Big Shot Bob: Glorioso’s Overtime Three-Pointer Leads Marlboro Past Howell

MIDDLETOWN – Marlboro refused to blink.

Trailing for most of the night and facing elimination against fourth-seeded Howell, the fifth-seeded Mustangs leaned on toughness, balance and one final dose of late-game poise to escape with a 66-63 overtime victory in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

Howell controlled nearly 90 percent of regulation, but Marlboro never allowed the game to slip away. When the defining possession arrived in overtime, it fittingly found senior guard Robert Glorioso — scoreless to that point — rising into a three-pointer that proved to be the difference.

“People look at us in warmups and probably think we’re kind of small,” Marlboro head coach James Reuter said. “But what stands out about these kids is that they’re tough. They’re mentally tough. They play hard every possession. We struggled in the first half with turnovers and forcing shots, but our hustle kept us in it. We settled down at halftime, stuck to the game plan, and it came to fruition.”

Rob Glorioso barely hit the rim on his only other three-point attempt of the game but this one is on the money with 30 seconds left. Marlboro gets the stop and beats Howell 68-65 in overtime to reach the SCT semis for the 1st time in 4 years. pic.twitter.com/wMBVtKxtb1

— Matt Manley (@Matt_Manley) February 14, 2026

Howell stormed out early, opening on a 9-2 run behind junior guard Eddie Garcia, who scored five quick points, including a three-point field goal that forced a Marlboro timeout. The Rebels carried a 14-10 lead into the second quarter, though Marlboro began to find its footing behind senior guard Christian Elmasri, who scored six first-quarter points. Senior center Drew Lubeck established himself on the glass immediately, grabbing six rebounds in the opening quarter to help limit Howell’s second-chance opportunities.

Defense took over in the second quarter, with Howell edging the Mustangs 10-6 in a physical stretch that featured multiple jump balls and hard-fought possessions. Junior guard Jayson Parker accounted for all 10 Rebels points in the quarter, including an and-one three-point play that energized the Howell bench and student section. The Rebels entered halftime with a 24-16 advantage, largely behind Parker’s 13 first-half points.

The third quarter marked Marlboro’s first major push. Junior guard Dylan McEwan — the Mustangs’ leading scorer at nearly 18 points per game — emerged as Marlboro’s primary scoring threat and delivered. He poured in 12 points in the period, attacking downhill, finishing through contact and earning repeated trips to the free-throw line, where he converted efficiently throughout the quarter. Marlboro outscored Howell 19-13 in the frame. Parker responded with nine third-quarter points of his own, giving him 22 through three quarters, but the Mustangs had trimmed the deficit and shifted the energy heading into the fourth.

The final quarter of regulation belonged to Marlboro senior guard Ajay Mathews.

After a quiet first half, Mathews erupted for 11 fourth-quarter points, including a game-tying three-pointer that forced overtime. He scored the Mustangs’ final nine points of regulation, repeatedly getting to the rim and finishing through contact to counter Howell’s steady production from Cayden Parker and timely free throws from junior center Noah Musto. Musto went a perfect 6-for-6 at the line during a critical late stretch, keeping the Rebels in front as the teams traded scores.

“We just had to stay calm under pressure,” Mathews said. “We struggled a bit early, but we settled down and made the stops when we needed to. We go to war for one another, and when we play together like that, we’re hard to beat.”

Overtime showcased more of the same resilience. Mathews added five more points to make it 16 straight Marlboro points between the fourth quarter and overtime, finishing with 22 overall, including 18 after halftime. Mathews shot 6-for-6 from the field over the final 7:30 of the game and all six field baskets tied the game, including one that set up a game-tying free-throw as the back end of a three-point play.

Junior guard Nolan Gong added 15 points and four assists, stretching the floor with four three-point field goals, while effectively running the offense and generating clean looks for the Mustangs. Dylan McEwan finished with 14 points and six rebounds, while Drew Lubeck controlled the interior with 12 rebounds and two blocks.

In the closing seconds of overtime, Marlboro turned to Robert Glorioso. The senior guard — who played sparingly throughout the night but played his role effectively when called upon — delivered the defining moment. Affectionately nicknamed “Big Shot Bob” by his coaches and teammates after drilling a late three-pointer against Howell on opening night to seal the win, Robert Glorioso once again buried the go-ahead three-pointer for his first points of the game.

“Rob got cut as a freshman,” Reuter said. “He showed up every day after that, worked on his game, got stronger. He’s the epitome of our team — hard work. That right there was Big Shot Bob.”

Howell was led by Jayson Parker’s 27 points, six rebounds and four three-point field goals. Cayden Parker added 16 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Noah Musto finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and a perfect 6-for-6 effort from the free-throw line.

The Parker brothers combined for 43 of Howell’s 63 points, carrying much of the offensive load throughout the night. But in overtime, Marlboro’s collective defensive discipline — particularly in keeping the Rebels’ guards from consistently getting downhill — proved decisive.

“The Parker brothers are two of the better guards in the Shore Conference,” Reuter said. “We just tried to deny them clean looks and make them settle. Use your feet, don’t reach, don’t let them get downhill.”

With the win, Marlboro advances to the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals against top-seeded CBA at Brookdale Community College on Wednesday night at 6 p.m.

Howell will return home to face Red Bank on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m.