Top Dogs: Matawan Wins Husky Classic Title

By Bobby Klatt - Shore Sports Network contributor

MATAWAN - A game that had everything came down to the little things, as missed opportunities by Tottenville opened the door for Matawan to win the Husky Classic and the Huskies took advantage for a 49-44 victory to capture the championship at their host tournament on Monday.

From the opening tip, Matawan took the fight to the Staten Island-based Pirates.

“New York basketball is different,” said Matawan guard Jason Dunne, who was named the tournament MVP. “We knew they were used to the shot clock, and we just had to stick to our game plan and play in the half court.”

One of Tottenville’s main threats, 6-foot-7 center Nakye Sanders, got into early foul trouble, which helped Matawan match up better with Tottenville’s front line. The game was tight right from the beginning, with the Pirates taking a 16-14 lead on a 24-footer by Devine Hite at the first-quarter buzzer.

The second quarter featured more of Matawan's perimeter attack against Tottenville's slashing to the basket. Hite and Adnan Javid led the Pirates in the first half while Matawan had balanced scoring, with three different players scoring five or more points before the break.

“We've got a good balance on the floor with guys that can attack the basket and some good 3-point shooters, so it’s a good mix,” Matawan coach Tom Stead said.

The first half ended with Dunne hitting a long runner to cut Tottenville's lead to 25-23 at the break.

Dunne started to heat up in the third quarter as the atmosphere ratcheted up with the home crowd getting louder with every rebound and steal. Dunne nailed back-to-back for six of his game-high 22 points, while Chris Tawiah added one of his own to help Matawan take a five-point lead midway through the period. Matawan's pressure defense also helped the Huskies take a 35-32 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Huskies held the lead throughout the first four minutes of the fourth quarter and then looked to bleed the clock with a six-point lead. However, Tottenville's Adnan Javid stepped up in the final two minutes, scoring seven straight points, including two threes, to tie the game at 43 with 49.2 seconds left in the game.

Javid's 3-pointer began a roller-coaster ending, as Dunne hit both ends of a one-and-one with 26.3 seconds left, followed by each team missing the front end of a one-and-one. Hite had a chance to tie it with a pair of free throws with only 8.2 seconds left in the game, but missed the second one. Matawan's Joe Piscopo grabbed the rebound and hit a pair of free throws for a three-point lead.

Tottenville turned the ball over with a chance to tie the game, leading to two more free throws by Piscopo to seal a five-point win.

“It was a complete team effort defensively and rebounding tonight,” Stead said. “We executed the game plan even with it getting physical, but that’s what it’s all about. You've got to be tough, especially on your home floor, and can’t give in.”

The Huskies are now 4-1 heading into their Class B North schedule with momentum.

“Win or lose, it would have helped us later in the season because they are a tough team,” said Dunne on looking forward to the rest of the season. “We need to enjoy this now, and then start looking forward to the next one.”