Raiders set to host CHW for chance at semifinals
OCEAN CITY — Kori Segich was dominant in the Red Raiders boys basketball team’s first playoff game.
Ocean City High School defeated Pemberton Township High School 61-50 in the first round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group III tournament. Segich scored 31 points, followed by teammates Dylan Schlatter and Charlie LaBarre with 11 points apiece.
After a slow start to the game, the Raiders regained the lead at the end of the first quarter and never relinquished it. Segich scored 10 points in the quarter, after Pemberton went up 12-6, to secure a slight 16-13 lead.
The Raiders slowly built upon their lead throughout the rest of the game. They took their time in the half-court with all the Raiders touching the ball before a shot attempt.
Any momentum Pemberton built was taken away by efficient play by Ocean City. Schlatter was active on defense and jumped in front of multiple passes for steals that turned into easy layups.
Ocean City entered the tournament as the number two seed with a record of 24-3 and will play all of its games at home, except for a potential championship game if top-seed Mainland Regional High School makes it.
Ocean City’s next game was against Cherry Hill West High School on Feb. 27, after the Sentinel deadline. A Raider victory would mean they host the winner of Camden Eastside versus Triton High School on Feb. 29.
If the Raiders win both of those games, they would be in the South Jersey championship on March 2. Their potential opponent could be the Mainland Mustangs. The two rivals are on a collision course with each other to settle the season series.
The Cape-Atlantic League Tournament ended early for the Raiders after a 55-50 loss to Mainland in the semifinals two weeks ago on Feb. 14. After Ocean City defeated Mainland in the lone regular season meeting, Mainland got revenge and tied the season series at 1-1.
One last meeting this year in the South Jersey Group III championship game would be one of the biggest games of the rivalry in recent memory.
The semifinals game against either Camden Eastside or Triton will be at Ocean City on Feb. 27. A potential championship game for the Raiders will either be at Mainland Regional High School or at home versus another opponent on March 2.
Segich is the leading scorer for the Raiders this season but any of the starting five players can take over a game.
Patrick Grimley had 21 points on Feb. 16 in the regular season finale against Lower Cape May Regional High School. Schlatter and LaBarre have each had multiple 20-point games. Each of the three seniors scored 250 points or more so far this season.
Ocean City uses its starting lineup a lot more than most other schools. Each of the starting five can play all 32 minutes of a game. Head coach John Bruno does not go to his bench often thanks to the endurance of his starters.
Due to the long minutes Segich and the other starters play, they can take advantage of opposing teams’ benches and wear down opponents.
In the first playoff game, Pemberton came into it as the 15th seed in Group III but put up a fight against the Raiders.
Pemberton opened the second quarter with a quick score to cut the lead to 16-15. Schlatter hit a three-pointer to close the Pemberton run and added a huge block defensively to bring the home crowd to its feet.
Segich had six straight points for the Raiders after halftime, including an impressive step-back three-pointer. He had the defender on his heels as he created his own shot with a single step.
The fourth quarter started with Ocean City up 46-38 as Pemberton would not go down quietly. Thanks to the slow and methodical play from the Raiders, there were only two scored in the first three minutes of the quarter.
Schlatter created another turnover on an inbound pass and ran down the court for a layup to finish a late 8-2 run for the Raiders. After trading scores to end the game, the Raiders won 61-50 and sent Pemberton home.
By WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Sentinel
