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Freehold Boro captures first sectional crown
Camerin Spahn refused to be the guest of honor at a pity party for the shots that wouldn’t drop. She’s too strong-minded to even entertain such a thought.
Instead, the Freehold Boro senior had a different type of celebration in mind, one that extolled the virtues of being a team player. She handed out assists as if they were invitations, and, in truth, they were, the kind that accentuated the shooting strengths of her teammates.
Time and again, the 6-0 guard revealed an outline for the Colonials’ offensive festivities, displaying the code to crack Neptune’s tough 2-3 zone. Her dribble penetration shifted the look and opened space for Rebecca Cobb to flash down from the high post or Kim Dana to pop out, poised to drain a 3-pointer.
The orchestration and organization was pivotal during a fourth-quarter rush that rallied Freehold Boro and earned the Colonials four extra minutes to complete the task. And, when it boiled down to the ball in Spahn’s hands, tie game and a just a few ticks left on the clock, Spahn, for once, was without distinct design.
“Honestly, at that point, it was becoming a blur,” Spahn said. “All I know was that whatever I was going to do was going to be something positive for the team.”
Spahn received an in-bounds pass, veered toward the middle of the floor and never had to worry about hatching any adlib play. Instead, just the threat of her in possession of the instrument she artfully distributed was enough for Neptune defenders to flash at her aggressively to impede her path, which she exploited by drawing a foul.
At the line with 10.9 seconds left in overtime and the game tied, Spahn had one final opportunity to discover the touch that had betrayed her and found it. Her two free throws snapped the deadlock and were just enough to lift third-seeded Freehold Boro past fourth-seeded Neptune for a 50-48 triumph and the program’s first NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 3 sectional title before a packed house in Freehold on Tuesday night.
“It is so important to not let it go beyond a second,” Spahn said of reacting to the misfires that gave way to an 0 for 7 showing from the floor , something which she more than compensated for with her 15 rebounds and 10 assists, including eight following halftime. “If you miss a few shots and start to think too much, then you’re done for the game because there’s no way you’re getting out of it. You have to find other ways to help out.”
That wasn’t a problem for Spahn. After shooting 7 for 31 from the field over the first three quarters, Freehold Boro (22-5) went 6 for 9 in the fourth with Spahn and fellow senior guard Kim Dana engineering the revival.
Junior forward Iyonna Crenshaw, who turned in strong showings at both ends of the floor while scoring a team-high 15 points to go with her 13 rebounds, five blocks, three steals and two assists, forced her way through traffic to sink a layup that started the fourth and gave Neptune (21-6), which led by as many as 10 in the first half, a 28-22 lead.
From there, Freehold Boro began to methodically chip away until it seized its first lead of the evening with less than a minute, a byproduct of the energetic Kim Dana. Down five with 40 seconds to go, Dana canned a 3-pointer on a setup by Spahn and intercepted a pass that resulted in a foul and her two free throws that tied the game in a matter of just seven seconds.
“I saw the pass and I wanted to take the risk,” Dana said of her steal. “I knew if I got it, it would help us out a lot.”
Spahn forced a Neptune turnover and drew a subsequent foul, hitting the second of two to give Freehold a 43-42 edge with 11.4 seconds showing.
However, a depleted Neptune found a way to send the game to overtime.
The mounting foul troubles that hampered both sides took a far greater toll on Scarlet Fliers. Senior guard Ivy Harrington, who netted her 1,000 point on a baseline jumper at the outset of the second quarter, was the first to exit the game after being whistled for her fifth personal with 1:13 left in regulation and she would soon be joined by Desiree Moss and Marajiah Bacon, the energizing sophomore guard who supplied 13 points off her daring drives before departing.
As a result, Neptune coach John Brown dug deep into his bench to employ sophomores Taleeya Terrell, Essence Evans and freshman Kaelyn Kimbrough. And, it was Terrell who sprung open for a Crenshaw pass out of the high post before being fouled with just 2.1 left on the clock. The sophomore reserve hit one of two to send the game to overtime.
In the extra session, each team took a brief lead in between the three ties before Spahn came up big in the clutch.
“They kept fighting. They are always going to play hard. It’s demanded of them,” Neptune coach John Brown said of his cast, which was hurt by an 18 for 36 showing at the foul line compared to Freehold Boro’s 16-for-24 effort from the stripe. “When Ivy got in foul trouble, that took away a ballhandler and extra scorer. We’re kind of limited as it is when it comes to scoring the basketball.”
Rebecca Cobb scored all 16 of her points over the last 20 minutes while Dana ended with 18 points, including a 4 for 9 showing from behind the arc.
