Yesterday two teans got into a slugfest. Two teams refused to surrender. But in the end only one team was left standing. RBC and St. ROSE gave Shore fans one of the most exciting and drama filled games of the season. Yet in the end it was RBC that was left standing.
St. ROSE’S identity is defense, that smothers teams. RBC”s is their two units which wear teams down. Yesterday both teams lost there identity and then found it, all in one night in the first half. When Joe Montano went to his babies with 2 mins left in the first quarter. His babies were acting up right out the gate. They jumped all over St. Rose. When Addy Nyemchek scored at the buzzer to end the first quarter RBC was rolling
END OF FIRST QUARTER
RBC 16
St. ROSE 8
By the time JOE MONTANO took his babies out in the 2nd quarter with 7 mins left. The RBC babies had ripped the St. Rose defense apart in 3 mins total minutes to give St Rose a 22-12 lead. Joe Montano is loyal to a fault some believe to is first unit. Because once this unit came back on the floor. St Rose, saw blood in the water and turned up the heat. The pressured the ball, got in passing lanes and limited. St Rose to one shot. The best defense in the state had returned. They gave RBC a defensive clinic. Cracking Rosie Scognamiglio and Cassidy KRUESI went to work on the talented RBC guards . They threw both Christina Liggio and Casey Prior into a deep freeze. Holding Casey Prior to two points and Christina Liggio to zero points and multiple turnovers. But that was not all.
Meanwhile ROSIE SCOGNAMIGLIO was on fire in the first half. She tortured the RBC guards. She drained 3 bombs and did it all for St. Rose. But she was not alone. Julia Whesper was wrecking havoc in the lane, picking up charges and just being the best pest St. Rose could dream of. And what about the the RBC 5 in and 5 out rotation? Well that had gone the way of the DOO DOO bird. Nobody wanted to see it. RBC went into full panick mode. They started mixing and matching there rotation. They had lost there idenity. They also watched as St. Rose went on a 20-2 run and take a 7 point halftime lead. St Rose was in full control…well at least that’s what they thought!
HALFTIME
ST. ROSE 30
RBC 23
There is loyalty and then there is blind faith. Coach Montano is loyal but not at the expense of giving up the #2 seed. He started the 3rd quarter with his 1st unit. And Julie Whesper made RBC pay right out the gate for such indiscretions by going cookies for a quick two points. Then St Rose started picking on Emma Carman. Before you could blink a eye. RBC was in serious trouble. That’s also when Joe Montano decided this loyalty stuff is for the birds. So he returned his babies back to the floor. And Joe Montano doesn’t just have the best babies in the state. He has “the best baby” in the entire state as well.
ADDY NYEMCHEK, is the apple of every college coach in the country eyes. Last night she showed everyone why. She threw RBC on her back yesterday. She put on a show for the packed gym at St. Rose. She hit every big shot, got every big rebound and made every big pass. Her intangibles and competitive nature were off the charts. All the talk about who the best freshmsn in New Jersey is, well you can kill it in a skillet. That was answered loudly last night Addy “the bad Woman”… because Addy was very naughty last night. She had 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 dimes and 3 blocks. She also was the best defensive player in the gym. The only thing Addy Nyemchek didn’t do was sell the popcorn. She and her fellow babies were wonderful. When she knocked down a three to give RBC a 37-35 lead. St Rose knew they had problems. Addy Nyemchek and the babies had erased the entire ST. ROSE 7 point lead
END OF THE 3RD
37 ALL.
When 4th quarter started Joe Montano was taking no chances. He started all 5 of his babies. First he turned Lola Giordano loose on Crackling Rosie and Giordano, quickly cooled off the hot shooting guard. She also found time to score a “BIG” driving bucket to give RBC a 40- 37 lead. If Addy Nymcheck was Batman, Lola Giordano was Robin. Tessa Liggio, buried big shots and put the St. ROSE defensive pressure on ice with her savvy ball handling and passing. Tessa Liggio keep everyone on there toes the moment the ball hit her hands. When Tessa Liggio was injured on a no call foul and reckess play. She was forced to leave the game. Molly Kelly then returned and found her mojo. She scored on a tough drive to the basket. Then went she took a question hard fall and no call, she jumped up in anger but didn’t take the bait. She keep her cool like great seniors do. For that reason she was around to go ICE ICE BABY and close the game.
Meanwhile Joe Montano made one big change in the 4th. He put Tessa Carman in with his babies. So Tessa Carman put on her superwoman cape. She did everything. Blocking Shots in the lane, posting up, scoring big buckets and going ICE ICE baby on the free throw line late. Here energy on the bench was like her game, breath taking. She was the best team ever!
RBC found there true identity last night and that identity was go with the ones who dance the best. The RBC babies were dancing Queens last night and when the horn blew, it was only fitting that the best baby of all, Addy Nyemchek had just grabbed her 7th rebounder and RBC grabbed the 2nd seed.
FINAL SCORE
RBC 52
ST ROSE 48