#7 Ranking in Star Ledger Somerset Cty (Feb. 22, 2009)
Crusaders Fall in Quarterfinals By 1 Point
Read the story from the Couier News Below
METUCHEN — Junior guard Jaquan Peryear poured in 21 of his game-high 26 points during the second half and overtime, but it was in vain as fifth-seeded Bound Brook (16-11) dropped a heartbreaking 56-55 decision to fourth-seeded Metuchen in the second round of the NJSIAA Tournament.
Metuchen junior guard Elijah Sellers (team-high 15 points), provided the margin of victory, burying a 3-pointer with five seconds remaining off a feed from teammate Evan Carberry.
"All in all, it was a phenomenal game, both teams played so well," Bound Brook head coach Anthony Melesurgo said. "I just feel so bad for the seniors (to lose like this). We executed so well in the second half to rally. But give credit to Metuchen, they executed and made the last play."
Peryear converted a short pull-up jump shot from the left corner with just over a minute remaining to put the Crusaders up 54-52. After Sellers made one of two from the line, Peryear also connected on the back end of a one-and-one to put his team up 55-53 with 0:46 seconds remaining.
Metuchen would end up with the ball under the Crusaders' basket and 12 seconds on the clock. James Warren inbounded to Sellers who found Carberry on the right block. When he drew a double-team, Carberry kicked out the ball to Sellers, who ended the scoring and Bound Brook's season with his only 3-pointer of the contest.
The Crusaders were unable to get a shot off in the waning seconds.
Bound Brook had to rally from a 27-14 halftime deficit in front of a hostile crowd in order to force overtime. Led by nine third-quarter points from Peryear, the Crusaders recovered to trail by only four, 34-30, heading into the fourth quarter.
Trailing 46-42 late in the final stanza, Mike Schieferstein made the best hustle play of the evening, tipping an Al Parkins (eight points) missed free-throw out to senior point guard Marcus Wheaton, who swung the ball over to Peryear for a 3-pointer that cut the Metuchen lead to one with 1:47 left in regulation.
Parkins finished a baseline drive with a layup to give the Crusaders their first lead of the game, 47-46, with 1:04 remaining.
Bulldog guard Mark Crusco (11 points) nailed a tough layup in traffic with 49 seconds remaining to put Metuchen back in the lead. After a Metuchen turnover following a Crusaders missed shot, Parkins found senior forward Denzel Sanders (17 points) on a baseline cut. Sanders made one of two free throws with two seconds remaining to force overtime.
With the win, Metuchen advances to the Central Group I semifinal Friday against No.1 seed South Hunterdon.
Crusaders Advance to Round #2
Story from Jerry Carino- Courier News
CN Boys Basketball: Bound Brook tops Somerset Tech as Sanders explodes for 36 points
By JERRY CARINO • STAFF WRITER • March 1, 2010
BOUND BROOK — Denzel Sanders in the paint. Denzel Sanders on the break. Denzel Sanders with the put-back.
It was the Denzel Sanders show Monday night as the senior forward tallied 36 points and 10 rebounds to lift the Bound Brook High School boys basketball team past Somerset Tech 84-60 in the first round of the NJSIAA Tournament.
The fifth-seeded Crusaders (16-10) will visit fourth-seeded Metuchen on Wednesday for a Central Group I quarterfinal.
Sanders actually scored 37 points but was shorted one point by a scorekeeper's error. Whatever the total, it was a classic case of a senior exerting his will on an elimination game.
"We knew he would play well based on the matchups, but I didn't expect him to have 37,'' Bound Brook coach Anthony Melesurgo said. "He was unbelievable.''
Junior point guard Jaquan Pearyer scored 20 points and senior Marcus Weaton added 11 for the Crusaders, who led 23-14 after one quarter.
For 12th-seeded Somerset Tech (10-10), junior wing Chris Conner set the pace with 18 points. Conner is the starting quarterback on Bound Brook's football team. He was matched up with Sanders much of the night.
"They're our one-two punch in football season,'' Melesurgo said. "I'm sure he's maybe a little more motivated playing Chris, but Denzel's had a great career here. It's a big game for a senior; he knows the season's going to end if we lose.''
Sanders' previous best was 29 points. Afterward, he was more worried about the big picture than the numbers.
"This was a great confidence-builder," he said. "We knew we had to make a statement to show everyone that we're here to stay and we're going to the championship.''
Bound Brook now has won a first-round state game three straight years, but the Crusaders' last appearance in a sectional final was 1979.
