Tag: Bill Rooney

Manville guard Josh D'Ambrosio (3) directs traffic for the Mustangs against Middlesex in the Central Jersey Group 1 quarterfinals.
by Alec Crouthamel

Manville boys rally, stun Middlesex in Central Jersey Group 1 quarterfinals

Midway through the third quarter, Manville was on the ropes.

In the Central Jersey Group 1 quarterfinals, the sixth-seeded Mustangs (19-8) trailed Middlesex 36-22 on the road, with a rising home crowd.

But just as it looked like the playoff matchup was going to slip away from Manville, they struck back.

The Mustangs ended the third quarter on an 11-2 run, and kept their foot on the gas to eventually pull away late and stun the third-seeded Jays (19-9) 47-44. Senior Josh D’Ambrosio finished with a game-high 22 points – 14 in the second half – and knocked down a go-ahead three with under two minutes to play to take the lead for good.

As the final buzzer sounded to end a frenetic final minute, Manville came out of the fray with a victory, before being promptly mobbed by the section’s worth of students who made the trip down Route 28.

Middlesex opened the game rolling on both sides of the floor, complementing an aggressive and opportunistic defense with a balanced scoring attack on offense. Five different Jays scored in the opening quarter.

They took a nine-point lead into halftime, led by 13 points from Jax Robel. He finished with a team-high 19 in the loss, as the Mustangs’ defense held him without a point in the final quarter. As a team, Middlesex knocked down six three-pointers in the opening half, but made none in the second half.

Once the teams exited the locker room after halftime, it was clear Manville had a different intensity than the opening 16 minutes.

The Mustangs attacked the basket and set up threes of their own on offense, and did a much better job matching up on the defensive side, forcing turnovers and bad shots.

The late run to end the third quarter was just as much due to Manville’s defensive intensity as its deliberation and efficiency on offense. In addition to D’Ambrosio taking more scoring initiative, the Mustangs got a major boost from junior forward Jonathan Gosk with seven points in the third quarter alone. He finished as the team’s second-leading scorer with ten points.

Manville trailed by five at the end of the third, and the momentum fully swung the visitors’ way quickly to start the fourth. D’Ambrosio drew a three-shot foul to open the scoring, and freshman guard Levan Chankotadze added a three-pointer of his own to take the lead for the first time in the half.

The two teams went back and forth from there, including a go-ahead three-point play chance from Chris Kozak, but Manville found its footing from the perimeter and knocked down its free throws late to seal the upset victory. D’Ambrosio scored 11 of the Mustangs’ 14 fourth-quarter points.

Manville moves on to the semifinal round for a third straight year, where it will face the winner of the opposite quarterfinal between second-seeded Point Pleasant Beach and tenth-seeded Dayton. The location will depend on the winner of the game. Middlesex’s season comes to a close with a 19-9 record.

Click below for postgame reactions from Manville head coach Bill Rooney and guard Josh D’Ambrosio with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel, presented by the Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Big third quarter run, masterful defense, send Manville past Bound Brook a second time, 58-41

After a game, win or lose, coaches will show their team the game film to look at all the things they can improve upon and the things they need to work on.

So, if at any other point this season, Manville is struggling defensively, head coach Bill Rooney will want to put on the tape of Thursday night’s home game against Bound Brook, starting with about five minutes left in the third quarter.

That’s when the Mustangs faced their biggest deficit of the game against the Crusaders, eight points, after a three-ball by Titus Godwin.

But after that? Manville went on a 21-0 run, fueled by intense defense that forced Bound Brook into missing bad shots, and they were able to convert on the other end to take a 13 point lead that eventually grew as big as 17, and wound up being the final margin, in a 58-41 win heard live Friday night on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

In the end, Manville finished the game on a 37-12 run, from eight down to win by 17.

Remarkable.

In that run, Collin Shimp – even playing with three fouls – had two big threes. Twin brother Brandon hit one at the buzzer at the end of the third – a microcosm of how the quarter went for both teams – and Jimmy Cuadra had a number of steals along with six points in the period.

After five first quarter lead changes, Bound Brook took the lead, and finished the first half with a 23-19 advantage. They extended that to eight points – the biggest lead for either team at that point – with a three by Titus Godwin, who had 12 points in the first half but was held to five in the second.

And all game, Manville did a number on Dorian Roundtree, the Bound Brook senior who came in averaging 20.6 points per game, but was held scoreless in the first 16 minutes and finished with just six points.

