The Freshmen Game of the Week, Freshmen Roundup, and the JV Roundup are now available. Check them out in our GMC Hoops Summary archive.

GMC Hoops Summaries--January 20, 2010
Week Five--White Division Matchup

Smith And Jackson Lead Bombers Past Zebras, 66-52

By Greg Machos
January 20, 2010

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—For the second time this season, the Sayreville Bombers defeated the New Brunswick Zebras by 14 points. On opening night, the then ninth ranked Bombers upended the tenth ranked Zebras, 59-45. On Wednesday night, Jarrell Smith and Tarif Jackson combined for 35 points to not only notch the Bombers second win over the Zebras this season, but also hand NBHS its first loss in its brand new gym that opened up after the holidays. After giving up the first points of the second half on a layup by New Brunswick sophomore Milton Pittman (16 points), the Bombers embarked on a decisive 27-11 run that turned the 27-26 deficit into a commanding 53-38 lead.

Sayreville then scored the first six points of the fourth to take a 21 point lead before New Brunswick closed the game with a 14-7 spurt to make the final score a respectable, 66-52. Smith, who also drew two charges, led all scorers with a game high 20 points including four field goals, three treys, and three foul shots. Jackson chipped in with 15 points on five field goals, a three pointer, and two foul shots. Also scoring in double figures were senior forward, Dave Milewski (11 points) and freshman Joe Saitta (10 points). Besides Pittman's efforts, Nigel Scott came up with a solid fourth quarter to end the contest with 15 points in a losing cause for the Zebras. The Bombers did a solid job on junior forward, Jaquan Cook, who didn't score in double-figures for the first time this season.

Taking a 17-13 first quarter lead, the Bombers, which collected its 66 points on 17 field goals, seven threes, and 11 foul shots, were outscored by the Zebras 12-9 in the second for a one point halftime lead. New Brunswick had a chance to tie or take halftime lead, but couldn't take advantage as the score remained 26-25 in favor of the Bombers at the break. New Brunswick, which picked up its 52 points on 18 field goals, one three, and 13 free throws, took the lead to start the third as Pittman scored in the right low block for a 27-26 score. However, Sayreville, which outscored the Zebras by a 40-27 margin in the second half, took control of the game for good with six straight points on a reverse layup by Smith, a bank shot by Stephenson, and a layup by Milewski (off a steal by Mark Keir) for a 32-27 lead.

The Zebras tried to climb back into the game by scoring four of the next six points including an offensive rebound and follow by Pittman to close the gap to 34-31 at the 4:50 mark, but Jackson, who scored 10 of his 15 in the third, came alive with a jumper for a 36-31 lead at the 4:07 mark, and then a three pointer while Milewski added another layup for a 41-33 lead with 2:46 to go in the period. Jackson then added a conventional three point play for a 44-33 lead, and Smith, who scored nine of the 27 points in the third, drew a foul on a three point attempt, and made all three of his free throws for a 47-35 lead with 2:03 to go in the quarter. After Pittman converted a traditional three point play to bring New Brunswick within single digits at 47-38 with 1:20 to go in the period, Stephenson netted two foul shots at the 1:09 mark, Smith scored a layup off a pass upcourt by Jackson at the 32 second mark, and then after the Bombers forced a five second call, Smith got a layup as he was fouled with 1.2 seconds left in the frame to end the third with Sayreville ahead 53-38.

In the fourth, Sayreville got off to a solid start with the first six points for its biggest lead of the game. Milewski netted two free throws at the 7:30 mark while the rest of the Bombers came together to pull off a rare four point play. It started when Jackson swiped a steal and drew a foul on a layup attempt at the 6:51 mark. After missing the first one, the Sayreville point guard, missed the second shot, but Stephenson was there to grab the save attempt by New Brunswick's T.J. Overtree. The Bombers worked the ball around until it got into the hands of Saitta, and the Raritan Bay Summer League alum drained a three pointer from the right wing for a 59-38 lead. Over the next 2:45 or so, New Brunswick scored five of the next seven points as Nigel Scott, who scored 11 points in the final stanza, began to come alive. Over the final 5:50 or so of the contest, Scott scored on two putbacks, a steal for a layup, a three pointer (NBHS only three of the game), and netted two foul shots to help the Zebras make the final score more respectable.

With the victory, Sayreville improves to 7-4 overall including a 4-3 mark in divisional play, and a 6-3 record in the conference. New Brunswick, which has now lost two of its last three after winning six straight, drops to 8-6 overall, 4-4 in the White Division, and 6-5 in the GMC. Notes on this game are now available as well as video highlights in the GMC Hoops Blogosphere.

RETURN TO THE GMC HOOPS HOME PAGE

If you are finished checking the GMC Boys Basketball Summaries, and would like to see other parts of the website.  Click below to return to the home page.

• Return to the GMC Hoops Homepage

If you have any questions about, or any suggestions for this website, please feel free to either fill out our guestbook, or contact me at gmachos@gmchoops.com.