Here are the Region XIX basketball standings; games through Feb. 18; teams .500 or better make the tournament, seeding meeting Wednesday
MEN’S DIVISION III
REGION
ALL
x-Union
17-1
21-4
x-Montgomery
15-3
20-5
x-Philadelphia
15-3
20-7
x-Northampton
14-4
22-5
x-Camden
14-4
17-10
x-Salem
13-5
21-7
x-Brookdale
12-6
18-7
x-Ocean
11-7
16-8
x-Atlantic Cape
11-7
14-13
x-RCSJ-Gloucester
9-9
11-16
Passaic
7-11
11-15
Lehigh Carbon
6-12
7-17
Sussex
5-12
8-20
Luzerne
5-13
7-16
Delaware County
5-13
9-17
Harrisburg Area
4-13
5-19
Thaddeus Stevens
4-14
5-17
Bergen
3-15
4-19
RCSJ-Cumberland
0-18
0-26
x-Clinched playoff spot
TUESDAY’S GAMES Harcum 89, Hagerstown CC 68 Brookdale 82, Sussex 59 Mercer 100, Raritan Valley 98 Montgomery 67, Middlesex 66 Essex 92, Atlantic Cape 81 Union 84, RCSJ-Cumberland 38 Morris 104, Prestige Prep 49 WEDNESDAY’S GAME Penn St.-Lehigh Valley at Lehigh Carbon THURSDAY’S GAME Morris at Mercer
PROJECTED PLAYOFF PAIRINGS SATURDAY’S GAMES RCSJ-Gloucester at Brookdale Atlantic Cape at Ocean FEB. 26 GAMES Gloucester-Brookdale winner at Montgomery Salem at Philadelphia Atlantic Cape-Ocean winner at Union Camden at Northampton
DIVISION II WOMEN
REGION
ALL
x-Union
15-1
24-2
x-Harcum
12-3
21-5
x-Lackawanna
12-4
17-6
x-Raritan Valley
11-5
18-10
x-Mercer
9-7
16-7
Middlesex
5-10
12-14
Salem CC
4-12
11-13
Essex
2-13
5-14
Morris
0-0
0-0
Delaware Tech
0-15
0-21
x-Clinched playoff spot
TUESDAY’S GAMES Montgomery 55, Salem 43 Raritan Valley 74, Mercer 69 Harcum 86, Hagerstown CC 33 Brookdale 52, Sussex 32 Atlantic Cape 65, Lehigh Carbon 51 Lackawanna 83, Middlesex 67 Northampton 58, Passaic 47 THURSDAY’S GAMES Middlesex at Harcum Lackawanna at Monroe Univ. Lehigh Carbon at Manor Anne Arundel at Delaware Tech FEB. 22 Essex at Delaware Tech Harcum at Allegany (Md.)
Schalick, Woodstown, Penns Grove win first-round games in the Tri-County Conference girls tournament
TRI-COUNTY GIRLS TOURNAMENT Flight A Gloucester Catholic 60, Timber Creek 31 Wildwood 69, Gloucester Tech 50 Woodstown 52, Clearview 48 Washington Twp. 64, Pennsville 42 Flight B Williamstown 64, Cumberland 24 Triton 41, Glassboro 40 Penns Grove 42, Kingsway 39 Delsea 59, Clayton 53 Flight C Schalick 53, Salem 25 Overbrook 45, Salem Tech 43 (7) Highland at (2) Pitman THURSDAY’S GAMES Flight A (4) Wildwood at (1) Gloucester Catholic (3) Woodstown at (2) Washington Twp. Flight B (4) Triton at (1) Williamstown (7) Delsea at (3) Penns Grove Flight C (4) Schalick at (1) Deptford (3) Overbrook vs. (7) Highland/(2) Pitman
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
SALEM — Schalick girls coach John Whalen went to bed Monday night resigned to the fact his team just missed out on the biggest tournament of the season. But about an hour before their Tri-County Conference flight opener Tuesday the Cougars got a big surprise.
With his junior players standing behind him, Whalen out of curiosity opened the South Jersey Group I girls tournament bracket on his computer and discovered they had indeed landed a spot in the field. It’s a tough spot — No. 16 to face top-seeded Haddon Twp. — but a spot nonetheless.