"It's a great building block for us as a program. Now as I told our guys, for us to get to the next level we have to beat Metuchen,'' Melesurgo said. "For us to advance we have to play good on the defensive end. Metuchen is very balanced.''
Bound Brook scheduled up for this moment, having taken on Spotswood and Somerville. The Crusaders also played Immaculata toe to toe for three quarters in the Somerset County Tournament.
As for Somerset Tech, finishing .500 and returning to the NJSIAA Tournament after a three-year hiatus were noteworthy achievements. Seniors Kenny Rose (16 points), Mike Ogunfowora (11 points, 12 rebounds) and Brian Remeta (nine points) paced the program to its fifth state tourney appearance under longtime coach Marvin Gordon.
"We got off to a bad start at 1-6 and they turned it around,'' Gordon said. "My seniors, I'm very, very happy that they have put us back on the map. It gives my juniors and my underclassmen something to shoot for, being in a playoff situation and knowing what it takes to get here.'
Crusaders Get Win #15
The Crusaders finished the regular season with their second win this season over Bernards High School. Marcus Wheaton and Jaquan Pearyer led the team in scoring, while Denzel Sanders dominated the glass for the Crusaders. For the Crusaders it was senior night, the last regular season home game for many of our basketball playersfor their career. Please look below at our senior class. Next for the Crusaders will be round 1 of the central nj playoffs. The Crusaders will take on Somerset Vo-Tech at 7pm. Be sure to wear red and be loud. The winner of this game will face the winner of Metuchen/Perth Amboy Tech on Wednesday night. Also note the girls basketball team will be playing at 5pm Monday. Cheer on the girls as well!
Shout out to the Seniors:
Coach Melesurgo thanks the following seniors for there efforts for the careers at Bound Brook High School!
#1 Marcus Wheaton
#2 Al Perkins
#10 Mike Schieferstein
#23 Denzel Sanders
Current Somerset County Top 10-Star Ledger 2-22-10
The Crusaders are getting ready for the state tournament, if Friday nights game was any indication the Crusaders may have a memorable tourney run. Friday night behind Pearyer and Sanders 18 points each Bound Brook defeated South Hunterdon (who is the one seed in the upcoming state tournament). The Brook will now take on Bernards Tuesday night at 7pm. The JFK game has been rescheduled to Thursday at 7pm. A good test for the Crusaders (JFK is a group 3 team in the state tourney). As everyone knows the states begin next MONDAY!!! Should be an exciting upcoming weeks!
13-9 Crusaders get 5 Seed in States!
2010 Boys Basketball Tournament - Central, Group I
Organization:
(Click on the links in the bracket for more details.)
No. 11 Bound Brook at No. 6 Immaculata, 3 p.m. Saturday: The Crusaders will have the intensity on full throttle, but they have to make their 3s to stay in it. Great guard matchup: Ish Mack vs. Jaquan Pearyer.
STORY FROM JERRY CARINO, COURIER NEWS-
Countdown to Home Opener vs. Manville: 286 Days
By JERRY CARINO • STAFF WRITER • January 30, 2010
Previous PageBOUND BROOK — The game plan was to stop Mark Kolb, and to reinforce that, Bound Brook High School boys basketball coach Anthony Melesurgo taped Kolb's picture to every locker in the Crusaders' locker room Friday.
His players got the message, holding Bernards' high-scoring senior to five points during a 56-44 victory Saturday in a Somerset County Tournament first-round contest.
"When we walked in here and saw all the pictures, it got us focused because we knew what he could do and how dangerous he could be," Bound Brook senior Mike Schieferstein said of the 6-foot-7 forward. "Shutting him down was the key to the game."
Defending Kolb with a mix of box-and-one and diamond-and-one zones, with Schieferstein in charge of ball denial, the Crusaders held a slight lead for most of the first half. Senior forward Denzel Sanders was the go-to guy, finishing with 28 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.
It was 35-35 after three quarters when Schieferstein gave Bound Brook the lead for good on a fast-break layup. Sanders followed that with a put-back, and the Crusaders point guard made 12 trips to the free-throw line over the final 4:20 and converted 11 of them. He finished with 15 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as Bound Brook prevailed despite not making a 3-point shot.
"Coach told us the key (on offense) was to make perimeter shots and then pound it inside," Sanders said. "The perimeter shots weren't falling, so we kept pounding it inside."
With the win, 11th-seeded Bound Brook improved to 10-7, including 6-1 at home. The Crusaders will visit No. 6 seed Immaculata at 3 p.m. next Saturday.
Bernards, the No. 14 seed, fell to 8-6. Sophomore forward Ryan Zeccola paced the Mountaineers with 10 points.
