Boys Basketball – Ocean Shuts Down Lakewood in SCT Opener

LAKEWOOD - The Ocean Township boys basketball team already beat one traditional power in the Shore Conference this season and in order to advance in the Shore Conference Tournament, the Spartans had to beat another one away from home on Tuesday.

Sophomore Jack Miller scored a game-high 18 points and Ocean - the No. 18 seed in the SCT - went on the road and beat No. 15 Lakewood, 42-38, to advance to the round of 16 Thursday at No. 2 Mater Dei Prep.

PHOTO GALLERY: Ocean at Lakewood by Ray Richardson

Ocean had to settle for the No. 18 seed despite beating Neptune, the fourth-seeded team in the tournament, earlier in the season on a neutral court. The Spartans held the Scarlet Fliers to 29 points on Jan. 6 and turned to their defense on Tuesday against Lakewood, a program that has won the Shore Conference Tournament six times and last won it in 2013.

Senior Andrew Seager added nine points for Ocean and is now just six points shy of 1,000 for his career heading into Thursday's game against Mater Dei. Senior Brian Laustsen also helped the cause with eight points.

Senior Kevin Dent scored 15 points to lead Lakewood, which will get another shot at Ocean in the first round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III playoffs on Feb. 26, this time at Ocean High School.