By Shore Sports Network contributor Ryan Gaydos

LITTLE SILVER - Hosting its first Shore Conference Tournament game in six years,  11th-seeded Red Bank was able to continue is turnaround season on Tuesday night by defeating No. 22 Colts Neck, 70-67, in a nail-biter that came down to the final play.

After being held to six points through the first three quarters, sophomore Sadiq Palmer was able to find his stride in the fourth, scoring 13 of his 19 in the final period and making a key defensive play to give the Buccaneers what they needed to push past the Cougars. Red Bank will travel to face Class B North rival Long Branch, the No. 6 seed, for the third time this season on the road Thursday in the Round of 16.

“Sometimes, he’s such a good athlete that I think he could just coast through it,” Red Bank head coach Scott Martin said of Palmer’s slow start. “I think [the Cougars] were taking it to him early. Luckily, Jesse Mack, a senior gave us a big lift in that first half.”

Mack had four points in the first half and was doing a good job grabbing rebounds. He finished the night with four points and nine rebounds off the bench to help hold the fort until Palmer finished strong. Palmer also had 12 rebounds, and forward Eddie Hendrex added eight points and 10 boards in the win.

“I asked [Palmer] if you could give us a little bit more of what you usually give us, and he went back out there in the second half and did those things; driving hard to the basket, keeping possessions alive on the offensive glass and hitting some shots,'' Martin said.

Palmer's defensive abilities also came up big time in the final seconds of the game. With the Cougars inbounding, the ball came to steady shooter Chris O’Reilly, a junior guard. O’Reilly pumped once and then went to put up a high, desperation 3-pointer to try to tie the game in front of the Colts Neck bench. Palmer blocked the shot, giving the Bucs the win.

Red Bank’s defense was able to hold strong when it mattered most, as Colts Neck started to heat up toward the end of the game between O’Reilly and sophomore Lloyd Daniels. O’Reilly finished with a game-high 26 points while Daniels added 15 points.

The game was tight throughout, as Red Bank led 32-30 at the break and 47-46 after three quarters. The Bucs went on an 8-2 run to start the fourth quarter to get some breathing room before O'Reilly and Daniels helped rally Colts Neck.

The victory continued the swift turnaround by Red Bank, which only won four games last season while enduring the sudden death of senior Albert Martin, who collapsed in a preseason scrimmage.

“It is not so much the time period between now and 2008, it is the time period between last December and now,” Martin said. “I told these guys even before the game we deserve this. I want these three seniors, for what they had to go through last year, to get this done this year. It feels real gratifying. I know they’re happy, and I’m happy.”

 

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