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Falcons
Prevail Over Trojans In Epic Overtime Game, 62-59 |
By Greg Machos
February 17, 2008EDISON, NJ—Over the years there have been many great games that have been considered amongst the greatest of all time in the history of the GMC Hoops web site. Games such as McCarrick's upset over South Brunswick in the 2007 GMCT Final Four at Middlesex County College, or the recent divisional showdown between Dunellen and South Amboy that the Guvs won in heartstopping style on Feburary 5th. Add to the list, the tremendous contest put forth by both the St. Joseph's Falcons, the sixth seed in this year's GMCT, and the third seeded Bishop Ahr Trojans. St. Joe's with a much younger squad consisting of eight sophomores and three freshmen, showed poise when other young teams may have folded under the weight of Bishop Ahr's rally in the fourth to tie it. On the other hand, the Trojans showed a fortitude that it never really had ever displayed in big games. Sure BGA lost the contest, but they've finally proven that they can play with the big boys instead of putting their tail between their legs, or head in the sand. Having that under its belt will give Ahr some confidence and something to take from this game as it prepares for the tough challenge of heading down to South Jersey to play St. Augustine's Prep of Richland in about ten days or so in the Non-Public A South State Tournament.
Trailing by three with 22 seconds in regulation, and after Falcon sophomore point guard, Steve Rennard, made two free throws that made it 49-46, the Trojans came down with the ball as Billy Rooney set up a play. He eventually went to senior temmate, Kevin Uszenski on the right wing, and the Polish rifle aimed for a shot with 13 seconds remaining in regulation, but one of two St. Joseph's seniors, Paul Konopacki, prevented Uszenski from getting the shot off as the ball went out of bounds and the contentious set of Ahr fans were up in arms because there was no foul called. Ahr and Uszenski would get a second chance though as the Trojans inbounded the ball, and it eventually got into his hands from the left wing for a jumper under all kinds of duress from Konopacki that was nothing but net, and tied the contest at 49-49 with 6.4 seconds left. St. Joseph's inbounded the ball, and got it to midcourt for a desperation heave that was off, and Konopacki, who happened to be at the hoop for the rebound, leaped up and tried to tap the ball in on the follow, but couldn't as time expired. We were going to overtime. See the video higlights from the very end of the third quarter to the end of regulation.
At the start of the extra session, it appeared as if St. Joseph's was going to pull away for the win. Right off the bat, the Falcons took the opening tip, and Konopacki took the ball downcourt for a dish to junior guard, Nikko Vastola for a layup, and a 51-49 lead at the 3:56 mark. Mike Williamson promptly tied the game up at 51-51 with a layup of his own at the 3:48 mark, but then St. Joe's scored seven straight points including a jumper by Rennard at the 3:22 mark for a 53-51 lead, one of two free throws by Steve Brandenberg at the 2:45 mark for a 54-51 lead after Martese Street turned the ball over on an offensive rebound and follow attempt of a missed layin by Williamson moments earlier, two free throws by Rennard with 2:11 remaining for a 56-51 lead, and then two more by the 2007 GMC Hoops Freshmen of the Year with 1:15 to go for a seemingly commanding, 58-51 advantage. However, like the Hakws did in the later game between Colonia and J.P. Stevens, Ahr depicted characteristics of Rasputin by attempting to pull of a monumental comeback with an 8-2 run over the next 52 seconds or so. Williamson ignited to late rally with a three pointer at the 1:02 mark for a 58-54 Falcon lead. Then, after Brandenberg sank two free throws for a six point edge at the 55.1 second mark, Street scored on a putback of a Williamson miss with 42.8 seconds left to trim the deficit back down to four as Ahr long time head coach, Dennis O'Keefe called for time with the score, 60-56.
Following the timeout, the Trojans fouled, and sent Rennard to the line, who then surprisingly missed both foul shots with 39.2 seconds left on the clock, and gave life to a team in need of resucitation. Senior guard, Derek Figueredo then connected on a three pointer from the right wing to close the gap to one at the 26.5 second mark. Several seconds later though, after the Trojans fouled once again, Brandenberg stepped up to the line, and made to huge foul shots for a 62-59 lead with 23.4 seconds to play. BGA set up for a scoring chance knowing that it was still a one possession game, and with the Trojan sharpshooters on the ready, anything was possible. However, Konopacki thwarted the attempt with a steal, and drew a foul with 9.7 seconds to go. But, like Rennard thirty seconds or so before him, the senior uncharacteristically missed both charity shots, and once again put the mild upset on hold. Ahr then got the ball downcourt to Williamson, who was fouled with 5.5 seconds to go. On the inbounds, the Trojans got the ball into senior point guard, Billy Rooney, who was forced to take the last shot, and it was off the mark, and St. Joseph's pulled out the thrilling win by a score of 62-59.