Head coach Bill Rooney’s game plan was a bit novel. Most teams would try and slow down Bound Brook, getting them into a half court game since they get up and down the floor well. But Manville hit some shots, got back on defense, pressed, forced turnovers and got out in transition. They didn’t always hit on the other end, but it frustrated the Crusaders to no end.

Cuadra led the Mustangs with 15 points, while Josh D’Ambrosio added a dozen and Collin Shimp finished with 11. Godwin finished with a game-high 17 for Bound Brook.

It was the second straight win over Bound Brook for Manville (7-5, 5-0 Skyland Conference Mountain Division), which – coming into this season – had not beaten the Crusaders in 25 games over a span of ten years from 2005 to 2015, and they didn’t play each other for the next decade.

That changed December 16, when they picked up a 50-43 win at The Brook. Thursday’s win over Bound Brook (8-3, 3-3 Skyland Mountain) swept the season series.

The last time they beat Bound Brook back-to-back games? Well, that might take some digging. Based on easily available online records, it would predate the 2004-05 season, making it at least 22 years ago.

Click below for postgame reaction from Manville senior Collin Shimp and head coach Bill Rooney, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

After first win over rival Bound Brook in 20 years, Manville seeks season sweep at home Friday nite

Hard to believe that two similar-size schools don’t play each other every year in every sport, but that was the case for the past decade, as Manville and Bound Brook hadn’t played each other in basketball for a decade.

Maybe it had something to do with the Crusaders winning all 25 matchups between then from 2005 through 2015, by wide margins in the later years of that stretch.

That all changed on December 16th, when the two teams played in Bound Brook, and the visiting Mustangs came out with a 50-43 win. Prior to that, Manville’s last win in the series had come on January 20th, 2005.

Friday night, the two will meet for a second time in a Skyland Conference Mountain Division game you can hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Tip-off is at 6 pm, pregame starts at 5:45 with Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel on the call. Click here to listen.

Manville will enter the game at 6-5 (4-0, first place in the Mountain Division), having a bit of an up-and-down season not entirely in their control. They’ve had some injuries, and the team even got the flu bug together at one point. Looking healthier now, they come in off a 67-61 win Tuesday over South Hunterdon.

Bound Brook has a better overall record at 8-3, but is 3-2 in the division, in third place, with South Hunterdon ahead of them at 3-1. They’re coming off a 58-46 win at Roselle Park Saturday, but have been otherwise idle this week.

A win for the Mustangs could solidify their chances at the division title, with a rematch in two weeks with South Hunterdon likely deciding it. A Crusader win would make things interesting; on its own, it would drop them into a first-place tie with the Eagles, both a game ahead of Bound Brook in the loss column.

Bound Brook is a much higher-scoring team, averaging nearly 70 points a game, with four players in double-figures, led by senior Dorian Roundtree. He’s averaging 20.6 points per game, and scored 28 in the December loss to Manville. Junior Titus Godwin is scoring at a 17.9 point per game clip, with seniior Jasahn Canary averaging a double-double: 11.3 points and 11.7 rebounds. Sophomore Cameron Newton is averaging 10 flat per game.

Manville, though scoring less, also is balanced. Senior Josh D’Ambrosio is averaging 12.2 points a game to lead the team, also No. 1 in threes (17), assists (43) and steals (22). The next four down all are scoring between 9.3 (sophomore Owen Kenyon) and 6.5 points per game.

The first meeting was a good one defensively for Manville, which held the Crusaders to what remains a season-low, just 43 points. Bound Brook is 0-3 when scoring fewer than 50 points in a game, with losses coming to Princeton and South Hunterdon.

Click below for preview interviews with both head coaches:

Manville head coach Bill Rooney with Mike Pavlichko
Bound Brook head coach Anthony Melesurgo
by Mike Pavlichko

Manville hangs on for 48-46 win over Highland Park in opening round of Mustangs’ Holiday Tournament, will meet North Plainfield Monday

After a big 15-0 run to break a 26-all tie and end the third quarter, Manville had to sweat one out, as the Mustangs hung on to beat Highland Park 48-46 in the opener of their own holiday tournament Friday afternoon.

Manville (3-2) got 12 points apiece from junior Jonathon Gosk and sophomore Owen Kenyon, the second of whom scored six straight points in that third-quarter run, with and and-one followed by a triple.

The teams played a tight first quarter, with the Owls (2-4) taking a 2-0 lead, but ending the first eight minutes down 12-8. The second quarter saw Highland Park close on a 13-4 run to make it a tie game at 22 at the break.

The second half was back-and-forth early, with the teams trading buckets, and they were knotted up at 26.

