March 12, 2012 - Volume-IV - Issue-5
Hoops Wins 4 Titles 3 Girls Takes Down Camden 5 Neptune
6 SL AT AS TN DMI NE NG North Wins CJ IV Title 7 Midd. Park Returns to Group I Final 9 Asbury Corner 11 Stumpy’s
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Volume-IV
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2/12/12
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Four Shore: Girls Basketball Shines in State Playoffs
By Scott Stump – Managing Editor
The Shore Conference once again emphasized its dominance over the New Jersey girls basketball landscape by taking home four sectional titles this season and putting several teams in the running to reach the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions.
Manasquan, Point Boro, St. Rose and Jackson Memorial each picked up sectional titles and then moved on to the Group finals. Jackson Memorial made school history, St. Rose and Manasquan ended title droughts, and Point Boro won its third straight sectional championship to highlight an exciting week of basketball.
Leading the way is Jackson Memorial, which won a 57-56 thriller over Rancocas Valley to capture the Central Jersey Group IV title for its first sectional title in program history in its first appearance in a sectional championship game. The Jaguars then beat Washington Township in the Group IV semifinals to reach the Group IV final for the first time. In the win over Rancocas Valley, junior guard Stephanie Mason poured in 26 points, including 20 after halftime, to help the Jaguars stun the Red Devils, who were the defending sectional champions.
Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year.
St. Rose continued one of its best seasons ever when it added its first sectional title since 2004 after having already won its first Shore Conference Tournament title since 1993. The Purple Roses achieved the rare feat of beating perennial power St. John Vianney three times in one season, as they knocked off the Lancers, 34-33, to capture the Non-Public A crown and end St. John Vianney’s four-year stranglehold on the title. Senior forward Samantha Clark had a team-high 12 points to lead the way.
Point Boro has now won three straight sectional titles with its junior-laden team after romping to an 81-50 win over Summit to capture the Central Jersey Group II championship. Junior forward Kerri Malleck had 24 points and nine assists and junior guard Kelly Hughes, the Shore Manasquan dethroned four-time defending Central Jersey Manasquan's Michaela Mabrey Conference’s leading scorer, added 21 Group III champion Neptune with a 59-45 victory and then points, nine rebounds, six steals and five reached the Group III final with a rout of Seneca. Sophomore assists in the win. The Panthers then advanced to the Group II final with a guard Katelynn Flaherty had a game-high 22 points in the win over Neptune win over Middle Township. and senior guard Michaela Mabrey added 17 points and 10 rebounds. It was a memorable week for Mabrey. The 2,000-point scorer, who earlier this season became the first Shore Conference girls player to ever be selected to the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game, was named the
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Just Like Old Times:
Neptune Reaches Group III Final
By Scott Stump – Managing Editor
When Neptune senior guard Jaheem Woods elevated to throw down an exclamation point dunk in a win over Camden in the Group III semifinals, the old timers in the stands couldn't help but smile and nod in the knowledge that they had seen this before.
While it wasn't nearly of the same magnitude, history repeated itself as the Scarlet Fliers knocked off the Panthers, 63-46, in a crucial state playoff game at Winslow Township High School on March 7 to advance to their first NJSIAA Group III championship game since winning it in 2009. It was in the NJSIAA Tournament 31 years ago that Neptune shocked a supposedly unbeatable Camden team considered to be the No. 1 squad in the nation, and the Scarlet Fliers capped that victory with a dunk by the late Bobby Braun, who died last month at 48 years old. Neptune (24-6) advanced to face formidable Plainfield, last year's NJSIAA Tournament of Champions runner up, in the Group III final on March 10 at Pine Belt Arena in Toms River.
continued his postseason excellence with a game-high 19 points on 9-for-14 shooting along with seven rebounds, senior point guard Ikie Calderon finished with 14 points, six assists and three steals, Woods had 12 points, six steals and five assists, and senior center Josh Jenkins added eight points and five rebounds. The Scarlet Fliers' trademark fullcourt pressure forced 25 turnovers by the Panthers, and Neptune never trailed in the game.
