Boys Hoops: Ridgewood powers past Mitchell 3-point barrage

Posted Dec 5, 2009 by Bart O'Connell

Updated Dec 5, 2009 at 12:54 AM

NEW PORT RICHEY – Hoping his team would show a little more toughness, Ridgewood coach Gary Anders got his wish in a key Class 4A-District 7 game against Mitchell.

The Rams repeatedly took the Mustangs’ best shot—the 3-pointer – withstanding 11 of them to rally for an 80-70 win on the strength of backcourt stars Charles “C.J.” Jones and Jacob Rauh.

“I thought we played tougher than we played in the Thanksgiving Tournament (against Sickles and Wharton),” Anders said. “I liked how we gutted it out, instead of running out of gas way too early.”

Ridgewood (3-2, 2-0) appeared in control in the first half, after Rauh scored 12 of his 24 points in the first quarter. The Rams led by as many as 11, but Rauh got into foul trouble and headed to the bench, and Ridgewood stopped making baskets.

Meanwhile, Mitchell guard Dustin Hannel came off the bench in the second quarter and immediately began draining 3-pointers, including one just before the half to pull the Mustangs within 1.

Hannel didn’t stop there, giving Mitchell (2-3, 1-1) a 4-point lead with yet another 3-pointer. He finished the game with 26 points and seven 3-pointers.

But once Rauh returned, he provided the perfect compliment to Jones, who scored 11 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth. Jones was 9-for-9 from the free-throw line as well, which proved to be the decisive factor as Ridgewood shot better than 80 percent (29-of-36) from the line while Mitchell made just 11-of-19 (58 percent).

Emrah Hamzic also gave Ridgewood a boost, coming off the bench to score 11 points and provide a much-needed inside presence as they deal with the absence of Lukas Poderis, who graduated after last season.

“He finished around the basket and we got some good production out of him,” Anders said. “We’re doing it by committee down there.”

RIDGEWOOD 80, MITCHELL 70

Mitchell (70): Francis 3 3-6 11; Knudsen 1 3-3 6; Driscoll 4 1-4 9; Jeckel 5 3-4 14; Makdessi 2 0-0 4; Carrero 1 0-0 2; Hannel 8 1-2 24. Totals – 24 11-19 70

Ridgewood (80): Kujak 0 2-4 2; Wood 3 1-2 7; Verra 1 0-0 2; C. Jones 9 9-9 28; Rauh 7 8-10 24; Hamzic 4 3-5 11; Vazquez 0 6-6 6. Totals – 24 29-36 80.

Mitchell 14 22 11 13 = 70
Ridgewood 20 17 15 18 = 80

3-Point Goals – Francis 2, Knudsen, Jeckel, Hannel 7 (M); C. Jones, Rauh 2 (R). Total Fouls – M 23, R 21. Fouled Out – Jeckel (M). Records – M 2-3, 1-1; R 3-2, 2-0.