Two New Jersey public schools are squaring off this afternoon in the West gym here at Allentown High School (NJ). Hightstown is not traditionally a basketball power in the Garden State, while Ridge is usually solid. Thus, it will be interesting to see if Hightstown can hang with Andrew Madlinger ’10 and Co. The game began a few minutes ago, and I yet again have only numbers from the scorebook, sorry!

4:26pm- Ridge is up early, leading 7-4 after six minutes of play.

4:28pm- Hightstown has taken the lead 8-7 with just under 12 minutes to go in the half.

4:30pm- A steal at halfcourt and basket by Andrew Madlinger of Ridge has stopped a Hightstown run. Ridge now trails 10-9.

4:33pm- Hightstown is not only sticking with Ridge, they are winning the game. They are up 14-11 with 7:45 to go in the first half.

4:35pm- Ridge scored a bucket off a nice dish and drive, cutting the lead to one-point, 14-13.

4:36pm- Hightstown answered with a basket to push their lead back to three, 16-13.

4:38pm- #15 on Ridge had his shot swatted away while going up for a layup.

4:39pm- The teams are continuing to trade baskets. It’s now 18-15 in favor of Hightstown with two minutes left in the first half.

4:40pm- Hightstown scored back-to-back buckets to push their lead to seven points, 22-15.

4:42pm- It’s 22-15 Hightstown as we head to the break.

4:43pm- For Hightstown, #23 and #171 both have eight points. Andrew Madlinger of Ridge is the leading scorer at the half with 11 points, including a three-pointer. The rest of his team has combined for just four points.

4:45pm- One minute and two seconds into the second half, #9 on Hightstown opened up the scoring. Hightstown now leads 24-15.

4:47pm- Hightstown is ahead 26-15. They are on a 12-2 run including some buckets from the first half.

4:48pm- Although it took them almost 4:30, Ridge is on the board in the second half, trailing 26-17.

4:52pm- Hightstown has its biggest lead of the game, 13 points, as they are ahead 30-17.

4:53pm- Andrew Madlinger just nailed a mid-range jumper to cut the lead to 11, but Hightstown responded with a bucket to push it back up to 13, 32-21.

4:54pm- Hightstown’s lead was up to 15 off some nice passing and a finish by #23, but two straight buckets from Ridge has it back down to 11 with 10:30 play.

4:55pm- #23 is having a nice game for Hightstown. He just scored two more baskets in the paint and has the team’s last six points.

4:56pm- There’s nine minutes left in the game and Ridge has some work to do, trailing 38-27.

4:58pm- #10 on Ridge hit a free throw and then the team called timeout. After the short break he came out and missed his second shot, so it’s a 10-point game.

4:59pm- Ridge scored again to drop the lead to single digits, 38-30, and then had a few more opportunities after forcing a turnover and grabbing some offensive rebounds, but could not convert. #23 made them pay as he scored another bucket to give Hightstown a 10-point cushion.

5:00pm- #171, Hightstown’s big man, drove into the lane and scored a bucket, ending #23’s streak at eight straight for the squad.

5:01pm- The teams are trading points and it’s a 44-36 lead for Hightstown after #15 of Ridge converted in transition on a fast break after a steal.

5:03pm- After a Hightstown basket by #4, the team is up by 10, 46-36, with 3:45 to play.

5:04pm- #3 hit one of two free throws for Hightstown, pushing the advantage up to 11 points.

5:05pm- It seemed like Ridge was done after Hightstown pushed its lead up to 13, but Madlinger knocked in a trey to cut the lead to 10, 49-39, with just under two minutes left in the game.

5:06pm- Sloppy passing by Hightstown gave Ridge the ball back. Madlinger missed a three, grabbed the loose ball off the rebound and nailed a two with about 1:15 left. Ridge then got the ball back and he missed a triple.

5:07pm- A Hightstown deuce has the lead back up to 10, 51-41.

5:08pm- Madlinger drained a trey with 10 seconds to go, and then missed one with two seconds left. Hightstown has the win, 51-44.

The leading scorer in the contest was Andrew Madlinger of Ridge, who had 23 points, knocking down three threes. #00 added 13 points for Ridge, 11 of which came in the second half. For Hightstown, #23 was the prime scorer, dropping 19 points. He got some help from #171, who had 10 points. Andrew Madlinger of Ridge and #23 of Hightstown take Northstar Basketball’s MVP honors for their squads.