A defeat in the final game did not darken what was a bright season for the boys’ basketball team at Bordentown Regional High School.
Bordentown’s season came to a close when the Scotties fell to Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, 64-54, in the quarterfinals of the Central Jersey, Group 2 state sectional tournament on Feb. 27 in Rumson.
Rather than reviewing the loss that night, Bordentown coach John Myers reflected on the positive highlights of the season after the game.
“We played a really hard schedule, and nobody thought this,” Myers said. “I’m real proud of the fact that they got here with a real shot to win.”
Bordentown ended the year with a 14-12 record, but the Scotties captured the Burlington County Scholastic League’s Patriots Division title when they finished with a 7-1 record in the league
Myers praised his team’s performance this year, which he accredited to mounting a list of difficult opponents that included a thrilling overtime victory against Burlington City on Jan. 22, a victory in the final second against Rancocas Valley on Jan. 8 and a dominant league triumph against Medford Tech on Feb. 14.
For Myers, a quarterfinal appearance in the state sectional tournament proved doubters otherwise of the Bordentown team’s anticipated performance this season.
This season capped off Myers’ eighth consecutive year coaching in Bordentown. While Myers reflected on the team’s growth this year, he put his preceding performances into perspective as well.
“There’s never been a Bordentown team that I haven’t been proud of,” he said. “They play as hard as they can all the time. I’m just real proud of the fact that they never gave up.”
While Bordentown will miss senior Christian Burnet, who scored 288 points for an average of 11.4 points a game, the Scotties will welcome back a solid group of players.
Leading the way next season will be the top scorer, Jordan Martin, who finished his junior year with 425 points for an average of 17 points a game. Also returning will be junior Gavin Shiver, who connected on 319 points for a scoring clip of 12.7.
“We basically have everybody coming back next year, so now we focus on getting stronger and better at understanding at what the moment is, and I know they will,” Myers said.
Myers revealed that the team’s growth this season came from playing difficult opponents, so he plans to do the same for next season by putting together another challenging schedule.
“I’m looking for them to expand on this experience because the schedule I made for them [next year] is equally as hard,” he said. “It’s going to be just as tough.”
In the face of a difficult schedule, the Bordentown coach said that the team’s success this season came from their ability to play together.
As Myers anticipates next year’s season to be just as demanding, he remained firm on the sticking to the same objectives this year into next with one triumph to overcome.
“Great growth [this season] was when they share the ball and when they commit, they are as devastating of a team as can be,” he said. “The goal here is [win the] the division, sectionals and state. We’ve won the sectional. We’ve won five divisions in a row, so what’s the next step? We’ve got to figure out how to win these games.”