PISCATAWAY, N.J. — As the minutes and seconds started fading at the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions final on Sunday evening, Ranney had already seized control, but Bergen Catholic had already proven itself a worthy adversary.
Every shot, every play, every moment felt like it could swing momentum for good. That is how much of a high level second half these two state champions played. The Crusaders, armed with more legitimate size than most anyone else in the state, may have had an 11-point lead early in the third quarter, but it was established a long time ago that anyone wanting to get by Ranney needs to go the distance.
Outclassed for much of the first half, the Panthers persevered. Bryan Antoine and Scottie Lewis picked up the intensity, Phil Wheeler and Ahmadu Sarnor filled in around them, Alex Klatsky hit a timely 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter. All of that equated to this much-hyped Ranney outfit getting to the apex of high school basketball in New Jersey, defeating Bergen Catholic, 67-63, for the program’s first TOC crown.
Ranney (31-3) is the first Shore Conference team to win New Jersey’s final game. Neptune’s vaunted 2002 team is the only other Shore team to advance to a TOC final, where it fell to now-defunct St. Anthony of Jersey City.
“The interesting thing about the last four years is, you have folks from South Jersey who don’t think we’re that good because we’re a Central Jersey team, and historically, we (the Shore Conference) haven’t had a lot of success in the Tournament of Champions,” said Ranney head coach Tahj Holden, who presided over 103 wins over the last four seasons. “You have North Jersey, who thinks we’re South Jersey and not very good.
