By: centraljersey.com
The Hopewell Valley 6th-grade girls travel basketball team took a 20-14 win over Monroe to raise their record to 3-2.
Kirsten Long and Megan Radice led the way with six points each, while Juliana Melusky 93), Kelley Quinlan, Ava Tartaglia (2) and Gabrielle Kszak (1) also hit the score sheet. Elyse Nardozza, Niamh Harkings and Sydney Malone led the defensive pressure on the fullcourt press.
The U12 Hawks improved to 4-0 by outlasting Robbinsville, 38-30, on Sunday. The two teams were tied at 20 at the end of the third quarter, but the fourth quarter saw the Hawks pull away. Leading the way were Andrew Mormile (9 points, 11 rebounds), Kevin Crow (9 points, 9 rebounds), Joey Kolano (7 points, 2 assists), and Chase Fleming (6 points, 8 rebounds), while Spencer Daniels dished out four assists and had three steals.
The 7th-grade Hurricanes dropped a heartbreaker, 22-20, to Langhorne when the girls from Pa. hit a buzzer beater for the game-winner. Julia Tobia’s 11 points and five steals led HoVal along with Sol Ash Garcia’s five points and six boards.
Missing two players and losing another to injury, the shorthanded Hurricanes dropped another tough game to Robbinsville 21-7. The game was close until Robbinsville pulled away in the fourth quarter. Stephanie Brix had three points and 13 rebounds, while Ash Garcia had three points and five boards, Elsa Mahle had five steals and Tobia collected 10 rebounds and four steals. Cayleigh Keenan contributed a point and Caelin Murphy had a steal.
The U11 boys beat the Franklin Heat, 46-18, as Robbie Wiley had 18 points and eight rebounds. Also contributing were Jack "Crew Cut" Demareski (6 points) Max DeLosSantos (4 points, 2 assists), Domenic Zangrilli (4 points), Andy Blake (4 points), Max Brass (4 points, 3 boards), Cole Hare (2 points, 7 assists, 3 boards), Patrick Higgins (2 points, 2 assists), Alex Mummert (2 points, 2 assists) and Connor Murphy (2 steals, 2 blocked shots).
Hopewell then dropped a 29-28 decision to Langhorne, fast becoming a big rival. Langhorne hit a late e-pointer to win it. Demarski came off the bench for eight points.

