Schools
Ridge Boys Defeat Elizabeth 53-38 at 16th Annual Homeless Charity Game
A barrage of three-point shots and solid ball movement put Ridge on top.
The RHS boy's basketball game versus Elizabeth on Saturday night was the second game of a tripleheader–part of the Elizabeth Coalition To House the Homeless 16th Annual Basketball Classic.
The game got off to a close start with Ridge leading 10-8 at the end of the first quarter. Ridge highlights included Conor Skea going 5 for 6 at the foul line and Andrew Madlinger and John Legband each knocking down three-pointers. The Devils racked up seven three-point shots over the course of the game.
In second quarter play, nothing short of amazing passing and ball movement propelled Ridge forward. Three point shots were dropped by Madlinger and Cefalo. Elizabeth's Mallory Pringley also hit some nice shots, but Ridge ended the half ahead by 10 points.
The second half began with Conor Skea hitting 1 of 2 shots at the line and Nick Cefalo hitting another three-point shot–off balance and sideways, somehow still going clear through the hoop, touching nothing but the net. Elizabeth's Philip Walker responded with a three-pointer of his own making the score 27-16, Ridge.
From then on, Ridge was on a run. With a few minutes left in the third quarter, the lead had been built up to 17 points and Ridge began to visibly attempt to slow the game down. The quarter ended with Ridge up 39-23.
The game's final quarter began on a high note for Elizabeth when senior Shadeed Waheed hit a three-point shot to make the score 39-26. Shortly after, Elizabeth Senior Jarrell Blalock also hit a three-pointer to cut the Ridge lead to 10 with 6:30 left on the game clock.
But then Nick Cefalo hit yet another baseline three with five minutes left in the game to stop the Elizabeth momentum and bring his team's lead back up to 13. The Ridge lead grew to 15 points with two minutes left in the game and Ridge was able to do what it does best: move the ball and, in turn, kill the clock.
Nick Cefalo was Ridge's high scorer of the night with 16 points - including 4 3-pointers. Conor Skea contributed 13 points.
Shadeed Waheed and Mallory Pringley led Elizabeth's scoring with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Ridge is now 10-3. Their next game is on Tuesday at home against Warren Hills.
The money raised at the Classic through ticket sales, refreshments and raffles goes to housing and benefiting working homeless families, homeless youth, and unemployed people on the brink of homelessness.
