Penns Grove suffers third heartbreaking loss n four days; Pennsville, Salem, Woodstown all pick up wins
THURSDAY’S BOYS SCORES
Pennsville 72, Salem Tech 44
Salem 67, Schalick 32
Wildwood 66, Penns Grove 60 (OT)
Woodstown 87, Clayton 63
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – This was supposed to be a big week for the Penns Grove basketball team, a week in which the Red Devils had a chance to make a significant move in the South Jersey Group I playoff picture and Tri-County Diamond Division standings.
But now, after a third heartbreaking loss in four days, they’re left to think about what might have been and what can they do to bounce back from it.
The Red Devils lost to Wildwood Thursday night 66-60 in a game that went to overtime. Stack that on top of losing to Clearview on a steal and layup with 12 seconds left Monday and then losing to Glassboro the next night on a buzzer-beating 3 in a game they led by three with a minute to play and it’s enough to make any sane person lose it a little.
Penns Grove coach Damian Ware said he’s never gone through a stretch like that before, at least not one with three losses in a row like that.
“It’s tough,” he said. “because the kids are playing so hard and they’re playing so well. In the beginning of the season we were struggling a little bit, but now we’re playing at a high level and we’re hanging right with the teams that are the cream of the crop. It’s encouraging for me, but at the same time disappointing because we’re not getting the wins.
“It’s a double-edged sword. It’s rough, but at the same time I see the light at the end of the tunnel. If we could just finish a little bit better or not make a couple mistakes that we’re making here and there we can really get over the hump and really start challenging and be one of the teams that’s going to be there at the end of the season.”
The game against the current No. 3 team in the South Jersey Group I power points standings was close throughout. The Warriors jumped out 9-0, but the Red Devils brought it back with their own seven-point run and no one led by more than five the rest of regulation.
Penns Grove’s Giomar Conrad sent the game into overtime with a 3-pointer at the buzzer; it was his third 3 of the fourth quarter. Conrad lhad four 3s in the game and led the Red Devils with 22 points. Mekhi Ballard had three 3s – two in overtime – and finished with 11 points and Karon Ceaser had 13.
Brian Cunniff led Wildwood with 25 points, including nine in overtime. Junior Hans had 14 of his 15 in the second half and overtime. They were a combined 7-of-9 from the free throw line in overtime.
“We just ran out of steam,” Ware said. “We fought so hard to get back and tie the game … all that energy might have tapped us out.”
Energy was a key element during one portion of the game. There was a 10-minute delay in the second half when the gym lost power with 5:08 left in the third quarter. Ware believes the stoppage hurt the Red Devils as they had just cut the margin to two and were about to take the momentum.
“I told them in the locker room, we’re 5-10, but we’re not a 5-10 team,” Ware said. “Our record does not define us, that’s not who we are. Who we are right now is we see we’re right there with the best teams in the league, the best teams in the division and playing right there with all the top teams.
“We’re just trying to get to their head and help them understand that even though we’re losing these games I want them to understand the progress we’re making and by the end of the season I think we’re going to turn the corner all the way and we’ll be right there.”
WILDWOOD 66, PENNS GROVE 60 (OT)
WILDWOOD (10-6) – Junior Hans 5 5-14 15, Ryan Troiano 1 2-4 4, Jordan Fusik 3 1-2 8, Brian Cunniff 9 7-11 25, Josh Pintella 1 0-2 2, Harley Buscham 1 0-0 2, Lukas Basile 4 0-0 10, James Wyers 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 15-33 66.
PENNS GROVE (5-10) – Roman Gipson 3 0-0 6, Giomar Conrad 8 2-2 22, Karon Ceaser 6 0-2 13, Willie Slocum 0 1-4 1, Mehki Ballard 4 0-0 11, Camren Thompson 1 0-0 2, Mr Peterson 2 1-4 5. Totals 24 4-12 60.
| Wildwood | 14 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 16 – | 66 |
| Penns Grove | 12 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 10 – | 60 |
WOODSTOWN 87, CLAYTON 63: Rocco String returned to some early-season form, scoring a career-high 24 points and grabbing 14 rebounds while leading the Wolverines to their highest scoring game in three seasons. It was String’s fifth double-double. He had four in the first five games this season, but had scored only 39 points in his previous seven games.
