Long Branch advances to the Buc Classic final
Anthony Miller drains four treys to lead team
Chris Kelly Long Branch’s Aaron Williams breaks past a Franklin defender on his way to the hoop during a Buc Classic game at Red Bank Regional on Thursday. The spin move used by Williams paid off with a baseline jumper.
Give them a second to get set, and watch a three-pointer drop through the net.
The Franklin Warriors watched Long Branch steal a game away with timely three-point sharp shooting, winning, 63-58, on Thursday.
The Green Wave’s most accurate sharp shooter of the evening was Anthony Miller, who led the field with 19 points, and struck four times in the second half to send Long Branch into the finals of the Buc Classic boys’ basketball tournament, where they were scheduled to meet host Red Bank Regional on Saturday.
"Miller is our three-point shooter," said head coach Ron Pastore. "He doesn’t know how to shoot a two. We told the kids before the game that, if they find him open, get him the ball."
Franklin jumped out to an early lead, ending the first quarter with an 8-7 lead, thanks to a three-pointer by Kevin Bent.
After outscoring their adversaries in the second quarter, the Green Wave went into halftime, holding a 26-22 lead.
"The difference from last year’s team to this year is that the kids believe in the program," said Pastore. "This is a nice group of kids, who are willing to hustle. We came into this game, not wanting to play a good game, but to win.
Five different players tallied seven buckets from the field, and five from the mercy stripe. Michael Davis was the hero of the second quarter, leading his team with six points, putting the Wave ahead, 25-22, on a pair of free throws inside the last minute of the half.
The two teams traded leads in the beginning of the third, before Miller put on his three-point shooting clinic.
Billy Kiss assisted in catapulting Long Branch to a 46-41 lead, with a pair of treys and two foul shots.
Because of the Wave’s commanding efforts in the second and third quarters, a 17-17 tie in the fourth didn’t cost them the game.
Miller led all scorers with 19 points; while Kiss hit for 13 points, Aaron Williams 12, Shane Bullock eight, Davis six, and Berkeley Hutchinson and Dwayne Montgomery five each.
The win improved Long Branch to a 4-1 slate.