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GMC Hoops Summaries--March 6, 2010
Week Eleven--North Jersey Section 2 Group IV Semifinals

Sears And Johnson Lead Way As Plainfield Edges Ridge, 58-56

By Greg Machos
March 6, 2010

PLAINFIELD, NJ—For the third straight year, the Ridge Red Devils and the Plainfield Cardinals went at it in the North Jersey Section 2 Group IV State Playoffs. This year was the second consecutive year that both teams met in the semifinal round. Last year, Plainfield traveled up to Basking Ridge, and defeated the Red Devils by a score of 52-49. The contest also marked the fourth time that a Mark Taylor coached team took on a Jeff Lubreski coached team. Both Taylor and Lubreski coached in the GMC with the former running the show at St. Joseph’s until after the 2004-05 season while Lubreski was at South Plainfield before stepping down in 2005. The three previous meetings including last year’s semifinal were all won by Lubreski, who is now in his second year at Plainfield. In a game that saw neither team have a lead bigger than nine points, and have ten lead changes and three ties, the Cardinals had the Red Devils on the ropes several times only to have the Somerset County Champs rally back. It would come down to a final shot, and Ridge came up just short.

After Plainfield’s standout junior, Tyrone Johnson, missed two free throws with 6.9 seconds to go, Ridge’s Nick Cefalo, the Somerset County football player of the year, got the ball, and drove to the hoop for a last second shot. His shot went off the rim as time expired, and Plainfield survived with a hard fought 58-56 victory. Johnson had some struggles as he went only 5 of 13 from the field, and 8 of 13 from the line. However, he made other contributions to help out as the junior collected six rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block. The star of the game was sophomore forward, Justin Sears, who connected on 6 of 11 shots from the floor, and 8 of 12 from the line for a team high 20 points along with 17 rebounds for a monster double-double. Sears, who played a key role in the Cardinals victory over St. Joseph’s in the finale of the first day of action at the Prime Time Shootout back on February 12th, also picked up two steals and a block. Senior forward, Nate Grant-DeWitt chipped in with 12 points on 5 of 10 shooting including a three pointer along with one of two from the line. Grant also had four rebounds and a block.

For Ridge, senior swingman, Andrew Madlinger, led the way in a losing cause with a game high 21 points on seven field goals including 5 of 8 from three point range along with two free throws. Madlinger also picked up eight rebounds, and swiped a steal. Nick Cefalo was the only other Devils player to score in double digits as he connected on three field goals while making all four of his foul shots. The senior point guard also pulled down five rebounds, and handed out five assists. Connor Skea also contributed with 8 points on three of seven shooting from the floor, and two of three from the foul line while he handed out six assists, grabbed four rebounds, and drew a charge. In the game, Plainfield outscored Ridge in two of the four quarters played with the fourth ending in a tie. RHS was 21 of 53 from the floor for 40 percent while PHS was 18 of 50 for 36 percent. Ridge made 6 of 13 from beyond the arc while Plainfield was 3 of 13. The Cardinals made up that difference from three with a 19 of 31 effort at the foul line while the Devils were just 8 of 9. The top seeded Cards also won the battle on the boards with a 34-27 edge overall including a 13-8 advantage on the offensive glass.

Both teams did a solid job handling the basketball as Plainfield committed only ten turnovers while Ridge made eleven. The home team also had edges in steals (5-1) and blocks (3-2) while the visitors had more assists (11-9) and charges (1-0). The game started right off with both teams going back and forth a bit. Over the first 2:55, there were already two lead changes. Madlinger opened the scoring with a jumper before Plainfield’s Allen Brown (3 points and 2 assists) got his only points of the game on a three pointer for a 3-2 lead. Ridge went back out in front at 4-3 before Cefalo picked up his second foul at the 5:05 mark. Rob McCarthy (2 of 2 FGs for 4 points and 2 rebounds) picked his teammate up though with a drive into the key for a layup, and a 6-3 lead with 3:57 left in the period. Ridge attacked the basket quite often in the first half, especially on drives through the middle. Skea then drew the only charge of the game at the 3:10 mark, but the Devils couldn’t take advantage. Plainfield then went on a 6-0 run over the next 1:24 as Johnson got a score, and then Sears netted two free throws at the 2:33 mark for a 7-6 lead. Then, the Cardinals forward swiped a steal, and went on a jaunt to the basket for a two handed jam, and a 9-6 lead. However, Sears was assessed a technical for hanging on the rim, and Ridge took advantage of it.

