Boys roundup: Woodstown opens its season with a win at Schalick, Pennsville, Penns Grove and Salem Tech all lose
TUESDAY’S BOYS SCORES
Glassboro 71, Penns Grove 32
Gloucester Catholic 85, Salem Tech 53
Overbrook 67, Pennsville 35
Woodstown 61, Schalick 27
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – When you’re playing a team expected to be one of the best in Group II – even without its full complement of players that will make it even better later in the season – it takes a complete game to have a shot.
Pennsville played what coach Joe Mecholsky considered pretty good defense against Overbrook in its Diamond Division opener Tuesday night, but the Eagles were cold from the field for the second game in a row and fell 67-35.
“We played really good defense, we just couldn’t convert,” Mecholsky said. “Every time we did a (defensive) stand we’d go down and miss a basket. We made probably three D stands and then they’d make the fourth.
“It was 14-8 at the end of first quarter and we missed 10 shots, but we played great 2-3 (defense), we ran them off the 3-point line. They hit a 3 at the (halftime) buzzer or we hold them to 24 points in the first half; that’s something to hang your hat on. We did what we wanted to do, we were happy … we just couldn’t put the ball in the daggone basket.”
The Eagles (1-2) were just 13-for-55 from the field, 3-of-21 from 3-point range. They scored only four points in the second quarter. The Rams (3-0) eventually hit 11 3s and placed four scorers in double figures.
In its last two losses, Pennsville has shot 31-of-120 from the field, 7-of-46 from behind the arc. They hit five 3s in their season-opening victory over Clayton.
“A lot of balls were on the rim, in the rim, out of the rim; we’re just gonna say it was one of those nights,” Macholsky said. “I don’t count Saturday as part of our slump because it was off a back-to-back after running up and down with Clayton (the night before). Tonight, in our own gym, the ball just wouldn’t go in.”
Luke Wood led the Eagles with 11 points. Daniel Saulin had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Peyton O’Brien grabbed 10 boards. Overbrook’s Amare Kee led all scorers with 17 points.
OVERBROOK 67, PENNSVILLE 35
OVERBROOK (3-0) – Shaun Mills 4 1-1 10, Zair Green 5 1-3 12, Amare Kee 6 0-0 17, Lamar Little 5 0-0 14, Kevin Satchell 1 0-0 2, Xavier Wright 3 0-0 6, Elvin Santiago 1 0-0 2, Tory Scott 2 0-0 4. Totals 27 2-4 67.
PENNSVILLE (1-2) – Luke Wood 4 2-2 11, Peyton O’Brien 1 2-3 5, Daniel Saulin 4 2-6 10, Jayden Thomas 1 0-0 2, Malik Rehmer 1 0-0 2, Cohen Petrutz 2 0-0 5. Totals 13 6-11 35.
| Overbrook | 14 | 13 | 17 | 23 – | 67 |
| Pennsville | 8 | 4 | 14 | 9 – | 35 |
Total fouls: Overbrook 14, Pennsville 11.

WOODSTOWN 61, SCHALICK 27: The Wolverines were the last team in Salem County to open their basketball season and they looked like a team that couldn’t wait to get on the court for real.
Rocco String had 13 points and 11 rebounds, the Wolverines (1-0) placed four scorers in double figures and held the Cougars (1-1) scoreless in the second quarter while opening a 25-7 halftime lead. Blake Bialecki, M.J. Hall and Max Webb each added 11 points to the effort and had all four of the Wolverines’ 3-pointers.
Woodstown’s defense collected 19 steals, with String and Garrett Leyman getting four apiece.
WOODSTOWN 61, SCHALICK 27
WOODSTOWN (1-0) – Blake Bialecki 3 3-5 11, Alejandro Vazquez 1 1-2 3, M.J. Hall 5 0-1 11, Garrett Leyman 3 2-3 8, Max Webb 4 2-4 11, Rocco String 6 1-1 13, Elijah Caesar 2 0-0 4. Totals 24 9-16 61. SCHALICK (1-1) – Reggie Allen 2 0-0 5, Daniel Lis 2 6-8 11, Nylan Sutton 0 1-2 1, Nasir Sutton 1 0-0 2, Jordan Johnson 2 0-0 4, Jase Volovar 1 0-0 3, Sherrod Jones 0 1-2 1. Totals 8 8-12 27.
| Woodstown | 14 | 11 | 18 | 18 – | 61 |
| Schalick | 7 | 0 | 10 | 10 – | 27 |
GLASSBORO 71, PENNS GROVE 32: Charles Graves (26) and Clinton Suggs (24) combined to outscore the Red Devils by themselves.
Graves and Suggs combined for 30 points in the first half. Michael Dougherty joined the fun with all four of his 3-pointers in the second quarter. It added up to a 44-16 Glassboro lead at the break.
GLASSBORO 71, PENNS GROVE 32
PENNS GROVE (1-2) – Roman Gipson 3 0-0 6, Camren Thompson 1 1-2 3, Giomar Conrad 3 1-4 8, Mehki Ballard 0 1-2 1, Khiry Higgs 2-0-0 4, Willie Slocum 2 0-0 4, Karon Ceaser 1 0-2 4, Luis Colon 0 0-0 0, Mr Peterson 1 0-0 2, Brandon Robbins 0 0-0 0, Neziah Spence 0 0-0 0, Jaden Sorrell 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 3-10 32.
GLASSBORO (1-1) – Xavier Sabb 1 0-2 2, Charles Graves 10 5-5 26, Clinton Suggs 9 5-6 24, Michael Dougherty 4 0-0 12, Josh Buff 1 0-0 3, William Boggans 1 0-0 2, Ziaire Tate 1 0-0-2, Marley Crowl 0 0-0 0, Demier Towle 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 10-13 71.
| Penns Grove | 8 | 8 | 11 | 5 – | 32 |
| Glassboro | 21 | 23 | 14 | 13 – | 71 |
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 85, SALEM TECH 53: The Chargers hit 10 3-pointers in the game to keep up with Jack Mustaro’s game-high 30 points, but the Rams had too many other weapons.
Six players hit at last one 3 for the Chargers (0-3), with Josh Muntz hitting 3 on his way to a team-high 15 points.
The Chargers trailed by only two after the first quarter, then Mustaro really got going and erupted for 22 points over the next two quarters to help the Rams pull away. The junior guard is averaging 23 points a game this season.
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 85, SALEM TECH 53
SALEM TECH (0-3) – Josh Muntz 5 2-3 15, Chase Wills 3 0-0 7, Tyler Zampino 3 0-1 7, Haneef Frisby 3 0-0 8, Antoine Robinson 3 3-4 11, Chase Ayars 1 0-0 3, Daviontae Russell 1 0-0 2, Brown 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 5-8 53.
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC (3-0) – Carlos Mendez 3 2-2 8, Jack Mustaro 12 3-6 30, Trey Battle 5 3-3 15, Billy Ginipro 3 0-0 6, Kyle Guldin 1 0-0 2, Ehthan Dugue 2 0-0 6, Nick Calzonetti 0 2-2 2, Brody Gates 1 2-2 4, Jack Punt 3 0-0 7, Pancoast 0 0-0 0, Kybron Ricks 1 2-2 4. Totals 31 14-17 85.
| Salem Tech | 18 | 13 | 8 | 14 – | 53 |
| Gloucester Cath. | 20 | 21 | 23 | 21 – | 85 |
Cover photo: Woodstown’s Blake Bialecki fires up a shot from the top of the key in the Wolverines’ season opener against Schalick. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)