Skip to content
Rally High School Sports
Link copied to clipboard

Backed by 27-0 run, Willingboro wins Group 2 crown

If you're going to make history, you might as well make it in style.

Willingboro players celebrate their program's first sectional title. (Elizabeth Robertson/Staff Photographer)
Willingboro players celebrate their program's first sectional title. (Elizabeth Robertson/Staff Photographer)Read more

If you're going to make history, you might as well make it in style.

That's what the Willingboro boys' basketball team did in the South Jersey Group 2 championship game Tuesday night.

The Chimeras scored the first 27 points of the second half and cruised to a 67-40 victory over Haddonfield to capture the first sectional title in the history of the program.

"We made a statement, but the statement is not over," said Willingboro senior guard Ronny Paden, who led all players with 21 points. "The statement isn't over until we win everything."

Willingboro (27-2), the No. 2 seed and No. 1 team in The Inquirer's South Jersey rankings, turned a 32-21 halftime lead into a 59-21 cushion early in the fourth quarter.

Leading the way were Paden, senior center Mike Owens (13 points, 12 rebounds) and senior guard Tyrell Maloney (13 points), who was back in the lineup after missing the team's first three tournament games for personal reasons.

"I've put it all behind me," said Maloney, who declined to discuss the issues that kept him out of the lineup. "I loved [being out there]. I must have called my teammates 10 times before those last three games telling them they had to win so I could get back out there."

Willingboro advanced to face Ewing in the Group 2 state semifinals Thursday night at Perth Amboy.

Senior forward Mike Lacatena scored eight points and senior center Jake Sikkema had six for fourth-seeded Haddonfield (22-8).

"We went farther [than expected]," Haddonfield coach Paul Wiedeman said. "We lost so much from last year's team, but these guys really stepped up and our young guys played extremely well. The future is bright."

Wiedeman was impressed with Willingboro's defensive pressure, which forced numerous Haddonfield turnovers.

"It seemed like they had seven guys out there," Wiedeman said. "I thought their defense was good in the first half. In the second half, they were everywhere.

"That's a dominant defensive team."

Haddonfield finally scored in the second half when junior forward Chris Biddle made two free throws with 5 minutes, 42 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Moments later, Willingboro built its largest lead, 65-25.

Willingboro's 27-0 surge was reminiscent of Shawnee's 31-0 run to open the second half of the Group 4 state semifinals against Piscataway in 1995 at Atlantic City.

"It shows we don't like to let up," said Paden, who has signed with St. Peter's.

The victory was special for Chimeras coach Jeff Haddock, a former Willingboro player who felt a keen responsibility to lead this team to the program's first sectional title.

"It was a big opportunity for these guys," Haddock said. "They were playing for themselves out there, but they also were playing for the fans, for their families and for the town . . .

"We're not finished. We still have a long way to go."

Haddonfield   9 12 0 19 – 40

Willingboro   13 19 13 22 – 67

H: Nick DePersia 6, Billy Griffin 6, Jake Sikkema 6, Mike Lacatena 8, Chris Biddle 7, Mike Zaleski 3, Griffin Grimes 2, Ted Stavski 2.

W: Ronny Paden 21, Mike Owens 13, Joseph Ricks 4, Maurice Counts 2, Farryn Houston 6, Anthony Robbins 6, Tyrell Maloney 13, Darren Briggs 2.