Much like last night’s Ewing (NJ)/Hyde (CT) game, this matchup will allow the squads to see some out-of-state talent. West Windsor-Plainsboro North struggled last year and has been playing a lot of summer ball, hoping to improve last year’s dismal record, and is 2-0 thus far in the Summer Shootout. Much of the burden for the Knights will lie on a quartet of rising seniors, Darren Allen, Chris Avino, Brandon Byrd, and Garvin Brown. As for Cathedral, this game will show how the out-of-staters compare to some Garden State talent. The contest has just gotten underway, and I will yet again only have player numbers, not names, as that’s what is in the scorebook.

8:56am- Garvin Brown has just opened up the scoring just under three minutes into the game, hitting a finger roll for West Windsor-Plainsboro North.

8:57pm- Cathedral has called timeout with 16:02 to go in the first half, trailing 4-2.

8:59pm- A bucket from Chris Fania ’10 has put WWPN up by four, 6-2.

9:01am- Cathedral has taken an 8-6 lead with 13:30 to play in the half on three quick buckets.

9:02am- So far, through eight minutes, it’s been a sloppy game with a lot of missed jumpers.

9:03am- Darren Allen knocked down a 16-footer for WWPN to even the game at eight.

9:06am- WWPN is ahead 12-10 with 8:15 to go in the half.

9:11am- A Knights basket with just over three minutes left in the half has cut Cathedral’s lead to three, 17-14.

9:14am- Brandon Byrd was called for a foul, sending Cathedral to the line for a one-and-one with 60 seconds left in the half, where they picked up a point.

9:16am- Cathedral will take a 19-14 lead into the halftime break.

9:17am- Brandon Byrd and #34 are the Knights’ leading scorers with four each. #55 is leading the way for Cathedral with eight points, including a three-pointer.

9:22am- Byrd nailed a mid-range jumper from the baseline 35 seconds into the half, and the Knights quickly scored again, cutting Cathedral’s lead down to one, 19-18.

9:24am- The Knights are dominating the opening minutes of the second half and are on an 8-2 run. Cathedral has taken a timeout with 17:44 to go, with WWPN in front 22-21.

9:28am- A pair of free throws by #43 and then two finger rolls from Brown has put WWPN up by seven, 28-21, with 14:15 left in regulation.

9:29am- The Knights are starting to run away with this game. Byrd drove to the cup in transition, got fouled in the air, double pumped, and hit his shot. He missed the and-one shot, but WWPN is still up 30-21 with 13 minutes left, and is on a 16-2 run this half.

9:30am- Cathedral has put another couple of points on the board, making it 30-23.

9:32am- The squad from Connecticut is on a little 5-0 run, making it 30-26 WWPN.

9:34am- The Knights have taken a timeout with 8:32 left in the game, leading by a score of 30-26.

9:35am- The Knights’ #50 got a steal and went coast to coast, putting his team up by a half a dozen, 32-26, with eight minutes left.

9:37am- A block by #50 has kept WWPN up by six with 6:30 to go.

9:38am- The Knights are beginning to pull away again, as their lead is back up to eight, 34-26, with five minutes remaining.

9:39am- Chris Avino showed some nice hustle on this last play. He got a steal at halfcourt, and then hit the offensive boards to help keep the possession alive for the Knights after #50 missed a long jumper, as the rock went out of bounds off Cathedral due to Avino’s hustle.

9:43am- A basket by Brown has put WWPN up by eight, but not for long, as Cathedral answered with a three-ball. The Knights, though, came right back with a deuce, taking a 38-31 lead.

9:44am- The Knights are winning by four, 38-31, with 56.3 seconds left after a three-ball by #24 of Cathedral and then a timeout by the squad.

9:45am- The Knights turned the ball over with just under 50 ticks left, as it went out of bounds of Brown’s hands, giving Cathedral the ball on its own baseline.

9:47am- WWPN is giving Cathedral a shot to get back in this. After the turnover, #11 drew a foul from #43 of WWPN, and hit the second of two free throws, cutting the lead to three. Brown, though, scored at the other end for the Knights on a reverse layup in transition.

9:48am- The Knights have taken a timeout with 12.2 on the clock, leading 40-35.

9:49am- Brown scored with about six seconds left, icing the win for the Knights, who will take the game by a score of 42-35.

The game’s top scorer was Garvin Brown of West Windsor-Plainsboro North, who had 18 points, 16 of which were in the seconds half of play. For Cathedral, #24 and #55 each had eight points. #24, who hit two threes, had all of his points in the second half. #55 hit one three and had all of his points in the second half. Northstar Basketball’s MVP award honorees are Garvin Brown for West Windsor-Plainsboro North and #24 for Cathedral.