Undefeated Madison Boys Basketball Team Takes Holiday Tournament Title

SUMMIT – After Oratory Prep pulled even early in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's Oratory Holiday Tournament championship game, Madison High School boys basketball coach Bill Librera didn't have to say much to inspire his team.

"They were more vocal than I was in the huddle," Librera said. "They really wanted to win this title, and they went out there and took it."

Junior Aaron Fant scored six of his team-leading 16 points in the fourth quarter, and the Dodgers used a 10-0 run to edge the Rams, 49-45, to win their second consecutive Oratory Holiday Tournament.

It was a tight game throughout, with Madison reaching an eight-point lead (35-27) on a Matt McHale three-point play with 2:38 left in the third quarter. But Oratory, boosted by their home crowd, scored eight straight points over the next three minutes to tie the game. That was when Fant took over.

"He's a two-year starter, returning second-team all-county," Librera said. "He makes me look a lot better (as a coach) than I am."

Fant hit a long 2-pointer on Madison's next possession to restore the Dodgers' lead. After Mike Haughey's layup gave Madison a 39-35 lead, Fant hopped on an Oratory loose ball and weaved his way through traffic to the hoop. The sequence gave Madison a six-point lead with 4:30 to play.

"It shows our team's character," Fant said. "We're a scrappy group of kids. We weren't going to let them come back."

The point guard converted an improbable and-one layup with 2:20 to go, completing a 10-0 run and opening up an insurmountable lead. Fant missed the free throw (his 2-for-9 effort at the line and the Dodgers' 3-for-16 mark were the biggest blemishes Wednesday), but Oratory would not have enough time to recover.

Madison took a 10-point lead into the final minute, and only a few late 3-pointers pulled Oratory within four as time expired.

Librera complimented his team's defensive effort, which held Oratory's 3-point shooters in check for most of the game. The Rams made seven 3s, but missed every attempt in the crucial moments of the fourth quarter.

The Dodgers were there, as they were all night, to scoop up the rebounds. Fant and Jake Meister led Madison with nine rebounds each, while Robbie Savacool added eight.

Savacool also iced Madison's tournament championship with a fast-break layup from Fant with 1:03 left, and then an offensive rebound putback after a missed free throw with 24 seconds to go.

"Robbie loves to play defense," Librera said. "He relishes his role. You love a kid who wants to be out there defending their best player."

That defense, as well as a relentless attack on the rim, allowed Madison to take the advantage in the first half. The Dodgers scored their first 10 points on layups or free throws resulting from drives. All five starters scored two points each in the first period as Madison took a 10-6 lead.

The trend continued in the second quarter, with eight of Madison's 14 points coming on layups or short shots. Fant's floater with 3:10 left in the first half put the Dodgers ahead, 19-10. Oratory went on an  8-2 run immediately after, thanks in large part to Scott Miller, the Rams' leading scorer with 14 points.

But with the lead cut to three, Meister knocked down a 3-pointer to extend the Madison advantage at the break.

"We always say that no one works harder than us," Librera said. "Oratory is a good team, they're well coached. To beat this team on their home floor is a great statement for our program."

At 4-0, the Dodgers are off to their best start since the 2005-06 season, when they won their first 10 games. Madison returns to NJAC-Independence Division play Tuesday afternoon when they travel to Pequannock.

SCORING SUMMARY

Madison (4-0)           10  14  11  14  -  49

Oratory Prep (3-2)    6   12  15  12  -  45

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

MAD- Aaron Fant 16, Jake Meister 12, Matt McHale 9, Robbie Savacool 6, Matt Gilbert 4, Mike Haughey 2

OP- Scott Miller 14, Nick Liakas 12, Dwayne Jordan 7, John Plantemoli 7, Mike Dubyk 3, Sebastian Laguerre 2