Boys Basketball – Jackson Memorial Stuns Howell in CJ 4 First Round On Adams Buzzer-Beater

FARMINGDALE -- Close games have not been all that kind to the Jackson Memorial boys basketball team this season.

Those close losses helped contribute to a five-game losing streak that prevented the Jaguars from qualifying for the Shore Conference Tournament and they were later eliminated from the Shore Conference Tournament Coaches Cup after giving up a five-point lead in the final 10 seconds of regulation in the semifinal round.

With under a minute to go in Wednesday's NJSIAA Tournament first-round road game at Howell -- the No. 6 seed in the Central Jersey Group IV section -- the 11th-seeded Jaguars found themselves within striking distance of an upset, but that would mean coming through in a late-game possession.

Apparently, Jackson Memorial has learned from its misfortune.

Junior Brady Adams connected on a game-winning three-pointer with two seconds left and Jackson Memorial stunned Howell, 46-44, to advance to the Central Group IV quarterfinals.

"We lost three thousand-point scorers from last year, it's a totally different team, so we just had to learn how to win," Jackson Memorial coach Randy Holmes said. "This season, there have been some highs and some lows. We got off to a good start, then the wheels fell off because we started feeling ourselves a little too much, thinking we were better than we actually we. It was a humbling experience and eventually we realized we control our own destiny."

Jackson Memorial tied the game, 43-43, on a drive to the basket by senior Devin Jones with 28 seconds left, which came after the Jaguars forced a turnover by Howell on a five-second inbound call to get the ball back while still trailing by two.

"Coach (Holmes) did a good job reeling us in in the timeout, telling us what to do," Adams said. "In practice all week long, we have been disciplined, working hard, staying focused and doing the right things to get us ready for moments like this."

Howell regained the lead when senior D.J. Orloff hit the second of two free throws with 14.6 seconds left, putting the Rebels ahead, 44-43. That free-throw capped 12-for-14 shooting night from the foul line for Orloff, who Jackson Memorial was intent to stop by not allowing him to get off an easy shot.

On the game's final possession, Jones drove the lane, found sophomore Randy Holmes Jr., who made the extra pass to Adams. The junior lined up the open shot from just to the left of the top-of-the-key and drilled it as the clock rolled through the final seconds and, ultimately, expired.

"My teammates did a great job getting the ball, cutting to the right spot, driving through (the defense)," Adams said. "I got the shot, but they made the play by driving and dishing out. I just hit the shot with the good extra pass from Randy."

"Brady Adams: man, it couldn't happen to a better kid," Holmes said. "He comes to practice every day locked in. He gives 110 percent. He has had games where he wasn't scoring, but he was helping in other ways. He's stayed patient, stayed after it, worked on his shots and it paid off for him."

The conclusion of Wednesday night's Jackson Memorial win was a 180-degree turn from a loss the Jaguars suffered to Middletown South in the Shore Coaches Cup semifinals, in which Middletown South scored five points in the last eight seconds -- including a game-tying three with two seconds left -- to send the game into overtime, where the Eagles would win it on Jackson Memorial's home floor.

"We have been in a lot of games and just lost them at the end due to a lack of experience," Holmes said. "Even though they count as losses, we grew from them. We played with some of the best. We knew if we just stayed the course, keep chopping wood, keeping plugging away and keep working hard, something good would happen."

This time, the Jaguars were in a hostile gym, trying to erase a deficit in the final minute, albeit a deficit that had not been more than one score since it was 32-28 just past the midway point of the third quarter.

Jackson Memorial jumped out to a 13-10 first-quarter lead, withstood a run by Howell that put the Rebels ahead, 24-18, just before halftime, then surged ahead, 38-34, early in the fourth quarter. A three-point play by Adams -- who scored all of his game-high 17 points in the second half -- gave Jackson Memorial a 36-34 lead, which was the Jaguars' first since the second quarter.

Adams then flipped a pass to senior Matt Pitera for a layup and a 38-34 lead.

Howell battled back with a pair of free throws by Orloff, followed by a runner by sophomore Cayden Parker to tie the game at 38. Adams had a respond, hitting one of two free throws to regain the lead, then connecting on a drive to the basket to extend Jackson Memorial's lead to 41-38.

The Rebels came right back with the tying score as Orloff kicked out to junior Zach Padilla for a three-pointer that knotted the game, 41-41. Howell then regained the lead, 43-41, on a drive by senior Chris Meehan with 2:50 left.

Jones missed a pair of free throws that could have tied the game, but made up for it with the tying basket and by facilitating the winning shot by Adams. The senior guard finished with 12 points in the win.

Jones transferred from Long Branch High School after his sophomore season and has elevated to a top scoring option after the Jaguars gradated three 1,000-point scorers in Samir Padilla, Respect Tyleek and Keith Adame.

"The second half of the season, he has been buying in," Holmes said of Jones. "He has been patient. We're teaching him what to look for in the offense and he has been doing a good job. He has a great attitude, he has been working hard and he is like a quiet assassin out there."

Howell failed to score 50 points in a game just five times this season before Wednesday night and it is the second time this year the Jaguars have held the Rebels to under 50. When the two teams met in December, Jackson Memorial held Howell to a season-low 28 points.

While Orloff led Howell, he was the only Rebels player to score in double-figures and he got there by converting just two field goals, with Jackson Memorial making him earn his points at the free-throw line.

Regardless of Wednesday's outcome, the winner was guaranteed to be facing a team for the second time this season in the quarterfinal round. With its win, Jackson Memorial will now travel to Manalapan to face the No. 3 seed Braves, who beat the Jaguars, 62-54, in Manalapan earlier this season.

Jackson Memorial could not reach the .500 mark by the Shore Conference Tournament cutoff date, but the Jaguars are back to .500 and can finish no worse than .500 for the season with a win at Manalapan on Monday.

"We're not going to take anything for granted," Holmes said. "Our seniors are locked in, they know it can end any day. It's either win and move on or lose and go home, so that's the mindset."