Precious win for MR over OT

The Falcons of Monmouth Regional have a new coach for the girls basketball team for this season. Laura Forbes starts her first season in the position, but she is no stranger to the school. Forbes is an alumnus who was a star player during her career. She was also a member of the Monmouth University Hawks basketball team.

After her career as a player, the Hawks hired Forbes as the Director of Basketball Operations at Monmouth University. Her knowledge of the game and her youth has been a huge positive as she attempts to turn around a program that finished 10-14 last year.

Michael Lazur is in his fourth season as the Spartans head coach. He is also dealing with some issues as the Spartans have only one senior on its roster. His team finished 5-20 last year, and he is without three key players this season. Two chose not to play hoops and one was sick and unable to play. So it’s fair to say that both teams are in transition. On January 12, when the two teams meet at Ocean, the Spartans had a great first quarter start taking a 16-10 lead. Morgan Bartlett scored six of her game-high 10 for the Spartans in that opening quarter.

It was in the second and third quarters where the Falcons took control of the game and secured their victory. Precious Allah, senior guard at Monmouth Regional scored eight of her game-high 15 in the second quarter, as her team outscored Ocean 15-8. Going into the halftime break Monmouth had a slight 25-24 lead. In the second half the Falcons outscored the Spartans 6-3 in the third and 7-6 in the fourth quarter. Allah not only had 15 points, she also pulled down seven rebounds, had three steals and two assists. Senior Marisa Santoro finished with nine points and junior Charlotte Gage had six.

Leading the Spartans in scoring was Bartlett with her 10 points. She also had eight rebounds, three steals and two assists. Sarah Dente scored nine points and three rebounds, while Bette Bradley finished with eight points and 10 rebounds.

The B North division of the Shore Conference has Manasquan on top with a 5-0 divisional record followed by Red Bank Catholic at 5-1, Middletown North 3-2, Monmouth Regional 3-3, Wall 3-3, Middletown South 2-3, Long Branch 2-4 and Ocean at 0-7.

Bette Bradley (22) of Ocean Township scored eight points and pulled down 10 rebounds during the 38-33 loss to Monmouth Regional.

Leading the Spartans of Ocean in scoring was Morgan Bartlett (23) who had 10 points and eight rebounds during game against Monmouth Regional.

Sophia Penn (33) a junior at Monmouth Regional pulls down an offensive rebound and then goes back up for two.