Cougars fall to host Ridge
By: Bob Nuse
BASKING RIDGE The Montgomery High girls’ basketball team has seen enough good signs in the first five games of the season to realize the can be a pretty good team this year a loss in the championship game of the Len Sepanak Memorial Tournament at Ridge High School not withstanding.
Montgomery, which opened the season with four straight wins, lost for the first time on Tuesday night when it dropped a 57-49 decision to Ridge in the championship game of the Len Sepanak Tournament.
The Cougars, who got down 13-2 early in the game, then caught fire and built a 46-38 lead with just over four minutes to play. But Ridge went on a 19-3 run over the final four minutes to hand Montgomery its first loss of the season.
"We dug a hole early when we came out sluggish and we weren’t aggressive enough on defense," said Montgomery coach Paul Popadiuk, whose team opened the tournament with a 47-42 win over Watchung Hills. "Megan Fox picked up a couple of quick fouls early and we were a little less aggressive than we should have been.
"But I gave them a good talking to after the first quarter and they responded. Megan really helped get us back in the game."
Trailing 18-6 after the first quarter, Montgomery managed to get to within 26-23 by halftime. Then, led by the shooting of freshman guard Ali Tartacoff, the Cougars opened the second half with a 14-3 run to build an eight-point lead.
"Meg is a tough player and she really worked hard inside tonight," said Popadiuk, whose team will host North Warren on Tuesday night. "She helped get us back in the game. And then Ali got hot with her outside shooting and things got rolling for us.
"Then, with three minutes left and a lead, we just didn’t get it done."
Ridge made its foul shots down the stretch and the Cougars turned the ball over against the pressure, allowing the home team to capture the tournament title.
Fox led Montgomery with 21 points, while Tartacoff chipped in with 19 points. Both players were named to the all-tournament team.
In the win over Watchung Hills in the semifinals, Fox led the Cougars with 19 points, while Lindsay Van Houten added nine points.