Red Bank Regional High School has a lofty girls’ basketball goal this winter.
After losing to Warren Hills Regional High School, 50-46, in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 3 tournament semifinals a year ago, the Buccaneers want to win those last two games this year. It’s not an outlandish goal, either.
Red Bank only lost one varsity player from last year’s team, point guard Bridget Tobin. With a 5-3 record, it is also off to a good start to the new season.
“We’re ahead of schedule from where we were last year,” said Red Bank coach John Truhan. “Our goal is still a state title.”
The Buccaneers are not in North Jersey Section 2, Group 3 anymore. They moved to the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 1 section before the season.
To achieve its goal, Red Bank will have prepare for the state tournament by playing in the highly talented Shore Conference.
One of the elite teams in the conference–and in the state as well–is Saint John Vianney High School.
The Bucs got their first crack at the Lancers on Jan. 4 at Saint John Vianney. But alas, the Lancers beat the Bucs, 70-22, in Holmdel.
Red Bank was not able to play its customarily tight defense. Saint John Vianney also slowed down Truhan’s scoring trio of Meghan Murray, Caitlyn Decker and Chloe Teter, holding them to 19 combined points.
“You’re playing the top team in the state so everything is magnified. Every decision. We reacted instead of anticipating. Once we start anticipating, then we’ll be able to win games,” Truhan said. “They are just better than us. Vianney was great and we were not. That’s the bottom line.”
But Red Bank can become great this winter. In its five victories, Truhan’s team has been suffocating on defense. The Buccaneers held all five teams they beat to fewer than 50 points. They limited Ocean Township High School (30 points), Toms River High School East (36) and Brick Township High School (31) to less than 40 points.
The Bucs can also score a lot, dropping 73 in a victory over Wall High School, 73-46, on Dec. 14. Teter (17 points), Murray (16), Decker (15) and Mia Strand (12) all scored in double figures in that game.
That kind of balance, three or four players scoring double digit points, is all Red Bank needs in most contests. Murray, Teter and Decker have proven capable of it on a consistent basis, especially Murray.
She is averaging 15.2 points per game by scoring in multiple ways, shooting (nine three pointers) and getting to the basket (37 made free throws).
“Meghan Murray is really starting to take control and take everybody on her back,” Truhan said. “She’s doing as much as she can.”
Truhan thinks Red Bank’s key to becoming great, to playing with teams like Saint John Vianney, is building more chemistry on offense.
“I don’t think we’re trusting each other as much as we could,” the coach said. “But Saint John Vianney does that to teams. Everybody else is fighting for spots. We’re not at that level.”
Red Bank’s process will continue on Jan. 10 at Matawan Regional High School. Tipoff is set for 5:15 p.m.
Overall, the Bucs have 14 regular season games left to build their chemistry for the postseason. The defense and scoring talent are there. It’s a lot to work with, which is why Truhan is confident.
“We’ll get there,” Truhan said. “It’s a process.”