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Sports

Dodgers Boys Hoops' Stellar Season, State Run Come to End

Meister's 16 not enough for Madison, which finishes season 21-4.

MADISON – The momentum had shifted back to Madison. Aaron Fant had just stepped into a passing lane, completing the steal and a perfect layup to pull the Dodgers within 40-37 with four minutes to play.

Everything was set up for a frantic finish in front of a pumped-up crowd. But it never materialized.

Newark Tech freshman Jared Hall–who had missed his first 10 3-point attempts–finally connected from long range on the Terriers' next possession. The Dodgers would never get closer, and eighth-seeded Newark Tech eliminated top-seeded Madison, 50-41, Thursday night in the NJSIAA North 2, Group II quarterfinals at Madison High School.

"We got it within three, and then they went on another little run," said Madison coach Bill Librera. "That gave them the comfort level they needed. We just couldn't keep playing uphill like we had done (throughout most of the second half)."

The Dodgers conclude their season with a record of 21-4, their best-ever record under Librera.

Jake Meister led Madison with 16 points, but scored only three in the second half as Newark Tech designed a diamond-and-one defense strictly to contain the junior guard.

Hall led the Terriers (15-10) with a season-high 19 points. Newark Tech advances to take on the winner of Thursday's Garfield/Lodi matchup in the sectional semifinals Saturday.

Newark Tech was bigger and quicker than Madison, its record and low seed a byproduct of a rugged Essex County schedule. The Terriers' opposition this season included Essex powers Seton Hall Prep, Montclair and East Orange, as well as perennial state power St. Patrick's.

Nonetheless, the Dodgers had their chances, leading by as many as six in the second half. But they were doomed by a poor shooting night and the Terriers' second-half aggressiveness.

"It's not all about us," Librera said. "They're a good team. They executed very well in the moment. (Hall) hit some timely shots. They're going to be a tough out in the rest of this tournament."

Madison shot 13-for-43 (30 percent) from the field, relying on the 3-pointer for nearly half their shots against Newark Tech's halfcourt zone defense (5-for-20 from 3, 25 percent).

On the flip side, Newark Tech–particularly Hall, who scored eight of his points from the free throw line–attacked the basket at will in the second half after settling for jumpers early.

After a mostly-even first half, Madison used a spirited 8-2 run–including a pair of perfectly-timed cutting layups by Eddie McAndrew–to take a 23-20 halftime lead, to the delight of the boisterous Madison crowd.

The Dodgers helped themselves by earning a 10-3 foul disparity in their favor in the first half. But Newark Tech turned that number around in the final two quarters, drawing nine fouls and committing just three before the Dodgers began to foul in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.

Point guard Fant (10 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds) knocked down a 3-pointer early in the third quarter, and Matt McHale converted a fast-break layup to give Madison a 28-22 lead with 5:26 left in the period.

But Newark Tech went on a 12-0 run, bookended by 3-pointers from Kasim Kaba, to seize the lead for good.

"That was a stretch of game where they made some shots in a row, and we came down and our shots didn't fall," Librera said. "You hate to reduce the game to that, but sometimes it's that simple."

Meister's 3-pointer from the top of the key cut Newark Tech's lead to 36-33 entering the fourth quarter.

But with the Terriers keying on denying Meister the ball, Madison labored to get good looks at the basket, and they could get nothing to fall.

"We tried a couple of different things to get Jake some shots," Librera said. "The shots we got, we can't be too displeased with. They just didn't fall tonight."

The Dodgers had one last spurt in them, though. Senior Robbie Savacool (3 points, 4 rebounds in his final game in a Madison uniform) hit a 10-footer with 5:00 left. Seconds later, Fant made his interception to cut the lead to 40-37.

But Hall, who had struggled all night from beyond the arc, came up with a clutch 3 seconds later. Kasim Jones intercepted a Fant pass on the Dodgers' next possession, laying the ball in to give the Terriers a 45-37 lead with just under four left.

Madison went cold from the field at this point, missing several 3-pointers and allowing Newark Tech to extend their lead to 11 in the final minute. Mike Haughey scored the Dodgers' final points of the season on a 3-pointer with 36 seconds left, but the deficit was too great.

"There was no lack of effort tonight," Librera said. "We just came up short. Only one team playing now is going to leave happy at the end of the year. We're not happy tonight, but I'm proud of my team."

The loss was Madison's first on its home court all season. The Dodgers finished 12-1 at Madison High School, 9-3 on the road.

Madison, which opened the 2009-10 season with 17 straight wins, returns four starters and six of the seven players who saw court time Thursday to next year's squad.


STATISTICAL NOTES

  • Two Dodgers finished the season scoring in double figures - Meister (13.1 ppg, 37 percent from the field, 27 percent from 3) and Fant (11.5 ppg, 46 percent from the field, 25 percent from 3).
  • Meister and Fant were also Madison's leading rebounders for the season. Meister finished with 172 (6.9 per game), while Fant ended up with 148 (5.9). Forwards Robbie Savacool (4.5) Matt McHale (4.0) were not far behind.
  • Fant came up six assists short of averaging five per game. The junior point guard also led the Dodgers with 2.3 steals per game.
  • Of the five Madison players to take more than one 3-point attempt per game this season, only one (Mike Haughey, 36 percent) shot better than 30 percent.


SCORING SUMMARY
[8] Newark Tech     12   8  16  14  -  50
[1] Madison               8  15  10   8  -  41


INDIVIDUAL SCORING

NT- Jared Hall 19, Kasim Kaba 14, Kasim Jones 8, Eric Anderson 4, Desmond Cotton 4, Alquan Dobbs 1
MAD- Jake Meister 16, Aaron Fant 10, Eddie McAndrew 5, Matt McHale 4, Robbie Savacool 3, Mike Haughey 3

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