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GMC Hoops Summaries--March 1, 2010
Week Eleven--Central Jersey Group I Tourney

Fourth Quarter FTs Help Dunellen Pull Away And Advance, 61-48

By Greg Machos
March 1, 2010

DUNELLEN, NJ--For the third time this season, the Governors of South Amboy and the Destroyers of Dunellen played each other. The Faber was rocking with fans dressing up as gorillas and bananas. The D-Block had finally resurfaced for this state tourney game. South Amboy brought their fans too. Both sides were entertained to a fine game, but Dunellen emerged the winner thanks to an 10 of 12 showing from the line down the stretch for the 61-48 victory. The Guvs were only 4 of 10 from the line in the fourth quarter. The Destroyers outscored the Governors in three of the four periods played, but couldn't put the game away as South Amboy trailed by three late in the third and early in the fourth, and by four on a couple of other occasions in the fourth.

Eighth seeded Dunellen got its 61 points on 20 field goals, a three pointer, and 18 free throws while ninth seeded South Amboy had 17 field goals, a three pointer, and 11 foul shots for its 48. Six players got into the books for both teams, but four scored in double figures for Dunellen while only two did that for South Amboy. Luke Francisco led the way for Dunellen with a game high 20 points on seven field goals and six free throws while freshman Dean Hoski (5 FGs and 3 FTs) and senior Jonard Hall (4 FGs and 5 FTs) each added 13. Hall also had 11 rebounds for a double-double while blocking numerous shots. Sophomore Sean Gibney contributed with 10 points on two field goals, a three pointer, and three free throws. Dustin DeVoe, a junior forward, led South Amboy with a team high 15 points on seven field goals and a foul shot while Joe Charmello scored 14 points on three field goals, a three, and five foul shots in his final game. He ended his career with 1,143 points.

The Destroyers came out strong with an 18-11 showing in the first, and an 18-13 effort in the second for a 36-24 halftime lead. Francisco (11 points) and Hoski (11 points) combined for 22 points in the half, or 61 percent of Dunellen's scoring while Charmello led the Guvs with 8 points. South Amboy made a game of it though in the third quarter with a 13-9 effort that included an 11-2 run over the first 5:01 of the period to close the gap to three at 38-35 with just under three minutes to play in the period. GMC Hoops picked up the action with 3:48 to go in the third, and Dunellen leading 38-32. Dan O'Connor (FG and 2 FTs for 4 points) was at the line for the Guvs, and made one of two to close the gap to five at 38-33. Charmello then followed that up with a layup at the 2:59 mark to pull the visitors within three at 38-35. However, the Destroyers finished the period with five of the last seven points as Francisco went one on one for a drive to the hoop for a layup, and a 40-35 lead at the 2:20 mark, and after DeVoe drew a charge on Hall at the 1:47 mark, Gibney sank a three pointer from the right side of the key at the 1:03 mark for a 43-35 lead.

Christian Geant (3 FGs for 6 points) closed out the third period scoring by getting a basket as he was fouled with 50.7 seconds, but missed the bonus free throw for a 43-37 Destroyers lead heading into the fourth. South Amboy opened the fourth with a 7-4 run that was sparked by two layups by DeVoe, and continued with a free throw by Charmello, and two foul shots by Dan O'Connor at the 5:01 mark as Dunellen again led by only three at 47-44. Following a Dunellen timeout at the 4:55 mark, the Destroyers got a field goal at the 4:30 mark for a 49-44 lead. DeVoe then made one of two from the line for a 49-45 DHS lead at the 4:24 mark. Hall then made his presence felt with a layin down low at the 4:11 mark for a 51-45 lead, and a block on Charmello with 3:57 remaining. Undaunted, Charmello attacked the basket again for a layup attempt that drew a foul, but the senior missed both foul shots, and a chance to get the Guvs closer with 3:38 to play. South Amboy's defense tried to pick him up by forcing a five second call on Dunellen, but the home team would eventually score again for a 51-45 lead.

The Guvs did managed to close the gap again to four as Matt Regan (2 FGs for 4 points) handed out an assist on a dish to DeVoe for a layup and a 51-47 Dunellen lead at the 3:05 mark. The Destroyers had a chance to increase its lead, but Luke O'Connor (FG and 3 FTs for 5 points), drew a charge with 2:54 to go. Charmello again drew a foul that sent Abe Kelly to the bench with his fifth, but again the South Amboy guard misfired on two foul shots with 2:46 left. Hall then put the Destroyers back up by six at 53-47 with a short jumper in the paint at the 2:25 mark. The bucket sparked a 10-1 to close the game as Hoski followed with two free throws at the 1:32 mark for a 55-47 lead. Then, Gibney made one of two at the charity stripe with 1:18 to play, and Francisco netted two more for a 58-47 lead. Dunellen went on to win from there by a score of 61-48. The Destroyers, which won the GMC Gold with an 8-0 mark, defeated South Amboy for the third time this season, and improved to 12-11 overall and 9-8 in conference play while the Guvs finished the season at 11-15 overall and 6-9 in the GMC. Analysis will be forthcoming in the blog.

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