Back even

Salem CC women allow fewest points since reviving the program, dump RCSJ-Cumberland to win second game of new year, reach .500 first first time since Dec. 12

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT — Kathryn Laurence scored a season-high 18 points, the bigs dominated the post and the defense was sharp as the Salem CC women crushed RCSJ-Cumberland 53-24 Thursday night.

The win was their second in a row and got them back to .500 (6-6) for the first time since Dec. 12. The 24 points were the fewest the Mighty Oaks have allowed in a game since reviving the program last season. They held the Dukes (5-8) scoreless for the first 6:30 of the game and to just one point over an 11-minute stretch of the second and third quarters.

They held the Dukes to 16.7 percent shooting for the game and forced them into 29 turnovers, off which they scored 22 points.

“We didn’t have a great game offensively (shooting 27 percent and committing 25 turnovers), but we played good defense and got the win,” Mighty Oaks coach Brian Marsh said. “We’re off to a good start in the new year (2-0), but we have a tough opponent on the road Saturday that beat us twice last season (Middlesex).

“We have really started to play with a chip on our shoulder and much better basketball on both ends of the floor.”

Laurence hit 7 of 18 shots from the floor, including four 3-pointers. She hit her first two 3s in the Mighty Oaks’ 12-0 start. The 5-5 sophomore guard from Texas has scored in double figures in four of her last five games, averaging 13 points per game in the stretch.

On the inside, Akira Chambers had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Dani Gustin had 11 rebounds to go with five points.

SALEM CC 53, RCSJ-CUMBERLAND 24
RCSJ-CUMBERLAND (5-8) — Sky Oyola 2-7 0-1 6, Ana Patino 1-7 0-0 2, Janessa Marienski 1-6 0-2 2, Gianna Baldino 1-11 2-4 4, Armani Mejia 2-7 1-2 5, Egypt Owens 1-6 3-6 5, Sophia Ramos-Garcia 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 8-48 6-15 24.
SALEM CC (6-6) — Nyaijah Jackson 1-10 0-0 2, Maggie St. Clair 1-10 2-2 4, Kathryn Laurence 7-18 0-2 18, Jakayla Jenkins 1-6 0-0 2, Akira Chambers 5-10 4-4 14, RayNescia King 2-9 0-0 4, Dani Gustin 1-4 3-3 5, Alexa Hopkins 2-6 0-0 4. Totals 20-73 9-11 53.