Ewing rallies in the third quarter to beat Ocean Twp.
EWING >> Trailing by six early in the third quarter, the Ewing boys basketball team was struggling to generate offense and needed a spark in order to keep the season alive.
Fortunately for the Blue Devils, their defense ensured that the 201819 campaign will go on for at least one more game.
Fifth-seeded Ewing forced eight turnovers in that third quarter as the Blue Devils rallied for a 50-43 win Tuesday against Ocean Township in the first round of the Central Jersey Group III Tournament.
One explanation for Ewing’s lackadaisical start could be that the team had not played a game since losing to Hopewell in the Mercer County Tournament quarterfinals 10 days earlier.
“I guess we were a little rusty in the beginning just because we haven’t played in so long,” junior guard Jaylen Britton said. “So really we just had to get back in rhythm, and that’s when the third quarter hit. We got back in our rhythm and then we just got back to Ewing basketball.”
Faced with a sense of urgency, Ewing ramped up its full-court pressure in the second half. Ocean Township struggled to maintain ball security in addition to shooting poorly throughout the game, converting only 12-of-41 field goal attempts and making zero 3-pointers.
“I felt we definitely did put more pressure on them,” Britton said. “That’s exactly what our coach (Shelly Dearden) did. We played a full-court man (defense) and denied the ball, especially from their guards because the guards were really running their offense for them.”
Britton scored 10 of his team-high 13 points in the second half, including a 3 from the corner that put Ewing up for good, 30-29, with 1:25 left in the third quarter. Craig Wrenn added 11 points.
The Blue Devils closed the period on a 15-4 run. Delvin Doggett scored back-to-back buckets in the post, Caleb Stokes scooped in a layup off a backcourt steal and Britton made two huge free throws to highlight the surge.
“I owed my team all those buckets because I missed a lot in the beginning, so I just had to make that up,” Britton said.
Cory Miller netted 14 points for Ocean Township, which cut its deficit down to 39-41 midway through the fourth quarter before Ewing responded with one last run to hold off the visiting team.
Marcus Beaubrun came up with a key offensive rebound and made 1-of-2 two free throws, then buried two more on the ensuing possession.
But the Blue Devils know they will have to be better offensively — especially at the foul line — to advance past the quarterfinals on Thursday. Ewing went 15-for-32 at the line on the night, and in the first half made 6-of-22 field goal attempts.
Ewing will host 13th-seeded Red Bank Regional, a 40-35 winner in the first round against Hopewell Valley, for a trip to the sectional semifinals.
“Free throws, we’ve got to get that together,” Britton said. “And we’ve just got to be more sound and we’ve got to work together on offense, because that’s how we’re going to get our easy buckets.”
OCEAN TWP. (43)
Miller 5-4-14, Meeks 4-6-14, Kelly 3-5-11, Cascues 1-2-4.
Totals — 14-17-43.
EWING (50)
Stokes 3-0-7, Wrenn 4-3-11, Britton 4-3-13, Doggett 3-1-7, Boone 0-2-2, Gibson 0-1-1, Beaubrun 2-3-7, Reese 0-2-2.
Totals — 16-15-50.
Ocean Twp. (13-14) 7 16 8 12 — 43
Ewing (14-9) 1271714—50
3-point goals: Britton 2, Stokes (E).