|
|
 |
The sixth-seeded DePaul Spartans pulled the upset, defeating third seed Passaic High School to advance to the semifinals of the Passaic County boys' basketball tournament. The Spartans' superb all-around game and intensity proved to be too much for the Indians. Justin Crosgile keyed a DePaul run spanning the third and fourth quarters that put the game away.
|
After a slow start for both teams, the Indians had the early edge and took a 10-7 lead to end the first quarter. But the Spartans’ Michael Minarik and Matthew Miller came out firing in the second combining for 15 out of the 16 second period points. At the other end the defense was aggresive contesting every shot. The Spartans didn’t allow many offensive rebounds or second chances to Passaic's towering front line, and DePaul built a 23-15 halftime margin.
The Indians opened the second half on a 7-2 run, cutting the lead to 3 points at 25-22. That would be the closest they would get as Justin Crosgile started to sizzle. The Spartans had a 6-0 run to take a 31-22 lead into the last period.
Crosgile, a 5'11" guard headed to play at Division I St. Joseph's next year, dominated the defensive and offensive boards, showing that heart is far more important than height. He helped DePaul to break the full court trap by the Indians, and showed great awareness cutting into the passing lane leading to easy layups. Crosgile's phenomenal game inspired his teammates to clinch the upset. DePaul built a 20-point lead before some late baskets cut into the margin.
Coach Bart Fazio was very impressed by his team’s overall performance, especially the defense. “Our 2-3 zone really caused them fits,” he said. "If we were going to lose it was going to be because of three-pointers."
The Spartans will now face Paterson's Kennedy High School in the semifinals, a team that manhandled them earlier in the year. DePaul will try to avenge that defeat on the Knights' home court and reach the county basketball finals. -- Emir Liguori for Jersey Sports Now
|
