Salem CC women reduce their magic number for making the Region XIX playoffs to one after upsetting RCSJ-Gloucester; Laurence hits 5 treys
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – Salem CC women’s basketball coach Brian Marsh has preached to his team the way to work its way into the group of more established programs in the region is one small step at a time.
Well, the Mighty Oaks took a giant leap Thursday night, upsetting RCSJ-Gloucester 66-61 to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Mighty Oaks (11-10) reduced their magic number to qualify for the Region XIX tournament to one after scoring one of the biggest wins since the rebirth of the program last year. They have to finish .500 or better to make the playoffs and have three games left to secure one more win.
The earliest they can clinch a spot is Tuesday at Mercer County CC, weather permitting. With heavy snow predicted for the region, officials from both schools will meet Monday to plot a course of action.
“They’re three good teams,” Marsh said. “We’ve got to go on the road to Mercer, at Lackawanna, which is never an easy trip, and then we’re home against Montco, which is Sophomore Day, so you never know how that’s going to play out because you’ve got emotions, a lot of family in town.
“That’s why today was huge. Because it gives us a chance.”
Guard Kathryn Laurence, for one, likes their chances.
“It’s not done yet, but the chances are really high of us making the playoffs, for sure,” she said.
Laurence was one of the ringleaders in an overall effort that got Thursday’s upset done. She and Nyaijah Jackson led the Mighty Oaks with 17 and 18 points, respectively.
Jackson hit several free throws down the stretch to keep the Roadrunners (19-4) at arm’s length. Laurence went 5-for-7 from behind the 3-point arc and is now has 95 treys for her SCC career.
“It was a good game for me,” Laurence said. “I’ve been on and off (with her shooting), but whenever I don’t think about the stats and I kind of put myself into the game I don’t worry about how many shots I make or miss and just play what the team needs me to do.
“I did feel good before (the game) and I was like I’m going to do whatever it takes for us to beat this team.”
The Mighty Oaks trailed by three at halftime, but outscored the Roadrunners, in the second half 34-26. They shot 57 percent from the floor in the third quarter.
Former Woodstown post Shannon Pierman was one of two Roadrunners with double-doubles. She had 17 points and 17 rebounds. Jermyra Bethea had a game-high 19 points and 11 boards.
“This was really big; it was just the girls fighting,” Marsh said. “They played hard. Their bigs were really hurting us down low and they’re making some shots, but we kept it in there. We were trading punches in the middle of the ring, throwing everything we can at them, but we got some timely turnovers and we pulled it out.
“This is a game last year we lost by 50; we played horrendous. That’s a big win because if you think about the three teams we kind of match up against in South Jersey, we beat Cumberland and lost to Camden and Gloucester. This year we beat all three of them. It’s little steps like that, taking steps up that mountain to get us where this program wants to be.
“Coming back from a bad loss last year and getting the win this year is just showing the growth of this team and this program. We want to be able to win these type games and that’s exactly what we’ve done this year and now we just have to get to the point where we can beat some of the upper echelon in our own division.”
One step at a time.
SALEM CC 66, RCSJ-GLOUCESTER 61
RCSJ-GLOUCESTER (19-4) – Atinuke Bamgbose 0-6 0-0 0, Anna DiPiero 2-16 0-0 5, Jenna Georgette 5-15 0-0 10, Jermyra Bethea 8-15 3-8 19, Shannon Pierman 6-8 5-5 17, Miya Villari 2-3 1-2 5, Emma Buttocovia 0-4 0-0 0, Alexis Carroway 2-2 0-0 5, Vienna Gantz 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-70 9-15 61.
SALEM CC (11-10) – Nyaijah Jackson 6-14 6-11 18, Caroline Zullo 4-11 0-0 9, Maggie St. Clair 1-4 0-0 2, Kathryn Laurence 6-10 0-0 17, Jakayla Jenkins 4-9 2-2 11, RayNescia King 0-2 0-0 0, Dani Gustin 1-1 0-0 2, Akira Chambers 2-7 1-2 5, Alex Hopkins 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 25-60 9-15 66
| RCSJ-Gloucester | 18 | 17 | 13 | 13- | 61 |
| Salem CC | 19 | 13 | 16 | 18- | 66 |
Region XIX standings
| DIVISION II WOMEN | REG | ALL |
| Union | 14-0 | 23-0 |
| Harcum | 11-3 | 19-5 |
| Lackawanna | 10-4 | 15-6 |
| Raritan Valley | 8-4 | 14-9 |
| Mercer | 8-6 | 14-6 |
| Middlesex | 4-8 | 9-12 |
| Salem CC | 4-10 | 11-10 |
| Essex | 2-12 | 4-13 |
| Morris | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Delaware Tech | 0-14 | 0-20 |
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Salem 66, RCSJ-Gloucester 61
Northampton at Passaic, ppd.
Harcum 109, Baltimore City CC 19
Lehigh Carbon at Manor
Sussex at Montgomery, cancelled
Raritan Valley at Essex
Camden 76, RCSJ-Cumberland 28
Bucks at Mercer
Atlantic Cape 65, Ocean 42
Brookdale 58, Philadelphia 55
Montgomery (Md.) at Middlesex, cancelled
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Passaic at RCSJ-Gloucester
Montgomery at Bergen
Philadelphia at Lehigh Carbon
Orange County at Essex
Ocean at RCSJ-Cumberland
Middlesex at Brookdale
Atlantic Cape at Northampton
Delaware Tech at Howard CC
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Riverview Sports News 