The Summer Shootout is almost over, as there is just one game remaining. The last matchup is between two New Jersey public schools, Trenton Central and Plainfield. TCHS has been led by Darrin Elam ’09 and Eric Fanning ’11 thus far, while Isaiah Epps ’10, Anthony Baskerville ’09, and Mike Price ’10 have carried Plainfield in the absence of Tyrone Johnson ’11. Both squads are entering the contest with a 2-1 record in the event so far. The final game should be a good, hard battle, and it’s already begun. Unfortunately I again only have numbers, not names. Sorry!

9:56pm- It’s 11-9 Trenton Central with 11 minutes to go in the first half.

9:58pm- Isaiah Epps nailed a trey to put Plainfield up 16-13 with nine minutes to go.

10:02pm- Bruce Brittingham ’11 hit a long two for TCHS, cutting Plainfield lead to two, 19-17. Plainfield took a timeout soon after that, stopping the clock with 4:52 left in the half.

10:04pm- The Tornadoes of Trenton Central have tied the game at 19 with less than four minutes left in the half.

10:05pm- A bucket in the paint from Epps has put Plainfield up by two, 21-19, with just over three minutes remaining the first 20 minutes of action.

10:06pm- It’s 23-19 after another Plainfield basket. #9 then hit a trey for TCHS at the other end, cutting the lead down to a single point with about 90 seconds left in the half.

10:07pm- The Tornadoes have taken the lead 24-23 despite their best player, Darrin Elam, not having a great showing. This has an impressive performance from the squad so far.

10:08pm- Eric Fanning took a pass from Brittingham and got to the hole for a basket, giving TCHS a 26-23 lead. That’s that score as we enter the intermission.

10:10pm- #13 is Trenton Central’s leading scorer so far with seven points, including a three-pointer. Isaiah Epps is the game’s top scorer thus far with 10 points, including two treys.

10:13pm- The game is tied up at 26 with 18 minutes left in regulation.

10:14pm- Darrin Elam missed two shots at the line for the Tornadoes after a Plainfield basket from Mike Price.

10:15pm- Eric Fanning responded to another Plainfield basket by scoring a deuce of his own and cutting the lead to two, 30-28.

10:16pm- Price has made it back-to-back buckets for Plainfield with a nice reverse layup. His Plainfield squad leads 34-28. At the other end, Fanning hit two free throws, dropping the deficit to four points.

10:17pm- Justin Williams ’09 nailed a three for TCHS, cutting Plainfield’s lead to one. Mike Price came back with a triple, bringing the lead back up to four. A deuce from Elam then sliced the Plainfield lead in half, making the score 37-35.

10:19pm- Elam blocked an Epps shot from about 16-feet, leading to a TCHS tying basket from Williams. #5 then scored for the Tornadoes, who now lead 39-37 with 11:30 to play.

10:21pm- Plainfield has called a timeout with 9:56 to go in the game, leading 40-39. Mike Price is about to step to the line for the squad.

10:22pm- Price made two shots from the charity stripe, giving his team a 42-39 advantage.

10:25pm- Brittingham threw a pass upcourt to Elam who missed a close-up shot, but scored on a tip-in after his miss. Plainfield then scored back-to-back baskets and leads 46-41 with 7:30 left in the game. TCHS responded with a bucket, trimming the lead to three points, 46-43.

10:27pm- The Tornadoes’ #13 has picked up his third foul and is coming out with 5:30 left. His foul sent #14 of Plainfield to the line, where he made the second of two shots to put his team up by four, 47-43.

10:28pm- Bruce Brittingham took a charge on Anthony Baskerville as he drove to the hole, and went down hard. The rising freshman got right back up and is okay.

10:29pm- A TCHS three by Elam in response to a Plainfield deuce has cut the lead to three, 49-46.

10:30pm- #14 made the first of two free throws for Plainfield.

10:31pm- Trenton Central has taken a timeout with 2:04 left in the contest. The Tornadoes are behind 50-46.

10:32pm- Darrin Elam just made a big-time play. He drove to the hoop, took a runner, hit it, got fouled, and made his free throw. Plainfield is now up just one.

10:33pm- Epps scored a deuce for Plainfield, and then Williams dropped in a basket for TCHS , who now trails by one.

10:34pm- A bucket by Eric Fanning, and then a dunk by Justin Williams has given Trenton Central a 55-52 lead. Plainfield then called a timeout with 29.2 seconds left.

10:36pm- Anthony Baskerville drove to the hole and got fouled by Elam with 14 seconds left. At the stripe, the rising senior made both free throws. TCHS then took a timeout, leading 55-54.

10:37pm- Trenton Central took another timeout before all the players took the floor. That’s the Tornadoes’ final timeout. It’s Brittingham, Fanning, Elam, Williams, and #23 for TCHS. For Plainfield it’s Baskerville, Epps, Price, #14, and #31.

10:38pm- Brittingham was fouled by Price with 11.8 to go. He was then fouled again, this time by #11 with just over 11 seconds left, and then was fouled yet again with 8.6 to go.

10:40pm- TCHS turned the ball over, and Baskerville missed a tough shot under the hole. Williams grabbed the rebounds for TCHS, and an intentional foul was called on Plainfield. He hit both shots from the line with four seconds left.

10:41pm- Eric Fanning will be at the line with 1.4 seconds left for TCHS shooting in-and-one. He made the front end to put the Tornadoes up by four. The rising sophomore then missed the second shot, and the game ended.

10:42pm- Trenton Central has the win, 58-54.

The leading scorer in the game was Mike Price of Plainfield, who had 17 points, nailing one trey. Isaiah Epps added 13 points, connecting on three triples. Anthony Baskerville (one three) and #14 each had each eight points. For Trenton Central, Justin Williams was the top scorer with 11 points, making one three. Darrin Elam added ten points, nailing one trifecta, and Eric Fanning scored nine points for TCHS. Northstar Basketball’s MVP award honorees are Mike Price and Justin Williams for their respective teams.

Note- photo is of Isaiah Epps and is from http://playazbasketball.org/.