CLARK, NJ- The Linden High School Tigers boys varsity basketball team appeared sluggish at times of the first half against the Union High School Farmers, but seemed to make the plays necessary to maintain their slim lead, even when their shots weren’t falling.
The fifth-seeded Farmers were able to lead at a few parts of the game, including 10-9 after the first quarter and hung around for the entire first half, as the fourth-seeded Tigers struggled to find a rhythm on offense.
After a few adjustments were made, the Tigers (ranked No. 11 on NJ.com’s Top 20) trailed 26-25 in the opening minute of the third quarter but exploded for a 9-0 scoring run in a duration of over three minutes to take a 34-26 lead. They never looked back, defeating the Union High School Farmers 68-46 in the Union County Tournament Quarterfinals Saturday night at Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark.
Linden led by a score of 6-2 early, before the teams exchanged shots on consecutive possessions. Union senior DeAnte MacFarlane got a late basket to go in, as the Farmers closed out the quarter with a 10-9 lead.
In the second quarter, Linden and Union traded the lead, with seniors Louis Rodriguez and Jaylin Cooper-Reid combining for eight of Linden’s points in the quarter. They also connected on seven free throws to take the 25-21 lead into halftime.
“We just trust in on our coaching system and on our players,” Cooper-Reid said of halftime. “[Coach Colicchio] told us to relax, calm down and we came together as a team and we executed it in the game [plan].”
While the offense wasn’t exactly clicking for the Tigers, their strong play on defense was key to staying afloat for a chance at a win. In past games, the defensive pressure the Tigers have dealt their opponents has been key to their overall success.
Full Coverage of Linden’s Union County Tournament Quarterfinals Win Over Union HS Here
