Timber Creek boys beat Hammonton

Jameer Briggs wanted the trophy. Tyler Hines wanted the banner. The Timber Creek boys' basketball players both got their wish.

The Chargers defeated top-seeded Hammonton, 58-50, yesterday for their first South Jersey Group 3 title.

The Chargers, who were the No. 6 seed in the Group 3 bracket, improved to 20-9 overall and will play the winner of Middletown South-Neptune in the Group 3 state semifinals tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Winslow Township.

Briggs, a sophomore guard, converted 3 of 4 foul shots in crunch time, including two with the Chargers clinging to a 49-48 lead with 1 minute, 4 seconds remaining.

"All I was thinking about was looking at the basket," Briggs said, "and that championship trophy."

Hammonton (22-8) had several chances to tie the game, but Briggs put an end to that with a steal. The Blue Devils put Briggs back on the line, where he made the first and missed the second. Hines (11 points) grabbed the offensive board, and his putback gave Timber Creek a 54-48 lead.

"I wanted a banner on that wall," said Hines, who couldn't hide his emotion as he accepted hugs from friends and family. "Everybody else has a banner on the wall, except the boys' basketball team."

Marquise Smith led Timber Creek with 18 points; Collin Johnson added 12. Travis Washington paced Hammonton with a game-high 20 points.

Hammonton also was looking for its first sectional championship. That quest took an early hit when senior guard Anthony Barone had to go to the bench halfway through the first quarter with two fouls. Barone didn't return for the rest of the half.

"That's the worst experience I've ever had playing basketball," Barone said. "Just sitting on the bench, not being able to help my team, except for cheering."

Hammonton guard Mike Bertino and forward Lydell Tolliver also picked up two first-half fouls, while reserve Josh Frith went to the floor with what coach Joe Martino called an ACL injury.

Despite the hurdles, the lead changed nine times in the first half, as the Chargers took a 29-23 lead at the break.

Barone returned in the third quarter and scored the first eight of his 11 points.

Timber Creek led by as many as seven in the third quarter, then went six minutes without scoring, allowing Hammonton to tie the score, 47-47, on junior center Kevin Kohr's two free throws with 3:01 remaining.

Briggs put the Chargers ahead to stay, then clinched the win down the stretch.

"It's a new staff, and the guys had to adjust to that," first-year Chargers coach Tim Dunne said. "We were tough on them early. But there was no resistance. They came to work every day."

Timber Creek 12 17 14 15 - 58

Hammonton 11 12 16 11 - 50

TC: Jameer Briggs 6, Montez Blair 7, Marquise Smith 18, Collin Johnson 12, Tyler Hines 11, Mike Rose 2, Rodney Parish 2.

H: Kevin Kohr 12, Lydell Tolliver 3, Anthony Barone 11, Travis Washington 20, Xavier Warner 4.