Tuesday basketball

Here are the results and details of Tuesday night’s high school basketball games involving Salem County teams

TUESDAY GIRLS GAMES	TUESDAY BOYS GAMES
Pennsville 39, Glassboro 34	Glassboro 87, Pennsville 30
Woodstown 68, Penns Grove 52	Woodstown at Penns Grove (Wed.)
Salem Tech at Salem	Salem 71, Salem Tech 10
Overbrook 34, Schalick 29	Overbrook 80, Schalick 39

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE — In the world of high school basketball, you either win big, lose or escape. The Pennsville girls “escaped” Tuesday night.

The Eagles and Glassboro battled through four quarters until Pennsville made the plays that put it over the top 39-34 to get back on the winning track after last week’s Diamond Division showdown loss at Woodstown.

“We escaped tonight,” Pennsville coach Steve Merritt said. “If (Glassboro’s Kezia Brackett) had hit that 3 there at the end we’d have a tied ballgame. We were fortunate that didn’t happen.”

There were a number of factors that led to the game going the way it did. First of all, there was Glassboro’s defense, which may have been the most tenacious Pennsville has seen all season. And the shots that seemingly fell from everywhere at Woodstown didn’t fall at home against the Bulldogs and admittedly took the Eagles out of their rhythm.

But when one aspect of the game isn’t working you have make up for it in other ways.

The Eagles did it by getting on the boards. They collected 28 rebounds in the game, with freshman Jaida Burns getting eight and Marley Wood and Nora Ausland grabbing six apiece.

“I harped pre-game that it was absolutely critical that we get some rebounds,” Pennsville coach Steve Merritt said. “I talked to my two girls in the middle and told them they need to stay in that middle and I spoke to the guards and let them know when you’re not shooting you need to get in there and get after a rebound.”

Ausland was held scoreless for the first time in her Pennsville career as she marches towards 1,000 career points, but she helped the Eagles in other ways, especially down the stretch. She had three rebounds in the fourth quarter, two steals in the final two minutes when it was still a two-point game and delivered a sharp assist to Burns for the win-sealing layup with 8.2 seconds left.

Marley Wood got the Eagles going with 12 points in the first quarter and she finished with a game-high 16. Taylor Bass had 10 points. Freshman Addie Johnston had seven, including a buzzer-beater in the third quarter that gave Pennsville a 31-28 lead.

The Bulldogs were playing without Tamia Smith. The senior was sidelined with a shoulder injury, one point shy of becoming the fifth-leading scorer in Glassboro history.

PENNSVILLE 39, GLASSBORO 34
GLASSBORO (5-7): Sanaa Thomas 2 1-2 7, Kezia Brackett 4 2-4 11, Kimora Miles 2 0-0 4, Sianna Wedderburn 3 1-3 7, Lily Czubas 2 2-2 6, Grace Moore 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 6-11 34.
PENNSVILLE (8-3): Taylor Bass 3 3-4 10, Marley Wood 6 2-6 16, Izzy Saulin 1 0-0 2, Nora Ausland 0 0-0 0, Jaida Burns 2 1-2 5, Addie Johnston 3 0-0 7. Totals 15 6-12 39.

Glassboro	14	3	11	6-	34
Pennsville	14	9	8	8-	39

3-point goals: Glassboro 2 (Thomas 2); Pennsville 3 (Wood 2, Johnston). Rebounds: Pennsville 28 (Johnston 9, Ausland 6, Wood 6). Technical foul: Thomas. Total fouls: Glassboro 9, Pennsville 9.

WOODSTOWN 68, PENNS GROVE 52: The Wolverines extended a number of streaks in what coach Matt Smart called a game of “stepping up,” one in which several players stepped up to fill roles that evolved as the game wore on.

It was Woodstown’s seventh straight win. It also was their 38th in a row over TCC Diamond Division opponents and 34th straight against Salem County rivals.

“We went into the game with our third starting lineup of the year due to sickness,” Smart said. “Emma Perry, who has been a stalwart for our team this year, came into the starting lineup and played great defense with a couple steals and then knocked down some big shots for us in the second quarter.

“She’s always so stoic on the basketball court, just doing her job, but today she had a big smile on her face after making some big plays.”

Megan Donelson hit five 3-pointers and led Woodstown with 24 points to become only the third player in program history with 1,400 points. Lauren Hengel had a career-high 17 points – nine in the second quarter – and Talia Battavio had 13 to remain ahead of her high-scoring teammate on the school’s all-time scoring list.

“Talia went down in the first quarter, which caused Donelson to pick up her game,” Smart said. “She was attacking the basket, knocking down big 3s and making incredible passes to teammates. Where she stepped up her game was on the defensive end and her leadership.

“She constantly puts her body on the line and today she took two big charges. She gave girls like Emma, Kendall Young and Bryn Ecret the confidence to enter the game in critical moments and make some big plays.”

Perry and Young each had a pair of buckets in the second quarter when the Wolverines started pulling away.

Penns Grove’s RaNiyah Wilson led all scorers with a career-high 35 points to move over 900 for her career. It was her fifth career 30-point game and second this year. She had six second-half 3-pointers, four in the fourth quarter to try to bring the Red Devils back.

Smart praised her as a “phenomenal player who can score the ball from anywhere over half court.”

PENNS GROVE (6-5): RaNiyah Wilson 13 3-10 35, Brianna Robbins 3 3-4 10, Syanna Robbins 0 0-0 0, JaNiyah Cummings 2 1-2 5, Mikayla Washington 1 0-0 2, Keziah Patterson 0 0-0 0, NyAsia Numan 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 7-16 52.
WOODSTOWN (11-2): Talia Battavio 6 0-0 13, Megan Donelson 8 3-3 24, Lauren Hengel 7 3-3 17, Kyia Leyman 0 2-6 2, Emma Perry 3 0-0 6, Ryann Foote 0 0-0 0, Kendall Young 2 0-0 4, Lizzy Daly 0 0-0 0, Jala Thomas 0 0-0 0, Brynley Ecret 0 2-2 2. Totals 26 8-12 68.

Penns Grove	10	8	14	20-	52
Woodstown	17	20	23	8-	68

3-point goals: Penns Grove 7 (Wilson 6, B. Robbins). Woodstown 6 (Battavio, Donelson 5). Fouled out: Cummings. Total fouls: Penns Grove 13, Woodstown 9. Officials: Cooper, Brown.

OVERBROOK 34, SCHALICK 29: Jael Pressley scored 15 points and Gianna Simon had 13 to lead Overbrook. Pressley attacked the basket and went 7-of-21 from the free throw line.

Schalick (2-7)	8	7	4	10-	29
Overbrook (3-10)	6	12	7	9-	34

Boys games

SALEM 71, SALEM TECH 10: Xavier McGriff led three players in double figures and 10 scorers with 13 points as the Rams swamped the Chargers. Tymear Lecator and Antwuan Rogers had 10 points apiece.

