Dawgs runaway with win over Wave

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.

Getting ready to pull up for a jumper is Kevin Harrell (13) a junior at Long Branch High School.

Well, 2024, didn’t start off as well as Darnell Tyler and his Long Branch High School basketball team had hoped for. The Green Wave hosted the Bulldogs of Rumson-Fair Haven on January 2, who dominated the game taking the 68-31 victory. The “Dawgs” as they are known as, improved to 6-1 on the season, while host Long Branch is still winless this season.

During the opening eight minutes of the game, Rumson-Fair Haven outscored Long Branch 21-4. Six different players scored for the Dawgs, with Luke Cruz getting five of his game-high nine points. Of the 68 points scored by Rumson-Fair Haven, 12 different players scored in the victory. Leading all of them in points was Nick Rigby with 14.

In the first quarter only senior Peter Da’Cruz found the basket for the Green Wave.. In the second quarter, Long Branch scored nine points, with Da’Cruz having five of those. Joseph Corley and Havier Gonzalez, both juniors, each had two points.

Leading the Dawgs in the second quarter was Rigby, Cruz and Andrew Goodes each with five points. Leo Passalaqua, Andrew Cavise each had three points, while David Carr and Sean Yablonski had two points each. Going into the halftime break, Rumson-Fair Haven had a 46-13 lead.

Both teams had height, speed and ball handlers. However, Long Branch turned the ball over much more frequently than Rumson-Fair Haven. The Bulldogs took advantage of that and pressured the Green Wave with full and half court traps, causing turnovers and quick points for the Dawgs.

Coach Chris Champeau, also known as “Shemp”, rotated many players in and out during the second half for the Bulldogs. After three quarters of action, RFH had a 59-27 lead. Rigby was the only player in double digits for the winners, Cruz finished with nine, Carr had eight, Goodes scored seven and Passalaqua ended up with six as did Andrew Cavise.

Rumson-Fair Haven plays in the B North division of the Shore Conference, which currently has Red Bank Regional on top at 7-1. With the win over Long Branch, the Bulldogs are now 6-1, with their only loss, 47-45 to CBA occurred on December 18, 2023.

Leading the Green Wave in scoring was Da’Cruz with 11 points. He just missed a double-double, as he pulled down eight rebounds, and had two blocks. Corley and Jermandy Rosado each scored six points, Corley had five rebounds. Jahki Willis had four points and Kevin Harrell and Gonzalez both had two points in the loss.

Long Branch is winless at 0-6 and they play in the A Coastal division of the Shore Conference. That division is led by St. John Vianney, Holmdel, Freehold Borough, Matawan, Long Branch and then Raritan.

January 5, the Green Wave will host Wall Township at 5:00 p.m., and then on January 8, Monmouth Regional will be at the High School for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.

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