"All the old heads have been putting it in our head that you better not let us down, and I think we played off that,'' Calderon said. "We had to represent for Neptune.''
"A lot of old heads were saying the last few days, 'We used to beat Camden, and go hard every play,''' Woods said. "We took that to heart because we didn't want to come back and have them talking junk to us like, 'How'd you lose to Camden?!''
Junior forward Keith Kirkwood
Senior Jaheem Woods
The Scarlet Fliers raced out of the gate, causing nine Camden turnovers that fueled a 19-4 explosion to start the game. Kirkwood and Calderon combined for 17 of the points to give Neptune a 19-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The critical juncture came in the third quarter when Camden hit Neptune with a 124 run to start the second half. Junior center Amir Maddred, who led Camden with 13 points and 13 rebounds, threw down an emphatic dunk to draw a roar from the Camden-heavy crowd to cut it to five points. Senior center Ajwan Leaming then hit a pair of free throws with 3:41 left in the period and suddenly Neptune's lead was down to 34-32. However, the veteran Scarlet Fliers never blinked. "We knew they were going to go on a run,'' Calderon said. "It's close to their home, and their crowd was in it, so we just had to bounce back.''
The Scarlet Fliers responded by keeping their poise and exploiting mismatches to fuel
a 10-4 burst that gave them an eightpoint lead going into the final period. Five-footnine senior guard Rasul Holland had the 6-foot-4 Devine defending him, and he pulled him out to the top of the key and was able to beat him off the dribble and pull up for jumpers for six crucial points during the 10-4 run.
Holland's six points helped Junior Keith Kirkwood Neptune take a 4436 lead into the final quarter, and Woods, Kirkwood and Calderon took it from there. Camden never got closer than 10 points down the stretch, as Woods and Calderon were defending and dishing for easy baskets to get the Neptune crowd on its feet. It culminated in Woods' throwdown to give the older Neptune fans a little blast of the past.
"They hear the history of Neptune all the time,'' said O'Donnell, who played point guard for Neptune in the 1960s. "As long as I'm around, they're going to hear it. Of course, this is a new time with new kids. This was not the same level game (as 1981), but it's just great for the kids.''
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join Winston among the Jaguars to reach the podium at Boardwalk Hall. Hamann also finished fourth in 2010 while wrestling at 103.
The Shore had three fifthplace finishers in Toms River
By Scott Stump – Managing Editor school career at Jackson.
ne year after the Shore Conference did not have one wrestler make it to the top of the podium in Atlantic City, a pair of Region VI stars capped their seasons with the ultimate prize. Toms River South junior B.J. Clagon was a star among stars as the junior 138-pounder pinned South Plainfield’s Tyler Hunt at 1:37 in the finals at the NJSIAA Individual Wrestling Championships at Boardwalk Hall to polish off a 41-0 season. He not only came back and finished the job after taking second in the state at 130 as a sophomore, but also was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the finals. Just over a minute into the bout, Clagon scored a takedown and then cradled Hunt for the pin shortly after to run his career record to 111-6 in three seasons.
While Clagon earned a place for himself in history by becoming Toms River South’s first state champion since 1984, Jackson Memorial senior Dallas Winston carved out his own portion of the spotlight from the shadow of his older brother’s legendary career. The younger Winston decisioned Piscataway’s Tevin Shaw 4-3 at 182 pounds to earn his first state championship after finishing second at 189 as a junior. It helped him take his place among the Jaguars greats after having to deal with comparisons to his older brother, Scott, a current redshirt junior at Rutgers who went 1370 and won three state titles in his high
Winston became the 15th state champion in Jackson Memorial’s illustrious history when he scored a first-period takedown and then a second-period reversal for a 4-0 lead on Shaw, who is committed to a football scholarship at Kansas. It capped a 33-3 season and gave the Jaguars their first state champion since 2008.