Salem Tech (0-13)	2	2	4	2-	10
Salem (6-8)	26	18	19	10-	71

GLASSBORO 87, PENNSVILLE 30 Xavier Sabb scored 28 points, Kenny Smith scored 27 and the Bulldogs scored more than enough points in the first quarter to hand the Eagles their ninth straight loss.

Sabb and Smith both hit three 3-pointers in the game. They had four of the six the Bulldogs hit in the first quarter as they opened a 35-3 lead. Sabb scored 12 points in the quarter, while Smith and Aiden Harris each had eight.

Jovanni Rios led Pennsville with eight points. Arturus Franzy had four points, but had seven rebounds and four blocked shots.

PENNSVILLE (1-11): Artutus Franzy 2-6 0-0 4, Jovanni Rios 3-12 2-6 8, C.J. McDevitt 1-11 2-4 4, Logan Hitt 0-1 0-0 0, Cole Johnston 2-8 0-0 4, Perry Meranti 2-4 0-0 4, Danny Knight 1-2 0-0 3, Jacob Miller 1-1 0-0 3, Gavin Spears 0-0 0-0 0, Noah Owen 0-0 0-0 0, Griffin Hern 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-45 4-10 30.
GLASSBORO (6-7): Xavier Sabb 12 1-6 28, Kenny Smith 10 4-6 27, Tae Thomas 4 1-1 9, Alex Adeleye 6 0-0 14, Aiden Harris 4 0-0 8, Will Boggans 0 1-2 1, Jude Dempster 0 0-0 0. Totals: 36 7-15 87.

Pennsville	3	9	13	5-	30
Glassboro	35	12	23	17-	87

3-point goals: Pennsville 2-9 (Rios 0-2, McDevitt 0-1, Hitt 0-1, Johnston 0-3, Knight 1-1, Miller 1-1); Glassboro 8 (Sabb 3, Smith 3, Adeleye 2). Rebounds: Pennsville 28 (Franzy 7, Meranti 6, Rios 5). Total fouls: Pennsville 11, Glassboro 10.

OVERBROOK 80, SCHALICK 39
OVERBROOK (13-2): Lamar Little 12 0-0 29, Xavier Wright 5 3-3 14, Zair Green 7 2-6 17, Elvin Santiago 1 0-1 2, Bilal Robinson 1 0-0 3, Jayden Wilkerson 2 0-0 5, Jaden St. John 3 1-1 7, JR Stanley 1 0-0 3. Totals 32 6-11 80.
SCHALICK (4-10): Reggie Allen 3 2-5 11, Jase Volovar 1 0-0 3, Nylan Sutton 3 2-3 8, Sherrod Jones 3 2-2 10, Jamari Whitley 0 0-0 0, Justin Iacona 1 0-0 3, Zaeshawn Mills 1 0-0 2, Sean Kelly 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 6-10 39.

Overbrook	22	23	25	10-	80
Schalick	8	5	16	10-	39

3-point goals: Overbrook 10 (Little 5, Wright, Green, Robinson, Wilkerson, Stanley); Schalick 5 (Allen, Volovar, Jones 2, Iacona).

SALEM COUNTY ALL-TIME GIRLS SCORING LIST	TODAY	POINTS
Katie Kline, Pennsville (2004)		2110
Amanda Young, St. James (1995)		1762
Sharias Hill, Penns Grove (2009)		1661
Tia Furbush, Schalick (2021)		1574
Tori Smick, Woodstown (2013)		1566
Talia Battavio, Woodstown	13	1423
Megan Donelson, Woodstown	24	1411
Crystal Bailey, Schalick (1984)		1406
Stephanie Owen, Woodstown (1993)		1381
1000-POINT WATCH
Nora Ausland, Pennsville (Salem 462/Pennsville 480)	0	942
RaNiyah Wilson, Penns Grove (Kingsway 251/PG 657)	35	908
Marley Wood, Pennsville	16	878

Through games of Jan. 21

Getting on a roll

Penns Grove puts three scorers in double figures, wins second game in a row for first time this season

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODBURY – The Penns Grove basketball team took a significant step towards their long-range season goal Monday when it beat Burlington City 69-45 in the MLK Showcase at Woodbury High School.

It was the Red Devils’ second straight win constituting their first winning streak of the season. It may not seem like much, but the fact wasn’t lost on coach Damian Ware.

“It’s funny; I told my coaches on the bus that’s our first two-game winning streak all season,” Ware said. “It means a lot because to string wins together is tough, especially with the competition level we play in the non-conference. Our non-conference schedule is always loaded up with biggest schools and prep schools, so it’s tough to string wins together.

“But the goal for me in the regular season is to prepare the team for the second half of the season. Some teams, you want to play and you want to rack up wins. You play lower competition you can rack up wins, but my goal is not to rack up wins, the goal is to prepare the kids for the tough stretch at the end of the season.

“It’s hard to get wins early in the season for us because we’re playing tougher teams, but as we move into our conference and our schedule now, you want to start trying to put wins together. That builds that confidence. The thing about our team now is we’re playing with a lot of camaraderie. We’re really starting to play together now. We’re really starting to understand it.”

Despite having the weakest overall record among the top 12 teams, the Red Devils (4-7) currently sit ninth in the South Jersey Group I power points standings. They play current No. 5 Woodstown in their next game Wednesday night.

The Red Devils placed three scorers in double figures – Karon Ceaser (17), Roman Gipson (16) and Brandin Robbins (13). Ceaser is averaging 18 points a game in the winning streak, 17.0 over the last three games.

They took control of this one with a big start and closed it out with a big finish. They opened a 17-6 lead in the first quarter and finished with a 17-7 fourth. They could have had a similar run in the second had they protected the ball better, but they got moving too fast for their own good and had several turnovers that Burlington City turned into runout layups to play them even.

“The first quarter I always stress to the kids coming out with energy,” Ware said. “There were times in other games where we came out slow and let teams jump on us. I always stress we want to be a team that jumps out on them. That’s part of understanding it and they’re starting to really understand the concepts we teach daily and it’s starting to show on the court now.

“In the fourth quarter we just controlled the game. We ran the clock a little bit and made some really good plays and our defense caused some turnovers as well because they were trying to rush (to get back in it) and we got run-out layups. We learned how to break their press in the fourth quarter.”

