Boys Basketball: Union Catholic holds off Scotch Plains-Fanwood in first meeting in two years

SCOTCH PLAINS - The Union Catholic and Scotch Plains-Fanwood boys basketball teams met for the first time in two years  Thursday night, and the outcome was quite different from what the Vikings had been used to.

The last time Union Catholic (9-7) and Scotch Plains-Fanwood played each other was Jan. 21, 2016, and the Vikings came away with a 87-52 win. On Thursday, Union Catholic held on for a 49-44 victory and handed the Raiders (12-2) their second loss of the season. 

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"We were pretty well prepared for them I thought, we had seen them a couple of times, coach (Steve) Siracusa is doing a really nice job with them, so we knew that they were going to be a really good opponent for us," Union Catholic coach  Jim Reagan said. "I'm really proud of our kids and they did step up. We didn't play our best game I didn't think today, we didn't make shots that we normally make, but we grinded it out and found a way to win."

The fourth quarter started with Union Catholic up 29-28, and an 8-3 run by Scotch Plains-Fanwood put the Raiders ahead 36-32 with 6:19 remaining. 

Ibn Lynn hit a 3-pointer with 5:58 left, which pulled the Vikings to  36-35, and Union Catholic took the lead for good on a basket by Justin Archer, 37-36, with 5:14 left in the game. Lynn then went to the line and made one of two, and Archer sank a pair to give Union Catholic a 40-36 advantage with 3:23 to play.

Jack Brady then connected on a 3-point play to pull Scotch Plains-Fanwood within one with 3:05 left, but another two free throws from Robert Miller gave Union Catholic  breathing room, 42-39, with 2:52 left. 

Lamont Cruse scored to get the Raiders back within one, but two trips to the free throw line by Lynn resulted in a 45-41 lead with 39.9 seconds to play. Gio Philip scored with 13.2 seconds to go to give Union Catholic a 47-41 lead, but Cruse hit a 3 with seven seconds left to make it 47-44.

Miller then went to the line with 3.6 seconds remaining and hit both shots to seal the win for the Vikings. 

"I feel like in the fourth quarter we just came out and did what we had to do to get the win," Lynn said. "I think we did well rotating and trying to limit them to one-shot opportunities in the second half, and I feel like that helped us."

The game was tied 8-8 after the first quarter, and there were three ties in the second quarter, as Union Catholic led 22-21 at halftime. Both teams scored seven points in the third quarter before the Vikings outscored the Raiders 20-16 in the fourth. 

"I think we always start off slow, I think that's a bad, bad habit that we have as a team," Miller said. "I think the fourth quarter we stepped up the energy, we definitely wanted to come out with intensity in the fourth quarter and get the W."

Lynn finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for Union Catholic, which snapped a three-game losing skid. Miller recorded 13 points and nine rebounds and Philip chipped in 11 points.

"On the offensive side I think we definitely moved the ball well, we worked a lot in practice on moving the ball, setting screens and getting everybody involved, getting the big men involved, and just trying to get everybody going," Miller said. "We just played as a team, I think with that we did real, real well. Instead of previous games I think where everyone would try and get their own shots, I think today everybody scored, we got everybody involved that came in, that was a big key."

For the Raiders, Cruse finished with a game-high 15 points and pulled down five rebounds. Dwight Laylor had 10 rebounds and six points. 

Scotch Plains-Fanwood, which had a three-game win streak snapped, has enjoyed success the past two seasons after finishing 3-21 in 2015-16. The Raiders, whose only previous loss was to Rahway on Jan. 16, held Union Catholic to its third-lowest point total of the season on Thursday.

"We played them two years ago, that was our last time and we ended up losing by like 30-something, so we definitely showed some improvements and that we're not just going to get tossed around by some of these teams, we can play and compete and win these games," Siracusa said. "I think we played well at times, we just didn't convert some shots and make some plays down the stretch when we needed to, but I think it could have went either way. 

"Obviously we tip our hats to Union Catholic, but I think we can compete and play with them as well and I think we showed it tonight."

Staff Writer Lauren Knego: lknego@gannettnj.com; on Twitter: @laurenknego