Sports
Ocean City Girls Win by 34 Points in Basketball Playoff Opener
Emily Gillian scores 15 points to lead the Red Raiders over Pinelands on Tuesday. Ocean City keeps home-court advantage for its next playoff game on Thursday.
The Ocean City High School girls' basketball team was never threatened on Tuesday night.
The Red Raiders, who are the No. 4 seed, were balanced, efficient and dominating in disposing of No. 13 seed Pinelands, 58-24, in the opening round of the NJSIAA Group III South playoffs.
Ocean City dismantled the visitors with ball movement on offense and a tenacious attack on defense on their home court at the Dixie Howell Gymnasium.
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Ocean City advances to the sectional quarterfinals on Thursday, when it hosts No. 5 seed Seneca, which defeated No. 12 Highland, 69-33, in its opener.
It was the Red Raiders' fourth straight win.
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"I thought we played really well," said Ocean City guard Emily Gillian, who led the team with 15 points. "We executed and took what they gave us. We played really well. I heard they were a pretty good team, and we did what we had to do and it paid off for us."
It was apparent early that the Wildcats were going to pack in their defense against Ocean City center Julia Duggan, the team's leading scorer and rebounder.
The Ocean City sophomore still scored 12 points, but several of her teammates were able to contribute on the offensive end.
Reilly Larkin added nine points, and Emily Duggan, Natalie Landi and Katie Johnson each scored six points.
"They were really watching Julia a lot, and I thought we shot the ball real well," Ocean City coach Paul Baruffi said. "That's what we need to do. If they are going to converge like that, we have to take good shots."
Ocean City jumped out to an 8-0 lead, and Pinelands didn't get on the scoreboard until Miaja Coursey hit a shot 4:48 into the game.
The Red Raiders took a 22-9 lead into halftime, and put the game away with a 12-0 run in the third quarter for a 34-13 lead. Gillian hit back-to-back three-pointers during the run, and Julia Duggan made two baskets. Larkin's baseline jumper capped the spurt.
"You always want to get off to a good start," Baruffi said. "I told them, 'Let's take care of this game, because if you don't there won't be another game.' "