MLK SHOWCASE
PENNS GROVE 69, BURLINGTON CITY 45
PENNS GROVE (4-7) – Brandin Robbins 6-1-13, Roman Gipson 7-0-16, Karon Ceaser 6-3-17, Antoine Robinson 2-0-4, Jameel Horace 3-0-6, William Roy 4-0-8, Caleb Fowler 1-0-2, Mishawn Brantley 1-1-3. Totals 30-5-65.
BURLINGTON CITY (7-6) – Chase Downs 4 1-2 10, Jason Brown 7 0-0 14, Jamie Lambing 1 1-2 4, Giper Cosmio 1 2-2 5, Rashard Newkirk 3 0-0 6, Jarrett James 1 4-4 6. Totals 17 8-10 45.

Penns Grove	17	21	14	17-	69
Burlington City	6	20	12	7-	45

3-point goals: Penns Grove 4 (Gipson 2, Ceaser 2); Burlington City 3 (Downs, Lambing, Cosmio).

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Jan. 19-25

JAN. 20
BOYS BASKETBALL
Penns Grove vs. Burlington City at Woodbury, 11 a.m.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Bridgeton at Pennsville, 11 a.m.
BOWLING
Salem vs. Cinnaminson at Laurel Lanes

JAN. 21
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Glassboro at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Salem Tech at Salem
Schalick at Overbrook
BOYS BASKETBALL
Overbrook at Schalick, 7 p.m.
Pennsville at Glassboro
Salem at Salem Tech
BOWLING
Salem vs. ACIT at Wood Lanes
Salem Tech vs. Collingswood at Wood Lanes
SWIMMING
Woodstown vs. Pitman at GCIT, 3 p.m.
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Union College, 7 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Delaware Tech, 6 p.m.

JAN. 22
BOYS BASKETBALL
Woodstown at Penns Grove
WRESTLING
Schalick at Clayton
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Timber Creek at Pennsville
Woodstown at Overbrook
TRACK
Pennsville, Penns Grove, Woodstown at Bennett Center, Toms River
Salem, Schalick at Ott Center, Philadelphia
BOWLING
Salem Tech vs. Clayton

JAN. 23
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Clayton at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Schalick
Salem at Pennsville
Salem Tech at Overbrook
BOYS BASKETBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown, 4:30 p.m.
Pennsville at Salem
Penns Grove at Clayton
Schalick at Pitman
SWIMMING
Salem vs. Schalick at GCIT, 6 p.m.
BOWLING
Salem vs. Lindenwold at Wood Lanes
Salem Tech in NJTAC
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Williamson Trades at Salem CC, 4 p.m.

JAN. 24
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Buena at Salem, 4 p.m.
GCIT at Salem Tech
Pennsville at Delsea, 7 p.m.
SJIBT Tournament
Shawnee at Woodstown
BOYS BASKETBALL
Salem Tech at Buena
WRESTLING
Woodstown at Pennsville

JAN. 25
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Penns Grove at OLMA, 11 a.m.
Schalick at Camden County Tech, 11:30 a.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Camden County Tech at Schalick, 11:30 a.m.
Pennsville at Clearview, 11:30 a.m.
West Deptford at Woodstown, 11:30 a.m.
WRESTLING
Salem, Timber Creek, Lower Cape May at Haddon Heights
Schalick, Holy Spirit, Toms River North at Vineland
Clayton, Millville at Penns Grove
Woodstown, Hillsborough, West Essex at Watchung Hills
SWIMMING
SJISA Championships at GCIT, 4 p.m.
TRACK
Schalick at Bennett Center, Toms River
BOWLING
Salem vs. Eastern at 30 Strikes
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Northampton CC at Salem CC, 2 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Middlesex at Salem CC, noon

Time on their side

St. Clair’s layup gives Salem CC women the lead, then they hold on as Essex had two chances to win but couldn’t beat the clock for the game-winner.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

NEWARK – The Salem CC women’s basketball team kept its drive for a playoff berth on track Saturday thanks in part to one of the basic rules of the game. Good thing for the Mighty Oaks college games are 40 minutes long, not 40 minutes and one second.

The Mighty Oaks got back to .500 for the fourth time this season Saturday with a 76-75 win over Essex CC. The Wolverines played beat the clock and the Mighty Oaks won.

Sophomore guard Maggie St. Clair got a steal and layup with 30 seconds left to give Salem the lead and the Mighty Oaks held their collective breath as the Wolverines had an open look for the win but couldn’t get it off before the horn.

“Another second we would’ve lost,” Salem coach Brian Marsh said. “We’ve had some of those games where they went the other way, so it’s really nice to be on this end of it.”

The Mighty Oaks could never shake their hosts. They led by four at halftime and would go up eight to 10 points and the 3-9 Wolverines would keep coming back.

There was relatively speaking a lot of time left after St. Clair put the Mighty Oaks ahead. Essex brought it back down and missed a shot. The Mighty Oaks rebounded with five seconds left and called time to get the ball to midcourt. It looked like it was over there.

But Caroline Zullo got into the backcourt on the inbounds play giving Essex the ball at midcourt with one last chance. The Mighty Oaks trapped the shooter in the corner and forced her to take an off-balance 3-pointer that went long.

The Wolverines caught the rebound wide open on the other side, but horn went off before they could get off the putback.

St. Clair finished with 20 points. Kathryn Laurence erupted for a career-high 26 on the strength of dix 3-pointers, tying her career high a career-high. She had been 1-for-7 behind the arc in each of her previous two games.

“Kathryn was lights out,” Marsh said. “The last couple games she’s really struggled shooting. I told her before, you’re a shooter, you’re going to make it; you’re going to get hot.

“It’s just a confidence thing with her. We’ve been working with her. She hit the first one and it kind of got her going. She was just really looking for her shot. And the couple 2s she hit I think her foot was on the line. She was really going.”

The win brought the Mighty Oaks to 8-8 with eight games to play so they’ll have to go at least 4-4 down the stretch to make the playoffs. Teams either .500 overall or .500 in Region XIX make it to the postseason.

“We know what’s at stake here, but I am trying to take it one game at a time,” Marsh said. “You can’t make the playoffs all in one game. We’re just trying to take it one game at a time and this isa huge one on the road.

“As I told them, they came to our place and got a win, so now it’s our turn to go to their place and get a win, and that’s exactly what we did.”

Just in the nick of time.

SALEM CC 76, ESSEX CC 75
SALEM CC (8-8) – Kathryn Laurence 10 0-0 26, Jakayla Jenkins 1 5-7 7, Maggie St. Clair 9 0-0 20, Caroline Zullo 3 0-0 7, Nyaijah Jackson 4 1-2 9, Dani Gustin 1 0-0 2, Akira Chambers 2 1-4 5, RayNescia King 0 0-0 0, Alexa Hopkins 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 7-13 76.
ESSEX CC (3-9) – Natalie Fonseca 0 3-3 3, Kaheema McDonald 0 2-2 2, MiaMarie Thomas 1 0-0 2, Jakira Coar 11 0-0 26, Katherinne Avecillas 4 0-0 10, Basirat Animashaun 3 1-1 7, Michelle Hernandez 4 0-0 8, Mya Jackson 0 0-0 0, Kayley Lynch 4 9-9 17. Totals 27 15-15 75.

