'Lucky Bounce' Propels Bridgewater Into Final

The Bridgewater-Raritan High School boys basketball team advanced to the Somerset County Tournament championship after a Rutgers Prep defender deflected a Dom Pace shot into the basket in the final seconds of the Panthers' 54-53 overtime victory Saturday in Bridgewater.  

"Me and Eric (Murdock), we made eye contact as he came off the screen.  And (Levi) Holmes, the kid who was guarding me, turned his head and reacted as the ball was coming to me and I see his hand go up and tip the ball," Pace said. "I went from the lowest of low to pure shock. I just couldn't believe it."

Second-seeded Bridgewater faces No. 1 Gil Saint Bernards, which beat Hillsborough 78-52 in the other semifinal, in the championship game next Saturday at Franklin at 3 p.m.

IN SHORT

Bridgewater held Rutgers Prep to just five points and no field goals in overtime, but still trailed by a point with nine seconds remaining. Sam Vitello brought the ball up for the Panthers and had options with Eric Murdock on his right and Pace on the left.

"I called the double team and I passed to Eric and he drove to the basket, put it up for Dom and the Rutger's guy tipped it in," Vitello said of the winning basket.

After a slow start from both teams, Rutgers Prep gained the advantage in the second quarter, scoring 17 points to take a seven-point lead into halftime. But after the break, the Panthers roared back, scoring 20 including two 3-pointers from Murdock to tie the score at 38.

The fourth quarter was a dog fight of back-and-forth play. With a minute to go, Robbie Myers was fouled with Rutgers Prep leading 46-47.  Myers converted the first, but missed the second free throw to tie the score. Rutgers had the final possession of regulation, but was unable to score.

"It was back and forth, I don't even know how many lead changes there were," Vitello said. "We went up one, they went up one. There are no words to describe it.  It was exhilarating. It shows our ability to handle adversity, we fight through anything. There is nothing we can't overcome as a team. Our goal at the beginning of the year was to get to the county championship.  Now that we are here, we are not satisfied with getting here, we want to win it."

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Dom Pace - Pace scored all of his 10 points in the second half and OT and was credited with the winning bucket.

KEY PERFORMANCES

Eric Murdock - Murdock led the Panthers with 13 points, including three 3-point baskets.

COACH'S TAKE

"What happened was not predetermined. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. The final play was a lucky bounce. What wasn't luck was our team they just stick together and battle and battle. We were down 7 or 8 points at one point and force it to overtime and give ourselves a chance down the stretch and be in a close game is just a testament to the character and spirit of our team. I have to say, (Mike) Klinger, he made some tough free throws in a critical spot. When it came down to it, we put the ball in Sal's (Vitello) hands and it is up to him based on what he sees, does he have a shot or does he have a pass. He got rid of it pretty quickly and I thought Eric Murdock had a chance to drive the ball to the basket and he saw something that they might have an opportunity going to Dom (Pace). It is a tremendous accomplishment for our group." - Bridgewater coach Gene McAteer 

THEY SAID IT

"It was crazy.  We had the ball in Sal's hands like we wanted to. They played defense really well, you have to give credit to Rutgers Prep on that one.  Sal gave me the ball, I saw a little opening, but one of the Rutgers players started coming up and I made eye contact with Dom. I threw it to him and Levi Holmes got in the way and tipped the ball into the basket.  The next thing I know I am getting bum rushed by the crowd." - Eric Murdock

UP NEXT - Bridgewater will host Bound Brook Monday, 7 p.m.