RC Dominates Linden in UCT QF

Linden and Roselle Catholic met for the first time this season in a top tier quarterfinal encounter in Union County. Coverage of the Union County Tournament is presented by Wheelie Good Pierogi.

The teams felt each other out in the early going with 6’7” junior Juan Areche from Linden and 6’4” senior Jaden Kelly of Roselle Catholic trading baskets early on in the contest. 6’5” sophomore Johnathan Hillsman hit a triple at the 5:00 mark to put RC in the lead at 5-2. Linden made a run to claw back into the game from their near double digit deficit behind Hashim Nadir and Nas Robinson. Roselle found a triple from Jaden Kelly to lead 16-10 after the first.

The teams traded buckets to start the second with Kelley and Areche going back and forth. A Jalen Grant jumper at 6:30 created separation at 21-14 for Roselle Catholic, with their backcourt giving Linden fits. Roselle’s run continued throughout the second behind bucket from Kelly and Hillsman to take a 27-16  and pushed it to 35-20 at the half.

Roselle Catholic held serve through the third to maintain their double digit lead at nearly twenty, but a run by Linden early in the fourth cut it under fifteen. Roselle was able to dribble out the clock and walk out of the Dunn Center with a 60-46 win.