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The Newark Tech boys basketball team is on a mission.
A team that has lost in two straight Group 1 finals appearances and returned nearly its entire roster from last season has one singular focus. The only way the Terriers can top themselves is to go all the way and to win this time.
They certainly had no plans of falling one game short of even getting there.
Newark Tech made that abundantly clear as it roared out ahead of Paterson Charter in the Group 1 semifinals by scoring the first 14 points of the game. Paterson Charter hung around for the next two quarters, but was unable to overcome that thunderous start by the Terriers.
Newark Tech clinched its berth in the Group 1 final for the third consecutive season with a 60-47 win over Paterson Charter in the Group 1 semifinals at Bloomfield High School.
Newark Tech will play Thrive Charter in the Group 1 final on Saturday at Rutgers University with a tip-off time of 2 p.m.
Rodney Tulius recorded five of those first 14 points for Newark Tech. Ilijah Adams recorded a steal with perfect on-ball defense and converted a layup to put the Terries ahead 9-0. He then made practically an identical steal on the ensuing possession and passed the ball in transition to Malcolm Bragg, who threw down a dunk through contact and converted the and-one to give Newark Tech a 14-0 lead.
Bragg led the Terriers with 17 points while Jalen Baker added 15 points.
Matt Bove covers North and Central Jersey basketball. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @MBoveHS
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