Boardwalk bonding

Rams head to the boardwalk to do some overnight team building, start trip with win over Oakcrest

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WILDWOOD – There’s nothing like a win to get a bonding experience off to a good start.

For the second year in a row, Anthony Farmer has booked his Salem basketball team into an overnight trip, but this year’s trip got off to a better start.

Last year they went north and lost their first game to a team from Massachusetts in Bayonne. Monday, they checked into the Wildwood Convention Center before checking into their overnight accommodations in Egg Harbor and beat Oakcrest in the Boardwalk Classic 54-37.

“It’s always much better to win,” Farmer said. “When I’ve got to take the school a bill back for $2,000 some W’s better show up on there.”

The trip, funded by the booster club, is all about team building and enhancing the culture of the program. And It may be a little more important for this year’s team as it moves forward. 

Last year’s group was loaded with seniors who had been playing with each other a while. This year’s team, while returning several players from that squad, are still a little bit of a work in progress, as the flow of the game bore out.

Last year, although the Rams were relatively close to New York, they didn’t venture into the city after losing to Charlestown (Mass.) by 20, but had dinner together and went bowling to get closer. They won by four the next night. Monday, the team was headed to the Borgata buffet in Atlantic City and then back to the hotel for some bonding.

“It just brings everybody closer and helps us build a bigger bond going into the season,” said guard  Tymear Lecator, a freshman on the trip last year. “I looked forward to it even more now because I like chillin’ with my guys and we’re going to be with each other all night, so it’s going to be fun.”

“We try to do things a little different here,” Farmer said. “Not many programs get an opportunity to go spend the night and bond out of town. The chance to go have dinner and sit down as a team, as a family, is big. It’s a culture. One that we’ve built that we’re proud of.”

The Rams (4-1) had a good start and a good finish, but the in between was a little clunky.

Lecator and Neziah Spence got off to a hot start. They hit five 3-pointers between them in the first quarter and scored the Rams’ first 21 points of the game as they got out to a 23-8 lead. Lecator had 15 points in the first quarter and finished with 19 in the game with six assists. Spence had 13 points, two off his career high.

In addition, Derrelle Johnson had 12 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals. And Deshaan Williams had six points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

“I was just locked in,” Lecator said. “We were coming off a loss (to West Tech in Delsea’s Marty Derer Showcase), so I had to come here with a different mentality. So, I just came here ready to kill. I talked to him (Spence) before the game so he was on the same time I was on and we just went in and went crazy.” 

The Rams weren’t as efficient in the middle two quarters and the Falcons (0-5) actually cut the margin to eight with 1:51 left in the third after back-to-back 3s by Levar Price wrapped around a turnover. Price hit four 3s in the game and led the Falcons with 15 points.

Farmer called time immediately and the Rams started turning things around. They held the Falcons without a field goal for most of the fourth quarter while steadily rebuilding a comfortable lead.

“We got off to a good start, but we have to get better,” Farmer said. “It’s a young group so learning how to play for four quarters is going to be a key and obviously we’re finding out the second and third quarter is a little lull for us so we’ve got something to work on to get better over time.

“We know what we’re capable of and the guys know what’s at stake. We’ve created a culture here where winning matters, so they know the expectations. It’s just sustaining that, and when you’re finding out that your opponent may be of lesser caliber you have to impose your will for four quarters and not take your foot off the gas. And we’re not there yet.”

A little bonding trip is a good way to start.

They wrap up the boardwalk bonding trip Tuesday with a 10 a.m. game against Millville (2-5).

SALEM 54, OAKCREST 37
SALEM (4-1) – Donovan Weathers 0 0-0 0, Xavier McGriff 0 0-0 0, Neziah Spence 5 0-0 13, Tymear Lecator 7 2-3 19, Deshaan Williams 2 2-4 6, Derrell Johnson 6 0-2 12, Antwan Rogers 2 0-0 4, Harlem Parson 0 0-0 0, Giovanni Tuvale 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 4-9 54.
OAKCREST (0-5) – Adriece Diggs 3 2-4 8, Levar Price 4 3-4 15, Zicri Forest 2 0-0 4, Maison Webster 1 0-0 2, Kyle Bosket 0 0-0 0, Kevin Walker 0 0-0 0, Jayden Collins 2 0-0 4, Steven Johnson 0 0-0 0, Gabe Ramos 1 2-2 4, Edwin Noel 0 0-0 0, Kiayon McCullough 0 0-0 0, Prince Plamer 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 7-10 37.

Salem	23	9	10	12-	54
Oakcrest	8	8	14	7-	37