Sometimes it about survival and right now that’s exactly the mode RBC is in these days. There is is old saying that if anything can go wrong it will.. I guess you call that Murphy’s law and in the case of RBC that is exactly what has happened. Tonight they had their back against the wall and were fighting for their SCT Top 8 life.
RBC has not had a full team practice since January 15th. They have not been whole the entire season. Last weekend they were embarrassed by SJV and it seemed a continuation of last years collapse was on the way. When a unexpected star role player Shae Sabino got hurt last year. If you were not paying attention, it was a meaningless loss at the time. Not so important until you understand that Coach Montano always goes deep into his bench. But RBC never recovered last year after the minor Sabino lost. There chemistry would never be the same. Their team rotations got funky and they had a total collapse at the end of the season, they would soon like to forget. This year RBC knew things would be different. They returned their main players and were ranked nationally mostly based on reputation not performance.
This year RBC had a chance to prove they were real and deserving of all their preseason accolades. While most thought there nationally ranking was undeserved, RBC fully expected those who didn’t believe would eat their words…then Saturday vs SJV happened and RBC went into survival mode. Sometimes the real becomes the unreal. Like when your star point guard Sophia Sabino has to miss 2 weeks of practice due to covid. Then when she returns your best player Justine Pissott, disappears for 2 weeks due to covid. Then your power 5 center has blood sugar problems in the biggest game of the year vs SJV. It appeared RBC was looking at repeat from a year ago. They were in position nobody could possibly imagined. It’s why RBC is not concerned these days with ranking or what others think these days… that’s because they are in full out survival mode. Tonight they found a way to the light and to live another day. With a win over RFH 55-38!
RFH had to think they were in the driver’s seat going into today’s RBC vs. RFH game. Yesterday RBC Ally Carman got sick before yesterday game and so the game was cancelled due to protocol reasons These days when anyone gets sick it…it’s COVID. Well it was not covid and tonight the two state ranked teams played. RFH had to know that Marlboro could replace them in the Top 20 and RBC had to know their Top 8 SCT seeding was on the line. Both teams were playing for the their lives for different reasons. RFH believed they could beat RFH and cement a top 4 seed in the SCT and RBC was just hoping to live to fight another day. Both teams were counting on their stars to lead to the way. But it’s funny how things work out sometimes.
RBC is loaded with stars but tonight two transfers led the way for RBC. Lucy Alberici has logged more minutes than any player on the RBC roster this year. She not going to a fancy school next year or have the name recognition of her star teammates. But she has won the confident of the person who matters most Coach Joe Montano. Tonight Lucy Alberici was as good as it get. First she played lockdown defense on FIRST TEAM ALL SHORE LOCK… GRACE MUNT. Then Coach Montano ran his offense though the transfer who delivered with sweet post passes to Ally Carman who had 11 points and then found time to score 14 points… she was sensational as she has been all year for RBC. Wait she has been RBC’s best player this season and it couldn’t have come at a better time than tonight.
Molly Kelly transferred from RFH to RBC and she may not admit it. But tonight was sweet. Let me say that a different way… it was sweeter than candy. That’s because Molly Kelly did something no RBC guard has been able to do this season. … take care of the ball and find center Ally Carman in the post. She established Carman in the post without killing her own output. She also scored from the point guard position, something RBC desperately needs. . She also found time to join her fellow transfer Lucy Alberici in turning the lights out on the RFH guards. Tonight was vindication for Molly Kelly who played very little for RFH last year. Tonight she showed RFH, she has real value with a stellar performance with 12 points and too many dimes to count. She proved she just may not be the point guard of the future but the point guard of today. RFH’s lost was RBC’S found gold!
Tomorrow they will run it back again on the RFH court. Not much will change except the court. It will be another war and the stakes will be just as high. Except this time around, RFH may not be thinking about the RBC stars who they don’t fear but rather the players with no reputations who are keeping the RBC hopes alive this season….the TRANSFERS. The two players who right now are the difference for RBC in this battle of survival.