By Mike Warren
Following a 5-1 start to the season for Connor Hayes’ Robbinsville Ravens, they were met with some quick adversity, dropping their next four heading into Thursday night’s meeting with Hamilton West. With new leadership on the floor for Robbinsville, a familiar name in second year starter and junior captain, Tyler Bunnell, led with both his play and varsity experience in his team’s sixth win of the year. After watching his older brother Evan serve as a leader for the previous two seasons, Bunnell knew just what he needed to do to help his team get back in the win column. Heading into the half tied and momentum in the balance, the first-year captain and second year starter erupted for 15 of his 22 points in the second half.
The captains shined brightest in the win for Robbinsville, with senior guard Frank Pagano providing 11 points off the bench including three, three-pointers. With Marcus Rodolphe adding 9 of his own, the Ravens three-man committee combined for 42 of their 63 points.
For Hamilton West, they entered the night desperate for a win at 0-9 and gave Robbinsville all they could handle for the most part. The Hornets held momentum going into the halftime locker room thanks to Freshman wing Nakye Bradshaw’s game-tying jumper. Hamilton was led in scoring by sophomore guard Sean Turner finishing with 20 and Bradshaw not far behind him with 17.
In the second half Hamilton west came out firing from deep, hitting four- threes in the third quarter and jumping out to a two-possession lead, forcing a Robbinsville timeout. Coming down to the wire in the fourth quarter, with West trailing by six, Turner buried his third triple to cut the deficit in half in the final seconds.
With less than four seconds to play, the Hornets miraculously forced a turnover with 0.8 seconds remaining allowing for one final shot off of a side inbound. Making the defensive play of the game and denying Turner a chance at his fourth and game-tying three, was Robbinsville’s senior captain Marcus Rodolphe, capping off the 63-60 win.
