Sunday,
January 26, 2014
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
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Rosie Martin came off the bench to score 8 points in a two-minute stretch spanning the third and fourth quarters to spark Ramapo to a 50-31 win over Rutherford in the first round of the Bergen County Tournament on Saturday. |
FRANKLIN LAKES – Coming into this season, Ramapo sophomore guard Rosie Martin was merely happy to be on the varsity roster. If Martin could contribute in any way to her team’s success at any point in the season, she would only consider it an added bonus.
While most of her playing time so far occurred late in games that were already decided, Martin always made sure she was ready mentally in case her number was called. As the Green Raiders watched their comfortable double-digit lead against Rutherford dwindle down to three, head coach Sandy Gordon turned to Martin hoping to find some sort of spark. What she got instead was a burning flame as Martin’s red-hot play over a short stretch Ramapo got back on track.
Martin scored on a driving layup with just seconds remaining in the third quarter and did it again on the opening possession of the fourth quarter. In total, she matched her season-high with eight points with all of them coming in a two-minute span bridging the third and fourth periods. The defense did the rest by limiting Rutherford to just two points in the fourth quarter as 12th seeded Ramapo pulled away for a 50-31 victory on Saturday in the first round of the Bergen County Tournament in Franklin Lakes.
“We’re still looking for the right chemistry and today Rosie gave us a big spark,” said Ramapo head coach Sandy Gordon. “They took the momentum back in the third quarter and Rosie’s basket swung it back in our favor going into the fourth quarter. Our defense in the fourth quarter was great. We know if we play our best that we’ll be in any game and that all starts with our defense.”
Ramapo took a lead in the first minute of the game and led wire-to-wire. Rutherford’s emerging sophomore Jessica Rogers helped keep the Bulldogs within striking distance for most of the first half. Her basket cut the lead three with just over three minutes to go in the half before a spurt gave Ramapo some breathing room.
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Jessica Rogers led Rutherford with 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocked shots. |
In a matter of seconds, Ramapo tripled its lead. After Marina Pappas’ conventional 3-point play, Karlie Brogan followed it up with a deep 3-pointer. Freshman Emily Calabrese then hit a floater just before the halftime buzzer as the Green Raiders grabbed their first double-digit lead of the game, 29-19.
Brogan connected on another long-range bomb to start the second half, but the Bulldogs responded. Jordan DeCesare and Victoria Cahill both hit 3-pointers during a 10-0 run that made it a one-possession game.
Rutherford, the No. 22 seed, had chance to cut into the lead even further or tie it with a 3-pointer when it got the ball back with 40 seconds left in the half. But just seconds later, an unforced error gave possession back to Ramapo with a chance to take the last shot of the quarter. Martin, who had just checked in about a minute earlier, got the ball at the top of the key and knifed her way through the lane for a layup with just seconds left as Ramapo held a five-point lead going into the fourth quarter, 34-29.
“That was a huge momentum shift and we never recovered,” said Rutherford head coach Danica Miller. “It was a turnover that we didn’t need to force at that point and they converted on the other end. We were running out of gas and that pretty much took the energy right out of us. One of the keys to the game was no mental lapses and we had one in a big spot, something which we were trying to avoid. We’ll learn from this experience and it shows our kids how they have to value every possession because one possession here or there might be the difference in the game.”
Martin was just getting started as she scored on another tough drive to the basket. She followed that up with a short jumper and a pair of free-throws to cap a personal 8-0 run that pushed the lead back up to double-digits, where it remained the rest of the game.
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Ramapo's Karlie Brogan finished with game-highs of 15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals |
“I was looking to pass it off, but I saw an opening and I just took a chance,” said Martin about her layup to end the third quarter. “Whether it’s passing the ball to open teammates, playing defense, or scoring, I just want to do whatever my team needs me to do to help us win. We needed to get some points and I had a couple of chances to drive it to the basket.”
While Martin had the most important scoring stretch of the game, it was Brogan who did a little bit of everything for Ramapo (8-3). She finished with game-highs of 15 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five steals. Pappas added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Rogers, a 6-foot forward, led Rutherford (9-3) with 14 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and three blocks.
Ramapo advances to the Round of 16 next week where it will fifth-seeded and last year’s BCT semifinalist Ridgefield Park, a winner over Hasbrouck Heights. It will be a challenge to beat the Scarlets on their home floor, something no team has done since February 2011. With everything to gain and nothing to lose, the Green Raiders are embracing the underdog role and looking forward to the opportunity of pulling the upset.
“As long as we play good defense we feel like we have a chance,” added Martin, who had just 35 points total on the season before scoring 8 in less than two minutes in her first ever county tournament game. “Coach (Gordon) says that if we play hard and we play defense every possession that we have a chance against anyone. Doesn’t matter how we get it done, as long as we’re on the right side of the scoreboard at the end we’ll be happy.”
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