The Cougars were the No. 17 team in the SJ Group I power points, but apparently bumped up into the field when Pitman fell out.
“It’s a nice surprise,” Whalen said. “I’m excited for the girls. It’ll be a good experience, especially for the juniors who didn’t get to see the playoffs last year and the freshmen will get a good experience. It’ll be a good opportunity for us as we look ahead to the future.”
Buoyed by that news, they went out and put together a balanced effort to throttle Salem 53-25 in their TCC Tournament Flight C opener.
The Cougars (6-16) jumped out to a 15-4 lead and outscored the Rams in three of the four quarters. Ten players scored, led by freshman Navaeh Robinson’s 11 points. Five players scored six points apiece.
“We played a very good, a complete, basketball game today,” Whalen said. “Before the game we kind of challenged the girls to play fast, play aggressive. We came out, we pressed, forced some turnovers, got some early scoring. It was good to see it be a balanced effort both defensively and offensively. Everybody chimed in and did their part.
“It’s nice for all the girls to kind of find some success. We’re starting to gain some confidence as the season is kind of coming to an end. It gives us a lot to look forward to for next year when we bring back everybody.”
While their South Jersey Group I Tournament draw is a tough one, the Cougars will get an advance feel for facing a No. 1 seed. Their win over Salem sends them to face the top seed in their flight, Deptford, Thursday.
Motivated Salem was the only Salem County boys team to emerge victorious from Tuesday’s opening round of the Tri-County Conference Tournament TRI COUNTY BOYS TOURNAMENT Flight A Overbrook 59, Deptford Twp. 49 Pitman 52, Delsea 41 Timber Creek 58, Woodstown 49 Kingsway 73, Penns Grove 43 Flight B Salem 57, Clearview 44 Gloucester Catholic 50, Triton 48 Glassboro 54, Williamstown 41 Highland 42, Washington Twp. 37 Flight C Cumberland 67, Schalick 45 Wildwood 86, Pennsville 35 GCIT 86, Salem Tech 18 THURSDAY’S GAMES Flight A (4) Pitman at at (1) Overbrook (3) Timber Creek at (2) Kingsway Flight B (8) Salem at (5) Gloucester Catholic (7) Highland at (6) Glassboro Flight C (5) Cumberland at (1) Clayton (3) Wildwood at (2) GCIT
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
MULLICA HILL – The last kind of team anybody wants to play in a tournament setting is one with nothing to lose and everything to prove.
Salem has been playing with an us-against-the-world mindset for the last month or so and Tuesday added another notch in its belt, knocking off adjusted top-seed Clearview 57-44 in the opening round of B Flight play in the Tri-County Conference Tournament.
The Rams (12-12) have been facing an uphill climb since mid-January when the NJSIAA ruled they had played an ineligible player and stripped them of four victories. That created a cascade of challenges that left a 15-win team on the floor to be seeded eighth in the second tier bracket of their conference tournament and No. 11 in the upcoming South Jersey Group I tournament.
In addition, they had to play Tuesday without leading scorer Tymear Lecator, serving the first of a two-game suspension for his ejection in the Penns Grove game, which would have been coach Anthony Farmer’s 100th career coaching win without the NJSIAA ruling.
“We’re keeping receipts,” Farmer said. “We’re definitely playing it to the tee, playing it up. It’s us against everyone, no one’s going to give us anything, everyone’s against us, we’ve got to go take it.
“We’re embracing it. Nothing has gone our way this year, but that’s life. That’s adversity. Life is adversity. Basketball teaches you how to deal with that. We’ve been facing adversity all year, but it’s how you respond to it.”
The Rams showed they meant business right from the start Tuesday night, holding their hosts to two points in the first quarter and opening an 11-2 lead.
Neziah Spence led the Rams’ offense with 17 points. Deshaan Williams had 13 points, 10 rebounds and two steals. Darrelle Johnson grabbed 10 rebounds and dished five assists. Xavier McGriff had eight points, eight boards and three steals. Joe Tunis brought energy for 11 points, five rebounds and three steals.
