Montgomery and Rutgers Prep tip-off in the Somerset County Tournament final on February 17, 2024. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Top-seed Montgomery advanced in the Central Jersey Group 4 playoff section on the opening night of the state tournament, along with nine other teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area.
The Cougars rebounded nicely off a tough loss in the Somerset County Tournament final back on Saturday to Rutgers Prep with an 86-40 drubbing of 16th-seed West Windsor-Plainsboro South. “So proud of my guys as they took the adversity that was Saturday and used it as motivation for the state tournament,” said head coach Kris Grundy, whose Cougars got 19 points from Bohdan Bieketov and 18 from Steve Donahue, among four players in double figures with the win.
It sets up a quarterfinal game with 8th-seed East Brunswick in Skillman on Monday. The Bears beat Hightstown 67-63 in the opening round.
Out of six area teams in the section, with one game between two GMC teams, the maximum of five all advanced, with Old Bridge, East Brunswick and Monroe winning, while North Brunswick beat Sayreville. See below for full results, and scroll down matchups in Monday’s sectional quarterfinals.
In Central Jersey Group 2, fifth-seed Spotswood and seventh-seed Bound Brook advanced; both will play on the road in the quarterfinals after winning home games Wednesday night. The Cruaders got a double-double from junior Jackson Morrison – 23 points and 12 rebounds – to become the 15th player in program history to crack the 1,000 point mark; he now has 1,011 career points.
North 2, Group 4 saw only 7-seed Franklin and 2-seed Watchung Hills move on. They”ll play each other
And in North 2, Group 2, the only area team in it – 7th-seed Bernards – got by 10th-seed Hanover Park at home, 74-63, led by senior Connor Laverty’s 22 points.
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
Central Jersey, Group 4:
(1) Montgomery def. (16) West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 86-40
(8) East Brunswick def. (9) Hightstown, 67-63
(5) Old Bridge def. (12) West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 54-52
(4) Marlboro def. (13) Princeton, 49-35
(3) Manalapan def. (14) Middletown South, 83-72
(11) Jackson Memorial def. (6) Howell, 46-44
(7) North Brunswick def. (10) Sayreville, 82-67
(2) Monroe def. (15) Freehold Township, 56-51
Central Jersey Group 2
(1) Manasquan def. (16) South River, 89-35
(8) Bordentown def. (9) Johnson, 61-39
(5) Spotswood def. (12) Willingboro, 73-55
(4) Delaware Valley def. (13) Delran, 68-50
(3) Rumson-Fair Haven def. (14) Metuchen, 74-45
(7) Bound Brook def. (11) Roselle Park, 61-46
(7) Point Pleasant Boro def. (10) Middlesex, 81-35
(2) Holmdel def. (15) Monmouth, 94-75
North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 4:
(1) Phillipsburg def. (16) Bayonne, 64-55
(8) Plainfield def. (9) Woodbridge, 55-40
(12) Linden def. (5) Hillsborough, 57-42
(13) Scotch Plains-Fanwood def. (4) Ridge, 40-33
(3) Elizabeth def. (14) Dickinson, 60-40
(11) Irvington def. (6) Hunterdon Central, 55-51
(7) Franklin def. (10) Westfield, 68-43
(2) Watchung Hills def, (15) Columbia, 61-55
North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 2:
(1) Arts def. (16) Parsippany, 90-36
(8) Lyndhurst def. (9) Caldwell, 63-51
(5) Science Park def. (12) Hackettstown, 56-53
(4) Madison def. (13) McNair, 69-49
(3) New Providence def. (14) Becton, 88-79
(11) Ridgefield Park def. (6) Rutherford, 42-30
(7) Bernards def. (10) Hanover Park, 74-63
(2) Newark Collegiate def. (15) Newark Central, 90-64
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Central Jersey Group 3:
(16) Ocean Twp. at (1) Red Bank Regional
(9) Somerville at (8) Robbinsville, TBA
(12) Carteret at (5) Colts Neck, 5:30 pm
(13) Lawrence at (4) Hopewell Valley
(14) Hamilton West at (3) Burlington Twp.
(11) Middletown North at (6) Ewing
(10) Matawan at (7) Freehold Boro
(15) Brick Memorial at (2) Nottingham
Central Jersey Group 1
(16) Highland Park at (1) Henry Hudson, 6:30 pm
(9) Dunellen at (8) Eagle Academy, TBA
(12) Florence at (5) Manville, 7 pm*
(13) Somerset Tech at (4) Brearley, 6 pm
(14) Academy Charter at (3) College Achieve Asbury Park
(11) Point Pleasant Beach at (6) Perth Amboy Magnet, 4 pm
(10) STEMCivics at (7) South Hunterdon
(15) Keyport at (2) Shore
North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 3:
(16) Ferris at (1) Cranford
(9) Randolph at (8) Chatham
(12) Warren Hills at (5) Payne Tech
(13) Summit at (4) Millburn
(11) Orange at (6) Mendham
(10) West Morris at (7) Cliffside Park
(15) Governor Livingston at (2) South Plainfield, 6 pm
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23
North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 3
(14) Fort Lee at (3) Colonia, 4:30 pm
Non-Public South A
(9) Camden Catholic at (8) Pingry, 8 pm*; winner at (1) Christian Brothers Academy
(12) St. John Vianney at (5) Paul VI
(13) Immaculata at (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen
(11) Notre Dame at (6) Red Bank Catholic; winner at (3) Rutgers Prep (7 pm on Mon, 2/26)
(10) St. Augustine at (7) Donovan Catholic; winner at (2) Union Catholic
Non-Public North B
(9) Eastern Christian at (8) Saddle River Day, winner at (1) Morris Catholic
(11) Pioneer Academy at (6) Timothy Christian, 5 pm; winner at (3) St. Mary-Rutherford
(10) Morristown-Beard at (7) Gill St. Bernard’s, TBA; winner at (2) Montclair-Immaculate
Non-Public South B
(9) Ranney at (8) Wildwood Catholic; winner at (1) St. Rose-Belmar
(12) Doane Academy at (5) Holy Cross Prep
(13) Moorestown Friends at (4) Calvary Christian, 5 pm
(11) Holy Spirit at (6) Trenton Catholic, winner at (3) Bishop Eustace
(10) Princeton Day at (7) St. Joe’s-Hammonton; winner at (2) Gloucester Catholic
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Central Jersey Group 4
(8) East Brunswick at (1) Montgomery
(5) Old Bridge at (4) Marlboro
(11) Jackson Memorial at (3) Manalapan
(7) North Brunswick at (2) Monroe
Central Jersey Group 2
(8) Bordentown at (1) Manasquan
(5) Spotswood at (4) Delaware Valley
(7) Bound Brook at (3) Rumson-Fair Haven
(7) Point Pleasant Boro at (2) Holmdel
North Jersey, Section 2 – Group 4
(8) Plainfield at (1) Phillipsburg
(13) Scotch Plains-Fanwood at (12) Linden
(11) Irvington at (3) Elizabeth
(7) Franklin at (2) Watchung Hills
North Jersey, Section 2- Group 2
(8) Lyndhurst at (1) Arts
(5) Science Park at (4) Madison
(11) Ridgefield Park at (6) Rutherford
(7) Bernards at (2) Newark Collegiate
Non-Public South A
(11) Notre Dame/(6) Red Bank Catholic winner at (3) Rutgers Prep, 7 pm*
Non-Public North B
(5) Roselle Catholic at (4) St. Thomas Aquinas, 7 pm*
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Central Jersey Group 1
(9) Keansburg/(8) South Hunterdon winner at (1) Middlesex, TBA
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