For the game, St. Joseph's connected on 24 field goals including one three pointer, and made 13 foul shots while Bishop Ahr made 22 field goals including six threes, and clicked on nine foul shots. The Trojans actually won three of the four periods in regulation, but the Falcons 16-7 advantage in the second that included a 16-2 tear over the first 6:50 was enough in the end to force the extra session, and that's where St. Joe's pulled out the win. Scoring wise, both Steve Rennard of St. Joseph's and Mike Williamson of Bishop Ahr shared game high honors with 21 points each. Rennard managed to get his despite shooting only 7 of 17 from the floor including a clutch three pointer that ended the third for a four point, 40-36 Falcon lead, but fared much better after a 2 for 8 start. The sophomore guard also added six foul shots for the winners. Williamson also had seven field goals including a three pointer as well as six foul shots in a losing cause. Derek Figueredo and Kevin Uszenski were next in line in the scoring column with 15 points each for the BGA. Figueredo got his points on four field goals, two threes, and a free throw while Uszenski made three field goals and three treys for his tally. Juniors Gerard Lewis and Nikko Vastola were next with 12 points each for St. Joe's as Lewis clicked on six field goals while Vastola had five field goals and two free throws.
Steve Brandenberg followed with two field goals and five free throws for 9 points along with 7 rebounds and 3 assists according to the article published on The Home News-Tribune web site. Martese Street of Bishop Ahr and Paul Konopacki of St. Joe's were next with 6 points each. Street got his six on two field goals and two free throws while Konopacki made three field goals for his six while grabbing a game high 12 rebounds according to The Home News-Tribune. Matt Sheehy, whose older brother Andrew was a reserve on St. Joseph's last year, and Robbie Ashamole, the younger brother of North Brunswick's Jeff Ashamole, rounded out the scoring with a field goal each for two points. Gagan Dhaliwal played for the Falcons, but didn't score while Billy Rooney, Jordan Madsen, and Matt Fiorino did the same for the Trojans. Arriving late to the game, GMC Hoops didn't enter the MCC gym until the 5:59 mark of the second quarter with Ahr leading by a 14-11 score. The Trojans actually had the same three point lead after one period of play, and neither team had scored during the first two minutes of the second. However, that would soon change as St. Joseph's went on a critical tear that put them in the catbird seat in this one. Over almost the next six minutes, the Falcons outscored Ahr by fourteen points as they scored eight field goals during the span. Nice execution capped by great passes from Rennard and Brandenberg to Lewis (8 points in the second) and Vastola (4 points in the second) for layups.
On the other hand, Ahr would only get on the board twice in the frame, and both times it was courtesy of Figueredo, who knocked down a jumper from the right wing for a 17-16 lead at the 3:40 mark, and then registered a traditional three point play in the waning moments of the first half to end the St. Joe's tear, and cap the first half scoring with St. Joe's up 27-19 at the break. The Falcons got four points in the first minute or so of its run on two field goals to take a 15-14 lead with 4:55 to go in the half. A little more than a half minute later, the Falcons scored again to go up by three at 17-14 with 4:20 to play in the second. Following Figueredo's jumper that closed the gap to one at the 3:40 mark, Vastola connected for a field goal that made it a three point game again at 19-16 with 3:20 remaining until halftime. St. Joe's then made a stop defensively, and that set up Lewis for a turnaround jumper in the key off a feed from Rennard for a 21-6 lead at the 3:04 mark. The Falcon advantage then swelled to seven as Konopacki made a nice drive and dish to Lewis for a layup, and a 23-16 score with 2:21 to play in the half. Two seconds later, Bishop Ahr called for time. Following the timeout, the Falcons went up by nine as Brandenberg found Vastola for a layup as the junior guard was fouled, but he missed the bonus free throw. However, Brandenberg was there to get the offensive rebound at the 1:30 mark. St. Joseph's then took the biggest lead that either team enjoyed in the contest as Lewis scored on a drive along the left side of the key for a layup, and a 27-16 advantage.
