Boys BasketballMoments after his Pennington School boys basketball squad had defeated Montclair-Kimberly Academy, 48-46, on Feb. 21 at The Hun School in Princeton to capture its second-consecutive Prep B Championship, Red Raider head coach Bernie Gurick stepped into the background to let his guys bask in the moment.
By: Mike Molaro
"I said ‘Yes!’ and then walked away and let the guys celebrate," said Gurick, who earned his third state title in 11 years on the Pennington bench. "This team deserved it. It was great to watch from the side. If any team ever deserved a state championship, these guys did."
With freshman center Ken Love leading the way with a game-high 13 points, the second-seeded Red Raiders (13-12 overall, 10-1 in Prep B) overcame a 15-9 first-quarter deficit to bring home a Prep B title most fans thought was improbable at best.
Junior guard Brian Wynder, the only returning starter, and sophomore guard Muhammad Siddique each contributed nine points and guard James Buchannan, the only senior on the roster, added seven against fourth-seeded MKA (13-9).
"We weren’t hitting our outside shots and our perimeter shooting is one of our strengths," added Gurick. "Ken (Love) helped us by going down low and hitting some key shots. He was a big reason why we won this game.
"He wasn’t getting a lot of playing time early in the season, but he came on for us late in the year. When your 6-3 center is diving on the floor for loose balls, that sets a great example for the rest of the team."
After Siddique hit a key foul shot to make it 48-46 with three seconds remaining, sophomore Joe Persichetti, another of the Red Raiders’ unsung heroes, intercepted Montclair’s inbound pass and sealed Pennington’s second-straight state crown.
"I told the guys before the game not to let your emotions take over the game and that the team that adjusts the best will win," Gurick said. "Montclair-Kimberly improved a great deal from the first time we played them. They are well-coached and they defeated the top seed (Morristown-Beard).
"It goes back to the type of players we have. These guys did not want to lose. James (Buchannan) had the heart of a lion in the tournament. A lot of what he did didn’t show up on the scoreboard or the stat sheet but he did some amazing things.
"We had tough games in the tournament. We beat Solomon Schechter by seven points, Newark Academy by six, and Montclair-Kimberly by two. The guys knew they would have to step it up and they did. People weren’t expecting us to get back to the finals, never mind win it."
Losing four starters to graduation and starting out the season at 1-8, even the eternal optimist Don Quixote wouldn’t have expected to see Pennington in the Prep B championship game.
But these Red Raiders have a heart and soul larger than any windmill Quixote ever faced.
"In terms of the three championships team I have been fortunate enough to coach, this is the most satisfying because of these guys," added Gurick. "These are wonderful guys. This team was extremely hard-working since Nov. 15. They never gave up.
"Getting back to the finals is always our goal, but this year we had to overcome a lot of hurdles to get there. We always tell the guys to learn from your mistakes. This team did exactly that. This championship is an amazing end to the season. This is a great life lesson for the guys."
Even though most felt the Red Raiders would have to wait until next season to make a serious run at the Prep B crown, nobody asked the guys who proudly wear the red and black.
"It all comes down to the character of this team," Gurick said. "The guys believed in themselves. It was difficult when we were 1-8, but they wouldn’t quit. They never lost faith in the coaches, the system, or themselves. They never let down and they never gave up on the season. We didn’t have anybody on this team who didn’t think we couldn’t come back from that 1-8 start and get back to the Prep B finals."
That killer schedule in December paid dividends in February, just in time for the Prep B Tournament. The losses mounted, but the Red Raiders never wavered.
"We play the tough games early and hope that they get you ready for late-February," added Gurick. "Repeating as state champions was not out of the question, but it was a long shot. Let me coach these guys for the rest of my career and I’ll be very happy, win or lose."
Although he wasn’t there to enjoy the second-consecutive state championship, Charlie Schmutz, an assistant coach with Gurick for nine years who passed away before the start of the season, was with the team in spirit.
"There was always an open seat next to me on the bench this season," Gurick said. "It was me, the open seat, and (assistant coach) Sean Fitzpatrick on the bench. We wore a ‘CS’ on our uniforms in his memory. Charlie would’ve loved this team. He preached team ball and always stressed that there are no individuals, just a team.
"Charlie is smiling right now."