Salem CC	27	17	15	17-	76
Essex CC	23	18	18	19-	75

3-point goals: Salem CC 9 (Laurence 6, St. Clair 2, Zullo); Essex CC 6 (Coar 4, Avecillas 2). Fouled out: Chambers, Lynch. Total fouls: Salem CC 18, Essex CC 15.

Winning the end game

Mighty Oaks pull away from tight game in final two minutes, working through a needed challenge for the gauntlet that lies ahead

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The game was a lot closer than anybody wearing green and grey would have liked, but considering what the Salem CC basketball team is about to run into it was probably the best thing that could happen to it.

The Mighty Oaks head into the most demanding stretch of the season, one that will determine their starting point in the Region XIX playoffs, when they play the other four top five teams in their next six games, starting with region-leading Union Tuesday night.

Some might say that stretch started Saturday with an 88-81 win over Passaic, which played said Union to a two-point game its last time out.

After Saturday’s games around the league, they remain third in the Region XIX standings by winning percentage, but second behind Union based on games behind the leader. (See the updated standings elsewhere on the website)

Over the next 17 days the Mighty Oaks (15-4) play at Union (1), Northampton (4), at CC of Philadelphia (5) and at Montgomery (2) with a couple trap games with Williamson Trades (12-7) and Luzerne (4-9) in between. They won the first five games of their current season-best six-game winning streak by an average of 33.4 points with a couple 60-point blowouts and might have started getting comfortable with their position so a game like Saturday provided a reminder of what it’s like to be challenged.

“We’ve never been in a position like that,” freshman double-double machine Jyheim Spencer said. “It’s always we’re blowing teams out, we’re blowing teams out. We needed that type of challenge to where the game is close so we could see how we reacted. I feel we reacted well.”

“We needed this,” added sophomore Akeem Taylor. “The best teams always put on the toughest game. Some games aren’t going to be that pretty. A lot of games are ugly that you win, but the good teams always pull them out.”

The Panthers (9-9) matched Salem’s athleticism and gave the Mighty Oaks all they could handle. Before the start of the second half, Panthers coach Anthony Virgil reminded his team of the importance of the first five minutes, but they lost it in the final two minutes.

Salem CC’s Akeem Taylor (24) drives to the basket during his big second half Saturday against Passaic County CC. Taylor had his first double-double with the Mighty Oaks and second 30-point game. (Photo by John Holt)

It was tight throughout the second half with neither team holding what would be a comfortable lead. The Mighty Oaks took the lead for good 76-75 on a Tyrese Fortune free throw with 2:31 to play, then outscored the Panthers 12-6 over the final 1:51 to nail it down.

“They challenged us big time, maybe moreso than anybody in a long while,” Mighty Oaks coach Mike Green said. “We responded. In those last two minutes our guys buckled down and they executed.”

The separation started with a three-point play by Taylor and included a thunderous dunk by the sophomore with 24 seconds left that provided a watershed moment for the player. After the three-point play, he blocked a shot on the other end that sent Tamir Powell off on a breakaway layup. Taylor hit another free throw to make it 82-75, the delivered the death blow.

“I hadn’t dunked in a long time because of my ankle, so when I saw I was open I was like this is the one,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to dunk like that next game but I needed that one. I was like this is the one. My eyes lit up.”

Taylor and Spencer both had double-doubles. It was Taylor’s first and Spencer’s fourth. They both joined the team off the injured list Jan. 7, five games ago.

Taylor had 32 points – 22 in the second half – and 11 rebounds. He hit 13 of 22 shots from the floor (8-of-10 in the second half) and also had six assists and three blocked shots.

Spencer grabbed almost every rebound in the first five minutes of the game and despite playing on a balky ankle that had him noticeably limping by the end of the game finished with 10 points without missing a shot, 18 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. He’s had three straight double-doubles.

“That’s my role on the team, to run the floor, block shots and get the rebounds for my teammates; that’s really my role on the court,” Spencer said. “My ankle was so messed up so I’m trying to focus on something other than trying to score the ball, something that’s going to help my team out.”

Photo of Salem CC’s Akeem Taylor (24) and Jyheim Spencer (32) at the basket Saturday by John Holt.

SALEM CC 88, PASSAIC 81
PASSAIC COUNTY CC (9-9) – Keymani Nevers 5-12 1-2 11, Ladorien Ladson 4-8 1-4 9, Shindon Thompson 5-12 1-1 12, Jayquan Briggs 7-19 5-6 19, Steven Rodriguez 5-13 2-4 14, Anthony Valdez 1-3 0-0 2, Josh Renta 0-1 0-0 0, A’Juwan Tiggs 4-8 1-2 9, Leonardo Torres 0-1 0-0 0, Josiah Etienne 2-3 0-0 5. Totals 33-81 11-19 81.
SALEM CC (15-4) – Tamir Powell 5-12 1-2 12, Tyrese Fortune 2-5 3-7 7, Xavier Brewington 1-10 2-4 4, Akeen Taylor 13-22 6-8 32, Jyheim Spencer 4-4 2-2 10, Dontavius Jones 3-4 2-2 9, A.J. Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Tivon Woolford 2-2 0-0 4, Josh Ramos 2-5 0-0 5, Taje’e Jordan 1-2 0-0 2, Stefan Phillips 1-1 1-2 3. Totals 34-68 17-27 88.

Passaic	32	49-	81
Salem CC	38	50-	88

3-point goals: Passaic 4-10 (Thompson 1-3, Rodriguez 2-5, Valdez 0-1, Etienne 1-1); Salem 3-13 (Powell 1-3, Fortune 0-2, Brewington 0-3, Taylor 0-1, D. Jones 1-1, Ramos 1-3) Rebounds: Passaic 37 (Briggs 12, Nevers 8, Rodriguez 8); Salem 48 (Taylor 11, Spencer 18). Total fouls: Passaic 22, Salem 20.

Salem County Saturday

Here are the results of Saturday’s high school action involving Salem County teams

Boys basketball

LENAPE 65, SALEM 42: The Indians (9-3) locked down on Salem with depth and tough defense over the first three quarters to score a matinee win.

SALEM (5-8) – Donnie Weathers 2 0-0 4, Xavier McGriff 1 2-2 5, Neziah Spence 3 1-1 8, Tymear Lecator 3 2-4 10, DeShaan Williams 3 3-8 9, Antwuan Rogers 2 1-2 5, Joe Tunis 0 1-2 1. Totals 14 10-19 42.
LENAPE (9-3) – Nolan Barnes 5 1-1 13, Frank Berny 1 0-0 2, Jaidyn Boyd 3 0-2 6, Mehki Carter 7 0-1 14, Xayvion Chapman 3 0-2 7, Brett Halfpenny 1 0-0 2, Henry Laskowski 1 0-0 3, Nate Myer 2 0-0 4, Colin Myers 1 0-0 3, Tyree Thorp 2 0-0 4, Amire Wheeler 1 1-2 4, Keegan Weipz 1 0-0 2. Totals 28 2-8 65.

