Hamilton West eliminates another MTHS state team
By: David Gurney
HAMILTON Pesky might be an understatement.
The Hamilton High School West athletic teams have been a thorn in the collective side of Monroe Township High School. For the second consecutive year, the Monroe boy’s basketball team fell victim to the Hornets, this time losing 58-49 on the road Tuesday night in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III play-in game.
Sandwiched in between those losses, were Falcon setbacks to the Hornets in both the baseball and football state tournaments.
The loss ended the Falcons’ postseason and left the team with a final mark of 13-14, and left head coach Bob Turco with mixed thoughts after the game.
"When you’re sitting at 8-2 and lose somebody (Shamil Graham) that’s one of the most athletic guys on your team, just to be where we are and make the states is a tribute to these kids," Turco said. "We’ve been outmanned almost every night and have guys out of position, I’m nothing but proud of these kids. But you’d like to keep playing."
The team certainly showed it wanted to keep playing. After trailing by 10 late in the third quarter, Monroe pulled to within two, 46-44, early in the fourth quarter on a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Steve Blish (11 points, three rebounds).
But where free throws aided the Hamilton effort, they plagued the Monroe comeback effort.
Hamilton went 10-for-11 at the line the next four minutes, while Monroe missed all four of its free throw attempts, including two misses on the front ends of one-and-ones.
The result was a 12-2 run by Hamilton which increased the lead to a game-high 12 and effectively served as the knockout punch to Monroe.
"We picked it up at the fourth and they (Hamilton) were just too much at the end," said senior guard Vinny Mahmoud, who registered eight points and two assists in his final game. "The game was even for the most part, but they hit their free throws."
Monroe had three players in double-figures, led by junior forward Justin Mitchell and Blish with 11 points apiece. Senior guard Mark Gulick added nine points, two rebounds and two assists.
Mitchell did his best keeping the Falcons in the game early, scoring one-third of Monroe’s 27 first half points and helping pull Monroe even at halftime.
But it was his assertiveness in the first half that really impressed Turco.
"He’s (Mitchell) not playing his natural position, so hopefully next year these big kids go through and I can put him at his natural position at the three," Turco said. "In all honesty, there aren’t many people who can cover him. It’s just him believing in himself. Knowing the competition we play, night in, night out, he can dominate a game.
"Hopefully he grows another inch or two, gets a bit stronger for next year, because I look for great things from him."
Hamilton coach Chris Raba made a defensive adjustment in the third quarter, putting a more athletic defender on Mitchell. The move worked, s the Falcons struggled against the Hamilton defense as it extended its pressure both in the half and full court.
As a result, Mitchell was held scoreless in the third and Monroe was outscored 15-5 to trail 42-32 with 1:20 to go in the third quarter.
But the Falcons fought back with their run to get it to two with 5:17 left in the fourth and four at the 3:11 mark.
"We really wanted this, but when it gets physical and we don’t get help outside, the pushing and shoving gets taken away from us and it gets magnified," Turco said. "But I can’t ask for anything more than they gave me tonight."