First, Madlinger made two free throws for a 9-8 Plainfield lead at the 1:46 mark. Then, Christian Frisoli (7 points and 3 rebounds) connected on a jumper at the 1:25 mark for a 10-9 lead. Johnson put the Cards back in front at 11-10 with two foul shots at the 1:22 mark. Then, the junior guard made a shake and bake move on the right side of the floor, and drove in for a shot that drew a foul. Johnson then made one of two from the line for a 12-10 lead with 54.14 seconds left in the first. Senior Mike Price (3 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and a steal) finished off the period with an offensive rebound and follow of a miss by Sears for a 14-10 lead heading into the second. The Cardinals dominated the glass in the first with seven offensive boards. Early on in the second, Plainfield appeared to have Ridge on the ropes. The Cards began the period with seven of the first nine points for a 12-2 run since the 1:25 mark of the first, and the biggest lead of the game at 21-12. Sears began the spurt with an offensive rebound and follow that drew a foul, and produced two free throws for a 16-10 edge at the 7:38 mark. After Brown got his second foul with 7:29 to go in the half, and Ridge got a score, Grant-DeWitt connected on a three pointer from the left wing for a 19-12 lead at the 5:30 mark. The Cardinals added another basket on a layup by Johnson before Ridge’s 6’7” junior center, Tom Gambino (3 of 4 FGs for 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, and an assist) connected on a short jumper off an assist by Skea for a 21-14 Plainfield lead midway through the second.

Gambino’s bucket sparked a 12-3 run by the Devils over a span of 2:30 to tie the game at 24-24 with 1:30 to go in the half. Skea continued the run with one of two from the line, and then Madlinger got the board on the second missed shot. Moments later, Madlinger was rewarded with Cefalo skip pass for a three pointer from the left wing for a 21-18 Plainfield lead at the 3:34 mark. Cardinals senior forward, Michael Williams (a point and three rebounds) got his only point of the game on a one of two showing from the line at the 3:01 mark for a 22-18 lead. Ridge then scored six of the next eight points as Gambino hit another short jumper, and Cefalo added two field goals including a fadeaway jumper at the 1:30 mark for a 24-24 tie. On Plainfield’s next possession, Johnson connected on a jumper at the one minute mark for a 26-24 lead, but Frisoli tied it back up at 26-26 with a drive through the middle for a layup at about the 40 second mark. Both teams went into the half deadlocked at 26-26. Ridge was 11 of 27 from the floor overall for 41 percent while Plainfield was 8 of 29 for 28 percent. The Cardinals were two of six from three while the Red Devils were one of five. The Cards had an advantage at the foul line by going 8 of 10 while the Devils were just 3 of 4. Both teams committed four turnovers while Plainfield had a 22-16 edge in total rebounds, and an 11-6 advantage on the offensive glass. Ridge had more assists (5-3), blocks (2-1), and charges (1-0) while Plainfield had more steals (2-0).

Moving on to the first half scoring, Johnson and Madlinger each tied for game high with 9 points. Johnson struggled from the floor making only three of nine shots, but hit three of four from the line, and picked up six rebounds. Madlinger was three of seven including a three pointer, and made both his free throw attempts while pulling down five boards. Sears chipped in for Plainfield with 6 points including a perfect 4 of 4 from the line while grabbing ten rebounds. Gambino contributed for Ridge with his three of four shots for 6 points and 3 boards. The third quarter began with both teams going back and forth before the Cardinals went on a 6-0 run for an eight point lead. However, the period would end with Ridge fighting back once again with six unanswered to pull within two heading into the final quarter. The Cards, which compete in the Watchung Division of the newly formed Union County Conference, began the third with a layup by Sears from Brown for a 28-26 lead at the 7:30 mark. The Devils then took their first lead since late in the first quarter when Cefalo inbounded to Madlinger for a three pointer from the left corner for a 29-28 lead at the 7:16 mark.

