Basketball Wrap-Up, November 9-12

Women’s Basketball:

The Raptors’ basketball season launched with a thriller.

The game began with some sloppy play by the Lady Raptors. Columbus State Community College went up 23-16 in the first half, as they capitalized on turnovers and a lack of rebounding by MC.

In the second half, the lady raptors began to tighten up their play when as they game wound down.

Made basket after made basket, the two teams went back and forth with solid play from their guards. The Raptors had a three-point lead coming into the final seconds of the game.

Columbus state has possession with about 10 seconds left when Paige Lewis #21 from Columbus State hit a stunning three-point field goal to tie the game and send it into overtime.

“I didn’t expect her to make it” Said head coach Tarlouh Gasque

Overtime began like the latter part of regulation. Fundamental basketball, efficient passing, and making shots. As the game went on, one could see the fatigue setting in for both teams.

“We don’t really have a lot of people come off the bench. To come out and to have to go right back in hurt us, and you could see it on the court,” says Meghann Tilghman, a Freshman guard/forward who scored 24 points in the loss.

Coming down to the end of overtime, the Raptors hit a game-tying 3-pointer. As if the beginning of the game was an omen for the end, the raptors just couldn’t overcome the crucial turnovers forced by Columbus State’s tenacious defense and the game ended with 68-64 defeat of the Raptors.

“They were disciplined. They were running up and down the court.” Tillman said.

The Lady Raptors look to correct their mistakes with the season just beginning and a long road ahead. As far as expectations for the season, Tilghman has a big, yet achievable goal for the remaining games left to play. “No more losses,” Tilghman says.

On the following evening, the women did to Passiac what the men did to Pitt Community College; had their way throughout.

After losing a nail-biting overtime match-up in their first contest of the year, the Raptors, led by head coach Tarloug Gasque, dominated the game throughout to even up their record at 1-1.  The next few games should reveal which lady Raptors team Montgomery College will see going forward.

Men’s Basketball:

Attempting to get off to a faster start than last season, the men’s team has been surprisingly dominant in the early goings.

In their debut showing against Pitt Community College, the Raptors had no problems scoring, as they racked up 100 points against their opponent, while holding Pitt to only 74 points.

With his team playing such an all-around solid game, head coach James Bryson was most proud of his team’s cohesiveness.

“It really was a team effort–a team win–guys stepped up and played together. [Our] guys really stayed focused and showed lot of maturity today. They played hard.”

Despite the final score being lopsided in the Raptors’ favor, and compliments from their head coach, Bryson still knows there’s work to be done.

“We’ve have to get better defensively. Especially in help defense.”

The team, thus far, seems to be on the same page when considering what they can improve on. Bryson’s starting point guard, Freshman D’Angelo Vaughn, agrees with that sentiment.

“I think we did well, but we need to start games the same way we finish them–putting teams away early. That all starts with defense.”

In their second game, on the very next day, Bryson’s team won a shootout and edged out Passiac College, with the final score 105-96.

A 2-0 start is exactly the remedy for an up-and-down season of last year for the Raptors.

 It’s still early in the season, but if this small sample size of Raptors basketball is any indication of how the season will go, Montgomery College is in for an exciting, competitive ride through February.