By Jimmy Allinder
Before this season began, no one expected the South River High School girls’ basketball team to win like it had in recent seasons.
Yet, playing a more difficult schedule in their inaugural season as members of the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Blue Division, the Rams won the title.
“I am incredibly proud of our girls capturing the Blue,” head coach Mike Feaster said. “We lost our all-time leading scorer (Gabrielle Harris) and moved up in competition big-time. We weren’t favorites, but the girls played with toughness and answered every challenge on a nightly basis.”
The overall record was 18-7, but the 12-2 division record points to South River’s consistency. Games were tighter than last year, when the Rams were members of the GMC’s smallest school Gold Division, but they rose to the occasion when the pressure was on in most contests.
Credit three seniors for that. Aleah Bass was rock-solid in the pivot, averaging 12.5 points and 10.2 rebounds. Halfway through the campaign, she became the Rams’ most recent player to top 1,000 points for her career.
Mackenzie Garrick (8.9 points per game) played the best basketball of her career when it was most needed: down the stretch with the Blue Division title on the line.
“We would have had no chance of winning without her,” Feaster said.
Victoria Gil’s name was never listed among the Rams’ top scorers, but she played with heart and determination, which made her a great leader.
Complementing the trio was sophomore all-division guard Tara Beachem (10.6 points per game) — the key offensive and floor leader — and junior forwards Sonia and Sera Guiste.
“Tara, Sonia and Sera are our returning starters, but we’re going to need some freshman to step up if we are going to continue to win like we have in the past,” Feaster said.
South River was eliminated a week ago in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group II tournament by Delaware Valley Regional High School, 56-43.
In other state tournament games involving area girls’ teams, East Brunswick High School (13-12 overall, 8-6 Red Division) won its first-round game in Central Jersey, Group IV, defeating Colts Neck High School, 53-45. However, the Bears were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Middletown High School South, 54-37.
Monroe Township High School (9-18 overall, 7-7 Red Division) was eliminated in the same bracket in the first round by Middletown High School North, 61-43, and Spotswood High School (15-11 overall, 10-4 Blue Division) was eliminated in the opening round of Central Jersey, Group III by Newark Technical High School, 51-16.
All boys’ teams were eliminated last week. East Brunswick (14-13 overall, 3-8 Red Division) won its first-round game in Central Jersey, Group IV over South Brunswick High School, 53-42, but lost in the quarterfinals to Old Bridge High School, 38-36.
Spotswood (7-20 overall, 1-8 Blue Division) dropped a 69-62 first-round decision to Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School in Central Jersey, Group II ,and South River, although it did not qualify for the state tournament, finished 13-13 overall and 8-11 in the Blue Division.