Trenton continues dominant start
TRENTON >> Trenton is simply on a different level from the majority of boys basketball teams in Mercer County.
More evidence came Friday when Hopewell Valley had its sixgame winning streak snapped by the Tornadoes in a 58-35 rout at Rivera Middle School.
Trenton (7-2), the reigning Central Jersey Group IV champion, has only lost to non-public juggernauts Wildwood Catholic and St. Mary (Elizabeth).
“We really feel that this team has a shot to do something special,” head coach Darryl Young said. “Coming into this game, our guys were real focused. We feel Hopewell is a solid team, they’re a good team, but it’s like boxing. Certain styles guys can’t match, and I feel we have a style that’s difficult for them. I think we can match their style, but they can’t match our style.”
Trenton’s man-to-man defense overwhelmed Hopewell (8-3) at times. The Bulldogs have several quality shooters, but their offense struggled to flow as the Tornadoes denied the wings, forced turnovers and dominated the boards. Hopewell had 19 fewer field goal attempts and shot only two free throws.
Milo De Los Santos, one of the top guards in the county, finished with 15 points but had only five in the first half. Elijah Kelly and Jessey Phillips applied tenacious defense as Trenton pulled away in the second quarter for a 29-16 halftime lead.
“The key was to pressure him the whole game,” Young said. “We felt real good to see him bring the ball up because I know he’s not used to it. He’s just coming off of screens, getting his 3-point shots off. He doesn’t do a lot of ball-handling, so the key was to pressure him, just keep him in front. Don’t reach, keep your hands out, move your feet, beat him to the spot and just keep turning him.”
Senior Jordan Williams continued his stellar campaign with his ninth consecutive double-double and a season-high 23 points.
The 6-foot-4 forward has emerged as a Player of the Year candidate who excels in rebounding and blocking shots. He brings a soft touch around the basket and can also step out and shoot 3s — a well-rounded game made possible by his devotion to becoming leaner.
“He was a chunky kid (last year), so the weight loss is a big improvement,” Young said. “In the offseason, he honed his skills, he put in the work, and this is the fruit of his labor.”
Williams’ presence in the middle helped Trenton break down Hopewell’s 2-3 zone defense. Elijah Kelly knocked down three 3-pointers and reached 11 points. Ethan Garita added nine points.
“We’re comfortable playing teams in zone this year, because we feel it won’t slow us down as much as long we get it going from the outside,” Young said. “We were looking to penetrate the gaps, we wanted to get it inside to the bigs ... but one of the main things we wanted to do also was show them that we could shoot the 3-ball this year.”
Trenton will play Notre Dame on Tuesday in a game that could ultimately decide the Colonial Valley Conference’s Colonial Division champion.
But before then, the Tornadoes have another chance to knock off a state power when they travel to St. Augustine on Saturday.
“I can’t wait to get back down there again,” Young said. “It was early in the season (when we lost), guys were inexperienced, learning our system. We played in spurts but not a full 32 minutes. I don’t try to look past games, but we’ve been looking forward to this game to go back down there tomorrow. They’re one of the best programs in the state, year in and year out. We want to be that.”
HOPEWELL (35)
Braz 1-0-2, Johnson 4-0-8, Rodriguez 3-0-7, De Los Santos 6-1-15, O’Reilly 1-0-3.
Totals — 15-1-35.
TRENTON (58)
Estevez 2-0-5, Kelly 4-0-4, Garita 4-1-9, Williams 10-2-23, Davis 3-1-7, Moore 1-0-2, Phillips 0-1-1.
Totals — 24-5-58.
Hopewell (8-3) 11 5 12 7 — 35 Trenton (7-2) 13 16 13 16 — 58 3-point goals: De Los Santos 2, Rodriguez, O’Reilly (HV), Kelly 3, Williams, Estevez (T).