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February 1, 2021
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February 2, 2021
By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.
January 29, 2021
The 2021 girls’ basketball season started off Friday night in Long Branch with the Green Wave of Long Branch hosting the Caseys of Red Bank Catholic. RBC won 70-19.
Last year Long Branch had one of its best season in decades. They finished 17-6 overall and made it to the Shore Conference winning their first-round game. They also received the fifth seed in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 4 tournament and secured an opening-round win over Old Bridge at home. Because of her success in 2020, Coyle was named Coach of the Year.
“Last season was great, but this is a new year, new players and we are going up against a very good and very big Red Bank Catholic squad,” Coyle said before tipoff. She stated that her Green Wave team will try and do their best, but the Caseys had two juniors who have already secured their college careers. “Ally Carman is 6’5” and Justine Pissott is 6’4”, they are two big players to contend with.”
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Joseph Montano, head coach and Director of Athletics at Red Bank Catholic, stated that his team has size but overall, the team was bigger last year. “Ally is a tremendous player and will be going to Boston College and Justine is also a great player who will be attending the University of Tennessee,” said Montano.
The size and speed of the Caseys was evident in the first quarter as they took a 20-3 lead over the Wave. Carman scored 12 of her game-high 26 in that opening quarter. Lucy Alberici, senior, had a basket and two foul shots while Pissott added two free throws.
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Long Branch has speed but was unable to score a basket in the first quarter. However, Mya Hepburn had two foul shots and Sophia Hepburn made one of two from the line.
Long Branch played their best quarter of the game to close out the first half. In the second quarter Jada Rogers hit two deep three-point shots, Sophia Hepburn had a basket and Alayah Vincint made one of two from the line. During the first half the Wave scored 12 points.
Red Bank Catholic also had a great second quarter. Carman again was top scorer with eight points. The Caseys hit four buckets from three-point range. Pissott, Antonia Panayides, Molly Kelly, and Emma Carman each had three points. Casey Prior also had a bucket, and the Caseys took a 42-12 lead into the halftime break.
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The second half was not good for Long Branch, only scoring two points in the third quarter, a basket by Shay Diaz. In the fourth quarter, the Green Wave had three points by Rogers and two foul shots by Sophia Hepburn.
The third quarter had the highest offensive output for the Caseys as they added 24 points to their total. Carman and Pissott both had six points, Alberici, Kelly, and Prior each had three points, Panayides scored two and Aly Sweeney made one of two foul shots.
In the fourth quarter, the Caseys took their foot off the gas and many of the starters were sitting on the bench. RBC scored only four points to close out the game, Emma Carman had three and Casandra Cavanagh had a foul shot.
Red Bank Catholic opened the season with the 70-19 victory. Ally Carman had 26 points, Pissott scored 11, Panayides and Alberici both had seven, Kelly and Emma Carman finished with six, Prior had five, and Cavanagh and Sweeney had one point each.
Rogers was high scorer for the Green Wave with nine points. Sophia Hepburn finished with five, Diaz and Mya Hepburn each had two and Vincint had a foul shot.
Two days later, the teams played again, this time on the Red Bank Catholic court. The Caseys won the second match-up 77-28 and are 2-0 on the season.
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