Kretkowski’s career game, 32 points, too much for Piscataway, as top-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen wins record 13th GMC Tournament title

Second-seed Piscataway knew it had a distinct size disadvantage heading into Friday night’s GMC Tournament title tilt against top-seed St. Joseph of Metuchen. They two had played twice already, with the Falcons winning both.

But in the 40th GMC championship game, they not only had too much height, but hit too many shots, forced too many turnovers, and scored too many points to lose.

The final: 91-61 for the Falcons, who won their record 13th GMC Tournament title – while Mark Taylor, a 1983 alum, won his third GMC crown, all with the Falcons, to go along with two from his first stint, in 1998 and 1999 – in a game heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Andrew Kretkowski – a Rutgers Prep transfer who came in with two other highly-touted players, including Aidan Carter of St. Thomas Aquinas and Imaad Johnson of Union – had a game-high and career-best 32 points including one triple.

Carter finished with 18, while Alijah Murphy and Chase Pettiford added 11 for St. Joe’s (26-1).

Landon Pernell finished with a team-best 22 for Piscataway (20-7), while Isaiah Fowler added 15.

The first quarter was tight, with five lead changes and three ties. The last tie was at 13, and St. Joe’s went ahead, taking a 17-13 lead after one.

Fine enough, but they extended the lead to ten at the half, and 18 after three quarters. All with great, silky smooth shooting by Carter and Kretkowski.

And consider this: a 6’8″ Kretkowski and 6’7″ Carter, who scored 50 points between them, only got to the foul line once. They were able to step back, avoid contact, and drain swishes all night inside the arc.

Things got heated late in the game with Piscataway head coach Bob Turco pointing at the St. Joe’s bench area following a time-out. After the game, Turco told Central Jersey Sports Radio it was, in part, because the Falcons still had their starters in the game – particularly Carter – up big with just under two minutes left. And it continued after the game with Turco clearly heated, storming off the court.

Meanwhile, Taylor and his team walked off the floor and into the locker room after the trophy presentation, and at least initially, declined to answer any questions from reporters.

Click below for postgame reaction from St Joseph junior Andrew Kretwkowski, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen: