The Alternative Press

NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J. - When New Providence junior forward Bryan Sherman walked into the team's huddle with 11 seconds remaining in the game, he knew he wanted the ball with a chance to beat cross-town rival Governor Livingston.

With the score tied at 48, Sherman inbounded to guard Curtis Kyzima, who gave the ball right back to his teammate. Sherman dribbled the length of the floor, pulled up five feet away from the rim and floated the basketball off the backboard and into the net to finish the exhilarating win over the Highlanders.

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"It was a big basket," New Providence head coach Art Cattano said. "He just said during the timeout, 'I'm going to the hoop. I'm going to the hoop.' That's what he did."

The buzzer-beater at the end of the game capped an electrifying night at New Providence High School.

Sherman, who had a team-high 14 points, came up in the clutch several times during the game, including on the final play.

"We just told everyone to get the ball and pushed up the court," Sherman said. "Curtis [Kyzima] had the guide and he gave it to me and they had nine fouls so I just drove to the basket hoping to get fouled and got lucky it went in."

That was the theme of the game for the Pioneers. They led from the opening tip-off to the final minute of the third quarter, with their largest lead being 9-0 in the opening minutes of the game.

The New Providence defense held the Highlanders scoreless for the first 6:30 of the game before Cameron DeFranzo knotted the first two points of his game-high 17.

When Governor Livingston crept back into the game in the second quarter when Rob Imbalzano made four straight baskets, it was Sherman who hit back-to-back 3-pointers to save the Pioneer lead at halftime.

"I just felt good when I shot the first three," Sherman said. "Then the second one, I pulled up, got a nice roll on that. It rolled around twice and went in. It felt good."

Still, despite leading for a majority of the game, the Pioneers trailed by six in the opening minute of the fourth quarter before Bryan Joyce converted on a natural 3-point play with a layup and a free throw. Kyzima followed that with a 3-pointer, followed quickly with a deep ball from Tyler Curto.

"The threes that I made, i couldn't have asked for a better time," Kyzima said. "I think we were down by two at one point. To get out of a shooting slump, you have to keep shooting the ball, then they started falling."

With New Providence up two points in the final minute, Kyle Kroeger gave the Pioneers a four-point lead on a layup, but Governor Livingston managed to tie the game one last time.

Victor Candeloro stepped to the line with 11 seconds to play, down one point. After making the first free-throw to tie the game, but he missed the go-ahead shot too strong. New Providence picked up the rebound, then Sherman scored the game-winner following a time out.

The win moves New Providence within one game of the .500 mark at 11-12. With one game to play before the state tournament, the Pioneers hope to even out their record on Senior Night.

"Our goal is to get to .500 before the states," Cattano said. "Now we're one game away, if we don't, you know, we're on a nice little run. Hopefully we play tomorrow and it carries over."

Tip-off for Senior Night will be 7 p.m. as New Providence takes on Caldwell.