“When one guy guys goes, I know it’s a cliché, but it gives other guys opportunity to step up,” Farmer said. “That’s what this is about. We’ve been preaching the brotherhood all year, picking each other up.”
This year’s TCC B Flight has become a flight of fancy with all four lower seeds pulling off road “upsets” in the opening round. The Rams now travel to fifth-seeded Gloucester Catholic, one of those teams seeded ahead of them they have already beaten twice this season.
“We’re just trying to get better and hit our stride at the right time and win three, four in a row next week when it really matters,” Farmer said.
Salem CC women fall in final bid to make region playoffs, take No. 14 Montgomery County deep into the fourth quarter but run out of gas
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT — Brian Marsh had never seen his Salem CC women’s basketball team in a do-or-die situation before and frankly he was a little nervous about how it would handle it.
The Mighty Oaks had to beat nationally ranked Montgomery County in Tuesday’s Sophomore Night season finale to qualify for the Region XIX Division II playoffs. There was no two ways around it: Win and you’re in with a .500 record, lose and the season’s over. There was no tomorrow.
Would the moment be too big for a program in only its second year back on the floor or would the team that already exceeded last year’s production cast the pressure aside and deliver in a big moment.
It didn’t start off so well, but the moment wasn’t too big for the Mighty Oaks. They gave themselves a chance in the second half — some might even say had the Mustangs on the run – but they just didn’t have enough at the end and suffered a 55-43 defeat that brought their season to a close.
“We had a lot of things work against us, but I thought we played really well in the second half energy wise, we just didn’t make shots,” Marsh said. “I was worried it was going to be too big a moment, but I don’t really think that happened. I just thought we didn’t make shots, and that happens.”
Actually, the Mighty Oaks came within three minutes and eight seconds of making the region playoffs for the first time in 20 years. They trailed by only four with 3:08 to play and five with 2:36 left, but didn’t score the rest of the game.
They were hurt on the boards in the first half and didn’t shoot well the whole game. They were outrebounded badly by the 14th-ranked Mustangs (22-2) in the first half, but thanks to a halftime adjustment held their own on the boards in the second half.
What really hurt them was going 2-for-22 from 3-point range, 0-for-14 in the second half.
It was their worst night from behind the arc at home since bringing the program back last year and third overall, behind only a 2-for-23 in a mid-January win at Anne Arundel this year and a 2-for-26 last Feb. in a dreadful loss at RCSJ-Gloucester.
“I’ve got to give them credit,” Marsh said. “They did some things, they did just enough to win or found the right people and were making free throws at the end. I thought we played our hearts out. At some point you’ve gotta make shots and we didn’t.”
The Mighty Oaks wanted to jump out quickly to control the pace but fell behind by 11 in the first quarter. They kept the deficit from getting any larger in the half by holding the Mustangs to just nine points in the second quarter.
It was a five-point game with 3:42 left in the third quarter, but five straight empty possessions led to seven Montco points and the deficit was back up to 12. The Mighty Oaks cut it to four for the first time with 7:08 to go on a pair of Alexa Hopkins free throws and twice more later after layups by Nyaijah Jackson and Maggie St. Clair, but they never could get closer.
In addition to the better rebounding, the Mighty Oaks had 12 steals in the second half and forced the Mustangs into 19 turnovers.
“I realized after the first half we needed to step it up,” sophomore Caroline Zullo said. “In the second half I think we all kind of realized, especially the sophomores, that this might be our last game so we had to step it up. We tried our best, we just came up short.”
Zullo hit a free throw with 2:36 to play to make it 48-43, but that would be the Mighty Oaks’ final point of the season as they didn’t score again and the Mustangs pulled away with seven free throws over the final two minutes.
Jackson led the Mighty Oaks with 16 points and was their only scorer in double figures. St. Clair had nine points, six rebounds and five steals in her final JUCO game. The Mustangs had two scorers in double figures and three players with 10 or more rebounds.
