Girls Basketball: J.P. Stevens advances to GMCT quarterfinals

EDISON – The J.P. Stevens High School girls basketball team is  officially in uncharted territory. But the Hawks need not look far to find out what playing in the quarterfinals of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament feels like.

The sixth-seeded Hawks (14-9) knocked off No. 11 North Brunswick, 47-29, on Wednesday in the first round of the GMC Tournament to advance to the final eight for the first time since 2005. Coach Amy Field was a swing player back then, leading the Hawks to their third-straight county title. She went on to play at Montclair State University.

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“I try to instill in the girls that this is so big. It’s been so long since we’ve been here, to understand the importance of being where we are right now,’’ Field said. “It’s so big, and I’m envisioning things from my past, when we would get past the first round and get to the quarterfinals. It’s something these players haven’t even seen as freshmen, even when they were in the eighth grade.’’

Now they have done it themselves. The Hawks will face third-seeded Bishop Ahr (22-3) in the quarterfinals on Saturday at New Brunswick. J.P. Stevens hasn’t played Bishop Ahr this year.

J.P. Stevens, 9-14 a season ago, lost four letterwinners to graduation in June and are a young team. Field is hoping that the maturation the squad has shown over the winter isn’t finished.

“They played very well, we’re coming together, working together and playing together, we are meshing together at the right time,’’  Field said. “If we keep working hard, we might be able to make some waves in the county.’’

The Hawks lost back-to-back tournament home games as the 14th and seventh seeds to Middlesex the past two years, but another home tournament loss wasn’t going to happen this year. J.P. Stevens outscored North Brunswick 17-2 in the second quarter to take a commanding 29-11 halftime lead.

“It was just coming in and executing, being on the same page and communicating. We have worked really hard to get where we are now,’’ junior guard Disha Prabhudesaio said. “We just played our game.’’

Prabhudesaio, junior guard Kiarah Turner and sophomore guard Megan Duffy combined for 15 of the team’s 17 second quarter points. The trio each had a 3-pointer and a basket apiece. Duffy scored all of her 11 points in the first half. Turner, who did a good job breaking down the Raiders' defense, finished with 13 points. Duffy’s freshman sister, Mckayla, scored 11 points and junior forward Kayla Gatling grabbed 12 rebounds and scored five points.

Khayla Flemmings scored a game-high 14 points for North Brunswick (13-9).