While Winston and Clagon took home titles, they weren’t the only Shore Conference wrestlers to have a successful run at Boardwalk Hall. Lacey senior Lex Knapp became just the second wrestler in Lions history to reach a state final before he lost 7-2 to Phillipsburg’s Brandon Hull. It was Knapp’s first and only loss in a 42-1 season, leaving him just short of becoming Lacey’s first state champion since Russ Witt in 1997. Still, Knapp became just the seventh Region VI champion in Lions history and had the second-highest finish of any wrestler in program history.
The Shore Conference had one other state finalist in Toms River South senior 145-pounder Ken Theobold, who was pinned by St. Peter’s Prep’s Alexander Richardson in 54 seconds to end a brilliant run through the tournament. In the semifinals, he had one of the most impressive wins of the tournament when he beat returning state champion T.J. Miller of Camden Catholic 7-6 to advance to the final. Theobold finished the season 40-2 after finishing seventh in the state as a junior while wrestling at Manchester.
Region VI had 13 other placewinners in addition to the finalists. Ocean Township freshman Zach Hertling took third in a loaded weight class at 120 for the only third-place finish by a Shore Conference wrestler to polish off a 37-2 season. He was the only freshman from Region VI to earn a medal. Jackson Memorial’s Brian Hamann took fourth place at 126 to Junior B.J. Clagon
South junior Kevin Corrigan (113), Toms River East junior and Region VI champion Rich Lewis (132) as well as Christian Brothers Academy senior Hayden Hrymack (195).
Lewis beat another Shore Conference wrestler, Manchester senior Jesse Meaney, 32, to put Meaney at sixth. Brick Memorial sophomore Joe Ghione also picked up a sixthplace finish at 106 for his second state medal in two years, and Jackson Liberty junior Nick Zak had the highest finish in Lions’ history when he took sixth at 170. CBA senior Vin Favia became just the third wrestler in program history to win multiple state medals when he took sixth at 160 after also taking sixth at 160 as a junior. Favia also finished with a school-record 136 career victories. Senior Dallas Winston
Ghione’s Brick Memorial teammate, junior Matt Moore, took seventh at 195. It capped a season in which the Mustangs won the Shore Conference Tournament and reached the Group IV final, which earned Dan O’Cone New Jersey Coach of the Year honors. Ocean senior 220-pounder Colton Bigelow, a Region VI finalist, also took seventh along with Manalapan heavyweight John Appice. Appice also became the Braves’ first state place-winner since Nick Manochio took second at 112 in 2004.
In his first and only appearance at Boardwalk Hall, Central senior Jalen Ramos scored a thrilling 4-2 overtime win in his first bout against Phillipsburg’s Max Elling and ended up placing eighth at 126 to round out the Shore Conference place-winners.
Only Region III, which had five champions, crowned more winners than Region VI. Clagon returns to defend his title next season, and eight other place-winners will also be back.
Photos by:
Anthony Payne
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The Lion Kings:
Middletown North Wins Sectional Title
U
By Scott Stump – Managing Editor
p until March 6, the accomplishments of this season's Middletown North boys basketball team resided mainly in the memories of fans and parents and a few lines in the school record book.
Now the Lions' faithful will be able to take an easy shortcut when remembering this season - just point to the banner on the wall that reads "2012 Central Jersey Group IV champions.''
The third-seeded Lions earned that concrete symbol of their best season ever by avenging an earlier loss to Colts Neck to beat the top-seeded Cougars 62-51 to capture their first Central Jersey Group IV title since 2002 and their third in school history including one in 1996. They ended the season for a Cougars (23-3) team that set a school record for wins and entered the game undefeated at home this season before the Lions (25-5) denied Colts Neck its first sectional title.
Even though its season came to an end two days later with a 60-50 loss to Atlantic City in the Group IV semifinals, the Lions still were able to savor a championship.
"We've been working for this our whole lives,'' said senior point guard Eric Youncofski, who had eight assists. "Just to win a state title, I can't even describe it.''
"We worked way too hard to go home empty-handed,'' said senior guard Tim Frawley.
It was a team effort, as junior guard Cody Thompson had 15 points and senior center Tim Rhatigan, who didn't even play against Colts Neck in a 53-42 loss in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals, scored a career-high 15 points off the bench. Senior guard Jason Huelbig added 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Frawley and junior guard Will Boman each had nine points. Senior
Senior Jason Huelbig
"Our guards penetrated very well and (Colts Neck) sagged,'' Frawley said. "I got open looks, and I started knocking them down.''
forward Hunter Wysocki, who ended his career at Colts Neck's all-time leading scorer, had a game-high 23 points in the loss, and fellow 1,000-point scorer Sean O'Reilly had 14 points in his final game.
"(The title) is something tangible that you can point to,'' said head coach Mike Iasparro. "We wanted to win multiple championships this season. This was our last chance, and the kids stepped up.''
In the earlier loss to the Cougars, the Lions felt like they had plenty of good looks against Colts Neck's zone, but just couldn't knock down open shots in finishing 13-for-40 from the field and 4-for-19 from 3-point range. On Tuesday night they nailed seven 3-pointers, including three by Frawley during a 20-10 third-quarter showing by the Lions, that forced Colts Neck to come out and guard them man-to-man for a majority of the second half. They closed by shooting 11-for15 from the foul line in the fourth quarter to bring it home. The game was tied at 23 at the half, as Wysocki had 10 points and O'Reilly had nine for Colts Neck, while Huelbig had nine of his 10 points to lead Middletown North. The Lions were 3-for-12 from 3point range in the first half, but did a solid job defensively and on the glass to stay right with the Cougars, who switched from man-toman to a 1-2-2 zone to start the second quarter. A critical juncture came at the start of the third quarter, when Middletown North created offense by forcing two Colts Neck turnovers that led to six points on 3pointers by Boman and Frawley off kickouts. Thompson
"We watched that film (from the first game) a thousand times and we took from that game that we played a really good game on one half of the floor,'' Iasparro said. "We knew coming in that we had to shoot the ball better, and we knew once we had the lead or it was close, they couldn't sit in the zone and they had to come out and guard us, so we took advantage of that.''
A driving score by Colts Neck junior guard Brandon Federici had the lead down to 34-29, Junior Cody Thompson but Rhatigan hit a pair of free throws with 3:02 left in the third quarter to make it seven again. Frawley then drilled his third 3-pointer of the quarter for a 3930 lead with 2:22 left. After a 3-point play by Federici cut it back to six, a fired-up Rhatigan hit a jumper and then dropped in a layup off a dish by Youncofski for a 43-33 lead at the end of the third quarter. Rhatigan ended up scoring 13 of his 15 points in the second half. In the first meeting against Colts Neck, Iasparro didn't even play Rhatigan because he did not like the matchup defensively with the Cougars, but Rhatigan was a differencemaker Tuesday night.
"He's been playing really well for us the last couple games with just his energy off the bench," Iasparro said. "We knew he could score - that's not a surprise to us or any of the kids - and he gave a great burst of energy off the bench. He's a great kid. The whole season he's kept a positive attitude, and he works real hard.''
Senior Eric Youncofski
then hit a runner for a 6-0 run, forcing the Cougars to call timeout after the Lions took a 31-23 lead with 5:53 left in the period. They never trailed again.
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Lion Kings Continued from page 7
"I've known Hunter and Sean since I was in about fourth grade, so it was great to play against those guys,'' Rhatigan said. "I just knew I could contribute off the bench.''
The Lions effectively put the game away with a 6-0 run to start the fourth quarter in which Thompson slashed to the hole, Rhatigan scored and then Boman picked up a loose ball off a scramble following a turnover and dropped it in for a 49-33 lead to draw a roar from the large visiting crowd. With Colts Neck forced to play man-to-man, Middletown North was able to play its game, getting penetration off the dribble by Youncofski and Thompson to set up layups or kickouts for open jumpers. "That's our comfort zone,'' Rhatigan said. "Eric
Senior Tim Frawley
Wysocki, who is AAU teammates with several of Middletown North's players, scored eight fourth-quarter points to try to rally the Cougars, but Middletown North closed the game out at the free-throw line. When a bucket by Wysocki cut it to 5548 with 1:36 to go,
Youncofski hit two free throws, Middletown North forced a turnover, Huelbig hit one of two free throws, and then Thompson snatched the offensive rebound on Huelbig's missed foul shot to lead to another free throw and a 59-48 lead that all but ended the game.
It was a satisfying ending for a Lions team eager to secure a championship after finishing second in Class A North and losing in the SCT semifinals.
"The ring is the thing,'' Huelbig said. "We were just playing our hearts out and emptying the tanks.''
"Coming off a loss to them the first time, we really wanted revenge, and we got the victory,'' Thompson said.
Photo by
David Thorne
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The Power of the Ring:
Asbury Park Stuns Paulsboro
By Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer
The Paulsboro boys basketball team entered its NJSIAA Group I semifinal against Asbury Park with a perfect 30-0 record and a roster of young players with size, athleticism and ability. There was one thing, other than a loss, that the Red Raiders did not have that Asbury Park did: championship experience.
The Blue Bishops - the defending Group I champions and now-four-time defending Central Jersey Group I champions - baffled the previously unbeaten Red Raiders with their speed and experience en route to a convincing 67-54 win at Pine Belt Arena on March 7. The Blue Bishops moved on to play University from Newark on March 11 in the Group I final at Rutgers in search of theirsecond straight championship. "We like being the underdog," senior Armond
Conover said. "We want people to think we don't have a chance and that's what everybody was saying about this game. But one thing we have is championship experience. (Paulsboro) might have size, but they are young and they couldn't match our speed."
Senior Thomond Hammary
All five Bishops starters scored at least nine points and Asbury Park's defense forced 27 Paulsboro turnovers. Senior Thomond Hammary led the way with 16 points, while Amir Conover and Armond Conover each added 15. Danron Morrisey scored 10 and Anthony McNeil scored nine. "I would say this is the best game we've played this year," Hammary said.
"We were able to get them on a big court and use our speed to our advantage and there wasn't anything they could do about it." Paulsboro boasted a front line featuring 6-5 junior swingman Xavier Lundy (17 points) and 6-8 center Julian Davenport (13 points) while Asbury Park had only one player - McNeil - as tall as 63.
Senior Amir Conover
"I was concerned about their size, but at the same time, I know what our kids can do," Asbury Park coach Dave Johnson said. "We watched them on film and we thought we could pressure them into some turnovers and if we could make it a full-court game, that would take away the size advantage." "There were a few times we had to settle down, but we were never worried at any point," Amir Conover said. "We knew they didn't have the speed to match up with us as long as we kept pressing them and pushing the ball."
The Blue Bishops hit the boards, limiting a decidedly taller Paulsboro team to just two offensive rebounds over the next eight minutes while grabbing five of their own and also getting into their full-court, pressure defense. From the 7:00 mark of the first quarter to the 2:30 mark of the second quarter, Asbury Park outscored Paulsboro 31-12 to take a 15-point lead. "When we see teams with that kind of size, we think it's a good thing," Armond Conover said. "Usually when a team is big, that means they don't handle the ball as well, and it gives us a chance to get turnovers. They are used to relying on their size all year and they don't realize that even though we're not big, we can all jump high and we play physical." Although Paulsboro stayed close over the course of the second half, the Raiders never got closer than five points. After Paulsboro broke out a diamond press in the second half that forced six Asbury Park turnovers in the first five minutes, Johnson called a timeout with Asbury Park leading 44-39. After the timeout, the Bishops turned the ball over just three times for the rest of the game and built the lead to 48-39 by the end of the third quarter.
