-Way was just 3 of 6 for 50 percent. Another factor that kept Immaculata in the contest was turnovers with the Chiefs having 14 miscues over the first two periods versus only 10 by the team from nearby Somerville. Piscataway did hold the edge on the boards with edges in rebounding (18-13) and blocks (2-0) while also having more assists (5-2). The Spartans held an edge in steals (9-6) while there were no charges drawn. In terms of scoring, P-Way was fairly balanced as Griggs picked up 5 points, 5 boards, a block, and an assist while Waluk added 4 points, 3 rebounds, and a steal, and Newsome contributed with 3 points and 4 rebounds. The trio accounted for 63.2 percent of the Chief offense while the duo of Cullinan (7 points) and Riddick (4 points) made up a greater share of the Spartan offense at 68.8 percent.
In the third quarter, Piscataway only made 5 of 13 shots from the floor, but one was a three pointer, and the Chiefs added a free throw for its points while limiting Immaculata to just 2 of 8 shooting including 1 of 5 from long distance. The Spartans continued to hang around though thanks to eight more turnovers in the period by P-Way, and a 3 of 5 effort at the line. By this time of the game though, the turnovers had indeed piled up nice and high with both teams combining for 39 turnovers. The Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division squad went to work right away as White swiped a steal, and went in for the layup to make the score, 21-16 at the 7:42 mark. Over a minute later, Tim Sanderson (5 points on 2 of 4 shooting including a three pointer, 3 rebounds, 5 steals, and a charge) scored on a layup off an assist by Mohammed to pull his team within three again at 21-18 with 6:30 to go in the period. Smith replied a bit more than a half minute later with a layup as he was fouled by Sanderson for a three point play that made the score, 24-18 at the 5:58 mark of the third. The Chiefs would score again a little bit over a minute later as White dribbled in from the left side for a jumper that increased Piscataway's lead to 26-18 with 4:55 to go in the frame. Another minute would go by before another score, and it would be again by the Chiefs as Waluk gave a nice entry pass from the left wing to Griggs for a layup that capped the 18-5 onslaught, and 28-18 lead as Immaculata called for time at the 3:57 mark.
On the ropes now, the Spartans tried to fight back as riddick drove in from the right wing, and drew a foul from Benjamin (3rd personal) that resulted in a pair of foul shots for a 28-20 P-Way edge at the 3:12 mark. White then got Piscataway's only three pointer of the game on a shot from the top of the key that made the score, 31-20 at the 2:32 mark. Making matters worse for the Spartans the Chiefs came up with a stop on the very next Immaculata possession as Smith drew a charge on Mack with 2:23 to go in the third. However, the Spartans were able to rebound, and hang in for the time being as Riddick drove to the basket, and drew a foul that resulted in a one of two showing at the line with 1:42 left in the period, and then a three pointer from the right wing to end the quarter scoring with Piscataway leading 31-24 entering the fourth. In the final frame, the Chiefs were able to benefit from both teams going into the bonus, and eventually the double bonus to pull away for the win despite only taking four shots. Early on though, Immaculata appeared as if it was going to make a run at the lead. With 7:21 to go in the game, Mack stepped up to the free throw stripe, and missed the front end of a one and one, but Cullinan managed to get the offensive rebound, and score on the follow for a 31-26 Piscataway lead. The Spartans could have gotten even closer, but Mack missed another front end of a one and one with 6:57 to go.
Following a P-Way timeout at the 6:24 mark, Riddick missed a one and one himself at the 6:17 mark, and then almost thirty seconds later, Smith scored on an offensive rebound and putback off a missed jumper by White for a 33-26 lead with 5:49 left to play. Neither team scored for two minutes as the Chiefs began to slow things down in order to take time off the clock. White was eventually fouled, which put the Spartans in the bonus, and the Chief guard made one of two for a 34-26 lead at the 3:40 mark. On the very next Immaculata possession, Sanderson made his only three of the game after it took a very kind bounce to make the score, 34-29 with 3:26 to play. After the Spartans had a 30 second timeout, they fouled Griggs, who promptly made one of two for a 35-29 edge at the 3:22 mark. Piscataway then got another stop on defense, and got the ball in Waluk's hands as he was fouled. The senior guard made one of two at the line for a 36-29 lead with 3:13 left. Immaculata then went into the double bonus with 2:32 to play, and Waluk pretty much put the game out of reach with a pair of foul shots for a 38-29 advantage. The Chiefs would then outscore the Spartans the rest of the way by a 9-3 margin for the 47-32 victory. With the win, Piscataway moves up to 4-0 overall while Immaculata drops to 3-1. Both teams will be in action again on Thursday at the Vaughn Stapleton Classic with Piscataway playing Bridgewater-Raritan at 4:00 PM while Immaculata takes on Seton Hall Prep at 8:00 PM.
Team |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Piscataway (4-0) |
10 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 47 |
Immaculata (3-1) |
9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 32 |
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