Salem	7	7	9	19-	42
Lenape	12	15	17	21-	65

3-point goals: Salem 4 (McGriff, Spence, Lecator 2); Lenape 7 (Barnes 2, Chapman, Halfpenny, Laskowski, Myers, Wheeler).

Wrestling
Woodstown Quad

WOODSTOWN 65, BUENA 15
132: Thomas Hann (B) tech fall over Louie Scholl, 15-0 (4:00)
138: Gionni Sharkey (B) pinned Ryan Polk, 0:51
144: Sincere Cook-Reese (WO) tech fall over Gage Forvour, 21-6 (2:32)
150: Thomas Lacy (WO) won by forfeit
157: Lucas Gellura (B) pinned Brett Rowand, 4:22
165: Laitton Roberts (WO) won by forfeit
175: Greyson Hyland (WO) won by forfeit
190: Paul Banff (WO) won by forfeit
215: Walter Carter (WO) pinned Brian Passamante, 4:16
285: Mateo Vinciguerra (WO) pinned David Cordero, 0:45
106: Hunter Allen (WO) pinned Gianna Edwards, 2:13
113: Chase Blandino (WO) pinned Aubrey Raum, 0:48
120: Carson Bradway (WO) won by forfeit
126: Travis Balback (WO) pinned Donato Vai, 1:28

WOODSTOWN 55, HADDON HEIGHTS 18
120: Cole Denning (H) dec. Carson Bradway, 8-3
126: Walker Battavio (WO) maj. dec. over Brennan Albright, 12-2
132: Travis Balback (WO) pinned Liam Loftus, 0:52
138: Ryan Polk (WO) pinned Leo Falco, 3:33
144: Ryan Bailey (H) pinned Sincere Cook-Reese, 1:38
150: Thomas Lacy (WO) tech fall over Michael Fitter, 21-5 (5:50)
157: Brett Rowand (WO) pinned Jayden Bonilla, 2:34
165: Andrew Gutkin (H) dec. Laitton Roberts, 9-8
175: Greyson Hyland (WO) pinned Jacob Gutkin, 2:49
190: Paul Banff (WO) pinned Joel Martinez, 3:03
215: Walter Carter (WO) won by forfeit
285: Mateo Vinciguerra (WO) pinned Matthew Kusamotu, 1:16
106: Hunter Allen (WO) maj. dec. over Aniello Napolitano, 13-3
113: Michael Ferraro (H) pinned Chase Blandino, 4:00

WOODSTOWN 57, PENNSAUKEN 15
126: Travis Balback (WO) pinned Brandon Thach, 1:06
132: Louie Scholl (WO) maj. dec. over Gabriel Algaba, 10-0
138: Amari Martinez (P) pinned Ryan Polk, 1:25
144: Travis Ngeth (P) pinned Sincere Cook-Reese, 3:41
150: Chrisopher Allen (P) dec. Thomas Lacy, 10-4
157: Brett Rowand (WO) pinned Cyrus Davis, 0:57
165: Laitton Roberts (WO) pinned Carlos Andujar, 1:07
175: Greyson Hyland (WO) tech fall over Mikhi Johnson, 16-0 (3:18)
190: Paul Banff (WO) dec. Kameron Hoskins, 8-7
215: Walter Carter (WO) pinned Alex Zayas, 1:06
285: Mateo Vinciguerra (WO) won by forfeit
106: Chase Blandino (WO) won by forfeit
113: Hunter Allen (WO) pinned Jovanni Hernandez, 3:53
120: Carson Bradway (WO) dec. Zachary Slimm, 7-1

Vineland Quad

PENNSVILLE vs. COLLINGSWOOD
PENNSVILLE vs. STERLING
PENNSVILLE vs. VINELAND

Pitman Quad

PITMAN 56, PENNS GROVE 24
113: Grady Datz (P) pinned Avery Curriden, 3:39
120: King Iglesia (P) won by forfeit
126: Isaac Gaspariano-Robbins (P) tech fall over Adan Gonzales, 17-0 (3:46)
132: Devine Arce (PG) won by forfeit
138: Nate Wenzke (P) won by forfeit
144: Jacob Lawrence (P) pinned Abdul Tart, 1:40
150: Aidan Upham (P) won by forfeit
157: Tre Brown (PG) won by forfeit
165: Chris McIntyre (P) won by forfeit
175: Clinton Bobo (P) won by forfeit
190: Anthony Cappello (P) dec. Julian Espino, 3-1
215: Aiden Milward (P) pinned Antonio Cooper, 1:40
285: Maliq Reddick (PG) pinned Elijah Lowe, 1:19
106: Skylar Lawrence (P) pinned Jose Santiago, 1:50

PITMAN 57, SALEM 18
106: Grady Datz (P) won by forfeit
113: King Iglesia (P) won by forfeit
120: Jordan Pham (P) won by forfeit
126: Isaac Gaspariano-Robbins (P) pinned Guylherme Quintanilha, 2:45
132: Nate Wenzke (P) won by forfeit
138: Cassidy Werkheiser (S) won by forfeit
144: Jacob Lawrence (P) won by forfeit
150: Aidan Upham (P) won by forfeit
157: Chris McIntyre (P) won by forfeit
165: Tytiana Miller (S) won by forfeit
175: Anthony Cappello (P) won by forfeit
190: Double forfeit
215: Aiden Milward (P) dec. Abdur Jenkins, 7-0
285: Abdullah Jenkins (S) pinned Nicolas Horner, 0:21

Schalick Quad

SCHALICK 50, HADDON TWP. 19
106: Emma Cain (S) won by forfeit
113: Caleb Jenkins (S) pinned Sok Hoy, 0:57
120: Andrew Marshall (H) pinned E’Shion Underwood, 1:00
126: Luke Silva (S) maj. dec. over Owen Ziegler, 15-4
132: Gabe Slafman (H) maj. dec. over Ryan Miller, 14-3
138: Thomas Andrews (H) tech fall over Michael Baisch, 19-0 (3:59)
144: Ayden Jenkins (S) dec. Brady Mokiod, 8-5
150: Koen Martin (S) pinned Justin Capri, 3:10
157: Riley Papiano (S) dec. Ryan Henry, 7-3
165: Eric Sulik (S) tech fall over Damian Shepherd, 18-2 (4:38)
175: Ricky Watt (S) tech fall over Antonio Reyes, 23-5 (5:30)
190: Dezyon Purnell (S) won by forfeit
215: Gerardo Felipe (S) pinned Elijah Borowicz, 3:59
285: Sean Weikel (H) maj. dec. over Aiden Torres, 13-0

