Bryan Antoine led the offense with 21 points but it was Ranney's defense that paved the way to the Tournament of Champions after a 56-50 win over Roselle Catholic.
Scottie Lewis fouled out after another stellar performance in a big game but Ranney found a way to claw past Wildwood Catholic for their second straight South Non-Public B title.
TINTON FALLS - Four years ago, the talk was all about the future for a special group of eighth-graders who were eager to transform Ranney from a basketball backwater into a national power.
Buzz about capturing Shore Conference and state titles, maybe even winning the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions, was all just a far-off dream back then...
Ranney's big three of Scottie Lewis, Bryan Antoine and Ahmadu Sarnor carried the Panthers past Manasquan for the program's second straight Shore Conference Tournament title.
Bryan Antoine led five Ranney players in double-figures with 20 points and the defending champs coasted past No. 4 Freehold Township and into the SCT title game at Monmouth for the second straight year.
Bryan Antoine bounced back from an off-game on Sunday with 25 points and Ranney raced past Roselle Catholic, the top-ranked team in the state, at Wednesday's Shore Challenge.
Three McDonald's Americans will be on the floor for Wednesday night's main event at the Shore Challenge, pitting nationally-ranked Ranney vs. Roselle Catholic.
Scottie Lewis starred on both ends of the floor and Bryan Antoine continued his climb to Shore Conference scoring supremacy during Ranney's impressive, 73-63, win over Federal Way at the Hoophall Classic.
Bryan Antoine and Scottie Lewis combined for 54 points and Phillip Wheeler made his Ranney debut, but the Panthers' 10-game winning streak ended with a 79-75 loss to MacDuffie.