February
6, 2005
 |
 |
 |
| The final play was supposed to go to Stephon Barton (33), but instead Matt Emerson made the most of a broken play, shooting Cliffside Park past No. 5 Ridgewood and into the quarterfinals. | |
ALLENDALE - It had nothing to do with what was drawn up during the timeout a few seconds earlier. It was time for improvisation, time for somebody to step up and take command of the situation and find a way to win a game. Matt Emerson saw that happen plenty of times last year as a starter for Cliffside Park, but it was always someone else making the big play.
This season, he is the veteran, the lone returning starter, and it was his turn, his time.
So, when the play drawn up broke down, he took it upon himself to make something out of nothing. His top of the key jumper nestled in the net with four seconds to go, lifting Cliffside Park to a 51-49 upset of Ridgewood in the Jamboree Round of 16.
The Red Raiders, seeded 12th, move into next weekend's quarterfinals against the winner of Sunday's Englewood-Lyndhurst game, and they improved to 12-4 on the season. Ridgewood, the fifth seed, drops to 11-6.
Having
played from ahead virtually the entire game, the Raiders saw a furious Ridgewood
comeback in the second half, one that gave it the lead twice in the final
two minutes. The Maroons also had the ball after Stephan Barton tied the game
for CP with a jumper in the key with 1:04 to go.
 |
| Alex Chica is one of four new starters that has helped Cliffside get deep into the Jambo for the second straight year. |
Seemingly playing for the last shot, Ridgewood turned it over when Tony Schmitt got a hand on the ball as a Maroon player tried to drive the lane with 25 seconds to go. Schmitt hit the floor, grabbed the ball and called time out. The Raiders then drew up their final play.
"It was nothing like what happened," is how CP head coach Frank Connolly described the designed play. "Barton was feeling it, and we tried to run a quick hitter that we had to him, but we didn't balance. We were fortunate to have a point guard who, if the play breaks down, can make something happen, and that's exactly what he did."
Emerson (20 points), some 25 feet out to the left of the key, made a move to the middle.
"It wasn't meant for me," Emerson recalled, "and I was trying to run the play. I don't know, things just didn't fall right. I knew I had a good shot against the kid on me if I pulled up. He was smaller than me, and I'm short. I did a quick pullup on him and it went in. Things went right."
Ridgewood immediately called timeout, trying to set a play of its own. The Maroons actually got a decent try as the ball went to Jason Greenstone at the left elbow extended some 20 feet out. His shot hit off the front of the rim and harmlessly away.
"These
kids, they never cease to amaze me," Connolly said. "Nobody, nobody gave us
a shot here tonight. Our kids knew, the way they've been playing all year
surprising people, and there's a tremendous amount of character on this team.
Before the season, no way I expected this, but I underestimated their character."
 |
| Chuck Kaliades (left) kept Ridgewood close, scoring 20 of his 27 points after halftime. |
With the score tied at 9 late in the first quarter, Cliffside Park went on a 9-2run that carried into the second period. Barton, who had 10 first quarter points and 20 overall, hit a big three-point field goal to close out the opening quarter.
The Raiders took a 28-18 lead into halftime, as they benefitted from some Ridgewood foul trouble that forced leading scorer Clay Rhoten to the bench for much of the second quarter. Rhoten also was plagued in the second half and had only 4 points and 5 rebounds.
"We don't have anybody to match their size inside, and to have Rhoten on the bench that much was definitely a help," Connolly remarked.
While Rhoten was rendered ineffective, Chuck Kaliades took over the game in the second half, leading Ridgewood back with 20 points in the final two quarters. He finished with a season-high 27 points on 12 of 18 shooting, and most of his points came off a set rotation play, with Greenstone (8 assists) making the baseline pass.
"They must have run that same play seven straight times and we didn't react to it," Connolly noted, "but we boxed out well and we got a couple of bounces our way."
Kaliades had 12 points in the third quarter, when Ridgewood cut the deficit to 39-36, and he gave the Maroons their first lead of the game at 46-45 with 4:46 remaining. Neither team scored again until Harryl Smith hit the second of two free throws with 2:14 left to make it a two-point Ridgewood lead.
Barton hit a jumper with 1:47 on the clock to tie the game, but Kaliades answered with a short basket in the paint to regain the lead for Ridgewood. Barton answered again, setting up the final Emerson heroics.
No other Ridgewood player had more than 5 points, as the Maroons shot 22 of 57 from the field and just 3 of 8 at the foul line. Cliffside was 20 of 45 shooting and 7 of 11 from the line.
FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS GAME OR TO BUY A COLLECTOR'S PRINT OF THIS STORY, CHECK OUT THE NJS.com SCHOOL STORE!
|
|
|
| About Us | Contact Us | Home | Advertise |
Questions?
E-mail the editor editor@northjerseysports.com
All contents © copyright 2002-2005 HSSportsWeb.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