Gregg Lerner covers girls basketball for MSG Varsity. Follow him on Twitter: @gregglerner
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Freehold, Point Beach Pick Up Sectional Titles
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FREEHOLD – Just when you thought an ugly, borderline-unwatchable basketball game between division rivals was going to stay just that. Then, the officiating got curious, Freehold started to catch fire, Neptune began to turn the ball over late, clutch free throws were made and just like that, we received an instant classic in Monday’s Central Jersey Group III final between the Colonials and Scarlet Fliers.
We will try to sort out some of the craziness, plus get into Point Beach’s first sectional title on Monday evening. Below, we present two links, two postgame videos, a few thoughts and the schedule as it stands right now for Tuesday and Wednesday.
1. Game of the year?: Very quietly and certainly very unexpectedly, that may have been the best game we’ve seen all season. Overtime, both sides having multiple opportunities to close it out, a tremendous atmosphere and court-storming, all with a sectional title on the line. As the photo at the top of this post will show, the court-storming at the buzzer was awesome. Well-done by everyone involved.
2. Tough ending for Neptune: The Scarlet Fliers were on the doorstep of another CJ III crown and a trip back to the Group III semifinals after a one-year absence, but they just couldn’t seal the deal. The officiating was sub-par, but 18-for-36 at the foul line was the bigger problem. In any case, this Neptune team was not expected to get this far when the season began and it probably exceeded expectations by going 21-6 and getting back to a sectional final. Who knows how this season would have gone down if Lorena Hubbard had been eligible.
3. Freehold-Ocean City: Interesting matchup on deck for Wednesday evening between the Colonials and Red Raiders, two teams that will not wow you with offense, while both make the case for New Jersey to implement a shot clock. In our mind, here’s the thing to remember. While Freehold head coach Jen Brzucki will surely do her homework on Ocean City, Red Raiders head coach Paul Baruffi is arguably the best tactician in South Jersey. He has friends up this way that can provide insight and he will do his own due diligence as well. That is not an easy draw for Freehold, but very doable. We will say this. Whoever wins that game will be favored on Sunday in the final with Cranford-Jefferson being the other Group III semifinal on Wednesday.
WEDNESDAY
Group semifinals
At Williamstown
Group I
Point Beach vs. Gloucester City, 6 p.m.
Group III
Freehold vs. Ocean City, 8 p.m.
FREEHOLD – Just when you thought an ugly, borderline-unwatchable basketball game between division rivals was going to stay just that. Then, the officiating got curious, Freehold started to catch fire, Neptune began to turn the ball over late, clutch free throws were made and just like that, we received an instant classic in Monday’s Central Jersey Group III final between the Colonials and Scarlet Fliers.
We will try to sort out some of the craziness, plus get into Point Beach’s first sectional title on Monday evening. Below, we present two links, two postgame videos, a few thoughts and the schedule as it stands right now for Tuesday and Wednesday.
1. Game of the year?: Very quietly and certainly very unexpectedly, that may have been the best game we’ve seen all season. Overtime, both sides having multiple opportunities to close it out, a tremendous atmosphere and court-storming, all with a sectional title on the line. As the photo at the top of this post will show, the court-storming at the buzzer was awesome. Well-done by everyone involved.
2. Tough ending for Neptune: The Scarlet Fliers were on the doorstep of another CJ III crown and a trip back to the Group III semifinals after a one-year absence, but they just couldn’t seal the deal. The officiating was sub-par, but 18-for-36 at the foul line was the bigger problem. In any case, this Neptune team was not expected to get this far when the season began and it probably exceeded expectations by going 21-6 and getting back to a sectional final. Who knows how this season would have gone down if Lorena Hubbard had been eligible.
3. Freehold-Ocean City: Interesting matchup on deck for Wednesday evening between the Colonials and Red Raiders, two teams that will not wow you with offense, while both make the case for New Jersey to implement a shot clock. In our mind, here’s the thing to remember. While Freehold head coach Jen Brzucki will surely do her homework on Ocean City, Red Raiders head coach Paul Baruffi is arguably the best tactician in South Jersey. He has friends up this way that can provide insight and he will do his own due diligence as well. That is not an easy draw for Freehold, but very doable. We will say this. Whoever wins that game will be favored on Sunday in the final with Cranford-Jefferson being the other Group III semifinal on Wednesday.
WEDNESDAY
Group semifinals
At Williamstown
Group I
Point Beach vs. Gloucester City, 6 p.m.
Group III
Freehold vs. Ocean City, 8 p.m.
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Parents, students, school staff and administration all watched as the Colonials worked to catch up with NHS who came out with an early lead. While both teams worked to advance, the game was extremely aggressive resulting in numerous fouls. At the half, the Colonials trailed by 8 with a score of 10 to 18.
