UC Upends #9 Linden

The Investors Bank Showcase was held on Sunday at Kean University in Union and GSBR was on location for several of the contests, including Union Catholic's flip-the-script win over Linden, as the Vikings 61-50 victory gained them some payback for losing to Linden at home on opening night in the Union County Game Of The Week, presented by Wheelie Good Pierogi

Linden began the game with a layup by Nas Robinson and after a rushed shot, Elijah Butler finished an alley-oop to get the Tigers rolling. Altobelli answered with a drive of this own to get UC on the board. The squads settled into their groove as the quarter went on and traded buckets through the mid point of the first UC went on a run and after baskets by Wood and Altobelli, tied the game at 8-8 late in the first. Butler’s second alley-oop of the quarter gave Linden a 10-8 lead, which they held after 1.

Robinson opened the second with a layup plus one, extending the Tigers lead to 13-8. UC responded back when 6’2” junior Luke Schorr hit a triple to cut the lead to a point two possessions later. The teams played at a fast pace and flipped buckets throughout the second, with Robinson continuing his hot handed play as the quarter reached its midway point and Linden leading 17-13. The tough heavyweights traded blows through the second and Linden led 27-25 at half.

Linden pushed out a lead to start the third but a 10-2 UC run evened the game at 35 with 1:45 to go in the quarter. After UC took the lead, Jhan Acosta hit a buzzer beater to give them a two possession lead going to the fourth at 41-35.

Altobelli got the fourth going with a layup to extend the UC lead to 43-35. After a Yaw Ansong layup on their next trip up the floor gave the Vikings a double digit lead, Coach Drejaj took a timeout to get his Tigers back under control. On UC's next trip, FK Muntari finished a dunk but got a technical foul following his finish. Burnam hit both freethrows and on the ensuing possession, a bucket for Linden cut the lead to 48-39. Linden was able to close it to ten at 53-43 with 2:30 to go but would get no closer as the Vikings pulled away for a 61-50 victory.

Union Catholic improves to 7-5 on the season while Linden falls to 9-3.

Case Agency Player Of The Game

Terrance Wood, Union Catholic

While junior point guard AJ Altobelli scored 15 points and facilitated the offense to drive the Vikings to victory at the Investors Bank Showcase, Wood was the x-factor in the contest. He chipped in 10 for the Vikings and played tough defense and was part of a key stat for UC on the day, as they got 13 points from their first two off the bench, while Linden was only able to get 3 from theirs.