OCEAN CITY – Looking for a 3-0 start to the season, the Ocean City Red Raiders took on Lower Cape May Regional High School in an offensive shootout.
The two teams stayed neck and neck throughout the whole game but in the end Ocean City held on to win 57-53 on Dec. 21. Raider Josh Lenko led all scorers with a massive 32-point game in which he scored from all areas of the court. Caper Tiger Ty Bonner had 20 points for Lower, including eight in the fourth quarter to bring his team to within three points of the lead.
The game was a part of the annual Ocean City PBA Tipoff and before the game, it was announced the event would be renamed after longtime Raiders’ head coach John Bruno, who has been at the helm of Ocean City basketball for 37 years.
Bruno’s Raiders got everything they could handle against the dangerous Caper Tiger lineup, but Lenko made sure to keep Ocean City in the lead.
The fourth quarter started with a slight 36-33 edge for Ocean City and the lead never grew to more than eight throughout. Lenko was mainly aggressive driving towards the basket and drew fouls, but also hit his third three-pointer of the game in the quarter to help stave off Lower.
He and senior Luke Tjoumakaris combined for 17 of Ocean City’s 21 points in the quarter.
“Early in the game it just looked like they had a tough matchup for Josh,” Bruno said. “He is usually under control and does not force things, but we wanted him to put the ball on the floor when he could. What was different tonight versus most nights is he made quick decisive decisions to push.”
The Raiders came into the game as the winners of their first two games – a season-opening 49-34 victory over Holy Spirit and then a 49-39 win over St. Augustine Prep – and have shown themselves to be a versatile lineup. Lenko is the lone junior on a starting lineup filled with seniors. Along with Tjoumakaris, the Raiders starters of Alec Bell, Dean Lappin and Tighe Olek have all the experience and trust of Bruno to be great players.
“From a scouting standpoint there is not this one guy you can stop,” Bruno said. “The one thing about this team is, Josh might have 29 tonight, Luke could have 22 the next, Tighe could have 18 another night and Dean might have 16. You can go ahead and stop Josh, but then Luke and Tighe can burn you.”
Lower sports have a similar lineup where any one of the players can get hot and lead the offense. In the center of the whole system is senior Bonner, who led the team in scoring and assists last year and has picked up where he left off. His presence in the lineup was a constant thorn in the Raiders’ side all game long.
Cole Sederland and Gavin Ridgway both hit three big three-pointers to keep the pressure on Ocean City as the team’s primary long-range threats.
“But to Lower Cape May’s credit, we are always fearful of them and how scrappy they are,” Bruno said. “Ty Bonner has improved by 100 percent and has turned into that senior leader that they need. The other guys follow right behind and produce. They lived by the three-pointers today with guys like Ridgway and every time I looked up, they were gaining on us despite us making shots.”
Lower won its first game with John Fernandez and Ryan Mallon each making three triples and the duo finished the game with 21 and 17 points, respectively. The Caper Tigers’ season opener couldn’t have started any better as they jumped out to a 57-15 lead at halftime and coasted to a 69-47 win over Glassboro High School on Dec. 16.
Both teams will compete in the annual Boardwalk Basketball Classic starting on Dec. 26 with Lower taking on Wildwood Catholic at the Wildwoods Convention Center. Lower’s second game will be against Brandywine High School from Delaware on Dec 30. Both games are scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Ocean City has one game in the event which is against Winslow Township High School on Dec 27. Tip is set for 1 p.m.
Right before Christmas the Raiders were taking on the rival Mainland Mustangs on the road on Dec. 22. Ocean City won all three games last year against Mainland, but Bruno noted how no matter what happens between the two teams, that it is always a tough game.
– STORY by WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Sentinel
– PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
