Zangara pumps in career-high 29 in loss
by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
Sparks will fly when Manville and Bound Brook meet in any athletic contest, even basketball where the local rivalry isn’t as celebrated as in other sports like wrestling and football.
Anyone who doubts that this rivalry extends to the hardwood should have been on hand at last Friday night’s game between the Manville High and Bound Brook boys in Manville. Although not filled to capacity, the MHS gym had more than enough partisan fans from both sides to make things interesting.
The back-and-forth chanting, which got heated after Bound Brook was called for a double technical foul midway through the third quarter with the Mustangs rallying, put the crowd control personnel into action. Some fans were ejected and many others warned while the home team continued to make up ground on the scoreboard.
Trailing by as many as 22 points, the Mustangs got as close as six points before the Crusaders regained their composure to ice the game at the free throw line en route to a 78-61 triumph. Bound Brook coasted to its first victory over MHS back in January but had to work much harder to complete the season sweep of the Mustangs, who staged a big rally for the third straight game.
”We just couldn’t sustain it,” MHS head coach Marty Geiger said afterward. “We dug ourselves too much of a hole. The kids played hard and they started to handle the press and cut into the lead. It became an even game, but we missed too many foul shots.”
The MHS boys could have crept even closer with better shooting from the free throw line. They made only 13-of-25 foul shots in the second half. Thanks to all the personal and technical fouls, the Crusaders were over the double bonus limit before the end of the third period. Manville players went to the line for two shots every time they were fouled in the fourth quarter, which gave the team opportunities to cut further into the deficit with the clock stopped. The Mustangs didn’t take full advantage of this benefit.
Bound Brook appeared to be rolling to an easy win after a 9-0 run early in the third quarter produced a 44-22 lead. The Mustangs were having trouble against Bound Brook’s press and couldn’t contain Denzel Sanders under the basket.
MHS senior Matt Zangara injected some life and much-needed points into the team by draining two quick 3-pointers, one from the top of the key and the next from the right wing, to start the rally. Manville was gaining momentum and the crowd came alive.
”I thought we had a pretty nice crowd especially for not having school today,” Zangara said. “The records are thrown out the window when we play Bound Brook. We always play with intensity against this team.”
Sanders became too aggressive on the next possession and was called for a personal and technical foul, which disqualified him from the game. Bound Brook head coach Anthony Melesurgo received a technical for arguing the call, giving the Mustangs six free throws and possession of the ball.
Zangara stepped to the line and hit 5-of-6 to complete a personal 11-0 run within a span of just 1:14. Now down 44-33, the Mustangs were back in the game.
”If I were healthy, it never would have happened,” joked Zangara, who was still sick after missing two days of school earlier in the week with 102-degree fever. “I just felt like I was open and they kept passing it to me. I had to become a leader, step up and take the shots.”
Manville junior Doug Bradley scored in transition to cut the deficit to 10 before Bound Brook’s Patrick Sipple fouled out on a personal/technical foul combination. Zangara made 1-of-2 this time and added a bomb from the right corner and fast break layup to pull the Mustangs within six at 52-46 after three quarters.
The Mustangs kept charging early in the fourth. They could have tied the game in the first minute of the final quarter but threes by Eric Hall and Mike Hopkins rattled around the rim and out.
”If we hit some of those shots, it’s another ball game,” Geiger said. “We were right there.”
Dan Pierrot helped keep the Mustangs close with eight of his 12 points in the final quarter. Bradley also finished in double figures with 11 points.
Although missing two starters who had fouled out, the Crusaders still had their best players on the court. Jordan Hawkins and Alex Rosario stepped up and rescued the Crusaders down the stretch. Hawkins finished with six threes and a game-high 34 points, while Rosario scored eight of his 18 in the fourth quarter.
Hawkins, who hit three bombs and 13 points in the first quarter, nailed one after the Mustangs missed 5-of-6 free throws that prevented them from possibly getting as close as five points. Rosario started Bound Brook’s clinching surge with two great drives to the basket and a free throw. Rosario and Hawkins also converted offensive rebounds into points down the stretch.
”Bound Brook is tough,” Geiger said. “To their credit, they took the ball to the hole. They have very good athletes. We had some mismatches and we didn’t understand our responsibilities in the zone. Against a kid like Hawkins, you don’t have time to recover. He got free and hurt us.”
Zangara finished with a career-high 29 points, including 21 in a remarkable stretch of 4:23 in the third quarter. Far from 100 percent, he played sparingly but still made a huge impact on this game, his last one in the MHS gymnasium.
”It’s my senior year, last home game ever and biggest rivalry in my high school career,” Zangara said. “I had to play tonight. Nothing was stopping me.”
That spirit was evident on both benches and throughout the raucous crowd. Chalk it up to another memorable Manville-Bound Brook clash.
”The kids all get up for it,” Geiger said. “You don’t have to tell them anything about this game. They’re ready.”