Rutgers Prep boys return every Franklin salvo to clinch third straight SCT finals berth

The Rutgers Prep lead was 12, then ten. Then 12, then ten. Then 12, then ten. Then all of a sudden down to six, before going back to 12 twice more, and before the Argonauts finally pulled away for good.

Fifth-seed Franklin gave top-seeded Prep everything they could handle, and even then some. Junior Cam Brown of Franklin suffered what looked like it could be a devastating ankle injury and came back. Jake Novielli, scoreless since a 13-point first half, banged in back-to-back threes.

But Johnny Nsenkyire’s answer-three held Franklin at bay again, and with a six-point game back up to nine, that was the last rush the Warriors could make.

Rutger Prep (19-7) got 20 points each from Jadin Collins and John Kelly – a pair of juniors – wile seniors Cameron Piggee added 12 and Jordan Atkins scored ten.

Novielli, a junior, finished with 19 to lead Franklin (16-10), while Cam Brown added 18 and Cam Snowden finished with 16.

Now, it’s on to Saturday’s Somerset County Tournament Final at 3 pm at Montgomery High School, where it will be a rematch of last year’s SCT final. Prep will face second-seed Gill St. Bernard’s, which beat 6-seed Ridge 57-50 in overtime Thursday night. You can hear that game on Central Jersey Sports Radio beginning at 12:45 with pregame for the girls’ final at 1:00, which also will feature Prep and Gill.

Click below for postgame reaction sponsored by SportsPlex at Metuchen: