MaxPreps' Stephen Spiewak blogs from the biggest high school basketball game of the season.
Hit refresh to see updates9:35 p.m.
FINAL: No. 2 St. Anthony 62, No. 1 St. Patrick 45. Stay tuned for full coverage on MaxPreps.
9:30 p.m.
It's just about over. St. Anthony is now up 60-45 with 41 seconds remaining. Gilchrist has fouled out.
9:25 p.m.
With 1:47 left, St. Anthony now has a 59-45 lead. The stands are emptying. St. Patrick needs points quickly.
9:23 p.m.
St. Anthony continues to miss free throws. The Friars are hanging on to a seven-point lead.
9:22 p.m.Some fans have started to leave, but it's way too early to count out St. Patrick. 52-44 with 3:17 left.
9:19 p.m.
St. Anthony has widened its lead, now up 52-42.
9:17 p.m.
Derrick Gordon scores (again) and is fouled. Cuts the Friar lead to 47-42, pending foul shot.
9:14 p.m.
With less than five minutes remaining, St. Anthony has a 47-40 lead.
9:11 p.m.
Gilchrist misses, gets his own rebounds, but has it blocked, leading to an easy bucket the other way for the Friars. 45-40 St. Anthony leads.
9:09 p.m.
Austin Colbert and Dakari Johnson, 6-8 and 6-10 respectively, have not been a factor tonight. St. Anthony takes a 41-40 lead.
9:07 p.m.
40-39 St. Patrick after there. This is certainly living up to the hype. St. Anthony will have the ball to start the fourth. Still no points this half from Gilchrist.
9:03 p.m.
This just in: Myles Mack is ridiculously quick. Just scored but missed another free throw. 39-39.
9:00 p.m.
St. Anthony calls a 30-second time out with 2:09 remaining, still trailing by five. They could use some points on this trip down the court.
8:58 p.m.
Anderson and Mack have another communication break down and throw the ball away again. St. Patrick has a five-point cushion, leads 39-34.
8:56 p.m.
Gilchrist has not scored this half. St. Patrick now up 35-34, St. Anthony has the ball.
8:54 p.m.
Celtics now lead 35-32 after St. Anthony misses another pair of free throws.
8:52 p.m.
Just like that, St. Patrick responds. Austin Colbert scores to tie the game 32-32.
8:51 p.m.
32-30 St. Anthony following another Quick three ball. Derrick Gordon responded with a bucket for the Celtics, who have come out flat.
8:49 p.m.
Terrific start for St. Anthony. A Jordan Quick three pointer and a Myles Mack and-1 gives them a 29-28 lead.
8:46 p.m.
Stat of the half? St. Anthony had 11 offensive rebounds, nearly triple what St. Patrick had (4). It was an area of concern for the Friars before the game, but they've done a nice job.
8:39 p.m.
28-23 at halftime, St. Patrick leads. Derrick Gordon leads all scorers with 13 points. Myles Mack has nine to lead St. Anthony. Gilchrist has seven points and seven rebounds.
8:31 p.m.
St. Patrick settles down, takes a 25-21 lead with two minutes left in the half.
8:27 p.m.
Kevin Boyle calls a full time out as St. Anthony follows a great defensive stand with a great offensive stand, using two offensive rebounds before Jimmy Hall finally get it to drop. 21-21 with 4:30 remaining.
8:23 p.m.
Kyle Anderson is playing at a very high level now. Has scored on Gordon and Gilchrist on consecutive possessions. 21-19 St. Patrick.
8:18 p.m.
19-13 St. Patrick after one quarter. I think this is a much faster pace than either team anticipated. Some thoughts: Derrick Gordon can really get to the rim and Chris Martin is living up to his reputation as a tremendous shooter. Myles Mack is extremely quick off the dribble, and will need to continue to score for the Friars.
8:15 p.m.
St. Anthony on a 5-0 run after St. Patrick scored on consecutive possessions. 15-11 Celtics.
8:13 p.m.
Kyle Anderson is smooth and extremely skilled for his 6-foot-8 frame. He narrows St. Patrick's lead to 11-6.
8:12 p.m.
Chris Martin hits another three, as the Celtics race out to an 11-4 lead. Michael Gilchrist has hit the boards hard but hasn't scored yet.
8:08 p.m.
St. Pats leads 5-4 two minutes in. Alot of action early on. Derrick Gordon has all the Celtics' points.
8:06 p.m.
The RAC is at or near capacity. It seems like everyone watching the first game has stayed put. There must be over two dozen photographers/videographers on the baselines.
8:01 p.m.
Friars got slightly louder applause by the crowd when announced by the PA announcer. Could be a pro-St. Anthony atmosphere.
7:59 p.m.Game time! Both teams are huddled up. Cameras are swarming each.
7:47 p.m.
Hurley and Boyle just shook hands and chatted for about a minute around half court. Cameras swarmed. Wonder what they said. Certainly no love lost between two phenomenal coaches.
7:39 p.m.
The Friars and Celtics have taken the floor. St. Pats in white uniforms with green and yellow trim. St. Anthony is wearing black with gold trim.
7:35 p.m.
The first game is a wrap, as Seton Hall Prep pulls ahead in overtime to win 55-47. St. Patrick cheerleaders have taken their position. Players are moments away from taking the court.
7:32 p.m.
Seton Hall Prep is hitting its free throws for the most part. 52-47 with 37 seconds left.
7:28 p.m.
A big Wyatt three pointer narrows the gap to 49-45 with just under a minute to play. Seton Hall Prep is still in the driver's seat, but the Marauders are fighting for their lives.
7:26 p.m.
Seton Hall Prep leads 45-42 with 90 seconds left.
7:21 p.m.
Seton Hall Prep leads 43-40 with two minutes to play in overtime. Anglin and Gibbs have displayed great chemistry down the stretch for the Pirates.
7:16 p.m.
OVERTIME. The Pirates hold for the final shot, but Stephon Wyatt sticks Sterling Gibbs like glue, and forces him to take an awkward shot. 38-38.
7:14 p.m.
With 46.5 seconds left, Seton Hall Prep has the ball with the score tied 38-38.
7:09 p.m.
With a Dallas Anglin three pointer, Seton Hall Prep takes a 38-37 lead with just over two minutes remaining.
7:06 p.m.
The Marauders are clinging to a 37-33 lead with four minutes to play. Looks like it'll come down to the wire. There's also been a John Calipari sighting. Lots of big coaches expected to be here tonight.
6:57 p.m.
After three, it's St. Peter's Prep 35, Seton Hall Prep 29. Seton Hall Prep has been ice cold shooting the ball. Stephon Wyatt leads the Marauders with 15 points.
6:51 p.m.
With 2:01 left to play in the third quarter, St. Anthony heads to the locker room. St. Patrick, in full school dress code, still sits in the bleachers. St. Peter's leads Seton Hall Prep 31-28.
6:28 p.m.
Half time of the St. Peter's Prep vs. Seton Hall Prep game and it's 24-24. The gym continues to fill up for the huge showdown up next.
6:17 p.m.Seton Hall Prep fans chant "Thank you Peter's" after Dallas Anglin, former St. Peter's Prep stand out, scores for the Pirates. Marauder fans respond with an "Ashton's better" jab when Seton Hall Prep star Sterling Gibbs hits the free throw line.
6:12 p.m.
As St. Anthony and St. Patrick fans continue to trickle in, St. Peter's Prep jumps out to an 18-15 lead after one quarter over Seton Hall Prep.
6:01 p.m.Quickest time out ever? Seton Hall Prep legendary coach Bob Farrell calls a time out 30 seconds into the game with the score 0-0. The first game is under way.
5:47 p.m.
Opinions about the game are split somewhat widely on media row. Most people are picking St. Patrick, but several people like the Friars. I've heard everything from "St. Pat's by 12-15 points" to "St. Anthony should win big."
Five minutes until the first game tips off as fans continue to pour in.
5:25 p.m.
We're nearly 30 minutes away from the tip off of tonight's first game. Meanwhile, St. Anthony is getting set to take off from Jersey City, and St. Patrick is likely preparing to take off shortly as well.
Rush hour traffic can be a doozy on the New Jersey Turnpike, and last year, the Friars showed up late to the non-public B final against Trenton Catholic. St. Anthony lost that game in triple overtime, so Bob Hurley and squad certainly have a bad taste in their mouth.
4:51 p.m. With more than three hours until the big clash between
St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) and
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) here at the Rutgers Athletic Center, tickets have sold out. A secondary tickets market is forming on Craigslist.
The 6 p.m. game features St. Peter's Prep vs. Seton Hall Prep in the non-public North A final. Both of those squads have started their respective shoot arounds.