Colonia and South Plainfield play in the GMC Tournament semifinals at Monroe High School on February 14, 2024. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Whether the Colonia boys’ basketball team gets another crack at St. Thomas Aquinas – the team that beat them in the GMC Tournament finals two seasons ago, last time they were there – or faces top-seed St. Joseph doesn’t matter to them.
They’re back in the finals for the first time since 2022, and that’s all that counts.
Speaking of counting, you could be forgiven if you had a hard time keeping track of how many points sophomore Aidden Derkack had for the Patriots. He finished with 27, almost equally distributed among all four quarters, as 2-seed Colonia used a huge third quarter to extend a six-point halftime lead, beating 6-seed South Plainfield 70-37 Wednesday night in a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.
Jaeden Jones had 13 for Colonia (17-8), even though he didn’t score until the third quarter. Thanks to Derkack, he didn’t have to.
South Plainfield (18-7) was led by Dante Dupiche, who had 13, including three triples.
Click below for postgame reaction with Colonia’s Aiden Derkack and head coach Jose Rodriguez:
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