After the half, the game became even more aggressive; the foul line is where the majority of the points came from and provided Freehold with an opportunity to close the gap. By the end of third, the Colonials only trailed by four with a score of 22 to 26.
While the score fluctuated, the fouls did not – causing two Neptune players to be fouled out of the game. As the last quarter ticked down, FHS senior Kim Dana was able to tie the score at 36 with one of her multiple trips to the foul line when there was only about two minutes left in regulation.
The tie did not last long, as NHS quickly rebounded, bringing the score to 36 - FHS and 38 - NHS. After a few minutes of back and forth, the end of regulation resulted in a tie score of 43.
In overtime, Neptune started off with a lead, but the Colonials kept up the pressure and were able to take the lead with under a minute left in overtime thanks to Dana at the foul line again.
With only a few seconds left in overtime, FHS senior Camerin Spahn ventured to the foul line with a tie score of 48. After two successful free throws, FHS led NHS 50 to 48 and became the Champions of the Central Jersey Group III Final.
The FHS girls will continue to advance in the NJSIAA tournament and will travel to South Jersey to take on the South Jersey III Winner.
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Colonials beat Fliers in OT
NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III Final-Camerin Spahn...: Freehold senior guard Camerin Spahn discusses her team's 50-48 victory over Neptune
Those last three lean years for the Colonials, which saw them go a combined 29-41, gave way to this current team. Led by a quality group of seniors, Freehold turned the corner again this season, working its way back into the Asbury Park Press Top 10 for the first time since 2009 and setting itself up to make a run in March.
On Monday evening in the CJ III final, that run looked like it was about to come to an end against Neptune. Refusing to fold late in regulation, those seniors led the way back.
After senior guard Kim Dana spearheaded a late rally to help send the game to overtime, senior guard and NJIT recruit Camerin Spahn hit two free throws with 10.9 seconds to play in the extra session and No. 3 seed Freehold stunned the fourth-seeded Scarlet Fliers, 50-48, to steal its first Central Jersey Group III crown in front of a festive, packed house at Freehold.
Dana hit four 3-pointers on her way to a game-high 18 points. Spahn didn’t have a field goal, but pulled down 14 rebounds, dished out 10 assists and hit the two big free throws late for Freehold, which is through to a Group III semifinal on Wednesday night against Ocean City at Williamstown High School. Game time is set for 8 p.m. after the Red Raiders defeated Timber Creek, 34-26, to win South Jersey Group III on Monday evening.
In a game that featured three out-of-area referees, a tightly-officiated game saw five players foul out and both teams enter the double bonus before the midway point of the fourth quarter. Iyonna Crenshaw tied the game at 48 with 25.2 seconds for Neptune (21-6) by hitting the second of two free throws.
Out of a timeout, Spahn was fouled out on the perimeter with 10.9 seconds left. Having gone just 3-for-9 from the foul line to that point, she calmly sank both free throws to cap the scoring. Neptune’s last-second effort was no good, setting off a raucous court-storming by the large student contingent that showed up. “I wasn’t nervous tonight when I was shooting, I don’t know what it was that got to me at the foul line earlier, but the last time there, I just needed to make them,” Spahn said. “I had the confidence to make them and it was just redemption. I was happy to be taking those shots.”
Freehold (23-5) spent the entire game playing catchup, trailing by as many as 10 during an ugly first half for both sides that saw Neptune lead, 18-10, at halftime. The Colonials hung around, eventually trailing by five at 42-37 with 41 seconds to play.
Dana hit her fourth and final 3-pointer from the left baseline to make it 42-40 and after the Colonials got a turnover, Dana was fouled before calmly sinking both free throws to tie the game with 25.4 seconds to play.
“Since we do roll with five (players) for the majority of every game we’ve played since they’ve been freshmen, they’re in pretty good condition,” Freehold head coach Jen Brzucki said. “Are there times where they get winded? Absolutely. If there is anyone I want to shoot the ball at the end of the game or in a crucial situation, it is Kim Dana and she knows that.”
Dana hit one more free throw with 11.4 seconds to play for Freehold’s first lead at 43-42, but with 2.1 seconds left, Crenshaw whipped a pass from the high post down to the block to Taleeya Terrell, who was fouled on the way up. She hit the first of two free throws to tie the game at 41 and send it to overtime. Terrell checked into the game after Ivy Harrington fouled out midway through the fourth quarter.
Neptune (21-6), which was appearing in the CJ III final for the sixth consecutive year, was done in at the foul line, going just 18-for-36 overall, including 1-for-5 in overtime.
What's next? Is there another tournament? Or are they the state champs?
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