Absegami High School Boys' Basketball Team Fights, but Falls to Atlantic City in Playoffs

Absegami High School's lead in the second half lasted for a minute, but when Lamar Monroe soared to the basket and made a layup with three seconds left to force overtime, there wasn't a Brave who didn't think they would end the night victorious.

The Braves boys' basketball team had the momentum and the confidence.
However, the hometown Vikings, the No. 5 seed, answered with big shot after big shot like they did all night.

Atlantic City, the No. 5 seed, dominated the last two minutes of overtime
en route to a 65-59 win over the No. 12 Braves in the first round of the NJSIAA Group IV South playoffs on Tuesday night, Feb. 28.

Including the regular season, it was the third time this season the Vikings
topped the Braves, but Absegami made them work for it every second of the game.

"I couldn't ask for any more than leaving our hearts out on the floor," Monroe said. "It's a shame it had to end like that. We had it. We kept fighting back. We kept believing in each other."

"We didn't get the win on the scoreboard, but we got the win in the heart," Absegami coach Mike Bult said.

Absegami's Richie Sandoval, who scored 15 points, opened overtime with a
basket to give the Braves a 55-53 lead, but the Vikings eventually took the
lead and pulled away with a 10-2 run.

Atlantic City's Dayshawn Reynolds, who finished with 19 points, scored five
points in overtime, including a key 3-pointer. The Vikings were also 5-for-6 from the foul line in overtime.

The Vikings made six shots from beyond the arc and it seems like every one of them came at key moments. Atlantic City registered 3-pointers with three seconds left in the first quarter and 30 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Atlantic City's Isaiah Graves hit from long distance with 53 seconds in the
third quarter to give the Vikings a six-point lead heading into the fourth
quarter.

"They shot the ball amazingly," Monroe said. "That's what killed us. We couldn't get out on shooters and they knocked them down."

It took 4:29 for either team to score in the fourth but a free throw by Daryl Loveland and a layup by Monroe cut the Vikings lead to three with 2:57 left in regulation.

With 1:22 remaining Atlantic City's Ahmad McKinley was called for a line
violation on a made foul shot. He then missed the basket entirely on the next shot, but a double violation was called, and the possession arrow was in favor of the Vikings.

Atlantic City was fouled on the possession, and made two free throws for a
five-point lead with 1:02 left.

answered with a putback by Loveland and scoop layup by Monroe to make it a one-point game with 13 seconds remaining.

The Vikings' Reynolds made the first of two foul shots, but missed the
second, which Loveland rebounded.

The Braves streaked up the court with Monroe making the tying basket.
Absegami stole the inbounds pass but a desperation shot sailed long and wide.