Manalapan vs. Monmouth Regional: What We Learned
Shore Conference preseason action saw Manalapan take on Monmouth Regional on Wednesday. Both teams are coming off a losing campaign last season and are looking for better fortunes this year. In the end, it was Manalapan who proved stronger 64-41. …
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Continue ReadingShore Conference preseason action saw Manalapan take on Monmouth Regional on Wednesday. Both teams are coming off a losing campaign last season and are looking for better fortunes this year. In the end, it was Manalapan who proved stronger 64-41.
The first four minutes in the second half will typically determine how the game will play out. Manalapan held an eight point lead heading into the break but Monmouth was gaining some momentum. Manalapan quickly shut it down in the opening minutes of the third quarter. They went on to outscore their opponent 19-7 in the period on the back of four three-pointers. Here are three things that we learned from this exhibition.
Manalapan Is Not Afriad to Milk Clock
There is currently no shot clock in high school basketball in the state of New Jersey. Manalapan is a team that will take advantage of that. In the first quarter, the Braves got a rebound with 1:10 left on the clock and were instructed by head coach Rick Garretson to run a play to get the last shot. They did the same over the final three quarters with no less than 50 seconds remaining. It worked to perfection in the third quarter when the Braves were able to hit a wide open three from the corner with four seconds left.
Monmouth Will Pull Up With Confidence
Maybe it was because they were confident on their home floor but Monmouth was using the pull-up game to a huge advantage. Whether it was from three-point range or off two dribbles from mid-range, Monmouth shot the ball at a high rate and did it with confidence. The mid-range game is something that has been lost in all levels of basketball but not in the Falcons’ gym.
Manalapan Will Be Much Improved
Manalapan won just five games last season. They were at the bottom of the A North division in the Shore Conference. After 32 minutes of preseason action, the Braves showed that they are going to be an improved team. They have some key returning players who are going to fit nicely into a leadership role. The Shore Conference is extremely competitive so the noise that Manalapan can make might be limited but this is not a five win team in 2019-2020.