Mater Dei Fights Off Toms River North Challenge For Trip To Shore Conference Tournament Final

Photos courtesy of Tom Smith: Elijah Barnes, Kenny Jones, Kyle Cardaci and Barnes game-changing dunk

TOMS RIVER – Top-seeded Mater Dei was pushed to the brink Tuesday night at the Pine Belt Arena in Toms River but the Seraphs survived the scare fifth-seeded Toms River North (24-2) put into them and they went on to defeat the Mariners 73-68 in classic Shore Conference Tournament semifinal contest.

The Seraphs (23-3) trailed the entire game and didn’t grab its first lead of the game until 3:35 of the fourth quarter when Yasin Pretlow’s bucket put them up by two points, 60-58. The Seraphs never relinquished the lead again but needed some clutch play down the stretch to hold off Toms River North.

It was still a two-point game, 64-62, with 1:19 remaining when Princeton University-bound Elijah Barnes slammed down a backboard shaking two-handed dunk as he was fouled by Toms River North senior Jaden Rhoden for the front end of a crucial three-point play. On the play, junior point guard Kenny Jones, who handed out 10 assists on the night, penetrated the lane and shuttled a perfect pass to Barnes to set up the play.

“When they went man-to-man, we spread the floor a little bit. It was kind of more Kenny Jones’ improvising than us drawing up something up on the play,” Mater Dei coach Ben Gamble said. We settled down with their zone, which gave us problems. Good thing that Kyle Cardaci hit some shots. It opened some things up.”

Cardaci had an outstanding all-around game scoring 20 points, including three three’s, six rebounds (three offensive boards), two assists, a steal and a blocked shot.

On the Mariners next possession, the 6-foot-6 Barnes blocked a shot by Rhoden above the rim which led to a pair of free throws by Jones to push the lead to seven, 69-62.

Barnes, who finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and a blocked shot, scored six baskets as he was fouled and hit five of the ensuing free throws to give him five three-point plays in the game.

“Four minutes left on the clock, I looked at my teammates and said, ‘this is it. I don’t want to go out like this,’” Barnes said. “I want to make history and repeat (as Shore Conference champions). So we got together, played some defense and some big plays.”

With the Mater Die lead now at seven and time running out the Mariners gave it one last gasp pulling to within one, 69-68, with 35.5 seconds left in the game. Senior guard Sean O’Donnell hit his sixth 3-pointer of the night and after a Mike Husni steal O’Donnell calmly sank his seventh 3-pointer to get the Mariners within one with 24.5 seconds left.

“This is a better team than last year,” Gamble said of Toms River North, which the Seraphs also beat in last SCT semifinal, 62-50. “And believe me; I was worried about this game. They got out to the lead, it’s in their gym and they have the momentum. This is a very good team; you can see why they were 24-1.”

The Mariners actually had a chance to take the lead after Pretlow missed the front end of a one-and-one but Toms River North committed the first of two turnovers on back-to-back possessions that eventually doomed them in the end.

Cardaci and Jones each hit a pair of clutch free throws after intentional fouls to seal the deal for the Seraphs.

Mater Dei will now face No.6 seed Marlboro, which upset No.2 seed Ranney, in Saturday’s championship game at Ocean First Bank Center on the campus of Monmouth University at 7:30 p.m. The Seraphs will be looking to win consecutive SCT titles after coming all the way back from an 18-point deficit in the final nine-plus minutes to stun CBA for the program’s first ever SCT championship.

Senior Elijah Mitchell added six points along with two rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Seraphs with Pretlow chipping in with seven points, two assists and two boards.

For the Mariners, Rhoden finished with 19 points, five rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot, while senior Darrion Carrington added 14 points, six boards, seven assists and three steals.

“We kept fighting, I’m very proud of that,” Gamble said of his team. “We’ve been in so many situations earlier in the year that really helped us out tonight. But they’re a really good athletic team.”

“It’s great for us,” Jones said. “I’m happy to be going back (SCT final) in front of that big crowd.”

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