SPORTS WRAP
BY WILLIAM HATHAWAY, JR.
The 2024 Garden State Hardwood Classic was held this past Saturday before a sellout crowd in Piscataway. It is a showcase of the state’s big time collegiate teams: the Seton Hall Pirates and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. This rivalry dates back to 1916, with RU beating SHU 40-20 that year, and has been played consistently since 1996 with the exception of the pandemic year 2020. Overall, SHU leads the series 42-33.
This year’s game was an actual classic in the word. In the first half, Seton Hall got out to a 11 point lead, but Rutgers got the last laugh, thanks to a Dylan Harper at the buzzer to win it for the Scarlet Knights 66-63.
Rutgers shot 53 percent from the floor but went just 13-28 from the free throw line. Seton Hall wasn’t much better, shooting just 6-13 from there.
RU was led by their NBA bound stars Ace Bailey and Harper, with Ace scoring 21 and Dylan netting 24. Leading SHU was Isaiah Coleman with 15 points, while Emmanuel Okorafor had a career high 10 rebounds.
In other sports, the New York Giants continued their losing ways, losing at home to the Baltimore Ravens 35-14. If NY doesn’t beat Indianapolis two weeks from now at home, they will go winless at MetLife for the whole season.
Meanwhile, the Jets had a better time, winning on the road over the Jacksonville Jaguars 32-25. Of course, it might not be the best thing, as it hurts their position in the 2025 NFL Draft.
In college football, Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter won the 2024 Heisman Trophy, with Boise State running back Ashton Jeantty serving as the runner up. Also, Navy defeated Army 31-13 to take the Commander-in-Chief trophy.
Finally, the high school basketball season is starting up, with the annual Brick City Classic being held at Weequahic High School in Newark this weekend.
