Mighty Oaks set modern-era program record for most wins in a season after thrashing RCSJ-Gloucester for No. 19
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – The Salem CC basketball team checked off another box in their historic first full season under coach Mike Green Thursday night when it throttled RCSJ-Gloucester 94-65 for its 19th win of the season.
The win total eclipsed the 18-win benchmark established by the 2021-22 team for most wins since the school brought back the program in 2019.
The playoff-bound Mighty Oaks (19-7) will go after win No. 20 at Harrisburg Area, a team they beaten each of the last two years and put 110 on last season.
“I think we should have been at 19 a couple weeks ago; we gave a couple away,” Green said. “We’ve got more work to do, man. I think we’ve got three more games guaranteed, trying to pick up another game.
“That’s where we’re supposed to be, around that 20, 23, 24, 25. The league is tough this year, man. The region is tough this year. We’re right there with the top guys.”
As their last scheduled regular-season home game, it was Sophomore Night and the seven sophs who played combined for 60 points, 24 rebounds, 11 assists and five blocked shots.
“I’m going to have to get out on the recruiting trail,” Green said. “I didn’t realize we were losing eight people. there were eight of them. I’ve got to go out and get some players. I’ve got to get on it.”
Sophomores Akeem Taylor and Tyrese Fortune, both first-year SCC players, led the charge against the Roadrunners with 18 and 17 points, respectively. Fortune, who has been on a tear of late, also had nine rebounds. Taylor had five rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Eleven of 12 Mighty Oaks who got in the game scored.
Freshman Xavier Brewington had nine assists and freshman Jyheim Spencer had another double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds).
The Mighty Oaks scored the last eight points of the first half to take control, then buried the Roadrunners in the second half 56-33. Their bench outscored the Roadrunners 52-18, 30-4 in the second half.
“We just tried to give everybody a chance in the first half,” Green said. “To see what you got because somedays you got it and somedays you don’t. We feel our way out in the first half and see what’s going then we do the second half and give the guys another chance.
“Our bench played better (in the second half). We had five bench points against Montco, so our bench was a lot better. That was good.”
Something else that’s good has been the way Fortune has turned it up. He’s in the midst of his best run of the season, a response to Green telling him to “let it fly.” Over the last three games the Wilmington University transfer is averaging 22 points. He was averaging 9.5 in the 20 previous games.
“I’m telling you, coach just has so much confidence, I just had to get it out of me,” Fortune said. “I struggled in the first half of the season, but it’s coming to an end. It’s all about how you finish.”
“He’s who I thought he was going to be,” Green said. “He’s come along from where I thought he was supposed to be at the beginning of the year and I’m happy for him. He’s putting it together now.”
SALEM CC 94, RCSJ-GLOUCESTER 65
GLOUCESTER (11-14) – Kassius Willis 7-17 4-6 19, Hajir Davis 1-7 2-4 4, Fred Orock 5-7 2-7 12, Chris Racobaldo 2-8 4-6 8, Denial Mendez 1-7 1-2 4, Ace Lassiter 5-12 0-0 13, Aiden Cranmer 1-4 0-0 3, Amara Sacko 1-2 0-0 2, Alan Corporan 0-0 0-0 0, Jonathan Guzman 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 23-64 13-27 65.
SALEM CC (19-7) – A.J. Jones 3-7 2-4 8, Tyrese Fortune 6-13 3-3 17, Tivon Woolford 1-7 0-0 3, Josh Ramos 4-8 0-0 11, Tajee Jordan 1-2 1-2 3, Dontarius Jones 1-1 1-1 3, Tamir Powell 6-10 0-1 14, Xavier Brewington 2-8 0-0 4, Rodney Shelton 0-0 0-0 0, Akeem Taylor 7-15 3-3 18, Stefan Phillips 1-2 0-0 2, Jyheim Spencer 5-8 1-1 11. Totals 37-81 11-15 94.
| RCSJ-Gloucester | 32 | 33- | 65 |
| Salem CC | 38 | 56- | 94 |
Region XIX standings
Here are the men’s and women’s Region XIX basketball standings; games through Feb. 6
| MEN’S DIVISION III (x-based on percentage) | REGION | ALL |
| Union | 14-0 (1.000) | 18-3 |
| Montgomery | 14-1 (.933) | 18-3 |
| Philadelphia | 14-3 (.824) | 18-6 |
| Camden | 13-3 (.813) | 16-9 |
| Northampton | 11-4 (.733) | 19-4 |
| Salem | 11-5 (.688) | 19-7 |
| Brookdale | 11-6 (.647) | 16-7 |
| Atlantic Cape | 10-6 (.625) | 13-11 |
| Ocean | 8-6 (.571) | 13-7 |
| RCSJ-Gloucester | 8-8 (.500) | 10-15 |
| Passaic | 7-8 (.467) | 11-12 |
| Lehigh Carbon | 6-11 (.353) | 6-16 |
| Sussex | 5-10 (.333) | 7-17 |
| Luzerne | 4-11 (.267) | 6-13 |
| Harrisburg Area | 4-11 (.267) | 5-17 |
| Delaware County | 4-12 (.250) | 6-16 |
| Thaddeus Stevens | 3-14 (.176) | 4-17 |
| Bergen | 2-15 (.118) | 3-19 |
| RCSJ-Cumberland | 0-15 (.000) | 0-23 |
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Salem 94, RCSJ-Gloucester 65
Sussex at Union, ppd.
Frederick 90, Delaware Tech 78
Harrisburg Area at Luzerne, ppd.
Passaic 84, Thaddeus Stevens 79
Harcum 114, Baltimore City CC 66
Lehigh Carbon at Manor College
Raritan Valley at Essex
Northampton 69, Montgomery 54
Ocean 99, Atlantic Cape 88
Prestige Prep at Morris
Camden 91, RCSJ-Cumberland 49
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Salem at Harrisburg Area
Camden at Union
Harcum at CCBC Dundalk
Lackawanna at Rockland CC
Passaic at RCSJ-Gloucester
Sussex at Delaware County
Orange County CC at Essex
Philadelphia at Lehigh Carbon
Ocean at RCSJ-Cumberland
Atlantic Cape at Northampton
Luzerne at Brookdale
Delaware Tech at Howard CC
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