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March 8, 2006

Raider girls looking to come back next year

By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist


Maybe there is something about the gym at Cherry Hill East. It could be all the red and white throughout the building.

Last month, the Ocean City boys basketball team earned possibly the biggest regular season road win in John Bruno's coaching career when it defeated highly-rated Paul VI - a team that had beaten Atlantic City, Shawnee and Camden Catholic - in overtime in the East gym.

On Monday night, Paul Baruffi's girls came within a three-pointer of winning possibly the biggest victory in its history, against Woodrow Wilson in the South Jersey Group 3 final, at Cherry Hill East.

Ocean City girls basketball has only had three coaches in its 30-plus year history. And now, all three of them have taken teams to South Jersey finals.

Pat Dougherty did it four times, Chris Lentz did it twice and Baruffi has now made his first appearance. In the seven trips, only Dougherty's 1979 team won.

"We knew if we were going to compete with teams like Wilson in the tournament," Baruffi explained, "we were going to have to play more teams like that during the regular season."

His team already played Absegami and Atlantic City, which provide similar challenges. This year they added Holy Spirit and Trenton Central. The Raiders lost all four of those games.

"But it helped us," he said. "It helped to be on the court with teams like that and, even though we didn't win, we competed. I know the kids drew on those performances against Wilson. We needed tough games to get ready for this game."

And it could be more of the same next season.

Wilson graduates one player, point guard Ashley Baker. And, although she is very good, there is a sophomore and a freshman both battling to take her place. The Tigers should be even better next year.

So the Raiders, who also have a large number of key players returning, must also get better. "These kids will work," said Baruffi. "They now see how far they've come since last year, when Wilson blew us off the court. They almost beat a great team and it will motivate them."

A lot of things can happen between now and next season's South Jersey final. There are other teams that could elevate themselves into the championship picture. Somebody could change groups or a transfer or two could have some impact.

But, barring any major changes, there is a pretty good possibility the same two teams could be the two to beat in next year's Group 3 tournament.

During Baruffi's tenure, Ocean City has been eliminated from the Group 3 Tournament by Willingboro, when it had one of the finest teams in South Jersey history, and last year's Wilson team, which won the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions.

Next year the Raiders could be one of the teams other teams will be hoping to avoid in the pairings. They will play Absegami twice and you can expect them to schedule a couple more teams during the regular season that will test them and get them ready for a rematch with Woodrow Wilson.

"We took the next step tonight," Baruffi said on Monday. "We are looking to come back again."

Particularly if the game is played at Cherry Hill East.

Gary Degenhardt career record



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