St. Thomas Aquinas was without Wake Forest commit Quadry Adams in the semifinal round of the GMC Tournament against Edison with a knee injury.
When it came down to the biggest game, he and his team claimed their spot atop the GMC pedestal as conference champions.
Quadry finished with a team-high 17 points in the win on Friday. Tristian Jeffries added 16 points and seven rebounds for St. Thomas Aquinas.
The semifinal double-overtime game for South Brunswick against St. Joseph on Wednesday might have spent enough energy to affect the Vikings’ stamina on Friday. And it takes full stamina to keep up with St. Thomas Aquinas.
The first play of the game was sophomore guard Jaquan Harris (12 points, nine rebounds, six assists) going off the dribble setting up a dump-off pass to senior Derrick Grant (13 points, 12 rebounds, six blocks) for an easy dunk.
Their athleticism and physicality continually overwhelmed South Brunswick on both ends, speaking to the 42-20 rebounding margin and 34-17 halftime score.
South Brunswick’s deficit reached up to 23 in the third quarter. They managed a late run in the fourth quarter and cut it down to 10 before St. Thomas Aquinas would deliver the final blows to seal the game. Justin Carbone led that effort by getting himself going in the second half and finished with a game-high 20 points.
Bob Turco, winning his first GMC title as a head coach, is known for making it all about defense. This was only the fourth game this season that South Brunswick scored under 60 points, and the second time they lost in doing so.
BTW, @stahstrojans becomes the first @GMConferenceNJ Blue Division team to win the GMCT Boys title since McCarrick won it in 2008. Only 4th time since @gmchoops launching in 2000-01 season GMC Blue has won: @Ramblers_SC in 2002, McCarrick in 2003 and 2008 and @stahstrojans now.
— GMC Hoops (@gmchoops) February 29, 2020
St. Thomas Aquinas now gears up for the Non-Public A State Tournament bracket with a first-round matchup against Christian Brothers Academy at home on Wednesday.
