What We Learned from Middletown South vs. Marlboro
Photo by Matt Manley This was a high-powered matchup in the Shore Conference when Middletown South traveled to take on Marlboro. Middletown South has been the clear-cut No. 2 in the conference behind Manasquan. They made it 15 wins in…
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This was a high-powered matchup in the Shore Conference when Middletown South traveled to take on Marlboro. Middletown South has been the clear-cut No. 2 in the conference behind Manasquan. They made it 15 wins in a row when they hung 100 points on Marlboro.
This was a high scoring game from the opening tip. The pace was incredibly quick and both teams came out scalding hot. It was a back and forth first eight minutes that ended with the Eagles up 25-23. They were able to extend in the second quarter. Middletown South outscored Marlboro 27-17 in the second quarter to grab control of the game.
This was control that they would not relinquish. Middletown South hit 12 three’s in this game which made it hard for Marlboro to come back. They reached 100 points on a layup late in the fourth quarter.
Any Eagle can takeover a game at anytime
Middletown South put on a clinic on Thursday. Usually teams will have a star player or two that can get hot and carry the team but Middletown South had a different player in every quarter do this. It began from the first possession with Michael Dabas. He scored 11 of his team’s first 13 points and this kept them in the game early. In the second quarter, Jack Sheridan took over. He finished with 21 points in the game with six three’s. Five of those came in the second quarter as he was the catalyst behind the Eagles gaining control.
The second half was James Anderson time. Anderson had just four points in the first half but caught absolute fire in the third quarter. At one point he knocked down six shots, five three’s, in a row for Middletown South. This is no surprise given he has been the Eagles’ leading scorer all season long. Anderson finished with 27 points.
Depth an issue for Marlboro
Marlboro has been a top-five team in the Shore Conference all season long. This is much in part because Alex Ratner has been one of the top scorers in the state. If he has an off night, Marlboro struggles to find a second option. Ratner finished with 16 points in the loss, six coming from the free throw line. Jack Seidler led the team with 20 points.
Marlboro played just one guy off the bench until the final minutes of the game when the game was decided. This has been a trend for them all season long. This will hurt come tournament time. Marlboro is a team that will be successful for years because of their age. They start three sophomores in Seidler, Jonathan Spatola, and Jay Ratner. As for this year, if Ratner has an off night, they will struggle.
Middletown South is not deep either, but extremely balanced
The Eagles are not a deep team. They use their starting five with a player or two off the bench. This does not effect their style of play because they are balanced. Bobby Pirie is 6’4 and very athletic. He controlled the inside in this game with 14 points and 10 rebounds. He is one of few forwards on the team but his speed and quickness pairs well with his size.
Middletown South is a quick team that plays fast. They do not waste much time when on offense. They are not afraid to take the first open shot and it works. The most impressive thing is their ability to be unselfish. This began on Thursday with Luke Albrecht. He is a guard who looks for his shot but is not afraid to be a distributor. Against Marlboro, Albrecht finished with 11 points and a game-high 12 assists. He was one rebound away from a triple-double.
Marlboro’s defensive woes continue
Marlboro is a team that likes to score to beat their opponents. Sometimes, you have to win on defense. Marlboro is allowing 65.5 points per game this season. This is their third time giving up more than 80 points. Toms River North also flirted with 100 points during the WOBM Christmas Classic. This is not a recipe for success in high school. Teams need to be able to stop their opponent if they want to win.
It did not help their case that Middletown South was red hot all game long. They played at a high speed and were able to get any shot they wanted.