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GMC Hoops Summaries--January 30, 2010
Week Six--GMC Non-Conference Matchup

Timothy Christian Pulls Away In Fourth To Defeat South Amboy, 54-42

By Greg Machos
January 30, 2010

PISCATAWAY, NJ--GMC Hoops made its first visit to Timothy Christian since the 2001 season, and the first of what hopes to be many more visits to the school as it will join the Greater Middlesex Conference starting next season. The Tigers, which currently compete in the Patriot Conference along with the likes of such Central Jersey schools as Rutgers Prep and Wardlaw (also joining the GMC next year), started the season in such positive fashion with a 5-1 record, but then lost seven of nine including a loss to JFK on Friday night (61-44) to enter Saturday's matchup against South Amboy at 6-8. Meanwhile, the Guvs, coming off an emotional come from behind win over Academy Charter of Belmar on Friday night, began the season at 0-3 before winning eight of their last 12 for come in at 8-7 overall.

Both teams played Academy Charter with different results as Timothy Christian fell to the Panthers (65-55) back on January 12th. Both teams played and defeated Perth Amboy Tech and East Brunswick Tech with the Guvs beating the Patriots and Tigers twice. These two teams will square off against each other again later in the season as they get more familiar with each other before playing each other regularly in Gold Division play beginning in the 2010-11 season. On paper, this looked like a good matchup for TCS, which has a lot of size with forwards such as 6'6" senior, T.J. Janho and 6'5" sophomore, Kristian Svendsen. David Bonamo, from Staten Island also figures prominently on the Tigers front line while Bjorn Svendsen adds additional size off the bench.

It started out that way for the Tigers as they pounced all over South Amboy in the first period en route to a 12-3 lead. However, South Amboy fought back with an 18-14 showing in the second to pull within five at halftime, and after an unusual three point play by the Guvs at the 4:15 mark, TCS only led 30-29. Timothy Christian kept the Governors at a distance though with a 10-2 spurt to close the third for a 40-31 lead. South Amboy kept battling with a 5-0 run to start the fourth including a layup by Luke O'Connor at the 7:11 mark, and a three pointer by Christian Geant at the 6:38 mark to pull within four at 40-36. Unfortunately, the Guvs couldn't get any closer as the Tigers finished off the 54-42 victory with a 14-6 finish that included a three pointer by Dan Decker at the 4:28 mark for a 45-36 lead.

Kristian Svendsen led the Tigers with a game high 17 points on 8 of 11 shooting from the floor and one of two from the line along with 13 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal while T.J. Janho chipped in with 12 points on 5 of 9 shooting from the floor and 2 of 3 from the line along with 15 boards for a double-double as well as two assists and a block. Decker was three of six from beyond the arc, and sank both his foul shots for 11 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds. Dustin DeVoe led South Amboy with 11 points, 6 rebounds, and a steal while Geant chipped in with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and an assist. Joe Charmello, who entered the contest just 31 points shy of 1,000 for his career, ended up with 9 points, 2 assists, 2 steals, and a rebound as TCS deployed a box and one defense to counter the senior's scoring and play making ability.

Timothy Christian outscored South Amboy in three of the four quarters played. The Tigers shot 22 of 45 from the floor for 49 percent including three of seven from long range while the Governors were 13 of 49 from the field for 27 percent including 5 of 26 from three point land. TCS was 7 of 11 from the line for 64 percent while South Amboy was 11 of 26 from the charity stripe for 42 percent. In other statistical areas, the Tigers had advantages in total rebounds (41-23), assists (13-8), and blocks (5-0) while the Guvs had edges in turnovers (12-15) and steals (11-6). Offensive rebounds were even (9-9) while neither team drew a charge. South Amboy started the game behind the eight ball as it only made one of its first nine shots while Timothy Christian was better going 4 of 10 including a perfect 2 of 2 from long distance for the 12-3 lead.

The Guvs had a chance to get on the board first, but DeVoe misfired on two free throws at the 7:45 mark. The Tigers took advantage to draw first blood as Julian Watson (2 of 4 FGs and 2 of 2 FTs for 6 points, 2 steals, and an assist) scored on an athletic drive for a layup and a 2-0 lead just 40 seconds into the contest. Junior forward, Mike Arway (3 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals) got his only points of the game on a three to put the Guvs out in front before the five minute mark of the first. Decker then connected on his first of three treys on a shot from the left wing at the 4:15 mark for a 5-3 TCS lead. Both teams, which started the game a combined 3 of 11 from the floor went into a scoring drought for about two minutes before Kristian Svendsen made a field goal at the 2:15 mark for a 7-3 lead. The Tigers then attacked the offensive glass for three rebounds that led to another score, and a 9-3 lead with 50 seconds to play in the period. Svendsen then kicked out to Decker on the right wing for another three to close out the first quarter with a 12-3 Tigers lead.

