Rancocas Valley boys win state basketball crown

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - For the second straight game, Rancocas Valley held an opponent to 43 points. This time, the Red Devils did it on the biggest stage of the season and, as a result, they won the third state boys' basketball championship in their history.

Rancocas, No. 1 in The Inquirer's South Jersey rankings, received 20 points from 6-foot-6 junior forward Mike Bersch and a strong all-around performance from senior guard Mustafa El-Amin as it rallied past Piscataway, 55-43, and won the NJSIAA Group 4 state title at the Rutgers Athletic Center.

"We've won big games because of our defense, and that's why we won today," said Rancocas coach Jay Flanagan, whose team scored a 64-43 victory over Atlantic City in the state semifinals.

Rancocas (26-4) abandoned its trademark man-to-man defense and used a 2-3 zone for most of the first half and early parts of the second half.

But after Piscataway (24-5) used a 10-0 run to take a 27-22 lead at the start of the third quarter, Rancocas scrapped the zone for its man-to-man.

Rancocas pulled to within 34-32 at the end of the third, then used a 9-2 spurt at the start of the fourth to take a 41-36 lead.

Bersch banked home a running 8-footer with 3:01 left and Larry Awosanya hit two foul shots to give Rancocas a 45-38 lead. Piscataway would never get closer than four points the rest of the way.

Bersch was 8 for 8 from the foul line in the final quarter, securing Ranccoas' first title since 1998.

Piscataway's leading scorer, guard Omar Smith, played 23 minutes on a sore ankle and was ineffective. Smith, averaging 12 points per game, took just three shots.

Rancocas shot a chilly 35.1 percent from the floor (13 for 37), but it was 26 for 32 (81.3 percent) from the foul line. The Red Devils, who held a 23-9 advantage in the telltale final quarter, forced 15 turnovers and held Piscataway to 37.5 percent shooting (18 for 48) from the floor.

Rancocas also won state titles in 1996 and 1998.

"I was in elementary school watching some of those teams. All I dreamed of was winning a state title," Byrdsong said.

Rancocas advances to the Tournament of Champions, which starts Wednesday and brings together the state's six title winners.

"As a team, we've reached 100," said Flanagan, sounding like a teacher marking test papers. "Now we're going for extra credit."

Rancocas Valley 12 10 10 23 - 55

Piscataway 8 9 17 9 - 43

RV: Kendall White 6, Mike Bersch 20, Larry Awosanya 4, Mustafa El-Amin 12, Andre Byrdsong 10, Nnamdi Njoku 3.

P: Tristan Benjamin 14, J.D. Griggs 7, James White 8, Brian Waluk 4, Justin Blake 2, Thomas Bennett 4, Aaron Hush 4.