Life Center Clips Roselle Catholic in OT

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Roselle Catholic, the #1 team in the GSBR Pre-Season Top 25 Poll as defending state champs, comes into the 2023-2024 season as a team in flux. The Lions lost the bulk of their star-studded roster to graduation and transfer in the summer. To top if off, their mastermind head coach, Dave Boff, departed RC after a brilliant spell to take over at College Achieve in Asbury Park. RC turned to a youth movement, giving the keys to the bus to sophomores Jalen Grant, Jalen Maldonado and others.

In spite of an inexperienced and thin lineup to start the season, their opening night 45-41 loss to #8 Saint Benedict’s was nothing to be disappointed about. The Lions looked to rebound against a Life Center team that was already a dozen games deep into their season and was coming in off a win on Thursday against Hun.

RC got started quickly off the tip as 6'7" sophomore Eric Hillsman put down a dunk with force to take the lead on RC’s first trip down the floor. Hillsman added another thunderous dunk to give the Lions a further advantage midway through the first. Al Tariq Reevey, a physically imposing 6’9”sophomore prospect from Life Center, wasn’t to be outdone, as he added one of his own to even the score at 8 in an exciting first quarter. Life Center got a bucket from 6’4” junior Elijah Brown, plus the foul, to lead 11-9 after one.

The tight defensive battle continued into the second quarter with neither team finding much in terms of open looks and Life Center held a one possession lead midway through the second at 15-12. Roselle Catholic struggled in the opening half with the size and physicality advantage Life Center had on them, specifically Reevey under the basket. RC changed their defensive look and put in a bigger body with the insertion of 6’6” sophomore Ethan Mgbako, who tossed in baskets on consecutive trips to give RC a 23-17 lead as they went on a run near the end of the half. The teams traded baskets to the finish and RC held the slimmest of margins, 27-26 at the break.

Life Center came out swinging after the break with a set of buckets to take a 6 point lead with just over five minutes to play in the quarter at 34-29. RC punched back with two triples by Grant and fellow sophomore Tyrease Hunter, then got a goaltending call to push back ahead 37-36 late in the third. After another LC mini run, Grant answered with a triple and a Hillsman putback dunk kept RC within one at 44-43 after three.

The basket trading continued in the first portion of the fourth, with Life Center holding a slim 51-47 margin midway through the final stanza. With Roselle trailing, Grant and Maldonado both hit threes to tie the game at 55 with a minute and a half left. Grant put RC in the lead with 2 foul shots, but Life Center answered to tie it at 57. Grant’s last second shot was blocked and the game went to overtime.

The high pressure moments continued through overtime, including a big Jalen Grant triple with 22.3 to go that gave Roselle Catholic a 66-65 lead. On the final shot of the contest, Life Center found paydirt with Elijah Brown dropping a mid range jumper to win the game at the buzzer, 67-66.

The loss drops Roselle Catholic to 0-2 on the young season--but young is the key word. The Lions youth movement will get some help in just 20 days as transfers become eligible. Additionally, season opening losses to a GSBR Top 10 team in St. Benedict's and a well-repected Prep Program like Life Center that has already played 13 games on the season and is in mid season form---are not bad losses for these young players who were expecting to play support roles coming into this season.

Case Agency Player Of The Game:

Elijah Brown, Life Center.

The 6'4" Brown had a magnificent performance at both ends of the floor. He led all scorers with 24, including the most important two pointer of the night. The junior guard has a D1 future and will be of interest to schools throughout the region.

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