We've just archived the summaries on several scrimmages that we covered in the pre-season, the Freshmen and JV Games of the Week, and Freshmen and JV Roundups.

GMC Hoops Summaries--January 26, 2008
Week Six Of Action--Non-Conference Clash

DeLaCosta Leads The Way As Sayreville Rolls Past West Windsor-Plainsboro North In Non-Conference Action

By Greg Machos
January 26, 2008

SAYREVILLE, NJ—Coming into Saturday night's game with West Windsor-Plainsboro North from the Patriot Division of the Colonia Valley Conference, the Bombers of Sayreville were looking to build on their renewed momentum after soundly defeating South Plainfield on Thursday night, 61-32 to curtail the Tigers state playoff aspirations. They had a good chance to do just that not only because the Knights from Mercer County entered the night's competition at 1-13, but also since Sayreville defeated Hightstown of the CVC's Colonial Division the day after New Year's, and the GMC was a combined 5-0 against the Mercer County based league on the season. Despite a team high 17 points from the Knights' swingman, Darren Allen, the Bombers still managed to cruise for the most part in a 61-45 victory at the Bomb Shelter in Sayreville's War Memorial High School. Diminutive junior guard, Paul DeLaCosta led the way with a game high 18 points on 6 of 14 shooting including 5 of 11 from three point range, and a foul shot while also collecting a rebound, assist, and a steal. Senior 6'9" center, Chris Matagrano, chipped in with 11 points on 4 of 9 shooting from the floor, and 3 of 4 at the line along with 12 rebounds and a blocked shot. Senior guard, Ricky Harding had his share of struggles from the floor, but still managed to pick up 9 points while handing out eight assists, and swiping two steals. For the rest of Sayreville's individual statistics, check out the contest's stats page in the GMC Hoops Game Stats section.

For the game, Sayreville did have its share of struggle and woe shooting the basketball. The Bombers weren't exactly that in this contest as they made only 23 of 61 shots for 37.7 percent including 7 of 23 from three point range for 30.4 percent. However, the home team made 8 of 12 from the foul line for 66.7 percent, and although West Windsor-Plainsboro North shot better at 15 of 35 for 42.9 percent, the Knights were limited to just 3 of 16 from beyond the arc for 18.8 percent, and went only 12 of 20 at the foul line for 60 percent. Moreover, the visitors from Mercer County committed 20 turnovers, and in the first half, Sayreville converted ten of those miscues into 16 points to take a 31-21 lead at the break. The Knights also couldn't take advantage of opportunities. Despite forcing Sayreville to commit 16 turnovers, which is not bad, they were only able to score three points off those miscues, and grab five offensive rebounds for two second chance points. The Bombers outscored the Knights in two of the four periods with West Windsor-Plainsboro North edging the home team by a 14-13 margin in the second, and the fourth ending in a 12-12 tie. Sayreville also scored in double figures in each period while the Knights did it in only three. Looking at the other statistical departments Sayreville had the upper hand in turnovers (16-20), rebounding (37-24), which was fueled primarily by a decisive 19-5 edge on the offensive glass, assists (15-10), and charges (2-0). West Windsor-Plainsboro North, which got its only win of the season on opening night against Allentown (41-39), had a slight edge steals (10-9) and a much more impressive on in blocks (9-1).

In the first period, Sayreville jumped out to an 18-7 lead by converting seven Knight turnovers into 12 points. DeLaCosta made three of six shots including 3 of 4 from long distance for 9 points while junior point guard, LaVone Graham showed some offensive punch with a perfect 3 of 3 showing for 6 points. The Bombers overall were 6 of 13 from the floor, but 0 of 4 outside of DeLaCosta and Graham. The home team did make 3 of 4 at the line, and despite committing five turnovers, limited the visitors to just 3 of 9 shooting including one of four from three point range. Allen accounted for all West Windsor-Plainsboro North's points with a three pointer and two field goals in the quarter. DeLaCosta got things going with a three pointer, and then Graham followed suit with an offensive rebound and putback before James DeMild, who along with Harding accounted for the other three Bomber points in the frame, was fouled on a reverse layup attempt, and netted two free throws for a 7-2 lead at the 6:51 mark. Sayreville's lead grew to eight as DeMild got a steal, and passed to DeLaCosta, who was spotting up for a three pointer from the left corner for a 10-2 lead at the 6:02 mark. Allen, who had scored an earlier basket, then netted a trey to cut the deficit in half at 10-5 with 5:10 to go in the period. Graham would then get a steal for a layup that made the score, 12-5 before West Windsor Plainsboro-North, the school that St. Joseph's standout, and current L.A. Laker, Andrew Bynum attended his freshman year before transferring to Solebury Prep in Pennsylvania, got another basket from Allen for a 12-7 Sayreville lead at the midway point of the first.