Four Wolverines scored in double figures. Blake Bialecki had 12, Garrett Leyman 11 and Manny Ortega 10. Leyman had 16 rebounds and Max Webb distributed 11 assists.
The 87 points were the most the Wolverines have scored in a game since they put 90 on Camden Academy Charter in early January 2022. It’s the second time they’ve scored in the 80s in coach Phillip Campbell’s two-year tenure.
CLAYTON (3-12) – Dillon Jones 5 2-4 12, Nazir Davis 3 0-0 7, Demetris Williams 5 2-4 12, Jon Cox 2 0-1 5, Ashaud Hines 2 0-0 4, Nasir Carter 2 0-0 6, Fareed Mamah 3 2-2 8, John Carter 2 0-0 6, Deion Scott 1 0-0 3. Totals 25 6-11 63.
WOODSTOWN (8-5) – Manny Ortega 4 0-0 10, Blake Bialecki 5 0-0 12, Alejandro Vazquez 2 0-0 5, M.J. Hall 4 0-0 8, Connor Sanderson-Dick 1 0-0 2, Garrett Leyman 5 1-1 11, Anthony Bokolas 3 0-0 6, Lucas Fulmer1 0-0 2, Max Webb 2 0-0 4, Rocco String 12 0-0 24, Elijah Caesar 1 0-0 3. Totals 40 1-1 87.
| Clayton | 18 | 14 | 7 | 24 – | 63 |
| Woodstown | 21 | 27 | 18 | 21 – | 87 |
SALEM 67, SCHALICK 32: Jabez DeJesus led three Rams in double figures with 19 points. Anthony Farmer and Paul Weathers each tossed in 12.
Nylan Sutton (11 points) was the only scorer in double figures for the Cougars, who were without top scorer Reggie Allen for the second straight game. Allen took a shot above his left eye near the end of the Cougars’ game with Clayton Monday at the Wells Fargo Center and went for further attention when the team returned home.
SALEM (8-6) – Tymear Lecator 3 0-0 8, Jabez DeJesus 7 3-3 19, Anthony Farmer 4 3-3 12, Ramaji Bundy 1 0-0 2, Paul Weathers 5 2-2 12, Xavier McGriff 1 0-0 3, Antwan Rodgers 2 0-0 4, Marshall Stephens 2 3-5 7, Davante Jackson 1 0-0 2. Totals 26 11-13 68.
SCHALICK (5-7) – Jordan Johnson 2 0-0 4, Jake Siedlecki 1 0-0 3, Nasir Sutton 3 0-0 7, Nylan Sutton 4 1-2 11, Levi Freeney-Childers 1 4-11 6, Dylan Sheehan 0 1-2 1. Totals 11 6-15 32.
| Salem | 16 | 21 | 17 | 13 – | 67 |
| Schalick | 4 | 10 | 7 | 11 – | 32 |
PENNSVILLE 72, SALEM TECH 44: Daniel Saulin had 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting and grabbed six rebound as the Eagles snapped a three-game losing streak with their fourth straight win over the Chargers.
The Eagles scored the first 12 points of the game to take control and carried it to a 35-17 halftime lead. Luke Wood (14) and Jayden Thomas (12) also scored in double figures for Pennsville. All 11 players scored for the Eagles. Josh Muntz led Salem Tech with 10.
SALEM TECH (1-12) – Chase Willis 2 0-2 4, Haneef Frisby 2 5-9 9, Joseph Hayes 3 0-0 5, Josh Muntz 3 4-8 10, Tyler Zampino 4 0-0 9, Antoine Robinson 2 0-0 5, Gio Holmes 0 0-0 0, Chase Ayars 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 9-19 44.
PENNSVILLE (6-9) – Luke Wood 6-12 2-3 14, Peyton O’Brien 3-4 0-2 6, Daniel Saulin 6-7 4-6 16, Jayden Thomas 4-6 4-6 12, Malik Rehmer 2-6 1-2 5, Cohen Petrutz 2-6 1-3 5, Mason O’Brien 2-4 1-2 5, Connor Starn 1-1 0-0 2, Logan Hill 0-0 1-2 1, Carlo Merindino 1-2 0-0 3, Cole Johnston 1-3 0-0 3. Totals 28-51 14-28 72.
| Salem Tech | 8 | 9 | 14 | 10 – | 44 |
| Pennsville | 21 | 14 | 15 | 22 – | 72 |
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