Round Two: No. 2 SJV gets measure of revenge with 61-52 win over No. 1 RBC
RED BANK – The biggest rivalry in New Jersey girls high school basketball continued on Thursday night as St. John Vianney, ranked second in the Shore Sports Insider Top 10 defeated first-ranked Red Bank Catholic, 61-52, in the second matchup between the two titan programs.
Senior guard Madison Kocis got off to a blazing start to help the Lancers build an 18-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. Kocis scored 10 of her game-high 27 points in the first quarter. The senior, who is committed to the University of Pennsylvania, drained seven three-pointers on her way to a new career-high in points.
“The first game early in the season was tough,” Madison Kocis said. “We have younger kids and players who are taking on bigger roles this year. I think my teammates did a good job knowing what they were supposed to do and knowing their assignments. I tried to answer as best I could on RBC’s runs because they are a good team.”
SJV’s Madison Kocis driving to the basket in the first matchup between the teams earlier this season (Photo by Patrick Olivero)
“She [Kocis] really was timely tonight letting the game come to her,” SJV head coach Dawn Karpell said. “We chatted about that throughout the year and she has really grown into letting things develop. We have so many post players that can free her up so just let it develop and take your time and play off it.”
RBC was able to battle back at the end of the first quarter through the start of the second quarter but could not get closer than five points. The Lancers went into intermission with a 26-17 lead.
In the second half, SJV was able to build a 17 point lead and cause RBC head coach Joe Montano to use two timeouts in just over a three minute span with 2:59 left to go in the third quarter.
Each time the Caseys made a run the Lancers responded with a three pointer from the likes of Kocis, Stella Lockhart, Charlotte Bradley or Gianna Sano. The Lancers knocked down a highly efficient 10-of-16 three-pointers in the game.
RBC made one final run in the fourth quarter after going down 51-33. Nyemchek scored 11 of her team-high 25 points in the final quarter and helped RBC get the game back to single digits, but the Caseys could not get any closer than seven points.
RBC’s Addy Nyemchek drives to the basket against SJV’s Madison Kocis in the first matchup between the teams earlier this season (Photo by Patrick Olivero)
One major difference from the first time the two teams played was the return of Bradley who missed the first part of this season recovering from a knee injury. Bradley provided a spark off the bench for SJV with her energy and senior leadership.
“I have been craving to get back out there,” Bradley said. “Especially in moments like this, RBC is a phenomenal team, clearly, but I knew we had all the pieces and it was just a matter of putting it together.”
With the win, the Lancers (13-2, 5-1) not only moved into a tie for first place in Class A North, but also snapped a four game losing streak against the Caseys (13-2, 5-1) dating back to last season.
The two rivals could potentially face off two more times this season as they are the likely favorites to secure the top two seeds in the Shore Conference Tournament where they would both be heavily favored to make it to the championship game. The rivalry could then culminate in the South Jersey Non-Public A playoffs, a loaded section which also features defending sectional champion Paul VI, who is currently undefeated.