The Bombers then closed out the frame with the final six points including another offensive rebound off a DeLaCosta missed three by Graham for a floater that made the score, 14-7 at the 2:28 mark, an offensive rebound and kickout by DeMild to DeLaCosta for a three pointer from the right wing for a 17-7 lead at the one minute mark, and then Harding finally got on the board with one of two free throws in the waning moments of the period for an 18-7 lead. In the second period, Sayreville, which appeared poised to blow West Windsor-Plainsboro North out of the gym, couldn't put the Knights away as the Bombers only shot 5 of 17 from the floor including 0 of 4 from three while the visitors got the one point edge with a 4 of 9 shooting effort from the floor, and a 6 of 11 showing at the line. The CVC member went to work right away with the first three points of the period on 3 of 4 foul shots including two at the 6:14 mark, and one of two with 5:42 remaining before the intermission to make the score, 18-10. Matagrano countered with his first points of the game as he grabbed an offensive rebound, and was fouled on the follow, which resulted in a pair of free throws at the 5:31 mark. Nearly a half minute later, Harding teamed up with Matagrano for a layin that made it a double digit lead again at 22-12 with 5:02 to go in the half. Allen would trim the lead to 22-14 on a layup before Harding got a score for a 24-14 lead as the Knights leading scorer in the contest stepped to the line at the 3:19 mark. Allen made one of two to bring the deficit back into single digits at 24-15, but after the Knights got another score to close within seven, the Bombers reeled off seven straight points over a span of around a minute for a 31-17 lead.

Highlighting the burst was a Matagrano score on an offensive rebound and follow, then a layup by the mammoth Sayreville center off a feed from Harding as he was fouled for a three point play that made it a 5-0 run, and a 29-17 lead at the 2:28 mark. Capping the run, Harding made another nice pass to Greco for a layup, and the 31-17 lead with two minutes left before intermission before West Windsor-Plainsboro North closed out the half with the final four points for a 31-21 Bomber advantage at the break. Looking at the first half scoring, Matagrano led the way with 3 of 7 shooting from the floor and 3 of 3 from the line for 9 points along with 8 boards including five on the offensive end, and a block. DeLaCosta also still had his 9 points on 3 of 7 shooting including 3 of 6 from long range while Graham, a former Raritan Bay Summer League alum, also cooled off in the second missing all four of his shot attempts for a 3 of 7 effort in the first half, 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, an assist, and a charge. Moving on to the halftime stats, Sayreville only ended up shooting 11 of 30 from the floor for 36.7 percent including just 3 of 11 from downtown for 27.3 percent while making 6 of 7 shots from the line for 85.7 percent. On the other side of the ledger, West Windsor-Plainsboro North was 7 of 18 from the floor for 38.9 percent, but made just 1 of 8 from beyond the arc for a paltry 12.5 percent, and netted 6 of 11 at the line for 54.5 percent. In other statistical areas, the Bombers had the advantage in turnovers (8-10), rebounds (22-10), offensive boards (12-3), steals (6-5), and charges (1-0). Assists were even while WWPN had a huge edge in blocks (6-1).

Returning to the action in the third quarter, Sayreville went right back to work at the start of the second half with 6 of the first 9 points for a 37-24 lead before West Windsor-Plainsboro North scored four straight points for a 37-28 Bomber lead. Harding then netted a jumper from the right wing off an assist by junior reserve, Javon Hodges for a 39-28 lead, and then Hodges handed out another assist on a nice look to DeMild for a layup, and a 41-28 lead with 3:41 left in the third. DeLaCosta would then get his only points other than threes as he got a steal for a layup as he was fouled for a more traditional three point play that made the score, 44-28 at the 2:33 mark. Both teams then closed out the quarter by scoring five points each as Sayreville held a commanding 49-33 advantage entering the fourth. The Knights opened the fourth with the first three points before Harding lobbed an entry pass from the right wing to Matagrano for a layup while being fouled, and despite missing the bonus free throw, the Sayreville center had racked up another double-double as the Bombers led 51-36 with 6:58 left. The home team then got three more points as Harding made one of two from the line, and then after DeMild grabbed the offensive rebound, the Bombers got another score for a 54-36 lead with 6:16 to play. Harding put icing on the cake by penetrating and dishing to junior Glenn Cannon, who got the layup as he was fouled, but missed the bonus free throw for a 59-40 lead with 4:04 left. Shortly afterward, Sayreville head coach, Shawn Currie emptied his bench, andd the Bombers eventually came away with the win, 61-45. With the victory, Sayreville won its second straight to improve to 12-5 overall including a 3-1 mark against non-conference teams. In addition, the Bombers improved to 3-0 in the GMC Hoops Trophy Standings, which makes them 6-0 in the Currie era in games covered by GMC Hoops.

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