The TCS advantage grew to double digits early in the second as Janho got into the flow of the offense with two scores to make it 16-5 at the 6:13 mark. Following a 30 second timeout, the Guvs got going with four of the next six points including a drive for a floater by Charmello for his first field goal and points of the game to cut the deficit in half at 18-9 with 4:32 to play in the first half. Watson, who scored all six of his points in the first 12:05, got a score for a 20-9 lead, and after a three pointer by Charmello from the right wing off a kickout by Geant, the Timothy Christian guard stepped to the line for two foul shots and a 22-12 lead with just under four minutes to play before halftime. South Amboy then closed out the opening half with 9 of the final 13 points including a three pointer by Charmello off a nice pump fake and dribble, a layup by DeVoe, and two free throws by Matt Regan (5 of 6 FTs for 5 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) to trail 26-21 at the break.

Despite his shooting struggles, Charmello still managed to tie for game high at the half with 8 points along with 2 steals and an assist. DeVoe had six points on three of four shooting along with two rebounds and a steal. Svendsen made four of five shots from the floor for 8 points while also picking up 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Janho made three of five for 6 points, 4 rebounds, an assist, and a block. Geant began the second half with one of two from the line for South Amboy to close the gap to four at 26-22 with just 19 seconds gone by in the third. Decker countered with a lob to Bonamo (6 points, 6 rebounds, an assist, steal, and block) for a layup at the 6:39 mark, and a 28-22 lead. Geant got the Guvs within three as he took a kickout from Luke O'Connor on the left wing for a trifecta at the 6:05 mark for a 28-25 score. South Amboy had a chance to get closer as Luke O'Connor picked up a steal, and was fouled on a layup attempt, but he came up empty at the line with 5:24 to go in the third.

Timothy Christian then went up by five, but was assessed a technical. DeVoe made one of two foul shots, and on the missed second free throw, the Governors grabbed the offensive rebound, which ended up in the hands of Regan, who dished to Geant for a basket and an unusual three point play , and a 30-29 TCS lead with over four minutes to go in the third. Over the next 1:07, Svendsen and Bonamo got buckets for the Tigers for a 34-29 lead. Then, after a timeout at the 1:41 mark with Timothy Christian leading 36-31, the home team scored four more points including an offensive rebound and follow for a score, and a hook for another by Svendsen to make the score, 40-31 heading into the fourth. In the final period, the Guvs started out strong with the first five points to get within a couple of possessions, but then gave way to a solid finish by the Tigers for the victory.

South Amboy drew first blood in the fourth as Tim Simko (2 rebounds and an assist) passed upcourt to Luke O'Connor for a layup for a 40-33 TCS lead with 7:11 left. On a subsequent possession, Geant connected on a three pointer from the right wing to pull the Guvs within four at 40-36 with 6:38 to play. The Tigers went up by six at 42-36 before the officials, which lost control of this very physical game, especially in the second half, took considerable time following a fight for a loose ball between Simko and Bonamo at the 5:35 mark. Bjorn Svendsen fouled out at the 5:15 mark, but DeVoe couldn't take advantage as he came up empty again at the line. Then, following a timeout at the 4:50 mark, Decker connected for his third and final three that essentially put South Amboy on the ropes as TCS now lead 45-36 with less than four and a half minutes to go.

The game continued to get contentious as the Timothy Christian head coach, Chris Hobbs, and South Amboy took advantage as Regan netted two free throws for a 45-38 Tigers lead at the 3:58 mark. TCS went back up by nine though before Charmello got his final points of the game on one of two from the line at the 2:49 mark for a 47-39 TCS lead. Timothy Christian then scored the next three points for a 50-39 lead before Watson fouled out and Luke O'Connor (4 points, a rebound, an assist, and a steal) made two free throws with 1:28 left to close the gap to 50-41. Regan then added one of two from the line at the 1:09 mark for a 50-42 Tigers lead, but then the Guvs point guard fouled out with 38.4 seconds to go, and Decker finished up his scoring in the game with two free throws for a 52-42 lead as TCS went on to win, 54-42. With the victory, Timothy Christian improved to 6-8 overall on the season while South Amboy fell to .500 again at 8-8. Analysis on this game is forthcoming in the blog.

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