GATHERING ACORNS: The Mighty Oaks started their five sophomores on Sophomore Night. For Hopkins, it was her first start since Jan. 7 against Camden … With Salem failing to qualify, the Region XIX Division II women’s playoffs are expected to be a six-team affair … The win was Monaco’s 18th in a row … Salem guard Kathryn Laurence scored her 500th career point in the first half. St. Clair scored her 500th point in the Lackawanna game.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY CC 55, SALEM CC 43 MONTCO (22-2) — Azjiona Golston 7-15 3-6 19, Tieisha Walker 2-10 3-6 7, Rachel Dunn 4-14 0-1 8, Alana Decker 1-3 0-0 2, Molly Butler 5-7 2-2 12, Kyla Taylor 0-2 0-2 0, Koumba Samassa 3-9 0-0 6, Sanaa Gulled 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 22-61 9-19 55. SALEM CC (11-13) — Caroline Zullo 1-6 1-4 3, Maggie St. Clair 4-19 0-2 9, Kathryn Laurence 2-13 1-2 5, Jakayla Jenkins 0-5 0-0 0, Alexa Hopkins 2-4 2-2 7, RayNescia King 0-2 0-0 0, Nyaijah Jackson 8-16 0-2 16, Dani Gustin 1-1 0-1 2, Akira Chambers 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 18-67 5-15 43.
Montgomery
22
9
11
13-
55
Salem CC
11
9
12
11-
43
3-point goals: Montco 2-9 (Golston 2-6, Dunn 0-1, Decker 0-1, Taylor 0-1); Salem 2-22 (Zullo 0-1, St. Clair 1-6, Laurence 0-9, Hopkins 1-3, King 0-2, Jackson 0-1). Rebounds: Montco 56 (Butler 16, Dunn 12, Samassa 11); Salem 32 (Zullo 8, Jenkins 8). Technical fouls: Salem (admin). Fouled out: Samassa, Zullo. Total fouls: Montco 16, Salem 17.
Here are the South Jersey Group I basketball tournament pairings; Woodstown, Penns Grove set up to host doubleheaders, Pennsville girls get home game, Schalick girls, Salem boys open on road
GIRLS Feb. 26 Games (16) Schalick at (1) Haddon Twp. (9) Glassboro at (8) Penns Grove (12) Cape May Tech at (5) Audubon (13) Gateway at (4) Woodstown (14) Riverside at (3) Wildwood (11) Woodbury at (6) Pennsville (10) Burlington City at (7) Clayton (15) New Egypt at (2) Palmyra March 1 Games Schalick-Haddon Twp. vs. Glassboro-Penns Grove Cape May Tech-Audubon vs. Gateway-Woodstown Riverside-Wildwood vs. Woodbury-Pennsville Burlington City-Clayton vs. New Egypt-Palmyra
BOYS Feb. 26 Games (16) Wildwood at (1) Pitman (9) Burlington City at (8) Penns Grove (12) Glassboro at (5) Woodbury (13) Paulsboro at (4) Audubon (14) Clayton at (3) Haddon Twp. (11) Salem at (6) Palmyra (10) New Egypt at (7) Woodstown (15) Maple Shade at (2) KIPP Cooper Norcross March 1 Games Wildwood-Pitman vs. Burlington City-Penns Grove Glassboro-Woodbury vs. Paulsboro-Audubon Clayton-Haddon Twp. vs. Salem-Palmyra New Egypt-Woodstown vs. Maple Shade-KIPP Cooper Norcross
Mighty Oaks open second half in big way, pull away from Sussex to close regular season with a victory; finish sixth in region standings, await playoffs
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
NEWTON – There was still six minutes left in halftime and the Salem CC basketball team was out there on the floor getting up shots. Usually, the Mighty Oaks would still be in the dressing room making plans for the second half, but this time coach Mike Green had said his peace and there was nothing more to do there.
The Mighty Oaks rolled out the ball rack and spent the rest of the break in the layup line. They were a different team in the second half because of it.
If the first five minutes of a half set the tone for the way a team will play, the Mighty Oaks couldn’t have started better. They opened the second half on an 18-2 tear to pull away from a tie game and went on to beat Sussex CC 89-64 Monday to complete the winningest regular season since the revival of the program.
