NJSIAA Tournament

Central Jersey Group III

(1) Ewing 71, (4) Lakewood 64

The Piners took an 11-point lead into the fourth quarter, but the defending sectional champions and host Blue Devils outscored Lakewood 23-5 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win and advance to the sectional final on Monday against No. 2 Pemberton.

Seniors Amir Tyler and Sean Barksdale scored 17 points each, with Barksdale finishing his career with 999 points. Senior Ryzson Barnes added 16 in the loss and averaged 19.5 per game over Lakewood's three tournament games.

Dean Hale (21 points) and Jon Azorah (19) combined for 40 points to lead Ewing on the comeback trail.

 

Central Jersey Group I

(1) Bound Brook 58, (4) Point Beach 50

Senior Alex Mrusek scored a game-high 21 points, but the Crusaders beat the Garnet Gulls to snap a seven-game losing streak head-to-head against Point Beach. Bound Brook will host No. 3 Florence in the sectional final on Monday.

The loss snaps Point Beach's streak of three straight Central Jersey Group I final appearances, including back-to-back sectional titles in 2013 and 2014.

 

South Jersey Group III

(2) Highland 68, (3) Toms River East 61

Junior Phil Lingat scored 24 points and the Raiders took a lead into the fourth quarter, but the Tartans outscored Toms River East 15-8 down the final stretch of the fourth quarter to complete the comeback and advance to the sectional final Monday against No. 5 Winslow.

Connor Robbins chipped in 11 points for Toms River East, which led 38-28 at halftime. Dante Masino led Highland with 18 points.

 

South Jersey Non-Public A

(2) CBA 49, (7) Donovan Catholic 43

Senior Jack McGuire scored the tie-breaking basket with 34 seconds left off a steal and followed with a dunk with 13 seconds left as the Colts escaped with a win over the upset-minded Griffins.

Donovan Catholic rallied to tie the game at 43 with an 8-0 run during a span of four minutes and had the ball with 1:34 left with a chance to take the lead. The Griffins chewed up nearly a minute before McGuire stole the ball on the right baseline, saved it to senior John Salcedo, and banked in a short jumper after getting it back.

After senior Riley Collins missed a baseline fadeaway on the opposite end, senior Pat Andree fired an outlet pass to McGuire for the two-handed dunk and the knockout punch for CBA. McGuire finished with a game-high 20 points and Andree poured in 17, including a pair of free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.

Collins scored six of the eight points during Donovan's run to tie the game and finished with 10. The Griffins held CBA without a basket for nearly five minutes before McGuire's go-ahead basket in the final minute.

Senior Tyler McShea led Donovan Catholic with 12 points and senior Mike Boice added 11 while holding Andree to 5-for-15 shooting as the primary defender against CBA's all-time leading scorer.

CBA will host No. 3 St. Augustine Monday in the sectional semifinals, a rematch of last year's sectional final game - won by CBA, 83-77. St. Augustine defeated CBA on Feb. 6 of this year, 55-52.

(1) St. Joseph, Metuchen 79, (8) St. John Vianney 46

Ole Miss recruit Breein Tyree poured in 35 points and Syracuse recruit Tyus Battle scored 19 as the Falcons rolled through the Lancers.

Seniors Zach Howarth and Grant Goode each finished their 1,000-plus-point careers at St. John Vianney, with Howarth scoring 12 points and Goode adding nine. Senior Kevin Callari also scored 12 in defeat.

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