East Brusnwick – Central Jersey Sports Radio

The East Brunswick girls’ basketball team last won the GMC Tournament title in 2016.

Ten years later, that team could have another reason to celebrate.

That’s because the 2026-26 Lady Bears – the tournament’s second-seed are going back to the finals for the first time since, after a 52-38 win over third-seed Piscataway in the semifinals at Monroe Twp. High School Tuesday night, heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

The Chiefs got the first basket of the game, but 2-0 was the only time they would lead. East Brunswick (21-4) went on a quick 9-0 run to take a seven-point lead, and though it would get closer at various points in the first half – even just 22-18 at halftime – the lead grew and shrunk, in double-digits most of the second half, but never changed hands again.

Thanks to Piscataway Township and Mayor Brian Wahler for sponsoring tonight’s game!

The Chiefs have been a team with great three-point range all year, but the shots just weren’t going in. Otherwise, it might have been a different game. Every time Piscataway would come up with a stop, or a mini-run, East Brunswick was there to counter back.

And while Piscataway – now 15-8 – has had a fine season with a starting five made up entirely of sophomores, it was another soph who was the difference for East Brunswick, as she has been the entire season.

Ava Catanho finished with a team-high 13 points for the Bears (20-4) and had one triple. Sophia Tannura had tow and finished with six points, but each seemed to come at big moments with Piscataway trying to get back in the game. Sophomore Violet Azcona of Piscataway was the game’s high scorer with 14 points.

Coming into the game, Piscataway was 17-0 when holding opponents to 54 points or less. Tuesday night was the exception, as the Bears won it with just 52 points.

Now, East Brunswick is going back to the title game in the GMC Tournament, where they’ll be back at Monroe Friday night at 6 pm against six-time defending champion and top-seed St. Thomas Aquinas, which was a 76-56 winner over fourth-seed Colonia in the nightcap semifinal.

The Bears will be looking for their sixth GMC Tournament championship, and seventh county title overall.

Click below for postgame reaction with East Brunswick sophomore Ava Catanho and head coach Travis Retzlaff with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

It was thirteen years ago, the last time East Brunswick got off to a start like this.

That one got off with a bang, as the Bears won their opener at rival St. Joseph-Metuchen, beating a Falcon squad with a young, spindly freshman named Karl Towns. (There was no “Anthony” yet, at least not publicly.)

That team won its first 15 games of the season, beat St. Joe’s again, lost to them in their third meeting – an epic double-overtime donnybrook in the GMC Tournament final at Rutgers – then went on to win the Central Jersey Group 4 championship, falling to Atlantic City in the state semis.

Current East Brunswick coach Mark Motusesky was an assistant on that team under legend Bo Henning, and he’d sign up for all of that today if he could.

He might not have to, though.

The Bears are off to a wonderful start, 5-0 for the first time since that magical season of 2012-13. And they’re doing it with a senior laden group that took some lumps early last year, then picked up some steam as the season went on. It’s been a steady progression from last March to this December, and they’ll head into the Christmas break perfect.

Matt Mikulka – East Brunswick’s all-time leading scorer with 1,469 points after Tuesday’s 75-70 home win over Franklin – is pacing the Bears with 23.2 points a game, while the Bears are getting serious contributions from several others. Fellow senior Cam Vick is averaging 16.8 per contest, and by the way, he hit a nearly full-court heave at the end of the first half Tuesday night in a play that should end up on SportsCenter. (Watch it below.)

View this post on Instagram

But really, it’s the defense that has impressed Motusesky, and this team’s ability to find ways to win.

The schedule hasn’t been easy. After opening with a win at the Outerbridge Crossing Challenge over New Dorp (NY) and another over Monroe the following Tuesday, they had three big challenges: Sayreville, South Plainfield and Franklin – all at home.

They won the first two by five each – Sayreville was a GMCT semifinalist a year ago – and beat Franklin by four Tuesday behind 2 from Vick – including 7-of-10 at the line – 18 from Andrew Caruso, and 17 from Mikulka.

All in a day’s work.

Motusesky and the Bears hope there are many more like it to come.

Click below to hear East Brunswick boys’ basketball coach Mark Motusesky talk about the Bears’ red-hot start to the season with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

East Brunswick will be back in action over the break in the Buc Classic at Red Bank Regional, opening up against Shore Conference opponent Ranney on Saturday at 2 pm. They’ll face the winner of Howell and Old Bridge on Monday afternoon.