By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
Just call the Princeton Recreation Men’s Summer Basketball League the Upset Special League.
With two lower seeds picking up wins during Wednesday night’s quarterfinals, just one of the league’s top four seeds managed to advance to the playoff semifinals that will be held on Friday night at Community Park in Princeton.
After top-seeded and defending champion Majeski Foundation opened the playoffs with a win on Monday, the next three quarterfinals were all upsets based on the seeds. The results set up a semifinal matchup at 7:30 p.m. between Majeski and the fifth-seeded PA Blue Devils. In the other semifinal, sixth-seeded New Jersey Athletic Club will take on the seventh-seeded Packer Hall All-Stars.
NJAC advanced with a 54-49 win over third-seeded Princeton Special Sports. Junior Alexis led the scoring with 20 points in the win, while Kareem Elhossieni added 10 points. Nick Davidson had 24 points in the loss.
“We’ve had a lot of downs this season but we definitely came together as a team,” said Elhossieni, who played his high school basketball at West Windsor-Plainsboro South. “Some of us played in the Mercer County 6-2 and under league last summer and we’re friends with each other. Me, Greg (Ford) and Junior all played on that team and I have played with a lot of these guys in high school with pick up. We all know each others game and we just played well tonight and executed.”
With the upset win, NJAC now takes on the role of the favorite as they face seventh-seeded Packer Hall in the 8:30 p.m. semifinal.
“We were happy with where we were seeded because we knew we could beat those couple teams that were on our side,” Elhossieni said. “It all came through.”
The Princeton league is Elhossieni’s only chance to play competitive basketball over the summer. While he always seems to find a place to play, he spends his college days playing football at Rowan University. Elhossieini, who plays tight end for Rowan, did not play football in high school.
“I always wanted to play football,” he said. "I regretted not playing in high school. I talked to the coach and saw the chance and took it. I saw the opportunity and I took it.”
Getting ready for the football season will have to wait until after the playoffs for Elhossieni, who has made himself in a solid player through hard work.
“I play basketball everywhere,” he said. “I am always working out with Coach Phil (Vigliano). A couple of these guys are with me all the time and we’re always playing. I was cut from team freshman and sophomore year and then played JV my junior year and started my senior year.
“This is the only league I am playing in so I have to take advantage.”
Elhossieni and NJAC took advantage as the sixth seed and now will play another day. The same holds true for the PA Blue Devils, who got past fourth-seeded PEAC Performance, 63-57. Matt Margolis scored 19 of his game-high 21 points in the second half to lift the Blue Devils to the win. Lou Conde had 16 points and Elijah Davis added 14 points in the loss.
In Monday night’s quarterfinal games, top-seeded Majeski Foundation topped King’s Pizza, 58-38, in a rematch of last year’s championship series. Liam Byrne led the scoring with 17 points, while Jordan Glover and Elias Bermudez added 12 points apiece. Karron Johnson had 12 points in the loss for King’s Pizza. Seventh-seeded Packer Hall All-Stars posted an opening round upset when it knocked off second-seeded LoyalTees, 58-51. Kevin Johnson scored 18 points to lead the way in the win, while Khalid Lewis had 16 and David Haytaian added 10. Davon Black had 21 points and Darrin Elam-Council added 11 in the loss.
