By Jeremy Schneider and Richard Greco | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
14 great storylines
Championship Weekend is a wrap, and though a few storylines might still be fashioned in the T of C, we took a look from Sunday back to the start of sectionals and found 14 super stories to highlight. Did we miss any? Tell us in the comments?
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Verona, party like it's 1957
Sixty years have passed since Verona defeated Ocean City for the Group 2 title in 1957, but the Hillbillies are state champions yet again. Travis Jocelyn scored 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Verona over Woodbury in the Group 1 final, 69-54.
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Milestones in the clutch
Reaching 1,000 career points is always a feat, but it says a little something extra when you reach that milestone at crunch time.
The following players, seniors unless otherwise noted, collected their 1,000th point during the tournament:
- Linden's Tavon Jones (junior, pictured - and he got some love from Coach too)
- Linden's Khalief Crawford
- Shawnee's Dylan Deveney (junior)
- St. Joseph's (Met.) Letrell West
- Pennsauken's Zaire Davis
- Manasquan's Devin Jensen
- Wallkill Valley's Bryce Falk.
Via Twitter
Yes, that was Scotch Plains-Fanwood in the tourney
Scotch Plains-Fanwood may have fallen to Bridgewater-Raritan in the North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals, but the season was a major success nonetheless. The Raiders went from 3-22 last season to 22-6 this season, 19-1 out of the gates on their way to a 3-seed in the state tournament. Hats off.
NJ Advance Media
Last game for St. Anthony?
St. Anthony fell to Hudson Catholic in the North Jersey, Non-Public B title game — the first time since 2009 that the Friars didn't take home the trophy. More importantly, financial issues may mean that game was the last for the storied program and its Hall of Fame coach, Bob Hurley, shown here talking to media after the game. Hurley says a big meeting with the archdiocese on April 5 will tell the story, one way or the other.
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Drama and future promise in Shawnee's run to Group 3 final
A young Shawnee team that starts four juniors and a soph ran into its fair share of drama during this year's state tournament. After cruising to the South Jersey, Group 4 final, Shawnee needed three OTs to take down Toms River North in the sectional final. In the Group 4 semis, Shawnee needed a huge fourth quarter from Dylan Deveney (pictured with ball) to pull out a 54-49 win over Hunterdon Central. Its run came to a close in the Group 4 final when it fell to No. 2 Linden, 57-41. Wait till next year.
Via Twitter
Aziz Parker sparks Medford Tech's Cinderella run
Senior guard Aziz Parker put together a stellar senior season with 602 points in 29 games. He averaged 24 points per game to key 11th-seeded Meford Tech's run to the South Jersey, Group 2 semifinals, where it fell to Haddonfield, 67-64.
Via Twitter
Rival's revenge in sectional opener
The third time was the charm for East Brunswick against rival South Brunswick. South downed East both times the two sides met in the regular season, but a third meeting in the state tournament CJG4 opener was a different story. As a 14-seed, East Brunswick pulled up a 53-42 upset over 3-seed South Brunswick, getting 18 points from Mitchell Pingry. The Bears then fell to 6-seed Old Bridge in the quarters.
Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
Patric School finally gets past Roselle Catholic
Patrick School was bounced by Roselle Catholic three of the last four state tournaments heading into this one. That changed Wednesday in this year's South Jersey, Non-Public B final when Nick Richards went off for 28 points, as No. 1 Patrick School took down Roselle Catholic, 71-62. The victory was the fourth time that Patrick School defeated R.C. this season, and Pats is headed to the TOC after winning Non-Public A over Hudson Catholic Saturday.
Video by Andrew Koob for NJ Advance Media
Camden's curse continues
Camden has now surpassed the amazing achievement and painful calamity of the Buffalo Bills' four straight Super Bowl losses. Stunned late by West Side for the second straight year, Camden has now lost in five straight state championship games - a Group 3 game in 2013 and the last four Group 2 finals. The shot shown here didn't drop, and it's heartbreaking to hear the players say they're cursed. Small solace, but everyone knows you have to be pretty good to fall so hard.
Al Amrhein |For NJ Advance Media
10-seed Timber Creek makes a run
Despite having to play every tournament game on the road, 10-seed Timber Creek found itself playing in the South Jersey, Group 3 final. With Maurice Murray (pictured, left) leading the way, Timber Creek bounced 7-seed Pemberton, 2-seed Highland and 6-seed Triton before falling to 8-seed Winslow in the sectional final.
Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Media
The biggest offensive game of the tournament was from ...
Senior Hafeez Melvin (shown with ball) posted a fat 44 points to lead Maple Shade over high-flying Clayton, 81-75, in the first round of the South Jersey, Group 1 tournament. Melvin knocked in 21 field goals and added two from the stripe. The 44-point game was the top individual scoring performance of the state tournament. Melvin averaged 24.2 points per game this year.
Larry Murphy | For NJ Advance Media
Mitchell-White puts his name in Lawrence's history books
Myles Mitchell-White became Lawrence's all-time leading scorer when 6-seed Lawrence knocked off 11-seed Brick, 68-59, in the Central, Group 3 opener. He scored 22 points to bring his career total to 1,580 points, which broke Chuck McKay's 1988 record of 1,568 points. The senior guard finished his career with has 1,607 points.
Via Twitter
Historic season for Hunterdon Central
Hunterdon Central claimed its first sectional title when it defeated Freehold Township, 41-39, on a 3-pointer from Anthony McDowell with 6.2 seconds left in the Central Jersey, Group 4 final. That 26th victory set a school record. Hunterdon Central fell to Shanwee in the Group 4 semis.
NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
First state championship for Don Bosco
One season after getting blown out by St. Augustine in the Non-Public A final, Don Bosco Prep exacted revenge and got its first state title ever - barely - by hanging on for a 69-66 win over a furiously charging St. Aug in this year's game.
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
More from Championship Weekend
2 days, 6 champs, dozens of stories and photos, lots of video.
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