Game 7 Sharks ELITE

Game 7 Sharks ELITE started their summer part of the season off with a bang in the Hamilton Park Summer League in Jersey City, NJ. The Sharks played a double header on June 29 in front of a packed crowd. Many people in attendance were anxious to see the Sharks in action, as the Sharks have created a big buzz with their successful spring season. After an opening loss to a tough Marist High School team, the Sharks bounced back with an eight point win over a very good Union High School team. Down eight at halftime, the Sharks started the second half off with a baseline jumper from Jack Keating (6'6'', F, 2011, Rumson-Fair Haven). The relentless defensive pressure began to frustrate the Union players, and a buzzer beating three-pointer by Mike Aaman (6'8'', F, 2012, Raritan) cut the deficit to three at the end of the third quarter. Big defensive stops by Eric Youncofski (5'9'', G, 2012, Middletown North) and tough rebounding by Tim Frawley (6'3'', G/F, 2012, Middletown North) showed the toughness and determination of the Sharks. The Sharks took the lead on an and-1 finish by Will Boman (5'9'', G, 2012, Middletown North) and never looked back. The win showed the perserverance of the Sharks.

On July 1, the Sharks met Paramus Catholic in a highly anticpated showdown. The Sharks jumped out to a quick lead with a few easy baskets inside, and a steal by Youncofski lead to a fast break dunk for Aaman which forced Paramus Catholic to call a timeout. Paramus Catholic looked to get the ball inside to their highly regarded 2011 post player, but great post defense by John Martens (6'4'', G/F, 2011, Middletown North) made that difficult. Paramus Catholic made a run towards the end of the half and looked to grab the momentum in the third quarter. The Sharks put the run to rest, starting the second half off with Youncofski throwing an alley-oop pass to Shilique Calhoun (6'6'', F, 2011, Middletown North), who rose up over the Paramus Catholic big men and finished the play with a two-handed dunk that brought the crowd to their feet. Paramus Catholic cut the lead down in the fourth quarter, but Jason Huelbig (6'3'', G, 2012, Middletown North) and Martens had several tough finishes in transition and made late game free throws to keep the Sharks ahead. Aaman capitalized on a tough hook shot in traffic with 1:20 remaining in the fourth to push the lead to four points, and Frawley had two defensive stops in a row to seal the 52-48 victory.

The Sharks are back in action July 9, with games against Sports U and New Jersey Panthers.