Colts Neck- The boys brought it home.
The boys’ basketball team (25-5) defeated Colts Neck in a thriller by the score of 62-51, to win the Central Jersey Group IV championship.
It is the third time in school history that North has won the Group IV title, with the last time coming in 2002.
This win may be more impressive than the previous two, because it set North’s record for wins in a season with 25. The 25th victory could not have come at a more opportune time for the Lions.
Senior center Tim Rhatigan played his best game of the season as he tied with junior guard Cody Thompson’s leading scoring with 15 points. Many of Rhatigan’s points came in the second half when they were especially needed, as the game was tied at 23-23 heading into halftime.
The momentum in the game truly changed when, in the third quarter, Senior forward Tim Frawley made an aggressive steal and junior guard Will Boman finished it off with a layup at the other end, giving North a 49-33 lead.
North maintained their lead for the remainder of the game, hitting key free throws late to seal their eleven point victory.
‘North Nation’ made the trip to Colts Neck by waiting on line to enter the gym for about two and a half hours, and culminating with the storming of the court as the buzzer sounded.
The team celebrated the state championship victory with its fans, and their ultimate goal was achieved with the victory: to win the school’s third state championship.
North are the champions of Central Jersey Group IV, but there is still more basketball to look forward to. The team will travel down to Egg Harbor on Thursday, March 8, to take on Atlantic City in the Group IV semifinals. The school has never reached the Group IV finals, but it will attempt to continue this roller coaster ride of a season on Thursday.
No matter the outcome of that game, the team’s achievement of winning the Central Jersey Group IV championship is remarkable and one that will long be remembered by the North community.