Seeded 15th, the AL Johnson High School boys basketball team stunned the 10th-seeded Summit Hilltoppers in overtime, 37-34, in the preliminary round of the Union County Tournament (UCT) in Summit on February 6. Two days later, the seventh-seeded 13-10 Blue Devils knocked off the 11-7 Crusaders, 59-34, in the first round at Westfield.
Dean Yellen led the Crusaders against the Hilltoppers with 16 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Ryan Malcolm put in seven points, including a 3-pointer, and Adrian Varona netted five points with a 3-pointer. Jake Brower (3-pointer) scored four points, Luke LaPorta and Finn Downey each scored two points and Carlos Pina sank a free throw.
Dave Fix led the Hilltoppers with 14 points, including trip 3-pointers. Jake Easton bucketed 11 points. Matt Caplan scored seven points, including a 3-pointer, and Kenny Mao sank a pair of free throws.
The going against the 13-10 Blue Devils, who would finish with 48 rebounds and dish out 16 assists, was a bit rough from the start. The Blue Devils grabbed a 21-11 lead after the first quarter and had a 44-19 lead at the half, and it did not get much better until it evened out in the final quarter.
Yellen led the team with 16 points (2 3-pointers, 4-for-5 free throws) and scored seven of those points in the first quarter. LaPorta finished with four points (2-for-2 free throws) and Malcolm finished with five points (3pointer). Pina scored both of his points in the first quarter as did Devin Patterson. Brandon Raparelli sank a 3-pointer and Downey finished with two points.
Ty’shawn Pearson led the Blue Devils with a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) to go with four steals and four assists. Shane Sheehan recorded five blocks, 10 points (3pointer), seven rebounds, two assists and a steal. Enzo Ferrero finished with 11 points (3-pointer), four assists, four steals and six rebounds. Zach Epp finished with 11 points (3pointer), three assists and five rebounds. Will Kirby pulled 10 rebounds and had four points, two blocks and an assist. Max MacEcheron nailed a pair of 3-pointers and added two steals and a rebound. Jake Russell had three steals, three points, four rebounds and two assists. Connor Whelan had two points and two rebounds. Farid Habayeb grabbed three rebounds.
Sheehan scored six of his points in the first quarter and Epp netted seven points, while Ferrero and Whelan scored two points and Pearson sank four points. Epp sank a pair of free throws and hit a 2-pointer in the second quarter. MacEcheron banged a 3-pointer, while Ferrero, Russell and Kirby each put in two points. Yellen sank a free throw and a 2pointer in the quarter, while Malcolm hit a 3-pointer and LaPorta put in a 2-pointer.
The Crusaders would next host Point Pleasant Boro on February 10.
