Monday,
March 14, 2016
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
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Sophomore Ja'Quaye James led all scorers with 23 points, including the 1,000th of his career, as Teaneck won the Group 3 state title with a 59-50 win over Winslow at Rutgers University. |
PISCATAWAY – Though it is a role generally reserved for only seniors, Teaneck’s Ja’Quaye James envisioned himself as a team leader from the time he first stepped on the court as a freshman. While Teaneck has been the pre-eminent boys’ basketball program in Bergen County over the past decade, the Highwaymen have struggled while facing the best in the state.
After faltering in the Bergen County Jamboree this year, getting over the hump on the state-wide level was James’ mission. Facing a physical Winslow squad in the Group 3 state final, it was up to James to control the tempo and take over the game.
He did that and then some. On top of scoring his 1,000th career point, James dominated the fourth quarter and sealed the game from the foul line as Teaneck will head back to the Tournament of Champions for the first time since 2003 with a Group 3 state title in hand thanks to a 59-50 victory over Winslow on Sunday afternoon at the Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway.
“I knew I was close to 1,000 and I was eight points away, but all I cared about though was winning a state champion,” said James. “I had a rough patch in the second quarter but I knew my teammates would hold it down for me until I settled in again.”
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Michael Cubbage had 15 points for Winslow, which came from the No. 5 seed in South Jersey to reach the final. |
Adrian Baucom has been an unsung hero throughout the Highwaymen’s state tournament run and his 3-pointer gave Teaneck an early lead. The Highwaymen smothered Winslow into eight first quarter turnovers with Teaneck leading 14-4 after one.
Winslow has had an unlikely state tournament run all the way from the No. 5 seed in South Jersey to a state final. The Eagles have done so by bulling their way through the competition and forcing their opponents to play their style. Emmanuel Lowe gave the Eagles a huge spark off the bench with an alley-oop dunk to tie the game at 20. James hit two free throws on the ensuing possession for his 1,000th career point and Teaneck held a 24-21 halftime lead; but the momentum had clearly swung in Winslow’s favor.
“We just had to settle down and make them play at our pace, not us playing their style,” said Teaneck head coach Jerome Smart. “We moved the ball much better in the third quarter and we saw the shots we started to get. I’m fortunate that I have a real good group of kids who don’t get too high or too low no matter what the situation is.”
After sitting for a good chunk of the first half with foul trouble, Juwaun Daniels asserted himself inside throughout the third quarter. He scored eight points in the period, including a thunderous two-handed jam to give the Highwaymen their largest lead, 38-27. However, he held on the rim a little too long for the officials’ liking and was hit with a technical foul, his fourth.
“That was definitely the most physical team we’ve played by far so we had to match that physicality to stay ahead of the game,” said Daniels. “Every box out was important, every stop was a big one.”
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Teaneck's Jawuan Daniels (left) and Nick Whitaker with 'The Chip,' |
Winslow cut into the lead with Daniels on the bench, but James made sure the Highwaymen were never seriously threatened down the stretch. Although the rest of the team struggled at the line in the fourth quarter, James was the calming influence as he knocked down 9 of his 10 attempts from the charity stripe as Teaneck celebrated its first state title in 13 years.
James led all players with 23 points for Teaneck (27-4). Daniels added 16 points and Baucom had 10. Nick Whitaker and Ge’Ani Bannerman provided the defense, combining for 10 blocked shots. Lowe and Michael Cubbage had 16 and 15 points, respectively, for Winslow (16-15).
Teaneck will now turn its attention to the Tournament of Champions. As the fifth seed in the six-team tournament, the Highwaymen will take on Group 2 state champ West Side (Newark). With the ultimate goal of an elusive state title now accomplished Teaneck is excited about letting it all hang out and seeing how far this run can go.
“We’re excited no matter who we get as long as we get to keep playing,” added James. “We’re a really close team and we stuck together through adversity. We wanted the ‘Chip’ and now we’ve got it. Time to move on to the next challenge.”
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