RFH Boy's Basketball Bulldogs Move into the 2nd Round by Removing the Spots

On the heels of a week-and-a-half stretch in which they played five games, the Rumson-Fair Haven Bulldogs mustered enough tenacity and defense to overcome a physically tough Spotswood basketball squad.

After jumping out to a 6-1 lead in a fast-paced opening two minutes, the Chargers from Spotswood couldn’t manage to hold off the Bulldogs. RFH quickly got it together, taking the lead 8-6, three and a half minutes into the opening quarter.  The Chargers did manage to tie it up at eight apiece with three minutes left, but then Rumson-Fair Haven went on a 7-2 run featuring an NBA distance three pointer by Kevin ‘Pookie’ Alter.  The first quarter ended with the dogs leading 17-10, and they would end up winning the contest, Bulldogs 57, Chargers 47.

The closest the Chargers came after their brief, opening minutes lead would be after a 6-0 run late in the second period, knotting the score up at 29 apiece.  But with under three seconds to go in the half, Alter fed it to one of his ‘Four Jacks,’ #34 Jack Wise, who tossed it in from behind the three point arc to send the dogs into the locker room up at the half, 32-29.

The second half began with a tight first five minutes, and with three and change left in the third the Chargers trailed by only two, 38-36.  That would be the closest they would come for the remainder of the game, and when the buzzer sounded ending the third quarter, the Chargers found themselves down by seven, the score 47-40.

The last quarter opened with both teams scratching and clawing, no buckets for either for two-plus minutes until Spotswood finally hit a jump shot making it 47-42.  That would be all the dog defense would surrender for a while as they proceeded to tally up five straight points, two foul shots by Wise, followed by a Donnelly three.

The Bulldog lead was ten again with the clock showing only 3:37, and it seemed like the dogs had it wrapped up.  But Spotswood once again proved they came to play and ran off five straight to close the gap to five with almost two minutes left in the game.

But the dogs answered with a tough defensive last stand, holding the Chargers scoreless for the remainder of the game while Donnelly provided the final five daggers from the free-throw line, hitting five of six in the final minute and a half.

“Perseverance,” was the word Rumson-Fair Haven Head Coach Chris ‘Shempy’ Champeau used when asked about his team’s key to victory.

“These kids were mentally exhausted,” Coach Shempy continued.  “Coming off that tough loss in the Shore Conference final Friday night, and when those other guys started hitting ‘Pookie distance’ threes it got frustrating, but they responded by staying tough and physical.  They gutted it out.”

And the Bulldogs better continue to stay tough: Wednesday night they face Carteret in the second round.  They do play that one on their home floor also, but if they win that one to advance in the State tournament, there’s a solid chance of once again having to face their always challenging Raritan Rockets. 

But don’t ever count the Bulldogs out.  All season long they overcame injury and adversity, with not-a-one expecting them as the #13 seed to even make it to the Shore Conference final where they almost pulled off the upset against the Rockets.