By Jim Hintelmann
RUMSON – After losing its opening game to Manasquan, there may have been a few doubts for Rumson-Fair Haven Regional’s boy’s basketball team, but it put any fears to rest with an impressive performance in the Bulldawg Holiday Classic.
Rumson rolled to its second straight championship with a 73-48 rout of Ocean Township in a rematch of last year’s finals, and appear ready to make a run in the A Division Central.
“We bounced back from the Manasquan loss,” said Rumson coach Chris Champeau. “We played very well tonight.
“It’s nice to have a big win like this in front of our crowd,” Champeau said. “It was a battle in the first half because Ocean is a good team.”
Rumson was in control for all but a 3-minute stretch in the first half when Ocean scored 11 straight points to take a brief lead.
Rumson raced out to a 16-8 first quarter lead as Thomas Famulary led the way with six points.
Ocean then made its only offensive surge of the game with its 11-0 run. It scored the last seven points of the first quarter, all of them by Erik Rant, and added the first four points of the second period on baskets by Scott Bradley and Taj Shomo to move in front, 19-17.
Two foul shots by Jack Luby and a drive from Alex Geiger put Rumson ahead again, but Ocean regained the lead to 22-20 on Shomo’s three-pointer.
Ocean tied it one more time at 23-23 on a free throw by Ru’Quan Dean, but then Rumson went on a 23-1 tear, 13 of them by Brendan Barry, to take full control of the game. Rumson reserves played much of the final quarter.
“Shomo is a good player for them,” said Champeau. “He scored 25 points the night before and we had to keep him away from the basket. Things opened up for us in the second half and we played better defense.”
Barry, the Shore’s leading three-point goal shooter last year with 90, scored 25 points for the Bulldogs and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
“We really moved the ball well and hit our foul shots,” said Barry. “I practice a lot on my three point shots and my dad also helped me out.”