Johnson responded with a three pointer from the left corner off an assist by Brown for a 31-29 Plainfield lead at the 7:02 mark. Neither team would score for almost the next two minutes before Gambino passed to Frisoli for a three from the right wing, and a 32-31 Ridge lead at the 5:09 mark. On the next Cardinals possession, Johnson drove in for a scoop shot as he was fouled for a three point play, and a 34-32 lead at the 4:48 mark. PHS then went up by four as Price grabbed an offensive rebound, and handed out an assist on a bucket by Grant-DeWitt before McCarthy got his final points of the game with a drive for a hook shot that went in off the glass for a 36-34 Cardinals lead with 3:10 left in the third. Plainfield then scored six straight points including a basket by Sears as he was fouled for a 42-34 lead with 1:21 left in the period. The Red Devils battled back though with six straight points of their own as Skea registered a traditional three point play at the 1:12 mark for a 42-37 Plainfield lead, and then Madlinger connected on a three pointer from Cefalo for a 42-40 score heading into the fourth, and final period of play. The fourth began with Ridge tying the game, and actually taking the lead again, but Sears took over for Plainfield, which appeared to have the Red Devils on the ropes, but the visitors fought back for an exciting finish.

Sixteen seconds into the final session, Skea scored down low in spite of the huge presence of a Plainfield defender for an 8-0 run, and a 42-42 tie. Following a Plainfield timeout at the 7:35 mark, Price dished to Sears for a layup, and a foul, but the sophomore missed the bonus free throw for a 44-42 lead with 6:44 left. On the Devils next possession, they had good ball movement from Cefalo to Seak to Madlinger for a three from the right side for a 45-44 edge with 6:26 to play. The Cards then turned the ball over on a traveling violation with 5:52 left, and called for time. Following the timeout, Sears, who had ten straight points over a span of 4:06 in the fourth, swiped a steal, jaunted upcourt, and scored a layup as he was fouled, but the bonus free throw was thrown out by a lane violation for a 46-45 Cardinals lead at the 5:52 mark. Neither team scored for the next 2:45 while Ridge called a full timeout at the 4:05 mark, and Gambino fouled out with 3:44 to go. A little more than a half minute later, a mad scramble for a loose ball ensued. Johnson picked up the loose ball, drove and dished to Sears for a layup and a foul that resulted in a conventional three point play, and a 49-45 lead with 3:07 left. Sears then added one of two from the line at the 2:38 mark, and a pair of foul shots with 2:23 to play for a 52-45 lead.

After Brown fouled out at the 2:11 mark, Cefalo, who scored six of his points in the final 1:48, connected on a shot in the key that rolled in for a 52-47 score. However, Price made one of two from the line for a 53-47 lead at the 1:31 mark, and Johnson made one of two with 1:16 to go for a 54-47 lead. With their backs against the wall, the Red Devils did what they had done throughout the game, and that was battle back. First, Skea drove in for a layup with about a minute left to pull Ridge within five at 54-49. Moments later, under token pressure, Plainfield turned the ball over. The ball got into the hands of Skea, who then passed back to Madlinger for a three from the right wing with 55 seconds, and suddenly RHS was back within two at 54-52. Johnson drew a foul at the 52.4 second mark, and made one of two from the line for a 55-52 lead. Grant-DeWitt then made one of two from the charity stripe to give the Cards a two possession lead at 56-52 with 29.44 seconds to go. The Devils kept fighting though. Cefalo made two foul shots to pull the visitors from Somerset County within two at the 17.53 second mark, and after Johnson countered with a pair of his own at the 15.63 mark, sank two more with 11.83 seconds left for a 58-56 score. Following a Plainfield timeout with 9.52 seconds to go, Johnson was fouled at the 6.9 second mark as Frisoli left the game with his fifth personal. The normally reliable Johnson misfired on both foul shot attempts, Cefalo got the rebound, pushed the ball upcourt, and put up a shot that just missed as time expired.

With the victory, Plainfield improved to 24-3 on the season, and advanced to take on second seeded Hillsborough, a victor over Union earlier in the day. The game will be played at Plainfield High School on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Ridge finished the season at 23-6 overall. Plainfield is 2-0 in games covered by GMC Hoops this year while Ridge went 2-1. Lubreski is now 4-0 against Taylor in their last four meetings since the 2003-04 season. Analysis will be forthcoming in the blog.

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