CLASSIC LOOK: SAT Smart/Princeton Soup and Sandwich guard Eric Klacik looks to unload the ball in action this season in the Princeton Recreation Department Summer Men’s Basketball League. Last Monday, Klacik scored a game-high 14 points to help third-seeded SAT Smart edge sixth-seeded Belle Mead Physical Therapy 50-47 in the league quarterfinals. The win earned the team a spot in the league semis on Friday against the victor of the July 22 quarterfinal clash between second-seeded Bring Me Food and seventh-seeded King’s Pizzarama. The other semi on Friday will match the winners of quarterfinal contests between top-seeded Ivy Inn and eighth-seeded Princeton Pi and No. 4 seed Aria Health against fifth-seeded and defending champion Winberie’s. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Last winter, Eric Klacik and The College of New Jersey men’s basketball team enjoyed a breakthrough season.

TCNJ posted a 15-11 record, making the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) playoffs for the first time since the 2008-09 season. Sophomore guard Klacik, for his part, played a major role in the team’s success, averaging 9.3 points a game.

Playing in the Princeton Recreation Department Summer Men’s Basketball League this year as the SAT Smart/Princeton Soup and Sandwich entry, Klacik and his TCNJ teammates have continued the progress they showed this winter.

Posting a 7-2 regular season record, SAT Smart earned the third seed in the league playoffs and faced sixth-seeded Belle Mead Physical Therapy last Monday night in a quarterfinal contest at the Community Park courts.

In the early going of the game, it looked like SAT Smart might have been heading for an early exit as it trailed 25-16 late in the first half. But showing some of the grit it developed last winter, the squad closed the half with a 12-2 run to take a 28-27 lead into intermission.

“They  came out hitting shots, we knew we had to get on the shooters,” said Klacik.

“Our shots weren’t really falling. We knew that they were in a zone and eventually we would start hitting some shots. It started with defense, Nick Alaimo made a bunch of big steals and hit some shots. The guards brought some intensity, which kind of rattled them. That run was big for the second half, to be up one instead of being down nine.”

In the second half, Klacik scored seven points to help SAT Smart to build a 47-40 lead with less than four minutes remaining in regulation. Belle Mead, though, made a late run and narrowed the gap to 48-47 with 19 seconds left before SAT Smart got two clutch free throws from Eric Murdock, Jr. to pull out a 50-47 victory and earn a spot in the league semis on Friday against the victor of the July 22 quarterfinal clash between second-seeded Bring Me Food and seventh-seeded King’s Pizzarama.

“I think we were playing not to lose instead of playing to win,” said Klacik, in assessing SAT Smart’s play down the stretch of the contest.

“We were being aggressive in times that we shouldn’t and not playing smart. We were able to hit some big free throws at the end to stick it out; we are able to make some stops too.”

Klacik, who hit a big free throw in the last minute, ended the evening with a game-high 14 points.

“My role is definitely to knock down shots,” said the 5’10, 160-pound Klacik, who hails from Basking Ridge.

“I have to be a vocal leader, too. Obviously we don’t have our big man here without Bobby Brackett (who is sidelined with a torn achilles tendon), a lot of minutes open up and there is a lot of leadership that needs to be filled in. I think as one of the main guards I have to take on that role.”

Playing together in the summer league should help TCNJ have another big season.

“It just keeps us on the steady pace; a lot of teams go home for the summer and they don’t see each other except for once or twice,” said Klacik. “We are here twice a week with each other playing. It just keeps us on the same page. We had a good year this year and we just wanted to build on that.”

In Klacik’s view, SAT Smart needs to apply lessons learned last winter as it looks to get into the summer league championship series.

“It was the same thing in the season; we just locked up stuff on teams,” said Klacik.

“We are downsized without Bobby and our two other bigs, who are from North Jersey so they don’t make the trip down. We are taking rebounding to heart and defense. As long as we are up four or down four with three minutes left in the game, we are fine. We are used to doing that, sticking around with teams. Getting out and hitting shots is big too.”