Little Silver, Shrewsbury

Jan 31, 2023

RBC Girls Repeat as WOBM Classic Champions

By Les Pierce

Addy Nyemchek

Last season, the Red Bank Catholic girls’ basketball team captured the WOBM Christmas Classic Tournament championship via a 55-36 defeat of Manasquan in the final. This year, the same two squads successfully navigated through the tourney brackets of the 38th rendition to reach the final yet again, for a rematch of the perennial rivals. Both teams took the floor ranked in the top 20 statewide by nj.com. With the Caseys ranked eighth and the Warriors ranked 11th, a hotly contested clash was anticipated.

It was not to be. Buoyed by a 22-point second quarter breakout, RBC held an insurmountable 17 lead at the halftime buzzer and went on to win by a 59-42 tally. It was the eighth win of the 2022-23 campaign for the undefeated squad.

Addy Nyemchek led the victors with 11 points and seven rebounds, followed by Lola Giordano who netted nine points. Tessa Liggio and Emma Carman each contributed seven.  

Nyemchek, Giordano and Liggio are all freshmen, speaking volumes as to the future of the program.

The Caseys dominated in the early rounds of the tourney. Lacey was victimized by a 70-12 tally in the quarterfinal with Christina Liggio pacing the offense with 15 points. In the semifinal, Middletown South was dispatched by a 74-17 score, freshman forward Sophie Smith spearheaded the charge, putting up 12 points.