RBC girls getting it done with solid team play
By doug mckenzie
Staff Writer

FARRAH MAFFAI Red Bank Catholic’s Alli D’AMico shoots over Our Lady of Lourdes’ Meredith Paggi during the Battle on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park on Sunday.

The Red Bank Catholic girls’ basketball team may not be the most talented team in the Shore Conference (though the verdict is still out on that), but it may very well be the deepest.

The Caseys have stormed out to an 11-0 start with solid contributions from everyone on the roster, and have made their No. 2 ranking in the Shore stand up in impressive fashion.

"I’m really pleased with them at this point," head coach Joe Montano said. "They have all accepted their roles, and it seems like every night a different player steps up for us. That’s the sign of a good team."

Montano knows a thing or two about coaching good teams, and this year’s squad, though lacking the dominant player or players it has featured in the past, is winning convincingly with a team-oriented flair.

FARRAH MAFFAI Red Bank Catholic’s Alisa Kresge drives past Our Lady of Lourdes’ Julianne Viani on Sunday.

Senior guard Alisa Kresge is the leader of the team, and is one of the Shore’s most complete players. Though she is renowned as one of the area’s top defenders, Kresge has also displayed a knack for scoring clutch baskets.

And none were more clutch than the three-pointer she drilled with just 1:54 left in the Caseys’ showdown with Poughkeepsie, N.Y.-based Our Lady of Lourdes on Sunday at the Battle on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park. With her team reeling after watching a 13-point half-time lead dissipate to just three points, Kresge, who hadn’t scored a field goal the entire game, calmly stepped up and drilled the three to put the Caseys up 52-46.

From there, she continually drove toward the hoop, drawing fouls, and hitting three of six foul shots to help seal the game before fouling out.

But Kresge’s effort was just one of several outstanding ones on the day for the Caseys. Junior Lisa Kuchinski came off the bench to score 13 points and notch three assists in winning the MVP of the game, leading an inspired effort from the Caseys’ bench.

"Everyone on the team did their job, particularly the bench," Montano said. "Our bench outscored theirs 29-4, and that was the difference. Lisa and Alli D’Amico (nine points) played outstanding for us, while Erin Cusmano did a great job guarding (Kelly) Roche, who is an outstanding player."

Montano added that he is not surprised with his bench’s play, particularly Kuchinski.

"Our bench has been big all year," he said. "Everybody’s pitched in from the start. As far as Lisa’s play, she has really done a super job for us. Defensively she has often taken on the opposition’s best player, and has shut them down.

"It seems like any time we’ve been good, we’ve had that really solid sixth man, with players like Michelle Capodonna and Alisa Kresge, when she was a little younger. Lisa has really excelled in that role."

While the Caseys have also received solid play from the rest of the starting five, which includes junior Heather Westrol and seniors Beth DePalo, Danielle Storz and Cusmano, the play of the bench has made them an even more dangerous team.

Role players like D’Amico, junior Casey Grier, sophomore Sara Grimsgaard and senior Jennifer Maher have all contributed to the Caseys’ fast start, which was bolstered with Sunday’s win over Our Lady of Lourdes.

"I’m real happy with that win," Montano said. "That’s a quality program that has been nationally recognized for the past 7-9 years. Any time you beat a team like that, you have to be happy."

On Monday, the Caseys will take on a dangerous Colts Neck team that has also been impressive in the early going, and is currently ranked seventh in the Shore. It is just the next in a long line of tough games the Caseys will play the rest of the way.

"Our division is very tough and is filled with quality teams," Montano said. "We’re going to have to play well the rest of the way against some good teams."

Montano added that he spent the rest of the day on Sunday watching rival St. John Vianney drop a tough game to Shabazz, and then watching top-ranked Marlboro knock off the nation’s No. 1 team, Christ the King of New York. As the No. 2-ranked team in the Shore, the Caseys are likely to meet either one or both of those teams in a few weeks in the Shore Conference Tournament.

"Bob Ward has done a great job with his team at St. John Vianney, and we’ll see them on Feb. 9 at Brookdale," he said. "And Marlboro is an excellent team. I’m really impressed with their defense, and the way the kids responded to the challenge on Sunday. Christ the King is obviously extremely good."

While potential showdowns with those two teams are a few weeks away, the Caseys will certainly be looking forward to the opportunity to stake their claim as the top team in the Shore.

"Hopefully, we’ll meet them down the road," Montano said.