2/20/2013 - PJ-Sparta III
The first one was a thriller. The second one was a blowout. So what should we expect Friday night in the third installment of the Sparta-Pope John trilogy?
Pain.
Sorry, I was channeling my inner Mr. T who made that prediction in Rocky III. But if there is a Rocky Balboa in this matchup it is the Spartans from Sparta.
The Spartans (21-3) lost the first two NJAC American Division clashes to their crosstown rivals, 48-43, and, 95-58, with the latter being a huge statement game for Pope John (17-7) which recently re-entered The Star Ledger’s Top 20.
The two clubs will be playing for much higher stakes this time as the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex championship will be on the line at what should be a packed Hopatcong High School with a scheduled tip-off of 7:30 p.m.
The first game of the championship double-dip will feature High Point (20-4) and Phillipsburg (22-2) in the H/W/S girls final at 5 p.m. as High Point looks to capture its second title in three years against a very talented and dynamic Stateliners squad.
When the brackets came out for the boys tourney everyone who follows hoops in the area had the same reaction---“I hope Sparta and Pope John meet in the final.”
That wish was granted last weekend when both teams pulled out tough wins ensuring an all-Sussex final for the first time in the tourney’s four-year history.
Sparta, the No. 2 seed from Sussex, went on the road and bumped off top-seeded North Hunterdon from H/W with a gutsy 69-62 win.
Jake Melville poured in 21 points and Kevin Foulds came up huge down low with 15 points as Sparta lost 6-7 starting center Mitch Cohen to a knee injury during the game. The Spartans displayed tremendous heart and championship-caliber composure to pull off the victory.
Cohen’s status is still unknown, but my guess barring chopping his leg off, the big guy is going to make every effort to get on the floor to face the Lions.
Pope John, the top seed from Sussex and newly-minted American Division champion, knocked off a very scrappy Hunterdon Central team, the No. 2 squad from H/W, 43-36 to advance and get the chance to defend its tourney crown.
The sloppy game showed that PJ can beat you in so many different ways. The Lions can run and they can play half court. Whatever style is needed the Lions find a way to beat you.
The Lions did not come out unscathed, however, as Cincinnati-bound senior Jermaine Lawrence re-injured his wrist and is lost for the season, according to second-year PJ coach Jason Hasson.
Lawrence has certainly been an enigma since transferring from Queens a year ago. In last year’s final against Hunterdon Central he was amazing with an astounding 25-point, 15-rebound, and 15-block effort in the 89-77 victory.
But injures have slowed him down and we have never really had the chance to see his full game on a consistent basis, which is a shame. Plus he is not allowed to talk to the media as per his family, so I can’t even tell you what type of kids he is.
I wish him the best of luck and I look forward to watching him play on ESPN in the coming years.
In first Sparta-PJ meeting, the Lions were without Lawrence but 6-8 sophomore Moustapha Diagne was tremendous as Ryan Izzo’s putback of a missed free throw late in the game proved to be the difference.
The second clash was no contest as the Lions played perhaps their best game of the year and it was all freshman guard Bryce Aiken in that one as he lit up Sparta with 28 points.
Aiken is the difference-maker for the Lions. He can do it all and despite his bright Isaiah Thomas-like smile, Aiken like Thomas, has an unmatched competitive streak in him and will do anything to win.
But the Lions will need Diagne, who banged his knee on Saturday, Izzo, who has been a marvel this season, the extremely talented Noah Brown and sharp shooting Matt Zignorski to come up big.
With Lawrence out, Pat Mekongo will probably see more time. Lawrence wasn’t really a factor in the big victory when he fouled out, but just his mere presence makes other coaches game-plan for him.
Like the Lions, Sparta will go as far as its talented guard Zack Frick takes them. Frick, who recently surpassed 1,000 points, has been a dynamic force for the Spartans the last three years and would love to exact some revenge and gain the school’s its first H/W/S crown.
It will be tough without a healthy Cohen, but as everyone knows, basketball is a guard’s game and Sparta has a super backcourt in Frick and Melville.
Foulds, Matt Chemis, Austin Unglaub and Ryan Altieri will have to step it up to help Frick and Melville if Sparta is to win.
Back in the old days of the Sussex County Interscholastic League, Sparta was always the team to beat in the Festival with nine titles. It will need a supreme effort in order to gain its 10th title.
I’m going with the Lions in a game that will be closer to the first one than the second one
Hopatcong will be rocking on Friday and the spacious gym should be packed and I can’t wait.
NJAC TITLES… Congrats to Pope John as the Lions wrapped up their second American Division title after holding off Morris Knolls without Lawrence and Diagne, 69-56.
PJ shared the title with Mt. Olive and Sparta last year. The Lions are 13-0 and will play second-place Mt. Olive (10-2) in their final regular-season game at Mt. Olive Thursday night.
The game means more for Mt. Olive as it will provide a great tune-up for states. Plus the Marauders gave PJ all it wanted in the first meeting falling 72-68.
And hats off to Joe DiGennaro and the Jefferson Falcons for winning the Freedom Division outright in its win over Wallkill Valley Tuesday night.
Under DiGennaro the Falcons have won 6 titles in the last 11 years going back to the SCIL. The Falcons do it with depth and discipline as they go nine deep and don’t miss a beat.
Jefferson, which played in the American the last two years, shared the Freedom title with Hopatcong three years ago.
That's it for now, see you on the sidelines.
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