69-67 win over cross-bay rivals is first SJ title for team since 1981
LINWOOD – The cross-bay rivalry between the Mainland Mustangs and Ocean City Red Raiders added an all-time classic basketball game to the history books Saturday.
After three overtime periods, the Mainland Regional High School boys team outlasted their Ocean City High School counterparts 69-67 in the South Jersey Group III sectional championship game.
It was the first South Jersey title for a Mainland boys basketball team since the Mustangs went back to back in 1980 and 1981.
Saturday’s game was tight from start to finish as both teams battled for each point.
Ocean City erased an eight-point deficit with only two minutes left in regulation. The scoring frenzy ended with a three-pointer by Dylan Schlatter that tied the game at 57-57 and forced the first overtime.
The Red Raiders took the lead in the overtime and led through much of the four-minute period, but with 30 seconds left Tim Travagline – who led all players in scoring and rebounds – drained a clutch three-pointer to tie it at 64-64. The Red Raiders held the ball to let the clock wind down and took a shot just before the buzzer, but under Mustang defensive pressure, it missed.
“The kids kept believing,” Mainland head coach Dan Williams said. “But the fight that they had all year with football and everything else, they are a resilient bunch.” (The Mustang football team won the state title in 2023.)
When asked about his game-tying shot, Travagline said, “Coach drew it up and all the guys believe in me and I believe in all of them. We are all one big family, so I just shot it with confidence and it went in.”
The final two overtime periods slowed down heavily as both teams tried to burn the clock to ensure they had the last possession. Travagline and Raider Kori Segich each scored two points in double overtime as the game marched toward a third extra period. In a replay of the first overtime, Ocean City held the ball until the end but missed another potential game-winning shot as time expired.
In the third and final overtime period, Cohen Cook gave Mainland the lead one last time. He made consecutive free throws after attacking the rim and drawing a foul. With a minute left, Cook brought the score to 68-67 in favor of the Mustangs and Travagline added another free throw for a 69-67 lead.
All the fans in the stands rose to their feet as Ocean City had the ball with 27 seconds left and only down two points. A final potential game-winning shot for the Raiders bounced off the rim and into the hands of Cook, who dribbled out the clock.
Mainland’s student section stormed the court as the home gym erupted in celebration over the new South Jersey champions.
Travagline and Cook led the Mustangs with 25 and 24 points, respectively. Segich and Schlatter had 21 and 19 points for the Raiders. Ben McGonigle has 15 points, Charlie LaBarre had 7 and Patrick Grimley had 5 for Ocean City. Stephen Ordille had 12 points and Jamie Tyson 8 for Mainland. Travagline had 13 rebounds, Cook had 10, Tyson 5, Ordille 4 and Rocco DiBiaso 3.
Mainland and Ocean City entered the tournament as the No. 1 and 2 seeds and put everything they had toward victory.
“Our kids didn’t quit,” Ocean City head coach John Bruno said. “Anytime you get in a situation like the South Jersey final game, you just want to make sure you left it all on the court. And there is no doubt in my mind that they left everything they had on the court.”
Ocean City finished its season with an impressive 26-4 record, but will have a new look next year. Four of the five starters are seniors. Segich, Schlatter, Grimley and LaBarre will leave the Raiders as one of best senior classes in a long time.
Segich led the Raiders with more than 700 points this season while Schlatter and LaBarre had more than 300 points each. Grimley wasn’t far behind with 275. McGonigle hit the century mark.
As the lone junior in the Raiders’ starting lineup, McGonigle had a huge game against Mainland. He showed up when the Raiders needed him the most and will look to carry the Raiders through the next class of players.
Mainland earned the South Jersey championship and the right to move onto the Group III state tournament. The Mustangs’ next game is 5 p.m. today (Wednesday) against Central Jersey champion Freehold Borough. The game is at Monroe High School.
A Mustang victory would advance them into the state final on March 10. The two North Jersey teams vying for the state final are Colonia High School versus Ramapo High School. Gametime of the final round is 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the RJWBarnabas Health Arena in Toms River.
Since Mainland and Ocean City were the top seeds, they seemed to be on a collision course.
Mainland reached the South Jersey title game by winning its first three playoff games by an average margin of 17 points.
The Mustangs won their first-round matchup 54-34 over Westampton Tech on Feb. 22. Cook dropped 20 points as they cruised into the next round. Travagline matched Cook’s 20 points in the quarterfinals against Delsea High School on Feb. 27. Mainland jumped out to a big lead once again and won by a final score of 51-37.
Moorestown High School awaited Mainland in the semifinals for the second straight season. Last year the Quakers eliminated the Mustangs 32-29. It was a heartbreaking loss at the buzzer the Mustangs remembered a year later.
This season Mainland did not leave any room for a buzzer beater and dominated Moorestown 55-38 on Feb. 29.
Ocean City’s path toward the championship game showed its no-quit attitude.
The first-round matchup for the Raiders was on Feb. 22 against Pemberton High School. The Raiders outscored the Hornets in every quarter and held a lead for most of the game.
Ocean City staged one of the biggest comebacks in team history in the semifinals. The Raiders faced off against Cherry Hill West High School on Feb. 27 and quickly fell into a double-digit deficit.
The Raiders trailed by 19 points at halftime and faced an early playoff exit. After halftime their defense stepped up and gave up only seven points in the entire second half. Ocean City went on a 28-7 run in the final two quarters to stage a 19-point comeback.
LaBarre floated the ball above a defender at the buzzer to avoid overtime and give the Raiders a 46-44 victory.
Three Raiders scored double-digit points as the Raiders held off a late comeback attempt from Camden Eastside in the semifinals. Ocean City won the game 59-56 and earned its right to travel across the bay to face Mainland.
Mainland and Ocean City had different paths toward the finals and, with three overtimes to decide a victor, proved they were evenly matched.
By WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Sentinel
