By Andy Loigu

With significant contributions from all their starters, playing with poise and sharing the ball, the Hackettstown boys basketball team is on a five-game win streak.

Against a tough schedule, the Tigers are 8-4 with a 3-2 record within the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division.

They have a big game coming up Thursday evening at Jefferson Township.

The Falcons lead the division with a 4-0 conference record and also have played well in going 8-3 overall.

The Tigers play aggressive man-to-man defense and create offense by forcing turnovers. During their win streak they have held three opponents to under 50 points, in a 72-44 win over the High Point Wildcats, a 55-40 win over the North Plainfield Canucks and a 56-47 win over the Lenape Valley Patriots. In their most recent game on January 18, they won a tough 54-52 game against a well disciplined Keswick Christian squad. Whether you want to play them fast paced or slow and deliberate, the Tigers can win either way.

Box and one defenses have been ineffective against Hackettstown, because the targeted player simply finds open men who also can put the ball into the hoop. Tyler Gorczyca scored 19 against Lenape Valley and 18 against North Plainfield, but in the High Point game the Tigers’ leading scorers were Patrick O’Hara with 21, Shawn Morgan with 10 and Anthony Williams with nine.

Hackettstown had a trio of double-digit scorers against Lenape Valley, as Kevin Magnota scored 16 and O’Hara had a dozen to keep the defense from overplaying Gorczyka. Hackettstown trailed North Plainfield by 12 but then outscored the Canucks 36-8 and ended up winning going away. That’s what pressure defense will do.

At Jefferson Township, the Tigers will face a team that plays an extended zone defense, much in the fashion of the Syracuse Orange. On offense, the Falcons like to let the three-pointers fly from beyond the circle, so Hackettstown will need to guard the perimeter.

In their last game, a 53-46 win over the visiting Madison Dodgers, Stefan Tisma scored 20 points for J-town, getting nine of them on just three bonus bombs. Joe Batelli also hit the mark on a trio of treys. Outside shooters are at their most dangerous in their home gym, where they practice and feel confident and comfortable.

Matt Johnson (12 points) scored on some back door cuts, so the Tigers still will need to watch the guys who set up away from the ball. 

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Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.