"We haven't beaten Bernards the last three years," Sanders said. "This is a good win for our program.
Crusaders Beat Highland Park
Pearyer 17, Sanders 13, Cuevas 10
Jaquan Pearyer lead the Crusaders with 13 points and 7 assists as the Brook defeating GMC Highland Park 58-50 on Thursday Night. The Crusaders also had 13points from Denzel Sanders, Peter Cuevas contributed ten points and 8 rebounds. The Crusaders now next play host to Bernards in the first round of the county tournament Saturday at 2pm in Bound Brook. Be there, Be Loud, Wear RED!!!!!
Please check Jerry Carino Courier News article on the game:
Check Jerry Carino's Blog on Bound Brook Basketball:
http://blogs.mycentraljersey.com/hoopshaven/
Sanders Leads Brook to Championship
The Crusaders took a very big step in the season thus far with a thrilling 67-61 win over North Plainfield in the Crusader Classic. Denzel Sanders led the Brook with 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaquan Peayer had one of the best all around games in a awhile for the Brook, recording a triple double (22 points 11 assists, 12 rebounds) Al Perkins chipped in with a big 13 point effort. Mike Schieferstein, Russ Cobb, and Pete Cuevas did the dirty work for the Brook. Championship game will be Wednesday Night vs. group 2 power Spotswood who is 4-0.
Rosario Scores 2 in loss to Div. 1 Elon Friday Night
Former standout Alex Rosario and his Fairleigh Dickinson basketball team participated in the St. Benedict's Coaches Basketball Clinic on Friday. During this clinic, Alex and his Devils demonstrated drills for the best coaches in America. Jay Wright (Villanova), Hubie Brown (NBA Hall of Fame Coach), Jeff Van Gundy (Former Knicks and Rockets coach) Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh) and many other coaches were a part of this clinic. Very good event and exposure for Alex representing THE BROOK. We are so proud to have so many former Crusaders doing great things. Like so many of our sport programs in Bound Brook High School, our great athletes go on and do great things after life at Bound Brook High School.
Crusaders Look Forward to '09-10
The Crusaders Basketball schedule is complete for the upcoming season. Again, the schedule is a good mix of group 1, group 2, group 3, group 4 schools. Among the out of conference teams on the schedule will be top team in group 4 every season home vs Watchung Hills, away at Prep B Champion from last season Rutgers Prep, group 3 JFK, and a good group 1 schedule of Dayton from the Mountain Valley Conference, Highland Park and Timothy Christian from the GMC. In addition, the same solid Skyland Schedule of Somerville, Delaware Valley, Bernards, North Plainfield, North Warren,Belivdere, South Hunterdon, and Manville. Also, newly added Pingry will be opening night this upcoming winter. One more scheduling note, the Crusaders open up there home schedule against big time rival North Plainfield in round 1 of the Crusader Classic. Both teams have played memorable games in the past like last years overtime victory by North Plainfield 84-80. Please see the link below for complete scheduling information and scrimmage schedule.
In addition to helping out the Crusaders Basketball team the entire year, Xavier Perez also is one of the best athletes in our school! Xavier returned from his Special Olympics Competition with 11, yes 11 gold medals. Please see below:
GOLD MEDALS IN: 60M, 100M, 200M, 400 M,BROKE RECORD IN SHOTPUT, DISCUS, JAVELIN, BENCH PRESS, AND POWER LIFT
SILVER MEDAL- TABLE TENNIS
ALSO 100 TEXT MESSAGES WHILE HE WAS AWAY WONDERING WHAT THE SCORE WAS IN THE BB VS. IMMACULATA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!
We are very proud of XAVIER. X is an example of what hard work, determination, and will power is all about!
Bound Brook Hall of Fame
Website Now Up!
Shawn Delp and the rest of the committee has done such a great job in establishing our schools hall of fame. We had two greats from our past basketball program inducted last May. Joe Barile head coach in the 50's-70's,Steve Kania who was the head coach in the late 80's, early 90's and Sam Jones who was a football, basketball, track star at Bound Brook HS. These men contributed heavily to our schools success in the past, specifically basketball! Please visit this new site and bookmark, hopefully more of our past Crusaders greats will be inducted next ceremony.
The Crusaders basketball program has one again put itself in talks with other schools as one of the better solid group 1 schools in NJ, the Crusaders have qualified for the state tournament for the last four consecutive seasons, while advancing to the quarterfinals the last two seasons. Below is the link to the classifications for the upcoming 2009-10 basketball season.
(Point Pleasant Beach who defeated the Crusaders last season have been moved to South Jersey)
