NEW EGYPT—Boys basketball defeated in C.J. I title game

By: Kyle Moylan Sports Editor
   Earlier this season, Kevin Janowski became the first basketball player at New Egypt High School to reach 1,000 career points. What the senior would really like, however, is to join his teammates as the first squad from the school to win a basketball sectional championship.
    The New Egypt High School boys’ basketball team was scheduled to play Asbury Park for the Central Jersey Group I championship this past Tuesday.
    “It’s been a lot of fun,” Janowski noted. “I was telling some of the guys that in practice today (Sunday). All year we worked so hard in practice and during games, and to be in this spot, in the sectional finals, it feels good.”
    The winner of Tuesday’s game advances on for a chance at the overall Group I title. The Central Jersey and South Jersey Group I champs are scheduled to play each other at Robbinsville High School at 4 p.m. today (Thursday). The winner of that game would then play the overall North Group I champ for the state title.
    New Egypt has the third seed in C.J. Group I, with Asbury Park coming in as the top seed.
    New Egypt got a bye in the first round. It then defeated Keyport, 54-44, on Thursday.
    “I was excited when I heard that we might get the chance to face Keyport again,” Janowski said. “ We had already lost to Keyport earlier in the season and we wanted to get revenge. There’s no better place to get revenge than in the state playoffs.”
    The game was tied at 11-11 after the first quarter, but New Egypt grabbed a 28-21 lead at the half. Keport cut the deficit to just 41-38 after three quarters, but New Egypt finished strong.
    Janowski led New Egypt with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Mark Pryzbylkowski also scored 18 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
    “The atmosphere of that game was incredible and we pulled out the victory,” Janowski noted. “I had never played a basketball game in that kind of environment. It was loud and the fans were going crazy the whole game.”
    New Egypt didn’t have the home crowd on its side on Saturday, but the result was the same. The 54-44 score was also a winner for New Egypt against Point Pleasant Beach, a number two seed.
    New Egypt pulled out the win over Point Pleasant with a great finish. New Egypt trailed 13-10 after the first quarter and 25-18 at the half. New Egypt then took the lead with a 17-5 run in the third quarter. New Egypt then held on to its advantage by making its foul shots. New Egypt made 22 foul shots in the game and 17 of 19 in the fourth quarter.
    Janowski recorded 18 points and 13 rebounds for New Egypt in the win. Desmond Hubert added 14 points. Pryzbylkowski made a pair of three-pointers and finished with 12 points.
    “I don’t think that my senior year could close out much better than this,” Janowski said. “It has taken a lot of time and dedication personally and as a team, but it is all well worth it.
    “Keyport and Point Beach are both good teams, but we knew that if we played well then we would be successful.”
    NOTES: New Egypt was defeated by Asbury Park, 51-34, on Tuesday.
    Hubert scored 11 points and Janowski added six points for New Egypt in the loss.
    This game was played fairly evenly in the first, third and fourth quarter. Asbury Park dominated the second quarter 19-7 to take over the game.