SCHALICK 60. PEMBERTON 12
113: Caleb Jenkins (S) pinned Kayden Valasquez, 4:33
120: E’Shion Underwood (S) won by forfeit
126: Luke Silva (S) maj. dec. over Carlos Hilton, 10-0
132: Ryan Miller (S) pinned Jariel Daiz, 0:22
138: Michael Baisch (S) pinned Amari Lewis, 0:57
144: Ayden Jenkins (S) tech fall over Ali Rehman, 20-2 (3:47)
150: Koen Martin (S) pinned Aiden McCleaf, 0:26
157: Riley Papiano (S) pinned Keshawn Richardson, 0:42
165: Eric Sulik (S) pinned Mavrick Willits, 3:40
175: Ricky Watt (S) over Jaden Edwards, SV-1 11-8
190: Yuhann Linares (P) pinned Dezyon Purnell, 0:27
215: Gerardo Felipe (S) pinned Brendan Arnwine, 3:24
285: Jahad Goffeny (P) dec. Julian Reid, 13-11
106: Harley Donald (P) dec. Emma Cain, 14-13

SCHALICK 41, DEPTFORD 31
120: Daniel Jimenez (D) pinned E’Shion Underwood, 5:45
126: Luke Silva (S) dec. Amir Barnes, 10-3
132: Ethan Christmas (D) maj. dec. over Ryan Miller, 19-9
138: Jayden Lawrence (D) pinned Michael Baisch, 1:35
144: Ayden Jenkins (S) pinned Amir Barnes, 2:24
150: Koen Martin (S) pinned Odess Myers, 5:34
157: Riley Papiano (S) tech fall over Devin Trotter, 15-0 (3:55)
165: Eric Sulik (S) maj. dec. over Mel Maguire, 11-0
175: Ricky Watt (S) won by forfeit
190: Joseph Crowley (D) over Evan Elliott, def.
215: John Griffith (D) over Gerardo Felipe, TB-1 3-2
285: Julian Reid (S) pinned Daniel Maguire, 3:32
106: Corey Hoffman (D) pinned Emma Cain, 5:41
113: Caleb Jenkins (S) pinned Braeden Hutchins, 0:37
NOTE: Schalick deducted one team point for taunting.

TCC Standings

Here are the Tri-County Conference boys and girls basketball standings in the Classic and Diamond Divisions; games at 5:30 p.m. unless noted; standings through Jan. 18

Girls standings

CLASSIC DIVISION	OV	DIV	GC	WW	CL	PI	ST	SA
Gloucester Catholic	9-1	5-0	—	W	W	W	W	W
Wildwood	8-2	4-1	L	—	W	W	W	W
Clayton	8-2	3-2	L	L	—	W	W	W
Pitman	4-7	2-3	L	L	L	—	W	W
Salem Tech	2-7	1-4	L	L	L	L	—	W
Salem	0-10	0-5	L	L	L	L	L	—

DIAMOND DIVISION	OV	DIV	WO	PV	PG	GL	SC	OB
Woodstown	10-2	5-0	—	W	W	W	W	W
Pennsville	7-3	4-1	L	—	W	W	W	W
Penns Grove	6-4	3-2	L	L	—	W	W	W
Glassboro	5-6	2-3	L	L	L	—	W	W
Schalick	2-6	1-4	L	L	L	L	—	W
Overbrook	2-10	0-5	L	L	L	L	L	—

FRIDAY’S GAMES
Clearview 48, Glassboro 28
Kingsway 60, Pitman 18
Gloucester 53, Salem 21
Camden Tech at Salem Tech
Clayton 49, Lindenwold 34
Woodstown 65, Pennsville 56

MONDAY’S GAME
Bridgeton at Pennsville, 11 a.m.

Boys standings

CLASSIC DIVISION	OV	DIV	PI	SA	GC	WW	CL	ST
Pitman	8-2	5-0	—	W	W	W	W	W
Salem	5-8	4-1	L	—	W	W	W	W
Gloucester Catholic	5-8	2-3	L	L	—	L	W	W
Clayton	6-5	2-3	L	L	L	W	—	W
Wildwood	4-7	2-3	L	L	W	—	L	W
Salem Tech	0-12	0-5	L	L	L	L	L	—

DIAMOND DIVISION	OV	DIV	OB	GL	PG	WO	SC	PV
Overbrook	12-2	5-0	—	W	W	W	W	W
Glassboro	5-7	3-2	L	—	W	L	W	W
Penns Grove	3-7	3-2	L	L	—	W	W	W
Woodstown	7-3	3-2	L	W	L	—	W	W
Schalick	4-8	1-4	L	L	L	L	—	W
Pennsville	1-10	0-5	L	L	L	L	L	—

FRIDAY’S GAMES
Clayton 87, Lindenwold 82
GCIT 65, Salem Tech 22
Woodstown 92, Pennsville 47

SATURDAY’S GAMES
Cinnaminson 57, Pitman 49
Overbrook 62, Washington Twp. 44
Glassboro 56, Gloucester 46
Lenape 65, Salem 42

SUNDAY’S GAME
Newark vs. Everybody Showcase
at Weequahic HS
Penns Grove vs. Shabazz, 2:30 p.m.

MONDAY’S GAME
Penns Grove vs. Burlington City at Woodbury, 5:15 p.m.

Winning the end game

Both Salem CC teams earn important victories Saturday, each pulling them out late in the game

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The game was a lot closer than anybody wearing green and grey would have liked, but considering what the Salem CC basketball team is about to run into it was probably the best thing that could happen to it.

The Mighty Oaks head into the most demanding stretch of the season, a stretch that will determine their starting point in the Region XIX playoffs, when they play four of the other top five teams in their next six games, including region-leading Union Tuesday night. Some might say that stretch started Saturday with an 88-81 win over Passaic, which played said Union to a two-point game its last time out.

The Panthers matched Salem’s athleticism and gave the Mighty Oaks all they could handle. Before the start of the second half, Panthers coach Anthony Virgil reminded his team of the importance of the first five minutes of the half, but they lost it in the final two minutes.

The Mighty Oaks (15-4) took a 76-75 lead on a Tyrese Fortune free throw with 2:31 to play, then outscored the Panthers 12-6 over the final 1:51 to snag the victory extend their longest winning streak of the season to six games.

The separation started with a three-point play by Taylor and included a thunderous dunk by the sophomore with 24 seconds left that put it away and provided a watershed moment for the player.

Taylor and Jyheim Spencer both had double-doubles. Taylor had 32 points – 22 in the second half – and 11 rebounds. He hit 13 of 22 shots from the floor and also had six assists and three blocked shots. Spencer grabbed almost every rebound in the first five minutes of the game and despite playing on a balky ankle finished with 10 points, 18 rebounds five assists and three blocks.

