Derkack joins 1,000-point club, scores 32 to power No. 1 Colonia past Piscataway

Coming into this season, Colonia was well aware it would have a target on its back.

Three-time North 2, Group 3 champions, last year’s GMC Tournament champions, and a star in junior Aiden Derkack.

So, naturally, Piscataway jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead over the Patriots, and while No. 1 Colonia eventually took the lead – and never gave it away again – it was still a ten-point game at halftime, and well within reach.

Derkack had 22 of his team’s 36 halftime points, but after the break, his surrounding cast upped its play, and Colonia won going away, 80-61, as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio, to improve to 2-0.

It was the season opener for Piscataway and new coach Bob Turco, who came over from St. Thomas Aquinas in the spring; the Chiefs fell to 0-1.

Derkack finished with 32, and during a timeout in the third quarter, a short while after he passed 1,000 on a two-pointer (he needed 28 to get there, and the basket gave him 29), he was recognized over the PA, drawing a hand not only from the large Colonia contingent on hand, but also the Piscataway side.

Watch as Piscataway recognizes Colonia’s Aiden Derkack on scoring his 1,000th career point.

And there were some big names on the Colonia side, too, including Rutgers’ Jordan Derkack, Aiden’s older brother, who transferred from Merrimack to join the Scarlet Knights. Madison Chiera – Colonia’s all-time leading scorer for a brief while, until she was passed be her friend and former teammate Taylor Derkack the next season- was on hand, as was former Rutgers star and fan favorite, Geo Baker, with whom Aiden has been training. (Taylor, Aiden’s sister, is still up at UMass, though she’s out for the season with an ACL tear.)

Jayce Rodriguez – coach Jose Rodriguez’s son, a freshman – finished with 13, including a trio of treys, while Dylan Chiera scored 11, also including three triples.