Boys Basketball: Carteret advances to Central Group II final

CARTERET - The Carteret High School boys basketball team is headed back to the NJSIAA Central Group II sectional final for the first time since 2002.

The third-seeded Ramblers (23-6) held on to defeat 10th-seeded and upset-minded Lincoln 46-45 in the semifinals on Saturday.

Carteret last won a sectional title in 2000 under former head coach Dave Turco and is on the hunt for its first Group title since 1934.  

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"It's a huge accomplishment, but we're looking to get a ring on our finger," Carteret's Isaiah Daniels-Porter said of advancing to the sectional final. 

The Ramblers held a 45-40 lead on a putback by Daniels-Porter with 2:19 remaining in the game, but the Lions (20-8) went on a 5-0 run to tie the game 45-45 with 54.4 seconds to play.

Carteret turned the ball over with 38 seconds remaining, but a Lincoln turnover gave the ball back to the Ramblers, and Jahlil Nix was fouled going to the basket. Nix went to the line with 7.7 seconds left, and hit one of two for a 46-45 lead. Timothy Ellis came up with the rebound and held the ball as time expired, sending Carteret to its first sectional final in 16 years. 

"I live for moments like this," Nix said of hitting the winning basket. "It feels good to win the game on my behalf." 

After a sloppy first half that saw Lincoln take a 23-20 lead at halftime, Carteret regrouped and started the third quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 27-23 lead with 6:26 left. 

"It was a sloppy first half but I feel like we played as a team in the second half," Nix said. "There were a lot of loose balls and we had to fight and I feel like we came together as a family at the end of the game and we came out with the W."

A 4-0 run by the Lions tied the game 27-27 with 4:43 to play, but a basket by Daniels-Porter put Carteret back in front 29-27 with 4:19 left. After a scoring drought by both teams, Lincoln retied the game 29-29 almost two minutes later. 

The Ramblers closed out the third quarter on a 6-2 run and led 36-31 after three. 

"Rebounding was the biggest thing, going into the game we knew that they were a very good, not only defensive, but offensive rebounding team, so that was the biggest thing," Daniels-Porter said. "Coach just said it, we ended the game on a rebound, so rebounding was the key to winning this game. Even though we slacked a little bit, it came together at the end."

Daniels-Porter led Carteret with 14 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists. Nix finished with 12 points, four rebounds, two blocks and one assist. Ellis chipped in five points, two rebounds and four assists. 

For Lincoln, which upset second-seeded Manasquan in the quarterfinals, Tahir McRae scored 12 points. Nazir Maxwell, Duron Henderson and La'Quiem Walker each added seven points. 

Carteret will face top-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven in the sectional final on Monday. Rumson-Fair Haven defeated fourth-seeded Bordentown 59-49.

"It's a huge bounce back from counties, especially how we lost, so we know that this is just another win to get us one step closer to what we need," Daniels-Porter said. "We're not satisfied with this win, we're going to practice (Sunday) hungry and we're going to come out hungry on Monday."

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