EAGLES FIGHT OFF UPSET BID FROM RARITAN

Garret Thiel and Peter Clabby both scored over 20 points to help theEagles squeak by Raritan in overtime, 57-52.
Middletown South started out with the lead, 11-6 at the end of thefirst, in large part to Thiel's 7 points in the opening quarter. TheEagles and Rockets played to an 8-8 tie in the second, leaving thescore 19-14 at halftime.
Raritan came out in the third quarter and was able to hold South'soffense to only 7 points while scoring 15 and came out of the thirdquarter with a 29-26 advantage. The Eagles were able to tie the gamelate and Raritan had the ball with 15 seconds left in regulation.
Thiel stole the ball just after Bennet Jackson crossed halfcourt andwent towards the Raritan basket as time was winding down. A Raritandefender was able to beat Thiel down the floor and get between him andthe basket. Thiel went up for a lay-up and drew contact, but no foulwas called.
In overtime, the Eagles went ahead early and were able to hold off theRockets thanks to a combined 11 points from Clabby and Thiel.
Thiel went 8 of 9 from the charity strike in the fourth quarter andovertime, and finished with a team-high 23 points. Clabby netted 21points, 13 of them in those final two periods. Raritan guard CoreyHahn contributed a game-high 24 points in the Rockets loss.