Update: Ocean City’s boys basketball team beat St. Augustine Prep 46-42 Tuesday night to earn a berth in the Cape-Atlantic League Tournament finals Saturday at Egg Harbor Township, where they will face Atlantic City, which upset No. 1 seed Middle Township 78-72.
OCEAN CITY — The Red Raiders boys basketball team ran past Absegami and then overcame rival Mainland Regional to make it to the semifinals of the Cape-Atlantic League tournament Tuesday night.
The Ocean City High School boys, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, were facing No. 3 St. Augustine Prep after the Sentinel sports section went to press.
A win would put them in the finals, possibly for a third meet-up with Middle Township, the tournament’s No. 1 seed that has proved troublesome so far this season for the Red Raiders.
Ocean City (19-4) earned a bye in the first round of the 20-team tournament, then beat No. 15 Absegami 70-53 behind 18 points from Luke Tjoumakaris and 14 from Liam Zintner. Although they had only a 12-10 lead after the first quarter against the Braves (5-18), they outscored them 20-12 in the second quarter and 25-11 in the third. Absegami had the slight edge in the fourth, 17-16, with the game out of reach.
Adding to Ocean City’s win over the Braves were Luke Passarella with 11, Tighe Olek and Josh Lenko with 7 each, Dean Lappin with 6 and Chris Pontari with 4. Kevin Entress, Alec Bell and Columb Higgins had 2 each.
OCHS 42, MRHS 29
The Red Raiders and Mustangs had a low-scoring affair in the first half of their game, with Ocean City leading 8-5 after the first quarter and 16-11 at the break.
The teams played even up through the third with Mainland having a small advantage, 14-13, but the fourth quarter belonged to Ocean City.
The Red Raiders outscored Mainland 13-4 for the 42-29 final. It was the third time Ocean City beat their rivals this season with big second-half efforts.
Lenko led his team with 11 points, Olek had 8, Tjoumakaris and Lappin 7 each with 4 from Bell, 3 from Passarella and 2 from Zintner.
John Franchini was high scorer for the Mustangs with 9 points, followed by Dallas Rowell with 8, Sean Burke with 7, 2 each from Cole Stefano and Colt Russo and one from Luke Kerrigan.
Mustangs upset Creek
The No. 10 Mainland Mustangs earned a bye in the first round then upset No. 7 Cedar Creek 50-42 to be able to challenge Ocean City.
Against the Braves, Sean Burke had the hot hand with 13 points. Rowell dropped in 10 and Stefano 9 with 8 more coming from Russo and four each from Kerrigan and Brayden Sinclair. Burke also led the team with 11 rebounds.
Finals, sectionals
Middle Township (14-9) beat Wildwood Catholic 48-37 in the first round, Vineland 60-44 in the second and was facing No. 5 Atlantic City on Tuesday night.
The Panthers beat Ocean City 44-34 in early January and 56-49 on Feb. 5. They split games with St. Augustine Prep, winning 81-78 in mid-January but losing 64-62 Feb. 2.
The CAL finals are scheduled for noon Saturday at Egg Harbor Township High School.
Ocean City is ranked third in Power Points behind No. 1 Deptford (20-5) and No. 2 Shawnee (16-7). Mainland (9-14) is 15th.
The first round of the South Jersey Group III tournament is Feb. 25.
– STORY by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff