Boys Varsity Basketball | 2/16/2025 10:37:00 AM
The backcourt duo of seniors AJ Altobelli and Luke Schorr combined for 42 points to ignite Union Catholic, ranked No. 11 in the state, to an 80-61 victory over Linden in the quarterfinal round of the Union County Boys Basketball Tournament on Saturday at the Dunn Center in Elizabeth.
Altobelli finished with 22 points, including 14 in the first half, and Schorr scored 20, including three 3-pointers, as the Vikings, the defending county champs, advanced to the county semifinals where they will clash with No. 1 ranked Roselle Catholic.
The defining moment of the game came in the third quarter when Union Catholic went on a 16-3 run to open a 54-37 lead.
The Vikings' offense was firing on all cylinders, with fast breaks, sharpshooting from beyond the arc, and alley-oop dunks as UC played their signature brand of unselfish ball movement and quick transition play. And UC's relentless defense stifled Linden's attempts to mount a serious challenge.
Linden tried to respond in the second half, cutting UC's lead to 38-34 early in the third quarter, but couldn't keep up with the relentless pace set by the Vikings. Every time the Tigers attempted to make a run, the Vikings answered with crucial buckets, extending their lead and pushing the game further out of reach.
In addition to the standout performances from Altobelli and Schorr, the team saw solid contributions across the board.
Yaw Ansong added six points, going 4-for-6 from the free-throw line.
Malik Moore knocked down a three-pointer,
Cliff Deguerre contributed a big 10 points, including 2 three-pointers.
FK Muntari also added 10 points with solid play in the paint, and
Jhan Acosta, who played some big minutes for UC, chipped in with 5 points.
The win means Union Catholic advances to face the top-ranked team in the state, Roselle Catholic, in what promises to be a highly anticipated semifinal matchup.
The two teams have met twice this season with Roselle Catholic coming out on top both times, 45-41 and 63-61. UC defeated Roselle Catholic to win its first county title last year.