"They're not a pressing team, and we almost never see the press because teams are always trying to slow the game down against us," Johnson said. "So it probably threw us off a little bit, so I just brought the guys, showed them how to break it and eventually they came out of it."
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The Atlantic Club: Offering 2 Day Intensive Football Training Camp Program
The Atlantic Club will be offering a 2 day intensive football training camp: the Total Energy System Training (TEST) Skills Intensive Weekend for athletes ages 12 and older. The TEST Football Training camp gives the edge athletes need using outstanding instruction from current and former NFL players and coaches. While the athletes train, their families are included in the fun with a family weekend pass to The Atlantic Club. Current NFL players from the Jets and Giants as well as former coaches will be on hand to teach techniques. Athletes will train from 9am to 3pm on Saturday, July 14th and Sunday, July 15th. The camp will incorporate the drills and techniques that are used to prepare athletes that are involved in The NFL Combine Training Program. Kids will have the tools and strategies to enter their upcoming season focused on making it their best season ever! Training will include: Throwing, Passing Routes, Strength Training, Basic Skills Training, Blocking, Agility Drills, Mechanics, and Footwork. The athletes will train with Brian Martin and Scott Brunner (former NY Giant). Brian Martin is the Founder/CEO of TEST Football Academy. He is a graduate of Bloomsburg University with a degree in Exercise Physiology. He was a varsity linebacker on the Bloomsburg football team after competing at the University of Delaware earlier in his college career. Brian is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) with the NSCA. Scott Brunner won the National Championship at The University of Delaware, and is the Offensive Coordinator for TEST Football Academy. The TEST Football Academy has
trained: Mark Sanchez – Jets, Bart Scott - Jets, Joe Flacco – Ravens, Da’Rel Scott - Giants, Vladimir Ducasse – Jets, Barry Cofield - Giants Redskins, and many more outstanding athletes.
While the athletes train, their families are invited to join in the fun and enjoy a family weekend membership. The weekend membership includes the use of The Atlantic Club’s Main Health and Fitness Center as well as the Outdoor Swim Club. On Saturday Evening, July 14th, The Atlantic Club will be hosting a Family Barbecue at 3:30pm for the players and coaches along with the family members. Please note, though athletes are free and there will be a $10 charge for each family member that attends this event. At The Atlantic Club, we’re at the leading edge of what’s hot in the fitness industry. Our state-of-the-art health clubs include indoor and outdoor pools, large fitness facilities, tennis courts, hiking trails, hot tubs, steam rooms, spacious and accommodating locker rooms, and a café. There are always new and exciting fitness classes and programs to participate in, including yoga and pilates, and support from some of the top personal trainers at the Shore
The weekend is scheduled on Saturday, July 14th and Sunday, July 15th. The cost of the program is $525 and for families travelling, a list of local hotels that have set aside a limited number of rooms are available at a special rate. If you have an athlete who would be interested in this camp please contact our Athletic Director at 732-292-4475 or visit summercamptac.com to register.
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A SM / 11 pointer in the second quarter. In the second half, he scored 12 of his 15 points to help bring home the win, drawing louder and louder roars from Middletown North’s student section with every basket. “I just knew I could contribute off the bench,’’ Rhatigan said. “I just wanted to do whatever the team needed me to do to get the win.’’ “He never complained,’’ Iasparro said. “He's a great kid. The whole season he's kept a positive attitude, and he works real hard.''
O
ne of the most fun parts of the NJSIAA basketball tournament every year is seeing role players emerge to have their moment in the spotlight when the pressure is at its greatest.
One of the ultimate examples came in Middletown North’s 62-51 victory over Colts Neck to win its first Central Jersey Group IV championship since 2002 and just the third one in school history. In the Lions’ win, senior center Tim Rhatigan dropped in a career-high 15 points, which certainly could not have been in the Colts Neck scouting report. That’s because Rhatigan literally did not play one second in the previous meeting between the two teams, a 53-42 Colts Neck victory in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals. Middletown North head coach Mike Iasparro was leery of putting Rhatigan in the game the first time because of concerns that there was not a natural matchup for him when he was on defense. However, but the time the second game had rolled around, Rhatigan had been on a roll in the state tournament with his ability to stretch the defense because of his jump-shooting ability for a center and the energy he brought off the bench.
