Hoops Bests St. Joe’s Metuchen

On Saturday, January 26, Seton Hall Prep basketball faced the Falcons of St. Joe’s (Metuchen) inside Tracey Gymnasium. The Pirates were coming off a huge top-20 win against Montclair Immaculate just two days prior and were looking to extend their six game win streak that began in early January. The Falcons, however, were also riding a major win steak into the game at 7 and were 10-2 on the year. With a massive Pirate Nation behind them, The Prep would prove once again that they are a team to be feared in New Jersey.

The first quarter would showcase the suffocating defense that the Pirates bring each and every game. Not only was every shot taken by the Falcons contested, but the many steals and takeaways led to fast break opportunities. The Prep would end the night with a total of six steals, led by Mason Morial ‘20 with two. The Pirate defense would be the reason for The Prep’s 17-7 lead at the end of the first.

The Falcons would finally be able to get going on offense in the second quarter. Scoring 14, double their first quarter score, St. Joe’s would be able to outscore the Pirates and cut the lead at half. Despite seeming to be in control for the entirety of the first two quarters, free throw opportunities and three pointers for the Falcons made the lead for the Pirates at half only six, 27-21. St. Joe’s was even able to make a half court shot as the second quarter buzzer sounded. The shot hit the back part of the rim and bounced through the net. This shot gave St. Joe’s momentum into the second half and was a heart-breaker for The Prep and Pirate Nation.

With the heart-breaking end to the first half, many would expect the Pirates to come out slow to start the third quarter. Instead, The Prep would show their mental toughness by playing to their game and maintaining their lead throughout. Despite giving up fourteen points like the last quarter, The Prep would double their previous quarter score by scoring twenty. The Falcons would creep up on the Pirates late in the third and almost tie up the game, but two late threes by Zander Zebrowski ‘20 and a late layup off a steal by Giye Jenkins ‘21 ended the third quarter with a score of 47-35. 

With the late run in the third, Pirate Nation was going crazy as the fourth quarter began. The story of the game would continue with the Pirates smothering defense and high-powered offense. The game would ultimately end with a score of 62-41, another massive victory for The Prep. The Pirates extended their winning streak to seven and added another win to their 9-5 record on the year. The high scorers of the game for the Pirates were Giye Jenkins ‘21 and Zander Zebrowski ‘20 with 14. Zander would also lead the team with 9 total rebounds. Looking ahead, the Pirates will be playing West Side on January 28, #6 Wildwood Catholic on February 1, and will be back in Tracey Gym against Payne Tech on February 4.