Lead evaporates quickly in second half in opener
By: Shawn Tyrrell
BOUND BROOK Round one goes to Bound Brook.
Last Friday night, the Manville High boys’ basketball team began the 2006-07 season with a road game against long time rival Bound Brook. Last season the Crusaders won all three meetings between the two teams and they continued that mastery over the Mustangs cruising to an 81-63 victory in the opening contest for both schools.
It’s too bad for the Mustangs the game couldn’t only be one half because the first half could not have turned out better. Manville shot 60 percent from the floor and ran the offense to near perfection. The Mustangs were able to go into halftime with a 36-35 advantage against a very athletic and talented Bound Brook team.
Whatever formula the Mustangs had used in the first two quarters did not have any effect in the second half when the team was outscored 46-27. The Crusaders took advantage of Manville missed shots, turnovers and lack of execution turning a close game into a rout.
Manville head coach Larry Blasi was happy with the first half results, but knows the team has work to do.
"It was a tale of two teams," Blasi said. "In the first half we forced no shots, executed and played the way we had planned and practiced. We knew they were a very athletic and physical team, but in the first half we played better."
Bound Brook got hot from the outside and took control of the game in the third period.
"In the second half they started burying some threes against us and we got out of our game plan," Blasi said. "Mentally, we defeated ourselves and got a bit tired in the end."
The MHS players hurt themselves most in the third period when the Mustangs were hit with two technical fouls. The officiating was a bit spotty in the contest, but the Manville players needed to keep their emotion in check.
The Crusaders hit all four three throws and added baskets on both possessions following the technical foul shots. That eight-point swing was critical.
Add the Mustangs’ poor shooting in the second half (just 28 percent from the floor) and it is easy to see how Bound Brook was able to turn a close game into an 18-point victory.
The Crusaders got an outstanding scoring effort from senior point guard Julio Rodriguez, who poured in 33 points to go along with three steals. Bound Brook also got a solid night from junior guard Erron Banks, who had 19 points, 11 assists and six steals. The two guards combined for nine 3-pointers and the team put down 11 bombs on the evening.
Manville had balanced scoring in the opener. Senior forward Tommy Rock led the team with 16 points and eight rebounds, while senior guard Mike Knitowski finished with 14 and Anthony Palovick and Kyle Sopko added 10 and nine points, respectively.
Even with the nice balance, it just wasn’t enough. The Crusaders forced the tempo, especially in the second half, and the Mustangs tried to respond but were unable and the fast pace led to many missed shots and turnovers.
"We were still in it going into the fourth quarter," Blasi said. "But we had four or five chip shots that we should have made that we didn’t. We knew we had to contain their two top scorers and we were unable to. We played the perfect first half, but unfortunately a game has two. We have to keep up the intensity and run the offense."
The Mustangs showed some resolve going into a packed house, while playing on the road. The team did score 63 points and did a decent job of rebounding against a very physical and aggressive team. If the team can get the effort to be more balanced over all four quarters, the final results will be wins instead of losses.

