St. Joseph of Metuchen’s Jeremy Clayville looks to make a move on St. Thomas Aquinas in a GMC Red Division Game on January 17, 2023 in Metuchen. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Having not beaten St. Thomas Aquinas since January 5, 2020, it was about time for St. Joseph-Metuchen.
Head Jan Cocozziello called it a “breakthrough.”
Whatever you want to call it, the Falcons went into North Edison for their first meeting of the year against the Trojans and came out with an 80-61 win, one that might have been fairly unthinkable last winter, when Aquinas sent Joe’s packing in the GMC Tournament semifinals with a 91-49 blowout victory.
But Wednesday night was different.
Jeremy Clayville continued his outstanding season, dropping 21 – including five treys – while five Falcons scored in double figures: Ryan Rodrigues had 15, Owen Griffin chipped in 12, Alijah Murphy had 11, and Dave Caruso added ten points in the win for St. Joe’s, which is now 10-3 overall.
They’re also 8-0 in the Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division, clinching the title since the league’s pilot program only counts the first meeting through the schedule toward the division title. Last year was its first year, and it would have to become a rule change approved by the GMC for it to continue on a permanent basis.
That also means Joe’s should get the top seed in the county tournament, which will be seeded Friday, February 2.
St. Thomas (11-4, 5-3) was led by Paris Papadatos, who scored a game-high 27, including five three-pointers.
Click below to hear postgame comments from St. Joe’s head coach Jan Cocozziello:
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