Mistakes plague a young Salem Tech boys team in season-opening loss to Mastery Charter; Pompper provides a highlight with 16 points in first varsity start
By Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – A lot has happened on both sides since Salem Tech beat Mastery Charter in their last game of the season last year.
Mastery changed coaches and brought in some new players. Salem Tech got younger.
The teams met in the first regular season game of the season Thursday night and the visitors from Camden ran away with a 90-34 victory.
“We’re a young team; I’ve got one guy with varsity experience (Joseph Hayes),” Chargers coach Bryan Riley said. “Just way too many turnovers, just throwing the ball away, bad passes, trying to force those passes all the way down court.”
And the Warriors turned those mistakes into transition baskets. It was 22-4 after the first quarter and margin continued to grow.
Thirteen players scored for the Warriors. Ezequeil Cosme led all scorers with 26 points, but Damien James (13) was their only other scorer in double figures.
The teams made plans to play right after last year’s regular-season finale. Mastery’s coach at the time said he liked the gym, he liked the ride over, he wanted to play here next season. They made it a date not long thereafter, but the Warriors changed coaches in the interim and when the Chargers sought to make it a scrimmage, Mastery’s new regime wanted to keep it as a game.
Larry Pompper, a JV player last year, made his first varsity start and led the Chargers with 16 points. He had 10 in the first half.
“Everything he had in the tank he just left it on that floor,” Riley said. “You could tell he wants it. Everything he’s got he’s just giving it to you. The score was lopsided from the beginning and he just never backed down, offensively, defensively, just everything he had. He had a good game.”
CAMDEN MASTERY CHARTER (1-0) – ZyAir Kendricks 2 0-0 4, Dontae Garrett 2 0-0 4, Damien James 5 2-2 13, Ezequeil Cosme 11 0-1 26, JoShawn Johnson 2 0-0 4, Kuane Best 1 0-0 2, Emanuel Bonilla 2 0-0 4, Rowan Davis 1 0-0 3, Tahjon Mattocks 2 0-0 4, Jahvi Anderson 2 0-0 4, Hector Cortes 3 1-1 7, Donovan Anderson 3 0-0 7, Dixson Dowayee 4 0-2 8. Totals 40 3-6 90.
SALEM TECH (0-1) – Daviontae Russell 1 1-2 3, Ayden Myers 0 0-0 0, Joseph Hayes 2 0-0 6, Sam Battiato 0 0-0 0, Larry Pompper 6 4-5 16, Raphael Busch 3 0-0 6, C. Brown 0 0-0 0, Alex Thomas 1 0-0 3. Totals 13 5-7 34.
| Mastery Charter | 22 | 21 | 22 | 25- | 90 |
| Salem Tech | 4 | 14 | 3 | 13- | 34 |
3-point goals: Mastery 7 (James, Cosme 4, Davis, Anderson); Salem Tech 3 (Hayes 2, Thomas). Total fouls: Mastery 8, Salem Tech 10.
Riverview Sports News 