by Alex Schwartz

Plainfield will have a new head coach next year, but with the talent on the squad, I’m not sure a coach is even needed for the Garden State public school powerhouse. Although I’m kidding about that, this Plainfield team is loaded, featuring two top-notch all-everything guards in Tyrone Johnson ’11 and Isaiah Epps ’10, along with quality floor leader and great shooter Anthony Baskerville ’09. Johnson won’t be in attendance tonight, but Plainfield is still a force without him. The St. Joseph’s players will need to work together and play solid defense to stay in this one. As well, St. Joe’s may be able to use the low post to their advantage as Plainfield is a guard-laden squad. The game has already begun, and I again only have numbers. Sorry about that!

8:00pm- Plainfield jumped out to a 10-2 lead, but two free throws from Nikko Vaspola ’09 and then a bucket by Plainfield quickly made it 12-4.

8:05pm- With 10:30 to go in the first half, Plainfield leads 13-6.

8:07pm- Gerard Lewis ’09 scored for St. Joe’s and converted his and-one shot from the line, making it a 13-10 game, as St. Joe’s is on a little 6-1 run.

8:09pm- The two teams exchanged buckets, so it’s 15-12 in favor of Plainfield.

8:11pm- Plainfield is ahead 17-14 with 4:15 left in the first half.

8:12pm- St. Joseph’s has the ball under its own hoop, trailing 17-14 with 3:20 to play.

8:13pm- Lewis knocked down a mid-range jumper to cut the Plainfield lead to one, 17-16, with about three minutes to go.

8:14pm- Anthony Baskerville hit one of two from the stripe and then #11 scored for St. Joseph’s so it’s all tied up at 18.

8:15pm- Baskerville banged home a three-ball, putting Plainfield ahead 21-18. Steve Rennard ’10 answered at the other end with a trifecta of his own, tying the game at 21.

8:16pm- Isaiah Epps of Plainfield, who is wearing Pitt shorts, missed twice with under 30 seconds left, and Rennard missed a three at the other end. Thus, it’s 21-21 as we enter the break.

8:18pm- Lewis is leading St. Joseph’s Metuchen with 10 points and Isaiah Epps is pacing Plainfield with 10 points, including two threes.

8:20pm- Gagan Dhaliwah ’10 nailed a three-ball almost one minute into the second half, giving St. Joe’s a 24-21 lead.

8:21pm- Epps hit a three to even the score back up at 24.

8:22pm- The teams traded buckets, so it’s 26 all.

8:23pm- St. Joseph’s has re-gained the lead off a basket from Robbie Ashamole ’11.

8:24pm- Epps hit a three and got fouled, but missed the shot from the line to make it a four-point player. Thus, it’s 29-28 Plainfield.

8:26pm- Ashamole hit one of two free throws, and then Plainfield scored a bucket, taking the lead 31-29.

8:28pm- #11 hit a three-pointer for St. Joe’s, giving the team a 34-31 lead. Plainfield then called a timeout with 11:29 left in the game.

8:29pm- Epps knocked down a three to even the score at 34 with just over 11 minutes left.

8:32pm- The score is still 34-34 with 9:15 to go.

8:33pm- St. Joe’s scored a bucket to take the lead and then Epps missed a three. St. Joseph’s then came down and scored yet again. It’s 38-34 with 8:00 left.

8:36pm- St. Joseph’s Metuchen is ahead 39-36 with five minutes to play.

8:38pm- A basket by #33 of Plainfield has cut the lead to one-point. #3 of Plainfield just went down real hard, and an intentional foul was called on St. Joseph’s Metuchen.

8:39pm- He missed the first free throw, and then came out due to his shoulder hurting. His replacement missed the second shot. Plainfield will retain possession with just over two minutes to go.

8:40pm- Mike Price ’10 of Plainfield missed a three and St. Joe’s got the rebound. Soon after, the team called timeout. There’s 1:52 left, and St. Joe’s is up 39-38.

8:41pm- The teams exchanged buckets with St. Joe’s scoring first. It’s 41-40 with about 1:15 left.

8:42pm- Lewis of St. Joseph’s got an offensive board, went up strong, scored, got fouled, and connected on the free throw. The old fashioned three-point play makes it 44-40 St. Joe’s.

8:43pm- Price scored for Plainfield, making it 44-42 with just under 50 ticks left.

8:44pm- St. Joe’s threw the ball away, and Plainfield converted a tip-in off a miss, tying the game at 44.

8:45pm- St. Joseph’s Metuchen called timeout and has the ball on the sideline with about 22 seconds left, and can hold for last shot. The squad called timeout again with the clock showing 11.3 and will have it on the opposite sideline.

8:47pm- St. Joseph’s Metuchen could not score, so it’s 44-44 entering overtime.

8:48pm- St. Joe’s called timeout with the ball with 1:45 to go after Epps missed a three-ball.

8:49pm- Price scored for Plainfield, putting the team ahead 46-44.

8:50pm- #14 put Plainfield up by four, 48-44, with a bucket down low.

8:51pm- Lewis missed the front end of a one-and-one for St. Joe’s. Nikko Vaspola then fouled out, stopping the clock.

8:52pm- Anthony Baskerville missed the front end of a one-and-one for Plainfield.

8:53pm- Rennard fouled out going for a loose ball rebound, sending Epps to the line where he hit the first of two. St. Joe’s scored a late bucket, and thus is on the losing end of a great 49-46 game.

Isaiah Epps was the leading scorer in the game with 22 points, hitting five treys. Mike Price helped out Epps by adding nine points. Gerard Lewis was the top scorer for St. Joseph’s Metuchen, scoring 14 points. He went 4/7 at the line. Nikko Vaspola scored 10 points and was 2/2 from the stripe. Isaiah Epps is Northstar Basketball’s MVP award winner for Plainfield, while Gerard Lewis is the honoree for St. Joseph’s Metuchen.