Middlesex junior Jess Devine drives the basket after a steal at JP Stevens on January 17, 2024. (Source: Hudl)
Outstanding junior Jessica Devine scored 32 points in two regular season losses to JP Stevens this season. And she was determined not to make it three losses Thursday night when her 14th-seeded Blue Jays traveled to North Edison to take on the third-seeded Hawks in the first round of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament.
Mission accomplished.
Devine led all scorers with 27 points in an inspired performance on the road to lift Middlesex (14-11) to a 48-39 win that sends them into Saturday’s quarterfinals against 6th-seed South Brunswick.
Saturday’s quarterfinals will be held at Spotswood High School, and game times will be determined once all Thursday’s games go final to avoid any conflicts with schools that may have girls’ and boys’ teams involved.
What was different this time around from a ten-point loss in the season opener, and a 17-point defeat on January 17th? First-year head coach Stew Lester says the Blue Jays were able to figure out the JP defense.
And of course, the 27 from Devine – as well as another 10 from Jaclyn Deshields – were a big help.
The win was the biggest upset in the girls’ GMCT since 2013, when fourth-seed St. Thomas Aquinas lost in the opening round to 13th-seeded Edison. No top four seed has lost in the round of 16 since.
Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with Middlesex head coach Stew Lester about the win over JP Stevens:
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