Christian Brothers (54) at Red Bank Catholic (59)

Charlie Gordonier scored a game-high 18 points to lead seventh-seeded Red Bank Catholic to a 59-54 upset victory over second-seeded Christian Brothers in the quarterfinals of the NJSIAA Non-Public South A tournament in Lincroft. In addition to securing a spot in the semifinals, the victory also gave Red Bank Catholic its first victory over the Colts in 29 years. "This was a big one," said Tyler Schmelz, the head coach of Red Bank Catholic and a former player for the Caseys. "We've never beaten them while I've been around." Red Bank Catholic and Christian Brothers traded the lead early on, but the visiting team pulled ahead 28-24 by the end of the first half and never relinquished the lead in the second half. "It was close for most of the game... but (taking the lead into the half) was important for our confidence," said Schmelz. Kevin Bauman helped seal the win by extending the Caseys' lead to eight with two free-throws with eight seconds left in the game. Bauman finished with 12 points, while Stephen Lubischer added on 13 points. Liam Kennedy led Christian Brothers with 17 points, while Robert Mahala finished with 13. Josh Cohen added on 12 points for the Colts, while Stephen Braunstein scored 10 points. Schmelz attributed the win to team defense and a strong effort on offensive rebounds. The Colts defeated Red Bank Catholic twice previously this season, most recently in the second round of the Shore Conference Tournament by a 73-48 margin. "I thought we had a good chance heading into it, but it was definitely an upset," Schmelz said. "It was a pretty good event for our kids." Red Bank Catholic will face third-seeded St. Joseph (Met.) or sixth-seeded Bishop Eustace in the semifinals on Monday.

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS (54) AT RED BANK CATHOLIC (59)

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The Star Ledger | 3/2/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: RBC Athletics