Team drops pair at holiday tourney
By: Shawn Tyrrell
DUNELLEN For the Manville High boys’ basketball team, the start to the 2004-05 season has been an inconsistent and challenging one.
Four games into the campaign and the Mustangs have yet to post a win, with losses to Oratory Prep, New Providence, Dunellen and Bound Brook. The latest 52-47 setback to Bound Brook came in the consolation game of the Mike Shello Christmas Tournament and enabled the Crusaders to snap a 30-game losing streak.
So with one-fifth of the season completed what has been the Manville biggest Achilles heel? Manville third year head coach Larry Blasi quickly pointed to the team’s inconsistent play.
"I was worried about our third quarter play," Blasi said. "In the last few games we haven’t come out an done a good job after halftime. Against Bound Brook, it was evident again as we were not sharp in the third quarter and it cost us."
Indeed, MHS dug itself a bit of a hole. After playing Bound Brook even the first half, (the Mustangs had a 25-24 advantage going into the intermission), the Crusaders took quarter three outscoring Manville 16-7.
It comes down to making your shots and if there is one recurring theme early on, it’s that the MHS offense is streaky. With three minutes to go in the third period, the Mustangs trailed 33-32. On the next five possessions, MHS missed three shots, committed a turnover and was whistled for a 3-second violation.
The Crusaders took advantage as Marek Mareszalek, who finished the afternoon with 13 points, hit a short jumper and then on a nice feed from center Matt Melessurgo, laid it up and in to give Bound Brook a 37-32 advantage. The lead increased by three more when Julio Rodriguez nailed a 3-pointer with under a minute to go in the quarter. Rodriguez led all Crusaders with 17 points.
Despite being down by eight as the fourth quarter ensued, the Mustangs were not quite done yet. In fact the deficit was 12 points with less than four minutes to go in the contest. Yet MHS battled back, behind its defense, some better shooting and the play of senior Brian Hahn and sophomore Kyle Sopko.
Hahn had a great all-around game scoring 18 points, while dishing out seven assists. He helped lead the charge with a nice pass to an open Sopko, who drilled a short jumper.
After a few turnovers and missed shots by each team, Mustang forward Rob Wood drained a three. Wood then got the ball again and drove and laid it in to pull MHS within three at 48-45 with 1:23 to go in the contest. Manville got four good looks for open shots the remainder of the game before Crusader freshman Aaron Banks made good on two foul shots to clinch it for Bound Brook.
MHS had opportunities down the stretch but couldn’t make the shots when needed. Sopko, who finished the afternoon with 14 points, alluded to this very point.
"We stayed in the game and had chances," Sopko said. ‘We didn’t play great defense and missed a lot of shots late. Overall, we didn’t get it done and to get that first win we have to continue to work hard in practice."
Blasi gave credit to his team for coming back.
"The kids didn’t quit, and came back in a pressure situation and I am proud of them for that," Blasi said. "We had good looks at the basket down the stretch, and played hard but the shots were not falling. We are a young team that will have to continue to work hard to improve."