Wyatt Eglinton Manner and Ramapo are heading to the Group 3 state final for the third straight year after a 49-31 win over Colonia at Bloomfield High School.
BLOOMFIELD – The problem is not running the Ramapo defense into screens that force rotational decisions. The issue for opposing offenses is turning those switches in any kind of operational advantage. Ramapo will switch, but it’s not like it hands off an attacking player to a different, more vulnerable defender.
Every Raider can guard every position and even some of the best public school offenses in the state can look lost. Ramapo held high-powered Northern Highlands to just four first half field goals and only 34 total points in the state sectional final on Saturday and tightened the screws even further against Colonia in Wednesday’s Group 3 state semifinal at Bloomfield High School.
The Patriots averaged 66.5 points in the their four state tournament wins that earned them a second straight North 2, Group 3 state sectional title. Against Ramapo, Colonia did not score at all in the first five minutes, mustered only 11 point in the first half and was held scoreless again for the first 5:33 of the third quarter.
“I thought this was as good of a defensive performance as we have had all season. Just proud of the way my guys came out and executed and played with poise like they normally do,” said Nick Vier, who, in three years as Ramapo’s head coach, has a state tournament record of 16-1. “This is a very good Colonia team and I thought we did a great job of containing their main players.”
Ramapo contained everyone in a defensive clinic; a 49-31 victory, its 11th in a row in the state tournament spanning the last two years. The Green Raiders are heading to the Group 3 state final for the third straight year where they will play Freehold, the last team standing in the way of a second straight championship.
Sophomore Aiden Derkack and Colonia finished the season with a 22-9 record.
Ramapo’s three senior starters – Peyton Seals, Chris Cervino and Wyatt Eglinton Manner – have played right around 100 varsity games together over the past four seasons, a rarity in high school hoops, and that is just the start of their shared history together.
“One hundred games and we are just talking about high school. These kids grew up playing together and I think that is the unique thing about this group that you don’t get at a catholic school or even a lot of other public schools,” said Vier. “These kids have playing together dating back to grammar school and middle school. These guys have developed that relationship and it shows on the floor.”
A little bit of talent does not hurt either and any one can step up for Ramapo at any time and that is not exclusive to the ‘Big 3.’ With Colonia hanging in there through a tight first half when points were at a premium, all five of Ramapo’s starters scored in the second quarter and they closed the period in style with Seals finding Cervino with a drive-and-kick assist for a wide open look at a 3. Cervino buried it just before the horn and Ramapo held a 20-11 advantage at the half.
Ramapo then opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run that pretty much wrapped up the festivities. Junior Ryan Goldman scored five straight points in that spurt on a 3-pointer and an open jumper from the foul line as he continues his emergence as a reliable big game contributor.
“It’s been fun. I played with these guys in the fall and in the summer and they have just welcomed me into it. Just playing with them so much I have started to get more and more comfortable,” said Goldman. “The biggest thing is the ‘next play’ mentality. Nobody ever loses confidence in themselves or each other.”
Peyton Seals and Ramapo will play Freehold in the Group 3 state final on Sunday in Toms River.
Ramapo held Colonia (22-9) scoreless in the second half until Nygel Hill scored off an assist from Jaiden Jones with 2:27 left in the third period. That bucket made it 29-13 and Ramapo led 32-15 heading into the fourth quarter. Colonia never got within double figures in the final period.
The Patriots were led by Jones and Matthew McSorley, who each scored 8 points, while Aiden Derkack added 6. Goldman, Cervino and Eglinton Manner all scored 12 points to lead Ramapo (24-8). Seals finished with 8. The Raiders were a blistering 14 of 16 from the free throw line in fourth quarter and 19-for-24 in the game. Goldman went 7 of 8 in the game and 6 for 6 from the line in the final period. Junior Charlie Wingfield scored all of his points from the line going 5 of 6 in the game.
So now it is on to the Group 3 final for the third straight year where the journey will end one way or another in the final boys basketball game to be played this season. The Freehold game is set for Sunday night in Toms River with a 6:30 tip.
“I can’t say that it has really sunk in right now, but I am excited and proud of my guys. We are looking forward to going back there and hopefully bringing home one more.” said Vier, whose team smoked Nottingham in last season’s final when it was played at Rutgers. “This was the ultimate goal since winning it last year. To get back is super sweet. I know a lot of people expected this, but it is not easy to get back to this position. I just credit these guys for staying focused, taking it one game at a time and it is fitting that we are going back to the final.”
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