RCSJ first-year Coach John Byrd had to be pleased with his team's progress this past weekend when the squad emerged as team champion in the Roadrunner Classic with an 85-80 OT win over Mercer County Community College.
The team, led by guards Ace Lassiter and Hajir Davis along with forward Kasir Baker, has now won two in a row in moving up to a 5-6 overall record.
Tournament MVP Hajir Davis closed things out with a finish at the basket and then fouls shots to seal the win. Davis finished with 21 points after scoring 17 in the semifinal win over Eastern University JV on Friday.
Baker led the Roadrunners with 23 points and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Baker was a force in the paint and gave the Roadrunners the lead early in the first half with his forceful play and by drawing fouls on the Mercer inside players.
Guard/forward Aiden Cranmer has also contributed, scoring 9 points per game and being used both as a starter and top man off the bench. Teammate Julian Johnson has added scoring punch off the bench as he showed during the Roadrunner Classic.
But this week the Runners will face two huge challenges when they visit GSAC powers Salem (tonight) and Brookdale (Thursday). The Mighty Oaks have proven to be one of the nation's premier teams with an 11-0 overall record and a No. 2 NJCAA Division III national ranking, siting only behind top-ranked Mohawk Valley.
Brookdale, meanwhile, is off to another solid start with an 8-4 overall record and 8-2 conference nark.
"We're prepared for what we need to do against two very good teams, and now we need to travel well and stay focused once the games start," said Byrd. "We've made some tremendous progress -- everyone is contributing including our players coming off the bench.
The Runners will face more tough competition heading into the following week, including a key Region 19 match at Community College of Philadelphia on Dec. 13 and games vs. Atlantic Cape and Bergen.
"The players are starting to adjust to new coaches and a new system, so hopefully we're ready for this tough stretch of games," noted Byrd.
Watch for results at rcroadrunners.com.