Middletown North's Brian Crosby's Monster Game Spurs Brookdale Win

Photo above: Crosby goes up for two points

LINCROFT – In a game with numerous playoff ramifications at stake and one which Brookdale (16-9, 15-6) desperately needed for seeding implications, 6-foot-8 freshman center Brian Crosby scored 17 points and hauled down 25 rebounds – both career highs – powering the Jersey Blues to a 69-65 win over Bergen Community College (15-12, 13-8) Thursday night at Collins Arena.

Crosby scored six-straight points midway through the first half to keep Brookdale within striking distance as the Blues struggled early against the Bulldogs zone defense with the smaller but quicker Bergen team continually forcing Brookdale into poor shot selections.

After trailing by as many as 12 points in the first half, Brookdale eventually started to hit some shots forcing the Bulldogs to loosen their zone. With Bergen now forced to come out and cover the perimeter it opened things up underneath for the Blues and they methodically climbed back into the game.

In the final four minutes of the first half, Brookdale outscored Bergen 12-1 to go into halftime tied at 35. Sophomore guard Isaiah Johnson (Notre Dame H.S.) launched back-to-back three-pointers to pull the Blues to within four, before sophomore Tevon Bennett’s lay-in, steal and feed to 6-foot-4 freshman forward Noah Dean (Bloomfield H.S.) evened the score at 35-35.

Brookdale controlled the boards in the first half with Crosby grabbing 11 boards – six offensive – and Dean pulling down nine - five offensive. Johnson had 14 first-half points to lead the Blues.

Bergen ran out to a 44-38 lead to start the second half before Bennett (Orange H.S.) and freshman guard Terrel Cox (Long Branch H.S.) hit shots to make it a two point game, 44-42 at 14:08. Cox – a 2014 Asbury Park Press All-Class B North selection - had seven of the Blues next 14 points as the Blues clung onto a 52-50 lead. The lead exchanged hands seven times before the Blues took it for good, 63-62 on Crosby’s lay-in and subsequent free throw for a three-point play.

Crosby then brought down the house with a massive slam-dunk off an assist from Johnson for a 65-62 advantage at the 2:25 mark. Cox set the play in motion with his third steal of the night and Johnson’s three-pointer with under a minute to play sealed the deal as the Blues picked up a critical Region XIX win.

Johnson set the school scoring record last season at Notre Dame with 1603 career points while averaging 19.6 points per game as a senior when he was a first-team All-Mercer County pick. In Thursday’s win he finished with a team-high 23 points while Cox and Bennett both scored in double figures with 13 and 10 respectively.

Brookdale hosts its regular season finale Tuesday night at 5:00 p.m. in another key Region XIX game against Union County.

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