RUMSON - The Rumson-Fair Haven boys basketball team did not climb into the top 10 seeds of the Shore Conference Tournament in part because of a number of close losses to several teams ranked ahead of the Bulldogs.

While Rumson - the No. 11 seed in the tournament - may not have had much good fortune against the top teams on its schedule, the Bulldogs have been untouchable against everyone else.

The Bulldogs picked up their 17th double-digit win of the season on Tuesday night, this time dismantling No. 22 St. Rose, 72-35, in the opening round of the Shore Conference Tournament - the lone first-round game to avoid postponement due to weather.

Alex Geiger (left), Brendan Barry (3) and Rumson hounded Mike Gowen and St. Rose Tuesday in the SCT opener. (Photo by Mark Brown, B51 Photography)
Alex Geiger (left), Brendan Barry (3) and Rumson hounded Mike Gowen and St. Rose Tuesday in the SCT opener. (Photo by Mark Brown, B51 Photography)
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"This is a tournament setting, and it's sudden death," Rumson coach Chris Champeau said. "We've been on the other side of these things where we thought we were going to smoke some team and next thing you know, we're going home. Our kids know they need to play each possession 100 percent because you only get one shot at this."

Alex Geiger led four Rumson players in double-figure scoring with 13 points, while Brendan Barry and Morgan Maguire each added 12 and Mickey Schluter added 10 off the bench.

Barry is the third-leading scorer in the Shore Conference, but the Bulldogs did not need a typical 20-plus-point scoring outburst from its star guard, who scored 37 points Friday night against St. John Vianney to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career. The junior guard began the game 0-for-3 from the field and did not score until the 2:30 mark of the second quarter, after the Bulldogs were already ahead 28-10.

"Our team can't just be Brendan Barry banging shots," Champeau said. "When we swing the ball and move it around and other guys start hitting shots, we can be very hard to guard.

"Morgan (Maguire) has started to get hot shooting the ball over the last few games, and we have put him in the lineup and gone five-out to spread people out and open up some lanes for our guards, and it's been working because guys are hitting shots."

Barry capped his game with a steal and a dunk, followed by a steal and a basket as he was fouled. After sinking the ensuing free throw, Barry headed to the bench with 2:38 left in the third and the Bulldogs leading 55-17.

Brendan Barry throws down a dunk in the third quarter of Rumson's lopsided win over St. Rose on Tuesday. (Photo by Mark Brown, B51 Photography)
Brendan Barry throws down a dunk in the third quarter of Rumson's lopsided win over St. Rose on Tuesday. (Photo by Mark Brown, B51 Photography)
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Rumson hit 10 three-pointers as a team and shot 9-for-17 from behind the arc over the first three quarters. Alex Geiger hit three triples to lead the Bulldogs, while Maguire and Schluter each added two.

During an 18-4 season, Rumson has won 17 games by at least 10 points, with the only single-digit win coming in an eight-point victory on Saturday against Sayreville. The Bulldogs have also not lost by more than eight points, a margin of defeat that came in an overtime loss at Freehold Township.

Rumson will travel down Ridge Road for the second time this season to play No. 6 Red Bank, this time in the SCT Round of 16 on Thursday. The Bucs won the first meeting on Jan. 31 by a 47-45 score and held Barry to 10 points on 3-for-9 shooting.

"Going back to the locker room after that game, our guys were crushed," Champeau said. "We bounced back, though, and half the guys were saying to me, 'We're praying we see Red Bank in the Shore Conference Tournament.' Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for because sometimes you're get it, and we got them.

"It's a great rivalry and they are one of the few teams that is as athletic as we are. We're going to run up and down, they are going to do what they're going to do, and if we make shots, we can beat anybody."

 

Box Score

Rumson-Fair Haven 72, St. Rose 35

1

2

3

4

F

St. Rose (15-9)

5

7

14

9

35

Rumson-Fair Haven (18-4)

18

18

25

11

72

 

St. Rose (35): Craig Suchecki 0 0-0 0, Nolan Slattery 3 2-2 10, Matt Frost 3 3-4 10, Brendan Hueth 1 0-0 2, Joe Forlenza 0 0-0 0, John Krotulis 0 0-0 0, Mike Gowen 1 0-0 2, Bob Sun 5 0-2 11, Sean Murphy 0 0-0 0, Alex McClean 0 0-0 0, Nick Paterno 0 0-0 0, Patrick Gates 0 0-0 0.

Three-pointers: Slattery 2, Frost, Sun

Rumson-Fair Haven (72): Brendan Barry 4 3-3 12, Jack Luby 2 0-0 5, Morgan Maguire 5 0-0 12, Thomas Famulary 1 3-4 5, Alex Geiger 5 0-0 13, Kenny Ferrare 2 0-0 4, Mickey Schluter 3 2-2 10, Liam McCallister 1 0-0 2, Mike O’Connor 0 0-0 0, Jackson Reid 0 0-0 0, Reid Bedell 0 0-0 0, Matt Healy 0 0-0 0, Henry Silien 1 0-0 2, Tim Morales 2 0-0 4, Conner McCann 1 0-0 3, Colin McDevitt 0 0-0 0, Ruane 0 0-0 0, Pierson 0 0-0 0. Totals: 27 8-9 72

Three-pointers: Barry, Luby, Maguire 2, Geiger 3, Schluter 2, McCann

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