This story will be updated.

Photo of Salem CC’s Akeem Taylor (24) and Jyheim Spencer (32) at the basket Saturday by John Holt.

PASSAIC COUNTY CC (9-9) – Keymani Nevers 5-12 1-2 11, Ladorien Ladson 4-8 1-4 9, Shindon Thompson 5-12 1-1 12, Jayquan Briggs 7-19 5-6 19, Steven Rodriguez 5-13 2-4 14, Anthony Valdez 1-3 0-0 2, Josh Renta 0-1 0-0 0, A’Juwan Tiggs 4-8 1-2 9, Leonardo Torres 0-1 0-0 0, Josiah Etienne 2-3 0-0 5. Totals 33-81 11-19 81.
SALEM CC (15-4) – Tamir Powell 5-12 1-2 12, Tyrese Fortune 2-5 3-7 7, Xavier Brewington 1-10 2-4 4, Akeen Taylor 13-22 6-8 32, Jyheim Spencer 4-4 2-2 10, Dontavius Jones 3-4 2-2 9, A.J. Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Tivon Woolford 2-2 0-0 4, Josh Ramos 2-5 0-0 5, Taje’e Jordan 1-2 0-0 2, Stefan Phillips 1-1 1-2 3. Totals 34-68 17-27 88.

Passaic	32	49-	81
Salem CC	38	50-	88

St. Clair hits game-winner

NEWARK – Maggie St. Clair hit a layup with 30 seconds left and the Salem CC women played tight defense to force Essex into a bad shot at the end to pull out a 76-75 win and keep their region playoff hopes alive.

St. Clair finished with 20 points. Kathryn Laurence erupted for a career-high 26 on the strength of a career-high tying six 3-pointers

The win brought the Mighty Oaks to 8-8 on the season with eight games to play. Teams either .500 overall or .500 in Region XIX make it to the postseason.

This story will be updated.

SALEM CC 76, ESSEX CC 75
SALEM CC (8-8) – Kathryn Laurence 10 0-0 26, Jakayla Jenkins 1 5-7 7, Maggie St. Clair 9 0-0 20, Caroline Zullo 3 0-0 7, Nyaijah Jackson 4 1-2 9, Dani Gustin 1 0-0 2, Akira Chambers 2 1-4 5, RayNescia King 0 0-0 0, Alexa Hopkins 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 7-13 76.
ESSEX CC (3-9) – Natalie Fonseca 0 3-3 3, Kaheema McDonald 0 2-2 2, MiaMarie Thomas 1 0-0 2, Jakira Coar 11 0-0 26, Katherinne Avecillas 4 0-0 10, Basirat Animashaun 3 1-1 7, Michelle Hernandez 4 0-0 8, Mya Jackson 0 0-0 0, Kayley Lynch 4 9-9 17. Totals 27 15-15 75.

Salem CC	27	17	15	17-	76
Essex CC	23	18	18	19-	75

3-point goals: Salem CC 9 (Laurence 6, St. Clair 2, Zullo); Essex CC 6 (Coar 4, Avecillas 2). Fouled out: Chambers, Lynch. Total fouls: Salem CC 18, Essex CC 15.

More gold for Wolverines

Woodstown’s decorated runners win 4×800 indoor Group I Relays title, place top 3 in two other events; Salem’s boys also have big night

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

TOMS RIVER – Add another gold medal to the collection of the Woodstown’s 4X800 relay team.

The decorated group had a big night at the NJSIAA Indoor Relays at the Bennett Center Bubble Friday, winning the Group I 4×800 race and finishing in the top three in two others.

Cole Lucas, Karson Chew, Jacob Marino and Josh Crawford won their signature event, the 4×800, in 8:23.30, beating runner-up McNair Academic by 10 seconds. They dominated their section race, winning by nearly 45 seconds.

They ran 11:00.51 in the distance medley and finished second to Glassboro’s 10:56.39. They ran 3:33.74 and were third, just nosed out by Camden for silver. Woodbury won the race.

“Tonight was a big night for all four of us guys as it was an accomplishment we achieved as a team,” Crawford said. “I wouldn’t want to be considered state champs with any other guys as they have heart, drive and discipline.

“Each one of us faced challenges tonight, such as doubt or nervousness. However, we found the courage to support one another and left everything we had on the track.”

The Wolverines finished tied for fourth as a team.

The Salem boys also had a big night at the meet.

The Rams were tied for ninth as a team. Their 4×200 relay (Kaden Robinson, Anthony Parker, Jelani Beverly, Timothy Gregory) set a school record in finishing third at 1:35.85. Their shuttle hurdle team (Parker, Gradin Buzby, Beverly, Gregory) finished fourth in 33.17.

“They exceeded expectations,” Salem coach David Hunt said. “I’m always proud when you see the kids’ efforts pay off in meets. They work extremely hard in practice.

“The thing I like about track is you’re able to set your expectations and can find wins when you exceed them. It’s important that you have small wins like we did today by setting school records and competing the best we can and improve on that.”

Here are the Salem County athletes who finished in the top six of their respective events at the NJSIAA Indoor Relays Meet.

BOYS
GROUP I: Glassboro 39, Hasbrouck Heights 29, Camden 28, Metuchen 24, WOODSTOWN 24, Hanover Park 18, Woodbury 18, Glen Rock 17, SALEM 11, Audubon 11, McNair Academic 10, Haddon Twp. 10, Shore 10, Mountain Lakes 6, Raritan 5, SCHALICK 5, New Providence 4, Ramsey 4, New Milford 3, Clayton 2, Verona 1.
Distance Medley: 2. Woodstown (Jacob Marino, Anthony Costello, Lucas Cole, Karson Chew), 11:00.51
Shuttle Hurdle: 4. Salem (Anthony Parker, Gradin Buzby, Jelani Beverly, Timothy Gregory), 33.17
4×200: 3. Salem (Kaden Robinson, Anthony Parker, Jelani Beverly, Timothy Gregory), 1:35.85
4×800: 1. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Jacob Marino, Josh Crawford, Lucas Cole), 8:23.30
Sprint Medley: 6. Schalick (David Stewart, Roneem Thomas, Michael Eberl, Steve Chomo), 3:51.88
4×400: 3. Woodstown (Lucas Cole, Karson Chew, Jacob Marino, Josh Crawford), 3:33.74
Pole Vault: 4. Salvatore Longo, Schalick, 11-6; 6. Gradin Buzby, Salem, 10-6.01

GIRLS
GROUP I: Ramsey 54, Metuchen 46, Audubon 34, Hasbrouck Heights 22, Haddon Twp. 18, New Providence 12, Woodbury 12, Hanover Park 10, Verona 10, Butler 10, SCHALICK 8, PENNSVILLE 8, T-22. WOODSTOWN 1, T-22. PENNS GROVE 1.
4×200: 6. Woodstown (Tyonna Husser, Lia Covely, Angelina Lindenmuth, Jaime Deal), 1:56.23
Pole Vault: 2. Megan Morris, Pennsville, 9-6; 7. Molly Gratz, Pennsville, 7-6

Family affair

Boys roundup: Hall brothers combine for 41 points in first appreciable minutes together, lead Woodstown over Pennsville; Schalick falls at the buzzer

FRIDAY’S GAMES
Woodstown 92, Pennsville 47
Haddon Twp. 45, Schalick 43
GCIT 65, Salem Tech 22

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — Brayden Hall has waited all his life to play significant minutes alongside his brother in a high school basketball game. M.J. Hall felt the same way. He saw the disappointment his two older brothers felt not getting to play together and he didn’t want to miss that chance if at all possible.

