Ridge Puts Up Season High in Points against Monroe, Winning 79-59

Tom Gambino was awarded player of the game at Kean University after the Ridge Red Devils basketball team defeated the Monroe Falcons 79-59 at this year's Prime-Time Shootout. The Red Devils' 79 points was a season high, and Gambino's 16 points were a career high.

"He has been playing so well lately," said junior Conor Skea of Gambino's recent performance.

Monroe was 17-2 going into the game, while Ridge was 15-3, but the game was only close for the first quarter and Ridge dominated the rest of the game, holding a commanding lead throughout the last three quarters of play.

Both teams came out firing. The Red Devils and the Falcons were playing a fast-paced game, scoring 20 points total in less than three minutes, with Monroe leading 12-8. Ridge started to come back from their deficit halfway through the first quarter, led by Andrew Madlinger.

Madlinger scored seven unanswered points near the end of the first, and nine points total in the first quarter to help bring Ridge up 19-15 going into the second quarter.

Ridge increased their lead even further in the second quarter, led still by Madlinger and Gambino. Madlinger finished the half with nine total points and Gambino had eight.

The Red Devils were looking dominant, with one of the most impressive plays perhaps being a no-look pass from Travis Dufner to Danny Brix to set up a lay-up and bring Ridge up 25-18 with 4:53 left in the half. Going into the half, Ridge held a commanding 39-26 lead.

"I think we were in better shape than them," said Ridge head Coach Mark Taylor.

The third quarter was no different than the previous two, with Ridge extending their lead from 13 to 19 by the end of the quarter. Gambino was leading in scoring going into the fourth, adding six points in the third quarter for a total of 14 with one quarter left to play.

In a game that should have been close on paper, the Red Devils were leading 56-37 with eight minutes left to play. Ridge scored another 23 points in the fourth, and Gambino scored another eight in the second half.

"We usually win games in the second half, but I think tonight we won in the second quarter," said Taylor.

Although it was the offensive front that dominated for Ridge against Monroe, the players were emphasizing defense as the key to their success.

"We started to click the entire game and played great defense which led to great offense," said Gambino.

"Defense breeds offense," said Christian Frisoli, who scored 12 in the game.

The Red Devils next game is the first of the Somerset County Tournament, a game for which they have been preparing all week.

"We didn't prepare for Monroe," said coach Taylor. "We practiced for Saturday."

The Somerset County Tournament begins for Ridge on Saturday, February 13th against Franklin High School at Ridge. Franklin is 8-11 this year.

"If we can move the ball like we did tonight, we will be hard to beat in the tournament," said Gambino.