Spartans have a new reality for 2025

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.

During a break in the action during the game with Southern Regional, Michael Lazur, head coach at Ocean Township, draws up a play for his Spartans.

The lady Spartans varsity basketball team at Ocean Township High School are facing a new reality for the 2024-2025 season. Over the last two seasons the team has a 47-12 record and were back-to-back divisional champions and lost in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 3 finals to Ewing High School twice. During that same time period, the Spartans put up 3,115 points. However, this season they have lost 98% of their scorers to graduation and a transfer.

Head Coach Michael Lazur had hoped that one of the stars of the team over the last few years would be returning to help with his young squad this year, but that player decided to transfer and play for Manasquan High School.

Ocean Township started the 2024-2025 season with a home game on December 17, where they hosted Southern Regional. It was not a great start for the Spartans as they were outscored 15-1 in the first quarter and 11-2 in the second. During the second half, the game had settled down and Southern outscored Ocean 8-4 in the third quarter and 7-6 in the final. Ocean lost the game 41-13.

Three Spartans scored in that game. Emma Bruke had seven points, Brooke-Lynn Riley had four and Ava Chebooklian finished with two points. One of the biggest issues for Ocean in this first game was turnovers. They gave Southern Regional far too many opportunities with those turnovers.

Two days later, Ocean was at Toms River North for game two of the season. It was another non-divisional Shore Conference Game. However, this game the Spartans were much more composed in the first quarter, where TRN had only outscored them 10-8. In the second quarter, Ocean has some issues finding the hoop as they were bested 9-3, and went into the halftime break down 19-11.

In the second half, Toms River North outscored Ocean 29-15 and took the 48-26 victory. Again, Ocean had only three players scoring. Burke had 18 points, Chebookjian finished with six and Rosabella Salvatore had two.

Ocean will be playing at an in a season tournament at Shore Regional starting on December 21, against Raritan with a 5:00 p.m. start. They return to Ocean on January 4, where they will host Wall Township.

This season the Spartans are in the A North division of the Shore Conference. Divisional opponents are Colts Neck, Marlboro, Ranney, Shore Regional and Trinity Hall.

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