The stands are filled in South River’s tiny gym during the JV game before the main event, the huge rivalry between Spotswood and the Rams on January 20, 2023. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
They met back on January seventh in Bound Brook with both teams undefeated. South River came away with a tight, 66-61 win over the home team Crusaders.
But now, with a trip to the Central Jersey Group 1 title game on the line, they will meet again – this time at top-seed South River, 1:00 Saturday afternoon.
And there won’t be a seat to be had.
READ MORE: No. 10 South River frustrates No. 6 Bound Brook in unbeaten clash at GMC-Skyland Challenge
The South River band box fits 500. Fourth-seed Bound Brook has been allotted 180 tickets. Both schools will be selling them after school Friday, and Rams’ Athletic Director Carl Buffalino says if they sell out, the doors will be closed. That’s it. No one else gets in.
My money is on a sell-out, and it’s going to be one helluvan atmosphere.
South River tickets are on sale from 2:15 to 4 pm in the high school’s main office. Even at tiny South River, a small Group 2 school, those 300-plus tickets will go fast.
Bound Brook is selling tickets at the attendance office at the high school from 2:30 to 4:30, with permission slips for student buses making the trek down River Road and Route 18. They’ll be lucky to have any tickets left by 3:00.
The Rams (25-3) have been the darling of the GMC all year, since they knocked off St. Joseph-Metuchen the day after Christmas. m They earned the three-seed in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament, but lost 53-41 in the semifinals to South Brunswick, the seven-seed. (The Vikings also are in a sectional semifinal – Central Group 4 – Saturday afternoon.)
They have a senior-laden team that has grown up together, including standouts Laz Rodriguez, Roman Santos, Gavin Franco and Jeremy Grospe, whose sophomore brother Alex runs the point and is a sharpshooter like his sibling.
Bound Brook (22-4) is coming off a revenge win over Rumson-Fair Haven at their place Thursday night, against the team that blew them out down the Shore last year in the Central Jersey Group 2 title game. The Crusaders don’t go deep into their bench, but Jordan Summers has been a four-year monster for The Brook, with senior Jordan Robinson and sophomore Jackson Morrison right behind him in scoring.
The Crusaders may be a bit more physical, but both can unleash the three-ball. To wit, Bound Brook has nailed 177 from beyond the arc this season. South River has hit 166 treys.
It’s gonna be a helluva game.
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It’s a shame that a big game like that has to be played in a small gym- the players will not be able to showcase their talents in front of a larger crowd- probably should be played at a neutral court- but South River earned the home court advantage by having the higher seed.