The moment came Friday night, and little brother Brayden outshined them all. The brothers Hall combined for 41 points, with Brayden going for 28, as Woodstown swamped 92-47 in the warmup act to the girls TCC showdown that followed.

It was the most points the brothers have combined to score in a game. They both had seven in the season opener against Salem, then Brayden, a freshman, scored 16 against Penns Grove two nights later and M.J. didn’t scratch. M.J., a senior, did all the scoring in the family until Wednesday when they both scored six against Schalick.

“It’s really been since we grew up,” Brayden said. “We always wanted to touch the floor of every sport together and I told him I’d touch the floor with him in every sport. We always were excited for it, we always had the thought of it and now it’s here, we gotta do what we gotta do.”

“Having a little brother, you’ve got your ups and downs, but our two oldest brothers never got to touch the floor together, so just being able to touch the floor (with him) going out my senior year is just a blessing,” M.J. said.

Wolverines coach Ramon Roots had designs on putting the brothers together from the moment he got the job, but it just never worked out until now.

“It’s incredible to see them get in at the same time,” Roots said. “They’ve got a lot of chemistry. They gel off each other and they just play well together. They push each. At practice they hold each other accountable and it’s a wonderful thing to see.

“I know if my older brother was on the team or my younger brother was on the team I would want to play out there with him because that’s a great moment, for the family, for everybody.”

Brayden did all his scoring in the second and fourth quarters. He had 15 points in the second quarter to help the Wolverines open a 25-point halftime lead. Once he turned his first steal into a layup, it was game on.

He had his other 15 in the fourth quarter hitting three 3-pointers. The 28 points were the most in a game by a Woodstown player since Zach Wygand went for 29 against Overbrook in February 2021.

“They were trying to push me to 30,” Brayden said. “It started with 18. They told me to get 18 before the game. Then then told me to get 20 during halftime and then they told me after that to go for 30.”

It was a 13-7 game midway through the first quarter when the Wolverine went on an 18-4 run to pull away. They went on an 18-4 run that carried into the second to put it away. Brayden had four buckets and eight of nine Woodstown points at the end of the run – all of turnovers. M.J. had a 3-pointer right before the end of the first quarter.

Pennsville did what it could to keep it interesting. It had Arturus Franzy shadow 6-6 Rocco String and the sophomore held his own. He held String to nine points while grabbing seven rebounds and blocked two shots.

Logan Hitt gave a boost to the offense, which was missing injured leading scorer Mason O’Brien, hitting three 3-pointers and scoring a career-high 15 points. The senior has scored only 62 points in three years of varsity play, but he has 24 points and six 3-pointers in his last two games.

PENNSVILLE (1-10): Arturus Franzy 4 2-2 10, Jovanni Rios 3 0-0 6, C.J. McDevitt 4 0-0 8, Logan Hitt 5 2-2 15, Cole Johnston 1 0-0 3, Danny Knight 0 0-0 0, Jacob Miller 0 0-0 0, Perry Meranti 2 1-2 5. Totals 19 5-6 42.
WOODSTOWN (7-3): Garrett Leyman 2 2-4 6, Elijah Caesar 0 0-0 0, John Hood-McGinley 1 0-0 3, Anthony Bokolas 3 0-0 8, Andrew White 1 0-0 2, Sid Leevy 1 0-0 3, Rocco String 4 1-5 9, Josh King 2 0-0 4, Connor Miller 1 0-0 2, Braydon Hall 12 1-1 28, M.J. Hall 5 1-2 13, Alejandro Vazquez 3 3-4 12, Blake Bialecki 1 0-0 2. Totals 36 8-17 92.

Pennsville	7	16	8	16-	47
Woodstown	20	28	20	24-	92

3-point goals: Pennsville 4 (Hitt 3, Johnston); Woodstown 12 (McGinley, Bokolas 2, Leevy, B. Hall 3, M. Hall 2, Vazquez 3). Rebounds: Woodstown 23 (String 11); Pennsville 17 (Franzy 7). Technical fouls: B. Hall. Total fouls: Pennsville 14, Woodstown 9.

HADDON TWP. 45, SCHALICK 43: Alex Mohr finished off a 13-point night with a shot at the buzzer to give the Hawks the victory. Schalick’s Reggie Allen led all scorers with 17 points.

HADDON TWP. (8-4): Axel Mohr 6 1-2 13, Eamonn Sheehan 2 0-0 5, Peter Black 1 0-2 2, Nate Keating 1 2-4 4, Cavan McGovern 0 2-2 2, Collin Feeley 1 2-4 4, Sean Crawford 4 1-1 12, Jaden Haltiwanger 1 0-0 3. Totals 16 8-15 45.
SCHALICK (4-9): Reggie Allen 8 1-4 17, Jase Volovar 3 0-0 9, Nylan Sutton 1 0-0 2, Sherrod Jones 5 0-0 12, Jamari Whitley 0 1-2 1, Zaeshawn Mills 1 0-0 2, Justin Iacona 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 2-6 43.

Haddon Twp.	12	12	8	13-	45
Schalick	9	6	15	13-	43

3-point goals: Haddon Twp. 5 (Sheehan, Crawford 3, Haltiwanger); Schalick 5 (Volovar 3, Jones 2).

GCIT 65, SALEM TECH 22: Michael Stanwood led three scorers in double figures with 17 points and GCIT beat the Chargers for the second time this season. Patrick Monaghan had 14 points and Mark Hallman 10held the Chargers to one point i

Salem Tech (0-12)	1	7	4	10-	22
GCIT (6-6)	16	21	15	10-	65

3-point goals: GCIT 6 (Michael Stanwood, Patrick Monaghan, Mark Hallman 2, Carl Schmidt, Ethan Morris). Rebounds: GCIT 27 (Patrick Monaghan 7, Gavin Shainline 7).