Trojans Win Comfortably Despite Flat Performance Against A Game Rams Squad
NORTH EDISON, NJ–In years past, this was probably marked as an easy win on the schedule for the Bishop Ahr Trojans. For example, during the 2007-08 season, BGA handily defeated the South River both times by scores of 82-46 and 70-41. Last year, the Trojans soundly defeated the Rams again by scores of 68-39 and 82-27. Since the 2004-05 season, the Rams have lost all ten of their games against Ahr with the closest margin of defeat coming in February 2005 (56-52) at South River. However, this is a different year as far as the Rams are concerned, and with a new head coach, there’s a new attitude.
The positive feeling surrounding the Rams camp has already produced results such as the school’s first holiday tournament championship since 2004 in the South Amboy Tournament last week, and an upset win over Metuchen earlier this week. This isn’t the same old Rams. Bishop Ahr found that out last night. Despite winning comfortably by a 60-42 margin, the Trojans have troubles taking care of the basketball and making good shots. They looked out of sync on offense. The sight of long time head coach, Dennis O’Keefe with his tie undone at the end of the game, pretty much summed up how things went for Ahr this evening. Give some credit to South River’s defense for that.
Senior forward, Manny Krogmann led the way with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds for the victors while Matt Bernocchi, who scored a team high 13 points, netted a three pointer and four foul shots in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory. Rob Gomulka also chipped in with 11 points including 2 of 4 from the line, a layup, and a three pointer in the final two periods. Brandon Walsh led all scorers with 14 in a losing cause for South River as he connected on all four of his three pointers in the second half including three late in the game after BGA had taken leads of 50-31 and 55-34.
Shawn Fenton added 10 points on three field goals and four foul shots while Nick Boyler scored 9 points while Xavier Foster chipped in with 8. Larry Smith, the hero of South River’s victory over Henry Hudson in the Championship of the South Amboy Tournament, was limited to just one point. Bishop Ahr jumped out to an 8-3 lead early as Justin Peoples capped the run with a layup at the 3:07 mark. Ryan Blakely closed out the first period scoring with his only points of the game on a layup that made the score, 10-5 going into the second.
The Trojans then scored the first five points of the second period, and led at one point 21-9 as Pat Widdoss hit a three pointer, and Kroggman connected on a mid-range jumper, and a layup while the Rams went one of four from the foul line. South River fought back though with two free throws by Boyler and a three point play by Foster to help close the gap to 23-14 before Bernocchi netted two free throws to end the half with the BGA on top 25-14. In the third quarter, Bishop Ahr opened up a 38-22 lead on a 13-8 showing before the Rams fought back with a three pointer by Walsh and one of two from the line by Fenton to close the gap to 38-26 with 1:27 remaining in the third.
However, South River was assessed a technical foul, and that produced a one of two showing from the line and a layup by Gomulka for a 41-26 lead. Ahr then added four of the next six points including two free throws by Kroggman to take a 45-28 lead before Smith got his only point of the contest on a one of two showing from the line with 9.4 seconds remaining in the third. Bernocchi then opened the fourth with a three pointer from the right wing for a 48-29 lead, and the Trojans led at one point by 21 before the Rams got two threes from Walsh and a layup by Boyler to make it 55-42 with 1:15 to play. Bernocchi and Gomulka then combined for a 5 of 6 showing from the foul line to close out the 60-42 victory.