Hopewell, Ewing in sectional semis

Trenton-area boys basketball is down to two teams, and both are Colonial Valley Conference schools competing in Central Jersey Group III of the NJSIAA state tournament.

The sectional semifinals are Thursday as No. 4 Hopewell Valley (21-5) travels to No. 1 Red Bank Regional (20-4) for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff, while No. 6 Ewing (17-10) hosts No. 7 Freehold Borough (21-7) at 7 p.m.

In the first game, Hopewell will attempt to knock off a second straight Shore Conference team after winning at home in Tuesday’s quarterfinals against No. 5 Colts Neck, 49-40, led by John Michael Vlasac’s 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Red Bank survived a first-half scare in the quarterfinals against No. 8 Robbinsville, which led by three points after the first quarter and trailed by only three at halftime. But the Bucs dropped 32 points in the second half to win, 59-48, and had balanced offense with double-figure scoring from Zayier Dean (17 points), Braydon Kirkpatrick (13 points) and Ryan Fisher (11 points).

Hopewell, though, beat Robbinsville by double digits twice this season and should have a size advantage. The Bulldogs will need to continue to play tough defense and be strong with the ball in order to reach potentially the first sectional final in program history. They are in the semifinals for the first time in at least 35 years, according to head coach Matt Stein.

Ewing, meanwhile, has captured five sectional titles but none since 2017. The Blue Devils are aiming to reach their second straight final after winning a tough road game at No. 3 Burlington Township, 38-34.

Joel Cineus was the star of that game with 18 points and a boatload of rebounds and blocked shots. Ewing will need the junior forward to deliver against an experienced Freehold Borough team that upset No. 2 Nottingham, 58-56, with an 8-0 run to end their quarterfinal.

Freehold Borough drilled nine 3-pointers in that game including four from fourthyear varsity guard Christian DiGiso, so Ewing must be disciplined with its pressure defense and also likely hit some outside shots of its own this time after converting zero against Burlington Township.

Should both CVC teams advance, the final would be a rematch of a regular season contest Jan. 5 when Hopewell won at Ewing, 53-49.

The Hopewell-Red Bank winner will host the sectional final regardless of who wins the other semifinal.