Boys basketball: Delaware Valley clinches conference title
BOUND BROOK — It’s been 10 years since Delaware Valley won a boys basketball conference title. So when things got tight down the stretch against Bound Brook on Tuesday with a banner on the line, the Terriers didn’t flinch.
Christian Hlinka made a late 3-pointer and Brad Apgar’s putback with under 10 seconds left tied the game in regulation. In overtime, Kevin Scanlan scored four points in the final 26 seconds as Delaware Valley won 54-51 to clinch the Skyland Conference Valley Division.
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“Big-time game,” Hlinka said. “Coach has been telling us all week, play loose. Just go out there and have fun ... and stuff will happen.”
What makes it even more impressive is that Delaware Valley finished 6-16 last season. Tuesday, the players continued their turnaround.
“To get this, and after the season the guys had last year, to come out and win in a tough environment like Bound Brook, it was huge,” Delaware Valley coach Michael DePaolo said. “It was a tough test for us, but our guys stepped up. Bound Brook has been one of the toughest teams in our division for the last few years, so to come here and win it in an overtime classic like this, it means a lot.”
Delaware Valley (12-3) led for most of the first half and took a 25-22 lead into the intermission. Bound Brook’s Noah Smith and Kyle Frauenheim each hit key 3-pointers in the second half, and Evian Brown had two three-point plays following layups and a foul shot to add to the Crusaders lead.
Bound Brook (12-4) opened a 47-41 lead with 1:26 in regulation. Delaware Valley wasn't finished, yet. Scanlan sank two free throws to cut it to 47-43. After a turnover, Hlinka sank a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to a point with just over a minute left. Last week, he also hit a late 3-pointer to beat Voorhees.
Bound Brook’s RJ Frazier made a free throw for a 48-46 lead with 41 seconds remaining. After the teams traded possessions, Joe Cansfield grabbed a rebound for Delwaware Valley and Apgar scored on a putback with under 10 seconds left to tie the game 48-48.
“Our guys, they stuck to the game plan,” DePaolo said. "They made plays now they wouldn’t have made at the beginning of the season. It all came together tonight.”
In overtime, Scanlan remained calm down the stretch. He hit two foul shots following a technical foul on a Bound Brook player, who apparently stepped over a Delaware Valley opponent who fell to the ground. The two points gave his team a 52-50 lead. On the inbound play, the pesky and gutsy Cansfield threw a perfect pass to a running Scanlan for a layup and a 54-50 lead with 20 seconds left.
“He’s our leader, our go-to guy,” DePaolo said. “We want to put the ball in our best players' hands. He’s a senior. He’s been on varsity the last few years. He experienced, kind of the roller coaster ride. To have him sink free throws late for us and to hit that layup late, it was a special moment for us.”
The hot Terriers have now won 11 games in a row. But this one meant a little more as the players celebrated winning the division title. The 2006-2007 conference championship banner didn’t go unnoticed in recent practices.
“We’ve been looking at that all week in practice,” Hlinka said. “Coach has used that as motivation for us. He’s like we haven’t had a conference championship in 10 years and they don’t come around too often, so.”
And now, the current players leave their own legacy.
“Yeah, we get ’17 up there,” said Hlinka with a smile.