“I needed to say some things and when you’re not playing up to your level nobody has much to say so it was quick,” Green explained. “You’re gonna hear what I’ve got to say, now get your butts out there and warm up.
“They were a lot tougher in the second half. The first half I think we kind of got pushed around. We just challenged them. We’re not the same team on the road that we are at home. Our next game will be on the road so if you come out like this against any of the teams in the playoffs you’re going to have a hard time getting back in the game and your season is gonna be cut short.”
With Camden’s win over Ocean Monday, the Mighty Oaks (21-7, 13-5) will finish sixth in the Region XIX Division III standings and likely be the sixth seed to face projected No. 3 CC of Philadelphia in the region tournament. They will learn their official seed, first-round opponent and the site of their opening-round game following Wednesday’s region seeding meeting.
Because the region receives two direct bids to the JUCO national tournament, the region will incorporate two separate brackets to produce two champions. Three Region XIX teams were included in the most recent Division III Top 15 and two others, including the Mighty Oaks, received votes for consideration.
“I don’t know who we’ll play, but we’ll be ready,” Green said. “I don’t know what we look like to other people. I feel like we should be a tough draw for anybody. I don’t know if the league feels that way, but it really doesn’t matter now, the games are here.
“We’ll be ready regardless who it is. I already started that. Weeks ago. All three teams we could possibly play, I’ve got them down. And for the next round. I’ve already started.”
Akeem Taylor led the Mighty Oaks with 25 points and nine rebounds. Xavier Brewington (16), Tyrese Fortune (14) and Tamir Powell (10) also scored in double figures. Jyheim Spencer grabbed 11 rebounds and A.J. Jones had six assists.
The teams played to a 33-33 tie in the first half with Taylor hitting a layup to beat the buzzer. Four minutes into the second half the Mighty Oaks had a 16-point lead.
Brewington and Taylor opened the second-half run with back-to-back 3-pointers. Fortune closed it out with eight straight points. Spencer had the other four points.
“We’re going to find somebody who’s going to play how I want them to play,” Green said. “I gave the guys who started the game another opportunity and they showed up.”
Moments after the Skylanders hit a pair of free throws to make it 51-37, Taylor answered with a putback, but limped towards the sideline with an apparent ankle injury and collapsed behind the Salem bench. He made his way to the training room, then returned to the floor about five minutes later and immediately hit a putback and one to give the Mighty Oaks a 65-48 lead.
The Salem CC women play for their Region XIX Division II playoff lives in their regular-season finale at home Tuesday night.
Salem CC
33
56-
89
Sussex
33
31-
64
PROJECTED REGION XIX SEEDS 1-Union, 2-Montgomery, 3-Philadelphia, 4-Northampton, 5-Camden, 6-Salem, 7-Brookdale, 8-Ocean, 9-Atlantic Cape, 10-RCSJ Gloucester
Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Feb. 17-23
FEB. 17 COLLEGE BASKETBALL Salem CC at Sussex CC, 5 p.m.
FEB. 18 GIRLS BASKETBALL Tri-County Conference Tournament Flight A (8) Timber Creek at (1) Gloucester Catholic (5) GCIT at (4) Wildwood, 4 p.m. (6) Clearview at (3) Woodstown (7) Pennsville at (2) Washington Twp. Flight B (8) Cumberland at (1) Williamstown (5) Glassboro at (4) Triton, 4 p.m. (6) Kingsway at (3) Penns Grove, 4 p.m. (7) Delsea at (2) Clayton, 5 p.m. Flight C (5) Salem at (4) Schalick, 4 p.m. (6) Salem Tech at (3) Overbrook, 4:30 p.m. (7) Highland at (2) Pitman BOYS BASKETBALL Tri-County Conference Tournament Flight A (8) Deptford Twp. at (1) Overbrook, 6 p.m. (5) Delsea at (4) Pitman (6) Woodstown at (3) Timber Creek, 5 p.m. (7) Penns Grove at (2) Kingsway, 5 p.m. Flight B (8) Salem at (1) Clearview (5) Gloucester Catholic at (4) Triton, 6 p.m. (6) Glassboro at (3) Williamstown, 4 p.m. (7) Highland at (2) Washington Twp. Flight C (5) Cumberland at (4) Schalick (6) Pennsville at (3) Wildwood (7) Salem Tech at (2) GCIT, 4 p.m. WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL Montgomery County (Pa.) CC at Salem CC, 5 p.m.
