Basketball: 3-pointers lift Spotswood over Bound Brook
BOUND BROOK – The rhythm of Wednesday night’s Spotswood vs. Bound Brook boys basketball game had a late season feel. Not the kind that would result in a night of sound sleep for coaches.
Spotswood held on for a 70-68 victory in the nightcap semifinal of the annual Crusader Classic at Bound Brook. Spotswood (3-3) will play Watchung Hills (3-2) in Thursday night’s final. The Warriors beat Central Jersey College Charter of Franklin 83-20 in the opener.
The second game was an entirely different experience.
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Bound Brook (3-2) had 12 3-pointers to the Chargers’ 11, but Spotswood managed to drain more of the back-breaker variety. The Chargers led by as many as 14 early in the fourth quarter, but Bound Brook rallied to trail 70-68 with about three seconds left. A long Bound Brook inbound pass from beneath the Chargers’ basket fell harmlessly to close one entertaining game.
“We seem to be great for three quarters. We are still learning how to be successful," said Spotswood coach Steve Mate, who is in his 23rd season as coach. "Once we get that understanding that we need to be better in the fourth quarter we will be a really good team."
Senior Jason Cuba’s 3 pulled Bound Brook to within 51-44 late in the third quarter, but senior guard Abdullah Nieskens’ buzzer-beating 3 ended the quarter to push the lead back to 10 at 54-44. Nieskens had a team-high 16 points and was six-for-nine from the free throw line. All of those free throws came in the fourth quarter when Spotswood was in survival mode.
The Crusaders sped out to a 17-5 lead only to see the Chargers go on an 11-0 run to end the first quarter. That run featured two 3-pointers and a bucket by Mike Harris and another 3 by junior Zach Mataya. The Chargers kept the momentum, breaking a 23-23 deadlock on a Brian Bishara 3-pointer with 3:08 left in the second quarter.
“They made a lot of perimeter shots and we didn’t defend very well, we gave them some good open shots and if you do that against them they’ll make them,” said Bound Brook coach Anthony Melesurgo, who led his team to the Central Group I final last season.
Spotswood led 42-28 in the third quarter when Justin Dekovics drained yet another 3 with 6:38 left in the quarter. After that, Bound Brook whittled its deficit but could never even the score.
Senior forward Kyle Frauenheim had 19 points with five 3s and senior guard Jayden Hill had four 3-pointers and a game-high 21 points.
The 3 and team quickness is what fueled Spotswood. Several times Bound Brook found itself a moment too late, allowing the Chargers a wide open look.
“We are a good shooting team. We spend a lot of time on shooting threes,” Mate said. “We feel that’s the way to go because we are small, we are very small. We have no post game per say. Any of our guys can basically shoot.”
Still the Crusaders were able to stay close, and junior guard Ben Albarracin was one of the reasons. Albarracin finished with 12 points, and scored 10 in the fourth quarter when Bound Brook cut its deficit to one point twice.
Albarracin hit two 3-pointers, his second cutting the Spotswood lead to 70-68 with 17 seconds remaining. Nieskens was quickly fouled and missed both free throws. Bound Brook had time, but very very little of it. The Crusaders were also without Frauenheim who had fouled out earlier in the fourth. A long Albarracin inbound pass down court went for naught and Spotswood held on.
Dekovics scored 13 points for Spotswood with four 3-pointers.