Good Weather(s) ahead

Salem senior center quietly goes about his business, puts up another double-double as Rams dump Bridgeton to secure a South Jersey Group I top 3 seed; Woodstown girls fall in SJIBT consolation game

SATURDAY’S BASKETBALL SCORES
BOYS
Salem 88, Bridgeton 76
GIRLS
SJIBT Consolation
Williamstown 81, Woodstown 59

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – With all the high-flying, high-scoring guards on the Salem basketball roster, it would be easy to overlook Paul Weathers in the lineup. But the Rams are glad he’s there and they let him know it every chance they get.

There is no doubt without the things the senior center brings to the table, the Rams wouldn’t be in the position they are today.

And that would be a solid No. 3 seed in the upcoming South Jersey Group I playoffs following their 88-76 victory over Bridgeton Saturday that coach Anthony Farmer said was “exactly what we need going into the playoffs.”

Weathers was a big, if not silent, part of that. He may be the unsung starter, but he just goes about his business delivering double-doubles with regularity. He went for 13 points and 13 rebounds against the Group IV Bulldogs and is now averaging 10.9 points and 11.0 rebounds a game.

“Paul has done an excellent job for us,” Farmer said. “I told him going into the offseason we were going to give him an opportunity because I believed in him. He worked really hard and has been a force for us. He’s been a senior; that’s all we can can ask for.

“He might not get it from the media spotlight but we always make sure we let Paul know how important and how valuable he is to our team. He is so quiet and laid back sometimes we forget that he’s around, but once that motor gets going and he’s out there rebounding and blocking shots he’s a force.”

And nothing if not consistent. Guard Ramaji Bundy calls him a “selfless guy” who’s “just an all-around good dude.”

The effort Saturday was Weathers’ 14th double-double in 20 games this season. Let the guards get all the points, he knows what he’s on the floor to do.

“I’m always on the floor doing all the little things, the things that coaches want to see,” he said. “The blocks, the rebounds, everything that counts on the defensive end.”

Weathers was one of five Rams to score in double figures in the game. Jabez DeJesus was their leading scorer with 24 points, with 19 coming in the second half. Anthony Farmer had 18, Bundy 12 and Tymear Lecator 11 (with 10 assists). 

Antwone Rogers came off the bench to give them eight points – all in the final 5:38 of the second quarter as the Rams came out of a timeout down 31-30 and took control of the game.

Bridgeton’s Jameel Purnell led all scorers with 30 points (and 13 rebounds).

For Salem’s Bundy, it was his second straight game scoring in double figures He had a career-high 15 in the Rams’ win over Clayton Thursday night. He had seven points in the first quarter Saturday when the Rams jumped out to a 20-11 lead..

“I’ve been comfortable with basketball, it’s just that I had to find my shot again,” he said. “In the first game we played Woodbury my shot was there, then I was getting in the groove where I was trying to be a facilitator, not really trying to shoot the ball but get other guys the ball. Now I’m started to get my groove back so I’m doing stuff I usually do.”

SALEM 88, BRIDGETON 76
BRIDGETON (10-13) – Kiyon Gray 5 0-0 10, Jameel Purnell 12 4-7 30, Zikwon Anderson 5 3-3 13, Zamir Chance 2 0-0 4, Richard Mills 4 6-7 14, Jeremiah Russell 0 1-2 1, Jahzier Thompson 2 0-0 4. Totals 30 14-19
SALEM (15-7) – Ramaji Bundy 4 2-4 12, Anthony Farmer 7 2-3 18, Jabez DeJesus 9 4-4 24, Paul Weathers 6 1-2 13, Xavier McGriff 0 0-0 0, Tymear Lecator 5 0-0 11, Donovan Weathers 0 0-0 0, Antwone Rogers 4 0-1 8, Joe Tunis 0 0-0 0, Davonte Jackson 0 0-0 0, Marshall Stephens 1 0-0 2. Totals 36-61 9-14 88.

Bridgeton	21	18	18	19 –	76
Salem	28	20	18	22 –	88

Girls Game
SJIBT Tournament

VOORHEES – Williamstown used a defensive switch and a big second half to pull away from Woodstown in an 81-59 win in a South Jersey Invitational Elite Eight consolation game.

Woodstown opened a seven-point first-quarter lead, but the Braves, the projected No. 1 seed in South Jersey Group IV and top seed in the upcoming Tri-County Conference Tournament, rallied to take a 32-30 halftime lead. They outscored the Wolverines 49-29 in the second half.

“They switched to a triangle-and-2 (on Talia Battavio and Megan Donelson) and we couldn’t string enough baskets and stops together,” Woodstown coach Kara Straughn said. “We played as tough as we could on their big (Iriona Gravely) and shooter (Alivia Mauz), but they’re No. 1 in Group IV for a reason.

“We don’t always get to play in those type of games or against teams like tonight in our division/regular-season schedule so a loss to Williamstown, as tough as it is, is going to make us better than some of our wins have. We’re looking towards the TCC Tournament (where they have a chance to see Williamstown again) and playoffs now.”

Battavio led Woodstown with 27 points. Donelson had 19. Shannon Pierman had 11 points and 10 rebounds for her third straight double-double and seventh in her last eight games.

Gravely led all scorers with 30. Mauz had 26, 19 in the second half. Mia Pezzato scored all nine of her points in the second half.

WILLIAMSTOWN 81, WOODSTOWN 81
WILLIAMSTOWN (17-5) – Iriona Gravely 14 2-5 30, Tinu Bamgbose 4 0-0 9, Alivia Mauz 8 6-7 26, Callie Kozeniewski 0 0-0 0, Mia Pezzato 4 0-0 9, McKenna Eaton 3 1-2 7. Totals 33 9-13 81.
WOODSTOWN (16-5) – Talia Battavio 11 4-7 27, Megan Donelson 7 3-4 19, Gianna Mairoini 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Baber 0 0-0 0, Shannon Pierman 5 1-4 11, Lauren Hengle 1 0-2 2, Brea DiGregorio 0 0-0 0, Jala Thomas 0 0-0 0, Lizzy Daly 0 0-0 0, Talia Guardacione 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 8-17 59.

Williamstown	11	21	27	22 –	81
Woodstown	18	12	14	15 –	59

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I GIRLS TOURNAMENT
PROJECTED ROUND 1 MATCHUPS
(Based on power points)
No. 16 Salem at No. 1 Woodbury
No. 9 Gateway at No. 8 Pennsville
No. 13 Cape May Tech at No. 4 Woodstown
No. 12 Penns Grove at No. 5 Palmyra
No. 14 Pitman at No. 3 Maple Shade
No. 11 Clayton at No. 6 Audubon
No. 10 Burlington City at No. 7 Glassboro
No. 15 Paulsboro at No. 2 Wildwood