Rams Improve To 6-1 On The Summer With Victory Over Previously Unbeaten Eagles, 47-44
EDISON, NJ–In what easily has to have been one of the most exciting games in the MCC Summer Boys Basketball League thus far, the South River Rams held on to beat previously unbeaten 6-0 South Hunterdon by a score of 47-44.
It would be a battle for the Rams tonight as they were facing a South Hunterdon team that qualified last season for the Central Jersey Group I playoffs — and to make matters worse, South River was without the services of one of their top scorers, big man and senior-to-be Shawn Fenton.
In the early going it looked like it might be another easy game for the Rams as they opened up an early 7-1 lead. But the Eagles were not about to give up as they kept clawing away at the lead to get back into the game. Though they only had six players suited up tonight, South Hunterdon played a very aggressive and tough man to man defense, and once they got their offense in sync, they started to look like the playoff team they were last season.
South River guard Brandon Walsh got into foul trouble with the Rams up 17-13 and sat for almost the remainder of the first half. Both teams played evenly the rest of the way, with South River going in at halftime with a 23-19 lead.
The second half saw more of the same – both teams trading baskets, South Hunterdon tying the score, South River going up by two or three points and then the Eagles coming back to tie things up again. However South Hunterdon was never able to take advantage of any Rams’ misses to actually take the lead in the second half, just as South River was never able to pad their small leads by taking advantage of any Eagle miscues.
With under two minutes remaining in the game and the score tied at 44-44, the Rams’ Brandon Walsh was fouled and calmly sank two clutch free throws to put South River up by two. After a South Hunterdon miss, the Rams’ Stevie Moore was fouled and hit one of two free throws to ice the game for South River – a 47-44 victory for the Rams.
Walsh led all South River scorers with 17 points, as Xavier Foster, Moore, and a host of other Rams added to the scoring totals. Its always a team effort, both on offense and defense, with these new look Rams.
With the win South River improves to 6-1, as South Hunterdon drops to 6-1.
The Rams face Highland Park Thursday night at 7PM as they look to improve to 7-1.
| Team | 1 | 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| South River (6-1) | 23 | 24 | 47 |
| South Hunterdon (6-1) | 19 | 25 | 44 |