FEB. 19 GIRLS BASKETBALL Penns Grove at Cherry Hill West, 4 p.m. BOYS BOWLING South Jersey Group I Semifinals Salem vs. Clayton at Bolero Bowl Maple Shade at Camden Catholic FEB. 20 GIRLS BASKETBALL TCC Tournament Flight A Timber Creek-Gloucester Catholic vs. GCIT-Wildwood Clearview-Woodstown vs. Pennsville-Washington Twp. Flight B Cumberland-Williamstown vs. Glassboro-Triton Kingsway-Penns Grove vs. Delsea-Clayton Flight C Salem-Schalick at Deptford Twp. Salem Tech-Overbrook vs. Highland-Pitman
BOYS BASKETBALL TCC Tournament Flight A Deptford Twp.-Overbrook vs. Delsea-Pitman Woodstown-Timber Creek vs. Penns Grove-Kingsway Flight B Salem-Clearview vs. Gloucester Catholic-Triton Glassboro-Williamstown vs. Highland-Washington Twp. Flight C Cumberland-Schalick at Clayton Pennsville-Wildwood vs. Salem Tech-GCIT
FEB. 21 WRESTLING District Tournaments Penns Grove, Salem in District 32, RCSJ-Gloucester Pennsville, Schalick, Woodstown in District 30, Delsea COLLEGE BASEBALL Genesee CC at Salem CC (2), 2 p.m. FEB. 22 GIRLS BASKETBALL TCC Tournament A, B, C Championships BOYS BASKETBALL TCC Tournament A, B, C Championships FEB. 23 TRACK NJSIAA Group Championships, Bennett Center, Toms River
Here are the projected South Jersey Group I high school basketball tournament pairings based purely on power points standings; other factors may impact the official bracket
BOYS No. 16 Wildwood at No. 1 Pitman No. 9 Burlington City at No. 8 Penns Grove No. 12 Glassboro at No. 5 Woodbury No. 13 Paulsboro at No. 4 Audubon
No. 14 Clayton at No. 3 Haddon Twp. No. 11 Salem at No. 6 Palmyra No. 10 New Egypt at No. 7 Woodstown No. 15 Maple Shade at No. 2 KIPP Cooper
GIRLS No. 16 New Egypt at No. 1 Haddon Twp. No. 9 Glassboro at No. 8 Penns Grove No. 12 Cape May Tech at No. 5 Audubon No. 13 Gateway at No. 4 Woodstown
No. 14 Riverside at No. 3 Wildwood No. 11 Woodbury at No. 6 Pennsville No. 10 Burlington City at No. 7 Clayton No. 15 Pitman at No. 2 Palmyra
The Salem CC women’s region playoff hopes rest with the season finale after road loss to Lackawanna
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
SCRANTON, Pa. — If the Salem CC women’s basketball team wants to play in the region playoffs for the first time in 20 years, it will have to win its final game of the regular season. There will be no scoreboard watching, except the one in Dupont Fieldhouse. It’ll all be on them.
Salem CC sophomore Kathryn Laurence flashes a sign to note the 100 career 3-pointers she’s hit for the Mighty Oaks.
The Mighty Oaks lost their final road game of the regular season Saturday, 72-57 at Lackawanna. It left them one game under .500 for the season and needing to beat Division III No. 15 Montgomery County CC Tuesday in a game already steeped with Sophomore Night emotion to qualify for the Region XIX playoffs.
They last time they had a .500 or better record that would have gotten them in the playoffs was 2005-06 (14-14).
“Nothing has been easy with this team this year so why would this last game be any different?” Mighty Oaks coach Brian Marsh said. “It all comes down to one game on Sophomore Day and it won’t be handed to us. We have to go get it.
“I have faith this team will do what is necessary and come away with the win in their last home game of the year.”