After the two teams went into their respective locker rooms at the half with the Falcons leading by eight, 27-19, BGA opened the second half with a 6-0 burst that consisted of a steal and score by Williamson, a jumper by the senior guard, and then a drive for a layup by Uszenski that pulled the Trojans to within two at 27-25. Rennard then got the third seeded team on the board with a layup off an assist by Lewis that made the score, 29-25. The Trojans replied with another bucket to close the gap to within two again before Konopacki scored on a layup of his own for a 31-27 edge at the 4:39 mark of the period. A short time later, St. Joe's had an opportunity to go up by more, but Brandenberg misfired on a pair of free throws, and the score remained 31-27 with 4:22 to play in the third. Over the next 3:12, Bishop Ahr outscored St. Joseph's by a 6-4 margin to pull within two again at 35-33. Highlighting the run was a drive for a layup by Williamson, who was very agressive to the basket against the Falcon defense, and a bucket by Street as he was fouled. Ahr could have closed to within one, but Street missed the bonus foul shot for the tradition three point play at the 1:10 mark. Five seconds later, the Falcons scored on a layup off an inbounds play for a 37-33 lead with 1:05 remaining in the fourth. On a subsquent Trojan possession, Figueredo swiped a steal, and handed out an assist on a three pointer by Uszenski that pulled his team to within one at 37-36 with 41.5 to go in the third. However, the Falcons would counter with its only trey of the game as Rennard grabbed an offensive rebound off a long carom, and netted a trifecta from the left wing for a 40-36 lead heading into the fourth.
In the fourth, the game remained, tense, tenuous, and taut. As a matter of fact, the game's intensity and electricity level went up even several more notches. After neither team scored for almost two minutes, Uszenski got things going with a three pointer from the left wing that closed the gap to one again at 40-39 with 6:11 remaining in regulation. Brandenberg then canned a jumper for a three point Falcon lead before Figueredo tied the game up at 42-42 on a three pointer with 4:40 to play in regulation. Moments later, Ahr forced a steal, and the ball got into the hands of Williamson, who drove to the hoop, and drew a foul that resulted in one of two from the line for a 43-42 lead with 4:20 to go. On St. Joseph's next possession, the Falcons went back on top by one as Lewis scored on a layup off a share pass from Rennard that made the score, 44-43 at the 3:58 mark. Nearly a minute later, Ahr took the lead again as Rooney got a steal off an errant pass by Konopacki, and then handed out an assist on an uncontested layup by Williams for a 45-44 score at about the three minute mark. Following a St. Joseph's timeout with 2:48 left in the fourth, the Falcons tied the game at 45-45 on one of two from the line with two and a half minutes remaining in regulation. After Bishop Ahr called for time with 1:48 left, the Falcons got a stop, and then went ahead by two, 47-45, on another nice drive and dish by Rennard to Lewis for a layup at the 1:08 mark.
With 47.6 seconds to play, Bishop Ahr called another timeout, and after that stoppage, got the ball eventually to Williamson, and drew a foul with 27.5 remaining. The senior only managed to make one of two for a one point, 47-46 Falcon lead. Five seconds later, St. Joseph's inbounded the ball to Rennard, who was fouled by Rooney. Many of the Falcon supporters became up in arms since there was no intentional foul called on the play. Nevertheless, Rennard composed himself, and drained both free throws for a 49-46 lead at the 22 second mark setting up the heroics for both the end of regulation, and the overtime that was mentioned at this article's outset. With the victory, St. Joseph's improves to 19-6 overall, and 13-5 in conference play. The Falcons advance to the GMCT Final Four for the first time since Dave Turco's first season as coach when St. Joe's, led by FDU standout, Sean Baptiste, fell to Colonia in the semifinals of the 2006 GMCT. Since the inception of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament back in 1986, St. Joseph's has appeared in the semifinal round 11 times. If the Falcons can win on Tuesday, they will have appeared in the MCT/GMCT Championship game a record 14 times surpassing the mark made by Perth Amboy (13). With the loss, Bishop Ahr drops to 17-4 overall, and 15-3 in the GMC. Next game for the Trojans is on Wednesday against Immaculata of the Skyland Conference, and Somerset County.
Team |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
St. Joseph's (19-6) |
11 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 13 | 62 |
Bishop Ahr (17-4) |
14 | 5 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 59 |
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