Boys Basketball: Middlesex advances in Central Group I

MIDDLESEX - As the South Hunterdon High School boys basketball team drew closer and closer – and finally even with Middlesex on Monday night – the Blue Jays never blinked. They didn’t have the time with their relentless, up and down style of play. 

The sixth-seeded Blue Jays outlasted No. 11 South Hunterdon, 59-57, in the first round of the NJSIAA Central Group I Tournament. Middlesex advanced to play at No. 3 Point Beach on Wednesday night in the quarterfinals.

BOYS & GIRLS BASKETBALL: NJSIAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES

BOYS BASKETBALL: ST. JOSEPH WINS THIRD-STRAIGHT GMCT TITLE

BOYS BASKETBALL: GILL ST. BERNARD'S WINS 4TH-STRAIGHT SCT TITLE

Middlesex used a strong second quarter, outscoring South Hunterdon 12-2, as its cache that put the Eagles in a hole they did rally from, but couldn’t quite complete. The Blue Jays (13-13) led at the half, 33-22, and the lead got as high 14 points, but South Hunterdon tied the game at 54 with 1:02 left in regulation.

Middlesex continued to play its up-and-down game.

"We think that’s one of our strengths, pushing the pace, and that’s what we’re going to go with," Middlesex coach Jared Goldstein said. "We are a fast team and that’s what we like to do."

Guard John Dickey’s steal led to a layup and another South Hunterdon turnover led to a driving score for a 58-54 lead. Jack Myers then hit a well-defended 3-pointer to cut the lead to 58-57. A foul under the Eagles' basket turned into a one-of-two from the free throw line for a 59-57 Middlesex lead.

Myers then raced up court and got a pretty good look for what would have been a very long game-winning 3, but it wasn’t close and Middlesex had survived. Myers finished with 19 points, including three 3s.

"We got the look we wanted, it’s what basketball is, but it didn’t go," said South Hunterdon coach Jason Miller, whose team finished 15-9 after being 3-18 a season ago. The Eagles third win was in its final game, a 77-76 win over Middlesex.

But another win over the Blue Jays wasn’t forthcoming.

"That was scary, but luckily they got a low percentage shot there," Middlesex senior forward Jake Robel said.

The 6-foot-6 Robel was a challenge the Eagles couldn’t answer. Miller said its difficult to assimilate that size in practice. Robel finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds, including eight points in the fourth quarter when South Hunterdon was clawing back.

"We talked about having to find him," Miller said. "He finished with (24 with eight in the first quarter) and it’s a credit to him. We did the best we could, it would have been nice earlier in the game (to better defend Robel), but he got off to a good start."

"Jake is phenomenal out there, he rebounds, he defends he does all things that need to be done for our team to be successful," Goldstein said.

The second quarter is where South Hunterdon really lost its touch. The Eagles hit five of their seven 3-pointers in the first quarter and trailed 21-20 after eight minutes. Miller said relying on 3s wasn’t a good idea, as the second quarter showed when the Eagles went cold and Middlesex outscored them 12-2.

"We fell in love with the jump shot, we got hot in the first quarter and we talked to the kids that it couldn’t be our only thing," Miller said. "We needed to do what we did in the second half. We were going to the rim and getting them in foul trouble."

Miller was pleased with how the team made it a thriller.

"It’s a credit to those guys, I think a year ago we don’t come back from 14 points down. Fourteen down would have turned into 24 in a hurry," Miller said. "That experience last year of taking our lumps allowed these guys to grow a little bit and be able to respond to that, it would have been great to walk out of here with a W, but I’m still proud of the effort."

Dickey finished with 22 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals for Middlesex. Senior Jack Myers added 11 points for South Hunterdon and junior Joe Armstrong and sophomore Quenton Beyha each had 10 points apiece.