Pats top Colts again

SCOTT PILLING staff CBA's Brian Riscott defends against Freehold Township's Marcus Roberson during the Patriots' win in Lincroft last Thursday. With the win, Freehold Township all but sealed up the Shore Conference Class A North title, and completed the regular-season sweep of the Colts.

Throughout its march to the top in the Shore Conference A North Division, Freehold Township has insisted that beating Christian Brothers Academy, while certainly sweet, isn't the be-all and end-all.

The goal that coach Brian Golub and his players have set is to become what the Colts are: a program that has earned its respect by playing at a high level over a period of years and winning consistently.

That is what Freehold Township wants to do, and the Patriots took a big step toward that Thursday afternoon in Lincroft when they took CBA's best shot and turned the Colts back, 60-54. It gave them their first-ever sweep of the regular season series, and put them on track to win the A North title outright.

The last three years, Freehold Township's A North title had the "public school" caveat, and this winter, the goal was to be the outright champion. That meant displacing CBA at the top.

It was high-intensity defense that Freehold Township took to Lincroft Thursday, and it was the difference in allowing the Pats to overcome foul trouble and some cold shooting.

Point guard Ed Fischer pointed out that a defensive change this year has made the team tougher to score on.

"Last year we trapped a lot and we gave up easy baskets," he said. "This year we wanted to play half-court defense and play it strong.

"No matter if it's man-to-man, zone, full-court press or traps, we were going to play aggressive and get into our man's face," he added. "We know that if we can lock the other team down, we can win."

The Colts dropped to 9-5 overall, and with three losses in the division, will see their reign at the top come to an end.

While the Colts have been the measuring stick in the division since they entered it, this year it's Freehold Township, and the Colts can point to the fact that they have closed the gap considerably on the Patriots since their first meeting.

Despite the sweep, Freehold Township coach Brian Golub had an inkling the teams could meet up later this season in the Shore Conference Tournament.

"CBA is going to keep getting better because of the system they run," he said.

That may be so, but it will be Freehold Township that everyone will be taking aim at, and they will have earned it.