Monday, February 15, 2010

By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director

Vaughn Gray scored a game-high 24 points ,including all eight Don Bosco Prep scored in the first quarter, in a 56-48 win over Old Tappan in the Jamboree quarterfinals.

MAHWAH -- From 2006 through 2008 the Don Bosco basketball team was literally unbeatable in the Bergen County Jamboree. The Ironmen became just the second program in the history of the tournament to win three straight titles and the first since Hackensack did it from 1952-54. But when Bosco was bumped in last year's semifinals and came in this year barely over .500, let alone sporting the .650 winning percentage needed for automatic entry, it looked like the dynasty was probably over.

Heck, the Ironmen were even wearing the colored jerseys on Saturday, the garb of the lower seed as it took on No. 3 Northern Valley/Old Tappan in this year's quarterfinal round and Ramapo College.

“We had a chip on our shoulder because people thought we were the underdog coming in here,” said Bosco junior Vaughn Gray. “But that just made us play that much harder to come out here and get a win.”

Gray scored all eight of Don Bosco Prep’s first quarter points to keep his team in the game early and then scored the bucket that gave the Ironmen the lead for good 2:15 into the third quarter of a 54-48 win over Old Tappan. The Bosco fall from grace last season is now just another stat in Jambo history as the Ironmen head to Friday night’s semifinal at the Rothman Center against No. 7 Bergen Catholic, an upset winner over defending champion Teaneck.

Junior point guard Shane McLaughlin finished with 12 points to lead Old Tappan.

The difference against Old Tappan was that the Ironmen just had more ways to score. Whether it was Gray slashing to the basket, Jemal Mosely leading a fastbreak or all of the Ironmen pounding the offensive glass, they kept throwing multiple threats at the Old Tappan defense, which held its own most of the way but couldn’t generate stops consistently enough to facilitate a comeback.

Thomas Messina’s two free throws with seven seconds left in the second quarter gave Old Tappan a 25-23 advantage at halftime and the game was tied at 27 when Nick Bianco made a basket with 6:05 to play in the third quarter, but Gray then scored off an assist from Mosely and Mosely followed that with a drive for two points of his own 20 seconds later.

The Ironmen never really pulled away, but they were never caught either as they answered every time Old Tappan threatened. Messina scored a take to the hoops with 2:30 to go in the third quarter to get his team within 37-35, but Leonte Carroo scored six of is eight points in succession, scoring on Bosco’s final three possessions of the quarter for a personal 6-0 run and a 43-35 lead heading into the fourth.

Old Tappan got as close as four points twice in the fourth quarter, the first time on Chris Besserer’s steal and layup with 3:53 to go and again when McLaughlin hit two free throws with 3:04 four left, but both times Gray answered on the other end. First it was with a tap-in of a missed shot and then it was a floater in the lane that gave Bosco a 49-42 lead.

Leonte Carroo scored six straight points to close the third quarter as Bosco took control.

“We pretty much felt like we could score anytime we wanted to,” said Gray. “Old Tappan is a very good team but we were just playing with a lot of confidence.”

Gray was the obvious go-to guy for Bosco and the Ironmen made sure he had the ball when they needed a basket, while Old Tappan tried everyone in key situations. McLaughlin led the Golden Knights with 12 points, while Messina, Tim Brophy and Bianco all scored 8, while Sam Elias and Besserer each added 5 points for the Knights, who were hampered at the free throw line where they were awarded more than twice as many shots as Bosco, but made just 14 of 25 for the game.

Gray led all scorers with 24 points and the Ironmen showed off their depth as Mosely (11 points) and Carroo (8 points) came off the bench and outscored the Ironmen’s other four starters. John Ehrline, the only senior on Bosco’s roster, finished with 7 points while Gary Nova and Mike Tobey each made a field goal apiece. There was no wild celebration after the game, just a couple of high-fives as Bosco quickly turned its attention to getting back to where it feels it rightfully belongs.

“We have two more wins to get to get the championship and get back to the Bosco tradition,” said Gray. “We took the first step tonight. We got back to the Rothman Center.”

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