TR East Raiders upend Freehold Township in SCT play
Top-seeded Marlboro girls top Jackson
JERRY WOLKOWITZ Freehold Township’s Amanda Frost goes up for a shot during Friday night’s game against Toms River East in Freehold.
In a matter of 51 seconds, Freehold Township erased 30 minutes of sluggish play against Toms River East in the second round of the Shore Conference Tournament Friday night.
The Houdini-like act rallied the Pats back from a 38-27 deficit to just 38-37 with 1:08 remaining.
However, Township, the seventh seed in the girls’ basketball tournament, couldn’t finish it off. Brittany Ester sank two pressure free throws with 57.7 seconds remaining to put the visiting Raiders, the 10th seed, up 40-37. Two more from Erin Frank with 15 seconds left made it 42-37 and clinched it for the Raiders.
After a quick start, Freehold Township’s offense went into slow motion. After one period, it was 7-7. TR East then took complete charge, outscoring the Pats 16-3 in the second quarter to take a 23-10 lead into the half.
JERRY WOLKOWITZ Freehold Township’s Lisa Lapinski grabs a rebound during Friday night’s game against Toms River East in Freehold.
"We were not looking to attack," said Patriots coach John Sciarappa, who was going for his 302nd career win at the game. "We were tentative. No one wanted to do anything. We weren’t getting the second chances."
Part of Township’s trouble was the health of point guard Missy Elsbree, who had missed five straight days with the flu and was showing the obvious effects Friday night.
"We needed others to step up and have big games," said Sciarappa.
Township began to crawl back into it in the third quarter and pulled to within three at 25-22 on two free throws from Elsbree. TR East pushed the lead to five at the end of the quarter, 29-24. However, a driving layup from Kelly Higgins had the Pats down just 29-26.
The Raiders responded with a 9-1 run led by Frank and Kaelin Ainley. A put-back by TR East’s Frank made it 38-27 with just over 2:00 remaining in the game.
The Pats appeared finished, but in 51 seconds they would melt the lead to a single point. Amanda Frost started the comeback with a pair of free throws with 1:59 remaining. Higgins made one of two from the line after a Raider turnover.
With the Pats applying full-court pressure, the Raiders suddenly couldn’t hold onto the ball.
With 1:11 remaining, Elsbree sank her first three-pointer of the night from the top of the key. The score was now 38-35 and the Pats had a chance.
Higgins stole the in-bounds pass under the basket and was fouled attempting to shoot. She made both free throws, and with 1:08 left in the game, it was 38-37 and Freehold Township appeared headed for a comeback for the ages.
Clinging to a one-point lead and with all of its momentum lost, Ester steadied the ship for TRE by knocking down a pair of free throws with 57.7 left in the game to push the lead to three.
Freehold Township still had plenty of time and momentum; however, the Pats would not get the equalizer as Frank rebounded Elsbree’s errant three. She made both of the ensuing free throws with 15 seconds left to make it 42-37 and salt the game away. Ainley would score on a lay-up at the buzzer for the final 44-37 margin.
Ainley had a game-high 16 points and Frank added 12 points and 12 rebounds for the 14-6 Raiders, who advanced to the SCT quarterfinals where they played No. 2 seed St. John Vianney, Holmdel, on Monday.
Higgins led the 16-6 Patriots who, like TRE, had a first round bye, with 12, and Frost chipped in with 11 for the Pats, who will now look ahead to the state playoffs that begin Monday.
Marlboro’s top-seeded Mustangs were the only local team to advance in the second round of the SCT Friday. As expected, Marlboro cruised by Jackson, 59-34, picking up its 20th win of the season.
Chakhia Cole pumped in 23 points and Brina Pollack added 15 for Marlboro. Christy Kastner put in 11 for the state’s No. 1 ranked team.
Less than 24 hours after beating the Jaguars, the Mustangs were down in Egg Harbor Township to take on New York City powerhouse Christ the King in the Prime Events Shootout on Saturday.
The Crusaders, ranked eighth in the country, downed the 21st-ranked Mustangs, 77-62. Christ the King used its height and depth to derail Marlboro.
Pollack was outstanding with her 23-point effort, but the ’Stangs chances for a win were squashed when Cole fouled out with 4:23 left in the game after scoring 17 points.
Marlboro returned to SCT action on Monday hosting Wall Township (17-4), the eighth seed.
A Marlboro victory will move the Mustangs into today’s semifinals at Lakewood where they could meet up with defending champion Red Bank Catholic (17-5), the fourth seed.
The championship game is Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft section of Middletown.
RBC beat Marlboro in the semifinals last year and the Mustangs will be out for revenge. The Mustangs are going after their first SCT basketball title.
RBC took Colts Neck out of the tournament Friday night, 62-32.
The 13th-seeded Cougars played their way into the second round by beating Shore Regional on Feb. 13.
The Cougars and Blue Devils hooked up in a tale of two halves. The visiting Blue Devils (14-8), the 20th seed, led 27-18 at the half. Colts Neck turned it around in the second half, holding the Blue Devils to just six points and outscoring them 26-6.
Shore was still holding the lead, 30-28, at the start of the fourth quarter. Suzanne Murphy’s three early in the quarter gave Colts Neck its first lead, 31-20. Another Murphy basket made it 33-30 and the Cougars were on a roll.
Kathleen Malara and Murphy teamed up to score all 16 fourth-quarter points for Colts Neck with Murphy netting nine.
Murphy led the way for the Cougars with 12 while Malara had 11 and Meighan Kelly, 10.
The Cougars (15-7), 13th seed, ran into the state’s sixth-ranked team, RBC, on Friday.
Murphy was the lone Cougar in the double-figures, 11, in the loss to the Caseys.
Freehold Township (17th seed) and Manalapan (18th) were the boys’ teams that made the SCT and both went out of Feb. 13 in first-round games.
The Pats (13-9) fell in overtime at Point Pleasant Borough, 74-69. Ryan Brown (20), Manny Ubilla (17) and Andrew Impastato (15) scored in double-figures. The Panthers (14-7) rode Mike Puorro’s 34 points to the win.
Manalapan (11-11) fell at TRE, 74-60, as Dave Kasyan netted a career high 33 points that included seven three-pointers. The Braves were led by Matt Schechter’s 20.