The Mighty Oaks got off to a slow start against the Falcons (16-6) and couldn’t recover. They shot just 3-of-16 from the floor in the first quarter and 7-of-29 in the first half and trailed by 15 at the break. Lackawanna scored 28 points in the paint and 19 points off Salem turnovers.
“We played hard and our energy was great, but our execution was poor,” Marsh said. “We missed a lot of layups.”
Two Salem CC players reached personal milestones in the game. Maggie St. Clair led the Mighty Oaks with 15 points and went over 500 points for her JUCO career. Kathryn Laurence hit two 3-pointers among her eight points to reach 100 treys for her career. She needs three points for 500.
“Very proud of Kathryn, who in my opinion is the best shooter in program history,” Marsh said. “Maggie is a dynamic scorer, so I expect her to score for us regardless of the opponent.”
LACKAWANNA 72, SALEM CC 56 SALEM CC (11-12): RayNescia King 0-0 0-0 0, Nyaijah Jackson 5-11 4-7 14, Caroline Zullo 3-10 0-0 6, Maggie St. Clair 4-22 6-7 15, Jakayla Jenkins 1-7 0-0 2, Kathryn Laurence 3-12 0-0 8, Dani Gustin 0-3 3-4 3, Akira Chambers 2-2 3-4 7, Alexa Hopkins 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 19-69 16-22 57. LACKAWANNA (16-6): Eternity Aiken 4-5 3-4 11, Semi Young 0-4 3-4 3, Diamond Wilson 0-6 0-2 0, Sophia Suma 0-0 2-2 2, Salote Franklin 6-11 2-2 15, Desiree White 5-14 3-6 15, Jayla South 4-14 2-2 10, Saraiah Franklin 4-8 3-6 12, Kalea Ferguson 1-6 0-0 2, Anna Crocker 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 25-71 18-28 72.
Salem CC
9
13
14
21-
57
Lackawanna
17
20
11
24-
72
3-point goals: Salem CC 3-19 (Zullo 0-1, St. Clair 1-9, Jenkins 0-1, Laurence 2-8); Lackawanna 4-26 (Young 0-2, Wilson 0-5, Sal. Franklin 1-2, White 2-6, South 0-4, Sar. Franklin 1-4, Ferguson 0-3). Rebounds: Salem CC 46 (Jackson 12, Zullo 8); Lackawanna 55 (Franklin 15, Sal. Franklin 9). Fouled out: Sar. Franklin. Total fouls: Salem CC 20, Lackawanna 21.
Salem takes an intense win from Penns Grove; Hall, Leevy have career nights for Woodstown; Jones’ last-second FTs lifts Schalick to victory
THURSDAY’S GAMES Salem 68, Penns Grove 50 Woodstown 78, Salem Tech 27 Schalick 46, Pennsauken Tech 45
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – Under a different set of circumstances and math, this would have been a milestone night for Anthony Farmer. Instead, the Salem High basketball coach would have to be content to take the win and keep marching towards a good draw in the South Jersey playoffs.
Farmer’s Rams took down Penns Grove Thursday night 68-50 in an intense game that reminded the sellout crowd of the Salem-Penns Grove battles of old. There were five technical fouls called.
It would have been Farmer’s 100th career coaching win “on the floor,” but an NJSIAA ruling on an ineligible player in January stripped the team and him of four early-season victories leaving the coach at 96.
“That would have been special,” Farmer said. “That would have been nice.”
Once he reaches the milestone, he’ll join a unique club of basketball luminaries with 100 coaching wins, 1,000 career points in high school (St. Augustine) and 1,000 career points in college (Rutgers).
Salem sophomore guard Neziah Spence returned to his old school and torched his former team for a game-high 18 points with three assists, three steals and a blocked shot. He scored 28 points with eight 3-pointers for the Red Devils all last year as a freshman.
“That usually goes two ways,” Farmer said. “Young kid. Sophomore. Left there and went back and had a big night. Normally (they don’t), trying too hard, trying to press, trying to do too much. He really let the game come to him and had a big night. You could see how hard he was playing it really meant something to him.”
