Rumson-Fair Haven Stuns CBA in Shore Conference Tournament Shocker

Photo above: Jubilant Bulldog players hoist the SCT trophy

WEST LONG BRANCH – To quote the late-great baseball announcer Jack Buck’s famous call on the Dodgers Kirk Gibson’s dramatic home run in game one of the 1988 World Series, “I can’t believe what I just saw.”

In arguably the greatest upset in the 78-year history of the Shore Conference Tournament, No.11 seed Rumson Fair Haven upset No.1 seed and heavily favored Christian Brothers Academy 50-24 Friday night for the program’s first ever SCT championship.

“Biggest upset in the history of the Shore Conference,” Bulldog head coach Chris Champeau said. “No one gave us a shot but we never doubted it. I tell them all the time “humble and hungry,” I’m so happy and proud for them.”

Played in front of a jam-packed Monmouth University Multipurpose Activity Center, Bulldogs junior guard Brendan Barry took over the game in the second half after being limited to two points on 1-for-5 shooting in the first half.

Barry - the Shore Conference’s third leading scorer at 23.2 point per game - exploded for 25 of his game-high 27 points - including 3-for-4 three-pointers - and shot 7-for-8 from the floor in the second half to insight a riotous second-half onslaught by the Bulldogs (22-4). As a team Rumson shot an impressive 60 percent from the field.

In one of the all-time great defensive efforts in SCT history, Rumson held CBA (20-5) to one point in the third quarter and five overall in the second half and to the lowest point total in a Shore Conference final since 1938. The Bulldogs suffocating defense forced CBA to shoot 1-for-19 (5.3 percent) from the field in the second half and 10-for-47 (21.3 percent) overall.

“We had a lot of confidence. We knew our defense could keep us in any game, that is what really got us the win today,” Barry said. We just wanted to try and get stops on the defensive end. We knew our offense would come in the second half.”

Senior guards Thomas Famulary and Alex Geiger and senior center Morgan Maguire were sensational in stopping the Colts dynamic duo, Pat Andree and Jack Laffey. Andree was held to seven points while Laffey could only muster two-points in 31 minutes of action. Both players averaged close to 20 points this season.

The first half was even with neither team shooting the ball particularly well. CBA took a 9-6 lead after one and Rumson outscored the Colts 13-10 in the second for a 19-19 tie at the half. Rumson’s nine first-half turnovers prevented Rumson from making any headway and Famulary’s team-high nine first-half points and rebounds kept the Bulldogs from falling behind before he got in foul trouble early in third quarter and went to the bench.

“When Brendan’s not getting it going, Fam (Famulary) is our energizer bunny,” Champeau said. “He keeps us in it; he’s aggressive and has great foot speed. And Geiger hit some big shots for us and played some great defense.”

“It’s the most unbelievable experience of my whole entire life,” Famulary said. “I don’t even know how to put into words. It’s all heart and defense. We knew coming in it was going to take a defensive effort to win and from that point, it was all heart. And that won us the game.”

The Bulldogs were playing in the championship game for just the second time in program history after losing in the 2011 championship game in Champeau’s second year as head coach.

Barry added six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a blocked shot in 32 minutes while Famulary finished with 11 boards and nine points. Freshman center Ellijah McAllister was again a defensive force in the paint off the bench hauling down six rebounds.

Below is a recap of the Bulldogs Cinderella run to the Shore Conference Tournament championship:

The Bulldogs were in-and-out of the bottom half of the Shore Conference top ten most this season and were assigned the No.11 seed in this year’s Shore Conference Tournament. They were matched up against No.22 seed St. Rose (13-9) in the first round.

In that first-round game, Rumson easily handled the Purple Roses picking up their 17th double-digit win of the season in a 72-35 drubbing of St. Rose.

Geiger led four Rumson players in double-digit scoring with 13 points, while Barry and Maguire both added 12 and Mickey Shcluter chipped in with ten off the bench. Barry - the third leading scorer in the Shore Conference – concluded his night with a steal and a dunk followed by another steal and a three-point play with 2:38 left in the third quarter and the Bulldogs holding a commanding 55-17 lead.

Their second-round game featured an intriguing matchup and a chance at revenge against their Ridge Road rivals, No. 6 seed Red Bank Regional (15-6).

With 3:09 remaining in the third quarter Red Bank had closed the gap on the Bulldogs and trailed by three, 25-22 after the Bucs reeled off a 7-4 run to start the quarter. After Schluter hit back-to-back free throws, Barry nailed a 3-pointer for his first points of the game and a 30-22 Bulldog lead with under a minute to play in the third.

Maguire scored Rumson’s first seven points of the fourth quarter, including two 3-pointers, to hand the Bulldogs a 37-27 lead with 5:35 left in the game. Maguire led the team in scoring and rebounding with 14 and seven respectively as the Bulldogs hung on to win 50-42. Barry scored nine of the Bulldogs final 10 points of the game going 9-for-12 from the line and finished with 12 points.

The Bulldogs quarterfinal game was another revenge game, this one against No. 3 seed Freehold Township - who they lost to 63-55 in early January.

With opposing defenses clamping down on Barry in the tournament - primarily employing the box and one against them - the Bulldog defense was superb throughout. The theme of the tournament for Rumson was their ability to prevent shots as much as it was making them, as well as getting open looks for some guys other than Barry.

Against Freehold Rumson took control of the game with 13-0 run in the late stages of the first quarter and into the second, turning a 10-6 deficit into a 19-10 lead. Barry keyed the run with five points and Maguire added four.

Freehold got to within one, 24-23, early in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs reeled off 16-3 run to close out the third quarter and take a 40-26 lead into the fourth and held on for a 54-43 win.

Rumson held Freehold Township to 14-of-49 shooting (28.6 percent) overall and Barry was able to shake free of the defense to score 14 of his game-high 19 points in the second half. Barry finished with eight rebounds and two steals while Maguire added 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Geiger had 10 points and Famulary finished with nine points, seven assists and four boards.

Once again the 6-foot-6 McAllister came off the bench to create havoc in the paint for the Bulldogs hauling down five rebounds but more importantly – blocking six shots. His length and athleticism gave the Bulldogs a presence in the middle during the tournament -something they lacked earlier in the season.

In the semifinal game and for the third game in a row Rumson faced a higher seeded team – No. 10 seed Neptune. And once again it was the defense that set the tone of the game and paved the way for the win.

The Bulldogs held the Fliers to 12 second-half points and hounded the Scarlet Fliers into 10-for-43 shooting (23 percent) for the game. Rumson outrebounded them 36-28 overall and 8-5 on the offensive glass.

It was a 17-15 game at the half with Neptune holding a precarious two-point lead before the Bulldogs began the third on a 12-2 run to take a 27-19 lead. However, Neptune pulled within three to make it 32-29 with 1:49 to play but the Rumson defense stepped up again and held the Fliers scoreless the rest of the way and the Bulldogs held on for a 37-29 win and a trip to the finals.

Barry finished with 12 points for the third time in the tournament and added five rebounds and two assists. Maguire added 10 points and for the fourth-straight tournament game led the Bulldogs in rebounds - hauling down seven. McAllister added three blocks and two boards.

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