OCEAN CITY – The Red Raiders stormed back in the final minutes of regulation and held on for a double-overtime win to stun visiting Lower Cape May Regional 51-49 Friday night just before the winter storm descended on the region.
Both boys basketball teams defended far better than they shot throughout.
“These are two teams who I think need to keep the score down,” said Ocean City head coach John Bruno. “Both play good defense. Lower does a really good job. So we didn’t anticipate the score being high. We played two overtimes and one team reached the 50s.”
The Red Raiders pushed the right buttons as they switched up their defensive looks to keep the Tigers off-balance.
“We started off in a 2-3 (zone), then we started pressing a little bit,” Red Raider Kori Segich said. “Then we went to man (defense) for a while, and switched back to 2-3 in overtime.”
“I haven’t really been doing a good job of getting us to play man-to-man,” Bruno said. “So we’ve instilled a zone, but we have to be active. That’s what we weren’t doing in the past. We were leaving guys open for threes, we weren’t pressuring drives or getting our hands on balls. We’ve started doing that and disrupting things.”
“It’s a defense we haven’t really seen but we’ve worked on it,” said LCMR coach Scott Holden. “We practiced for it yesterday and we’ve watched film on it, and I felt comfortable with what we were trying to do. We built that lead against it, but we just gave it right back.”
Lower also kept their hands active and forced a slew of Red Raider turnovers.
The teams looked evenly matched through three quarters as neither was able to create much separation on the scoreboard.
The Red Raiders led 14-8 after the first quarter, and Lower inched ahead just before the break to lead 21-19 at halftime.
“We know each other pretty well,” Holden said, “so I know what to expect from John and his team. He knows what to expect from us. It is what it is – they made their foul shots and we didn’t. That’s what it came down to.”
In the second half Lower built a double-digit lead and looked poised to escape with the win.
“The thing that impressed me the most was we got down and we didn’t panic,” Bruno said. “There were a couple turnovers I’d want back, but even when we got behind somebody stepped up and made a big play. (Sean) Sakers’ play at the end to tie it up, Omero (Chevere) made a big three, (Pat) Grimley’s rebound, not to mention Kori Segich’s block that really saved us – that was a sure layup that he took away.”
Crucial missed free throws kept the door cracked for the Red Raiders, and they kicked it wide open with clutch shot-making down the stretch.
“We had a 10-point lead,” Holden said, “and instead of keeping our poise and composure, we decided to give four straight turnovers by trying to push it. It was very poor decision-making and that let them back in the game for sure.”
“We just started hitting some shots and played good defense,” Segich said.
Sakers and Grimley knocked down shots in the final moments of regulation to cut the deficit.
Lower then converted on a full-court pass to Archie Lawler, who snuck behind the defense for a layup that looked to be the clincher.
But Grimley answered with a three-pointer to pull within two with less than 20 seconds left.
The Red Raiders were forced to foul and put Lower at the free throw line.
Off the rebound the Red Raiders pushed it up court to Sakers, who finished at the rim to tie it at 41-41 with one second to spare and force overtime.
“It was really a team effort,” Bruno said. “It was tough down the stretch. We were getting a little bit tired, but so were they. We just made enough good plays. This game is always tough with them; it’s always a great game. Scott Holden and I are good friends, and we come to battle every day.”
In the first overtime points were tough to come by and turnovers abounded again.
Jacob Bey finished through traffic to draw the Tigers even in the waning seconds to force double OT.
“Jacob Bey broke his nose the other day,” Holden said. “I think he was a little out of it early but as the game went on he made some big plays.”
“I thought their kids played extremely well,” Bruno said, “and I’m proud of the way our guys fought back. Then in overtime we were able to make a few key plays.”
Both teams looked to push the pace in the second extra session, and Chevere knocked down a go-ahead three early.
Michael Cronin inched Lower ahead with a fast-break bucket off a steal.
“We could clean up some of the turnovers, and obviously hit more shots,” Segich said.
Segich made a massive defensive play swatting what may have been a decisive layup in the final minute.
Dylan Schlatter put the Raiders ahead at the line.
“Everyone contributed, whether it was offensively or defensively,” Segich said.
Lower elected the try for the win with a three-pointer to no avail and were forced to foul.
Grimley knocked down a key pair at the line.
Lower then had a great look at a potential game-winner at the buzzer but couldn’t knock it down. “I thought that last shot was going in,” Segich said. “I’m glad he missed.”
Chevere, Segich and Sakers led the Red Raiders with 13 points each.
Cronin had the hot hand for the Tigers, leading his team with 17 points, including three treys. Lawler added 12, Bey had 10, Macky Bonner contributed 7 and Oguer Nunez had 3.
It was a tough loss to say the least for the Tigers.
“We’ve had a lot of them this year,” Holden said. “You just have to look at the little moments – the four turnovers, a missed box-out, not communicating on defense. You just have to tighten up and do better.”
To their credit, the Tigers played their hearts out.
“We’re 5-11,” Holden said, “but I wouldn’t want to play us. We just have to keep going in the right direction so when we get to the tournament we can make some noise.”
The 8-8 Red Raiders need to bank all the wins they can get as they look ahead to playoff seeding.
“We know we’re in, so now the calculations kick in,” Bruno said.
“They didn’t quit and I’m really happy with the way we played,” Bruno said. “Everybody gave a little something. That was a team win.”
The Red Raiders are at Middle Township at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3. Lower will head to Mainland for a 5:30 p.m. game.
with the Mustangs Wednesday.
By KYLE McCRANE/Sentinel Sports
