Bernards’ boys’ basketball team wrapped up their regular season on February 11 with a victory over Pingry by a score of 56-41. In a pregame ceremony, seniors Max Berg, Jake Cawley, Michael Isselin and Zach Walljasper were all recognized as part of the team’s annual Senior Night. Isselin led the team with 24 points, and Cawley added ten points in the winning effort. Berg additionally added ten points, hitting several important three-pointers in the early stages of the game.
The most valuable contribution to the victory, however, did not come from any of the players or coaches on the court. It came from the constant, loud support provided by many students in the school’s “Red Sea” student section. The students’ loud cheers, chants and occasional jeers at controversial calls from the referees motivated the five players on the floor for Bernards and frustrated those playing for Pingry. The “Red Sea” also came out in full voice to help the team come from behind and beat Warren Hills by a score of 35-33 on January 28, and for the team’s important February 5 victory over Delaware Valley, a game that ended by a score of 49-41.
This support isn’t always present at basketball games, so it meant a lot to everybody on the team, including Walljasper. “They were huge,” he said in an interview. “They kept our confidence high which helped us make a ton of threes. Their energy helped us in making the little plays we needed to win. The lower gym is a tough place to play when the Red Sea is there. Ask Warren Hills and Pingry.”
“The student section was absolutely a factor during the game,” Berg said. “It was great to have so much support for Senior Night from the student body. Everyone was having a great time in the stands, and that really got our team excited from start to finish. This game was hands down the best experience I’ve been a part of as a player on this team. All five guys on the court were locked into our gameplan, and we got the job done on offense and defense. The fans and the Red Sea were loud, energetic, and supportive. I couldn’t have asked for a better atmosphere to play in for my last game on our home court.”
Today, February 13, the team will play their first Somerset County tournament game on the road against Immaculata at 1 PM. If they win, they move onto the next round where they will face off against Rutgers Prep. Follow @BernardsSports on Twitter to get updates on Saturday’s game as it is played.