Sometimes senior leadership isn’t scoring 25 points in a big game or being the star who garners the headline. Sometimes it’s swallowing your ego and sticking with the team concept rather than becoming a cancer who can rub off on the younger players. Don’t think for a second that the younger players on Middletown North didn’t notice Rhatigan’s selflessness and learn a lesson about putting the team above yourself. In the end, Rhatigan was rewarded because he got his shot and became a headliner in the Lions’ biggest game of the season. Situations like that often occur in championship-type games because the stars on each team end up canceling each other out with their play, so it can come down to that extra role player making a crucial play here or there that could be the difference. Just ask Neptune, which appeared on its way toward blowing out Camden in the Group III semifinals before the Panthers came roaring back in front of a partisan crowd at Winslow Township High School, which is only a few miles from Camden and 80 miles from Neptune.
After the first game, Rhatigan could’ve easily gone into a shell. He could’ve spent his time grumbling about not getting a shot to play in the SCT semifinals and going through the motions until it was time to start baseball season, where he is a returning standout. Instead, he stuck with his teammates and remained determined to take advantage of his opportunity whenever it came.
When Iasparro inserted him into the sectional final, he immediately gave the Lions a jolt of energy by burying a 3-
Middletown North's Tim Rhatigan
Sometimes all it takes is for a coach to say he believes in you in a pressurepacked spot for a role player to elevate his game when the team desperately needs it.
"Coach (O'Donnell) and I felt that my defender couldn't guard me, so he told me to take him one-on-one,'' Holland said. "After I hit the first one, I felt way more confident.''
The one other Asbury Park's Anthony McNeil Shore team to advance to a Group final, defending Group I champion Asbury Park, also got huge minutes from an unsung player at an important time. In the Group I semifinals, the Blue Bishops stunned a Paulsboro team that entered 30-0, and senior center Anthony McNeil had nine points, four above his season average, to help the victory. More importantly, as the tallest player on the team at 6-3, he battled in the paint all night with Paulsboro’s 6-5 Xavier Lundy and 6-8 Julian Davenport. While the usual suspects, senior twins Amir and Armond Conover and senior guard Thomond Hammary, gathered the headlines, McNeil’s play was important in an eye-opening 6754 win. Same goes for senior point guard Danron Morrissey, another unsung player who had 10 points. Without those two, the Blue Bishops are not getting a shot at becoming the first Shore team since Holmdel in 1998-99 to win consecutive Group titles.
The Scarlet Fliers had led 19-4 at one point, but Camden had closed to within two points midway through the third quarter. That’s when Neptune coach Ken Neptune's Rasul Holland O’Donnell turned to senior guard Rasul Holland to help pull the team out of its tailspin. Players who get wrapped up in the ego of why they are not Holland is a complementary player to stars like the ones being written about often end up as the ones who senior guards Jaheem Woods and Ikie Calderon press in the big games and hurt the team. In many cases when and junior forward Keith Kirkwood, but at one it comes to the role players who keep plugging away, the ball of the most critical points of the season, he finds them in a big spot in a big game. Then it’s up to them to came up huge. make it happen, and Rhatigan, Holland and McNeil are living proof that it can be done. Holland had a mismatch against a bigger defender and used it to score six important points that silenced the crowd. He had a great finish in traffic, then a nasty crossover and Photo by pull-up that drew a gasp from the crowd. He Cliff Lavelle added another tough jumper to help the Scarlet Fliers take an eight-point lead into the fourth www.clearedge.zenfoli o.c om quarter, and they pulled away from there for a 17-point win that sent them to the Group III Bill Normile final for the first time since 2009. ww w. b illnor mile. ze nf olio .c o m
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Volume-IV
Issue-5
3/12/12
A SM / 12