Owls head coach Colin Copperthwaite called a time out at that point, with 4:55 to go in the third, just to settle things down a little. But over the next three minutes, the Mustangs went on a 12-0 run to take a 38-26 lead, forcing Highland Park to call another time out. Manville finished the half on a 15-0 run to take a 41-26 lead into the final period.

That’s when Evangelinos Kambitsis came alive, hitting a pair of threes early in the fourth. Cooper Ballentine scored a couple, and all of a sudden, the Owls were within nine. After a three by Ballantine, and another by Kambitsis, Manville’s lead was slashed to three. With the ball, and a minute to go, Highland Park again called time out.

They got a good look at a three but missed, and couldn’t convert on two putbacks. A foul put Manville at the line, where Collin Shimp missed a pair with 25.6 seconds left. The Owls got the rebound, but a pass up the floor went out of bounds on the sideline. Manville got fouled again with 13.4 to go, and this time Josh D’Ambrosio split a pair, making the second, putting them up by four.

But Highland Park couldn’t quickly get a good look, and settled for a late bucket to make it 48-46, as the clock ran out with just a few seconds left, and the Owls out of time outs.

The Manville Holiday Basketball Tournament resumes Tuesday for the boys, with the Consolation Game at 3 pm and the Championship at 7.

The Consolation will feature Dunellen (2-3) and Highland Park, while the Mustangs will meet North Plainfield (1-4). The Canucks got their first win of the season Friday, beating the Destroyers 56-32 behind a game-high 17 points from Cayden Prince. It was a solid defensive effort in the game from North Plainfield, which led 32-11 at the break; the Canucks also hit seven times from beyond the arc.

Click below to hear Manville head coach Bill Rooney talk about the Mustangs’ win over Highland Park with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

Manville boys’ just a win away from second straight sectional finals appearance, after 56-37 state tourney win over Dunellen

“The kids wanted a prime time game, and they got it”

The atmosphere was electric in Manville’s gym Saturday night, as head coach Bill Rooney’s Mustangs – the four seed in Central Jersey Group 1 – topped fifth-seed Dunellen in an old-school, small-school battle, 56-37 in the sectional quarterfinals.

The victory puts Manville a win away from its second straight trip to a sectional title game, and just its third overall. Tuesday, they’ll travel to Trenton take on Thrive Charter (22-4) in the semifinals.

Senior Edryn Morales scored 25 points in the win, while junior Josh D’Ambrosio added another 10 points, as Manville led most of the game, including 9-6 after one quarter, and 21-5 at halftime.

Notably, while many talked about the great run Manville had through last year’s state tournament, this year’s team is an even better version. That squad finished 16-13, but this year’s edition has topped that, to the tune of an 19-8 record, and Rooney can see it on the court, too.

Thrive has garnered a lot of attention because they’re the former Trenton Catholic, a non-public school, now playing in the public ranks as a charter school, which is considered a public school because it receives public funding.

And while they’re very good, they’re beatable. Rutgers Prep counts Thrive as one of its victories, and on Saturday, Bound Brook played them close in the other quarterfinal on Manville’s side of the bracket. The Crusaders kept it within a possession for most of the first half until a late Thrive run gave them a 14-point halftime lead. And the Crusaders kept pace the rest of the way.

Now, Manville just has to watch that tape.

Click below to hear Manville head coach Bill Rooney talk about the Mustangs’ win over Dunellen, and Tuesday’s semifinal matchup with Thrive Charter:

by Mike Pavlichko

Morales nets 1k, Manville cruises past South River, 72-39, in Crusader College Showcase

The matchup had a good storyline: Manville, with Edryn Morales ten points away from the 1,000 point club, facing the one of the state’s top scorers in South River’s Alex Grospe.

But Grospe injured his ankle against Spotswood Friday night, and was unable to give it a go Saturday afternoon at the Crusader College Showcase at Bound Brook. He’s day-to-day, and shouldn’t miss much time, but his teammates certainly missed him.

For Manville? Morales got his 1,000th point – on a free throw in the first quarter – and the Mustangs sailed past the Rams, 72-39, to improve to 8-3 on the season.

South River dropped to 6-6 with the loss.

Morales finished with 19 for Manville, while Josh D’Ambrosio led all scorers with 22 – including four triples – before his day was done.

Watch the video of Morales’ 1,000th point below, then scroll down for postgame reaction from Morales and Manville head coach Bill Rooney:

Click below for postgame reaction from Manville’s win over South River with senior Edryn Morales and head coach Bill Rooney: