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No. 18 Vol. 4
My Life Publications • 1-800-691-7549
April 2022
127 B Main Street Hackettstown • (908) 813-8570
Hackettstown Boys Basketball Wins Its First Ever H/W/S County Title
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By Steve Sears or Hackettstown Tigers Head Basketball coach, Michael McDonagh, the third time is a charm. In his third attempt for a Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex County Tournament championship, his club eked out a 58 - 55 overtime win over Walkill Valley. Tourney MVP, Ethan Almeida, scored 22 points for the Tigers, and Darien Santos had 17. The win is a sweet one, especially after McDonagh and the Tigers themselves had suffered an OT loss two years ago in the title contest against Hunterdon Central, 55 - 48. “No small school has ever won the county tournament, ever,” McDonagh states. “We played Hunterdon Central two years ago when I had a really special team. We played the county finals at Centenary (University) and my best player tore his ACL the game before that. He plays in the championship game, and he’s an 87% free throw shooter, and went to the free throw line with one second left and we’re down one. He makes the first one, and I said, “Wow! We are a free throw away from a county title.’ The second one rimmed in and out, and we go to overtime. My secondbest player fouls out, we take some bad shots, and we lose.” The Tigers this season started out 9 – 0, and were seeded #1 early in the county tournament rankings. However, in their next 12 games, they went 6 – 6. “We started struggling,” McDonagh says. “There was no connection on the court. There was no muster, and so then the county tournament starts, and I said to myself, ‘I’ve just got to get them back on track.’” After a double bye due to their #1 seed, the Tigers faced Warren Hills first and won, and then came toe-to-toe with their old nemesis, Hunterdon Central. “We played so well. It was a great team win from everyone,” McDonagh says of the 53 – 45 semifinal win. The OT loss of two years ago was certainly on his mind. “You don’t ever want to see that happen again. They’re such a good team, it doesn’t
Hackettstown players and coaches pose for a photo after the Tigers defeated Wallkill Valley in overtime of the Hunterdon/Warren/ Sussex Boys Basketball Final at Centenary University in Hackettstown, NJ on Feb. 26, 2022. Photo credit Nick Scalera.
matter their record. They’re very good, but we played very well. We locked down their two best players and somehow, someway, we scrapped to a victory.” Hackettstown had defeated Walkill Valley - their opponent to decide the H/W/S tournament championship - twice during the regular season by 18 and 8 points respectively. The title game was held again at Centenary University, and a full Hackettstown crowd was in the house to root the Tigers to victory. For McDonagh, who just completed his 12th season at the helm, this may be the happiest he’s ever been. He takes time to reflect. “Am I happy? Absolutely. I’ll tell you why.
I live up in this beautiful town. I love it up here. And the success that I’ve been able to do with all different teams over the years, and the friendships made. When we won that county title, there must have been about 15 players from over the last four years that stopped into that game that helped build this foundation. I’m very happy and content.” Hackettstown Tigers basketball games are also a family event. “My kids go to the games,” McDonagh says happily. “They love sitting with their dad on the bench. It’s pretty cool when you incorporate your family with what you love to do as well.”