Two other times this year it went the other way for Rams players facing their former schools. Darrelle Johnson went scoreless in six minutes against Millville at the Boardwalk Classic and Tymear Lecator was under the weather when the Rams played Winslow earlier this week and had just four points.
Spence wasn’t the only Ram to have a big game against the Red Devils. Antwuan Rogers had 14 points and 15 rebounds; Johnson had 12 points, five rebounds and five assists; and Deshaan Williams had six points and 10 boards.
“We played really well; I thought it was an overall team effort,” Farmer said. “Everybody just maximized their potential and played their role to the best of their ability and when we do that we’re tough. We got a little something from everybody. It was fun to watch and good to see.”
Karon Ceaser and Jameel Horace led Penns Grove with 14 points apiece.
SALEM 68, PENNS GROVE 50 SALEM (11-12): Donovan Weathers 1 0-0 2, Xavier McGriff 2 0-0 4, Neziah Spence 6 3-6 18, Tymear Lecator 1 0-2 3, Deshaan Williams 3 0-2 6, Darrelle Johnson 5 2-2 12, Antwaun Rogets 7 1-1 15, Joe Tunis 3 0-0 6, Azhone Burden 1 0-0 2. Totals 29 6-13 68. PENNS GROVE (11-11): B.J. Robbins 1 4-6 7, Roman Gipson 2 1-2 6, Karon Ceaser 6 0-0 14, Antoine Robinson 1 2-2 4, Jameel Horace 6 2-2 14, Haneef Frisby 1 0-0 2, Luis Colon 0 0-0 0, Will Roy 1 1-1 3, Carson Pearsall 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 10-13 50.
Salem
7
17
19
25-
68
Penns Grove
11
9
12
18-
50
3-point goals: Salem 4 (Spence 3, Lecator); Penns Grove 4 (Robbins, Gipson, Ceaser 2). Technical fouls: Robbins, Ceaser, Lecator 2, Johnson. Fouled out: Robinson, Lecator. Total fouls: Salem 16, Penns Grove 19.
WOODSTOWN 78, SALEM TECH 27: M.J. Hall and Sid Leevy both had career nights as the Wolverines won their second straight and kept the Chargers winless. Hall hit career-high numbers for the second game in a row, this time going for 31 points. Leevy doubled his season production with a career-high 12 points.
“M.J. played great, Sid played great, too; I gave him the (MVP) chain,” Wolverines coach Ramon Roots said. “Sid has been a senior who didn’t play that much this year, but helped his teammates get better every day and never complained about minutes or hard work.
“He’s a great team-first guy. He doesn’t say too much but comes to partake ready to work every day. I rewarded him tonight. He played the whole game.”
The Wolverines’ 14 wins for first-year coach Roots this season are the most in a Woodstown boys season since a 23-5 year in 2019-20.
SALEM TECH (0-20): Larry Pompper 4 0-0 9, Chase Pompper 3 0-0 6, Ayden Myers 1 1-2 3, Joseph Hayes 1 4-6 7, Logan Pace 1 0-0 2. Totals 10 5-8 27. WOODSTOWN (14-8): Trey Markward 1 0-0 2, John Hood-McGinley 2 0-0 4, Garrett Leyman 1 1-1 3, Sid Leevi 5 1-4 12, Rocco String 7 0-0 15, Andrew White 1 0-0 2, Josh King 1 0-0 2, M.J. Hall 11 6-7 31, Jalen Markward 2 3-3 7. Totals 31 11-14 78.
Salem Tech
2
4
11
10-
27
Woodstown
23
19
17
19-
78
3-point goals: Salem Tech 2 (L. Pompper, Hayes); Woodstown 5 (Leevy, String, Hall 3).
SCHALICK 46, PENNSAUKEN TECH 45: Sherrod Jones was fouled on a putback as time expired and made both free throws to give the Cougars the victory.
Jones picked up his fourth foul in the first half and sat until Jamari Whitley fouled out in the fourth quarter. The Cougars drew up a play to get Reggie Allen the last shot. The senior got a good look at it, but missed, but Jones followed it and was fouled.
The free throws he made to win it were his only points of the game. Allen led all scorers with 18 points. Nylan Sutton had 17.
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