Denby questions team’s mental toughness and heart after Penns Grove girls drop their second straight at the Shore

BOARDWALK CLASSIC
Saturday’s Girls Games
Egg Harbor Two. 57, Newark Academy 28
Absegami 50, Timber Creek 28
Cumberland 34, Oakcrest 13
Ocean City 66, Penns Grove 34
Holy Spirit 47, Cheltenham (Pa.) 30
OLMA 45, Wildwood 43
Wildwood Catholic 60, Bishop Eustace 32

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WILDWOOD – The theme of this year’s Penns Grove girls basketball team is playing with mental toughness. It certainly faces its biggest challenge after this week’s trip to the Boardwalk Classic.

The Red Devils went into the Christmas break undefeated for the second year in a row and ranked No. 25 in the South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament poll, but find themselves spiraling into the New Year 4-2 after losing their second straight game in the Wildwood Convention Center 66-34 to Ocean City Saturday.

Their resolve was going to be tested Saturday as it was after the way their loss to St. Dominic went down Thursday night. It was strained even further after a listless showing against the Red Raiders (2-4).

“As a coach, you’ve got to have players who have heart – we ain’t got no heart, we ain’t going to win nothing,” Penns Grove coach Jennifer Denby said. “We can’t just have one girl play the whole game. We need everybody on the bench.

“We’re lacking heart right now, to be honest. We need everybody to carry the heart. We can’t just rely on one person.”

Brianna Robbins was the only Penns Grove player to score in double figures and led all scorers in the game with 17 points. Most of those (13) came in the second half when the Red Devils’ two other main scorers all but disappeared. The junior made the biggest plays in the second-half comeback against St. Dominic that was thwarted by a no-call on a drive in the closing seconds of a two-point game.

The Red Devils’ two other big scorers – RiNiyah Wilson and Meely Horace – had seven and five points, respectively, Saturday. Wilson, who averaged 17.6 ppg entering the game, had two points in the second half – on a pair of third-quarter free throws. Horace, who averaged 18.5 before Christmas and is on track to reach the 1,000-point plateau later this season, didn’t score in the second half.

“For you to be ranked and not put any points up and take your own self out of the game because mentally (you weren’t in it in, is not a good look),” Denby said. “Mentally is emotions. If you can’t control your emotions because your shot’s not falling, you get mad, you get upset, and instead of turning that negative energy to positive, you wind up on the bench because it’s too late. As coaches, we’re going to go to our freshmen and put them in the game.”

This one was easy to dissect and it goes directly to heart. The Red Devils committed too many turnovers and were outplayed on the boards. They didn’t get their first offensive rebound until RiNiyah Wilson banged a ball off an Ocean City defender under the basket; the Red Devils promptly turned over the inbounds play. The Red Raiders, meanwhile had 21 offensive boards off which they scored 26 points.

Penns Grove didn’t get its first putback basket until about two minutes left in the third quarter when Robbins followed her missed and-one free throw

The Red Devils have no time for a pity party. Their first game after the new year is an early Diamond Division showdown with Woodstown Jan. 4. 

“Hopefully it will put some fire up their (rear ends),” Denby said. “Moving forward, these last two losses, when they get in practice they’re going to feel it. They’re going to feel it. And hopefully mentally they’ll get back by themselves.”

“It’s going to make us play harder,” Robbins promised.

OCEAN CITY 66, PENNS GROVE 34
PENNS GROVE (4-2) – Meely Horace 2 1-3 5, RaNiyah Wilson 2 2-2 7, Rolande Delva 0 0-0 0, Arinna Dowe 1 0-0 2, Semijah Hines 0 0-0 0, Zoey Caesar 0 3-4 3, Brianna Robbins 7 3-6 17. Totals 12 9-15 34.
OCEAN CITY (2-4) – Callie Smith 5 2-4 12, Brielle Smith 3 1-2 7, Madelyn Adamson 2 1-2 5, McKenna Chisolm 5 2-3 12, Gabrielle Henry 1 0-0 3, Alexis Allegretto 2 0-0 4, Sophia Bishop 1 0-0 3, Kaia Chew 2 0-0 5, Scarlett Fletcher 1 2-4 4, Allie Hudson 3 2-2 9, Casey Adamson 1 0-0 2, Marley Ostrander 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 10-17 66.

Penns Grove	8	6	9	11 –	34
Ocean City	21	9	18	18 –	66