Johnson’s Late Free Throws Lift Cougars Past Bridgewater-Raritan in Thriller

Nicholas Mistretta

MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent

BRIDGEWATER — The Montgomery High School girls varsity basketball team showed poise in crunch time Thursday night, rallying in the fourth quarter to edge Bridgewater-Raritan, 38–36, in a tight road contest.

Montgomery, now 5–4, trailed after each of the first three quarters before outscoring the Panthers 13–6 in the final eight minutes to earn the comeback victory. Bridgewater-Raritan dropped to 5–5 with the loss.

The Cougars were down 16–13 after the first quarter and 26–22 at halftime. Both defenses tightened in the third, with Bridgewater-Raritan nudging its lead to 30–25 heading into the fourth. From there, Montgomery’s pressure defense and perimeter shooting turned the game.

Alia Johnson again led the way for Montgomery with 15 points, including 6-of-8 shooting from the free-throw line, to go with 5 assists and 2 steals. Johnson was steady throughout and particularly impactful late as the Cougars chipped away at the deficit and then protected a slim lead at the line.

Montgomery’s three-point shooting provided the rest of the offensive punch. Aliza Schulberg and Sophia Lehmann each knocked down three shots from beyond the arc, finishing with 9 points apiece. Schulberg added an assist and 2 steals, while Lehmann contributed 2 rebounds.

Inside, Virginia Herring gave the Cougars a strong presence on the glass, recording 8 rebounds to go with 5 points. Abby Schwartz pulled down 6 rebounds, dished out 2 assists and came up with 3 steals, doing much of the gritty work that helped Montgomery stay within striking distance.

Defensively, Anya Saini was a difference-maker. Although she did not score, she finished with 6 steals, repeatedly disrupting Bridgewater-Raritan’s ball movement and helping to fuel Montgomery’s late run.

As a team, Montgomery totaled 18 rebounds, 9 assists and 14 steals, reflecting a collective effort that intensified as the game wore on.

Bridgewater-Raritan countered with a balanced attack and strong work on the boards. Samantha Tremarco led the Panthers with 10 points, including 6-of-7 from the free-throw line, and added 4 steals. Amanda Ciser hit two three-pointers and finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds, while Sarah Hurlbut posted 5 points, 9 rebounds and a block.

Safaa Fakhry and Juliet Kohutis chipped in 4 points apiece for Bridgewater-Raritan, and Erin Brocklehurst added 2 points and 4 rebounds. The Panthers held a 31–18 advantage on the glass but could not hold off Montgomery’s late surge.

Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com