Cougars Rally Late to Edge Ridge in One-Point Playoff Thriller

Nicholas Mistretta

MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent

BASKING RIDGE — The Montgomery High School girls varsity basketball team kept its postseason alive in dramatic fashion Tuesday night, storming back in the fourth quarter to earn a 38–37 road win over Ridge in the opening round of the NJSIAA tournament.

Montgomery (8–6) jumped out fast, then had to withstand a big Ridge response before closing the game with clutch shooting and defense to escape with the one-point victory.

The Cougars looked in full control early, racing to a 19–8 lead after the first quarter behind hot perimeter shooting. Ridge (7–9) answered in the second, tightening up defensively and outscoring Montgomery 13–3 to trim the gap to 22–21 at halftime.

The Red Devils carried that momentum out of the break, winning the third quarter 11–4 to take a 32–26 lead into the final eight minutes. With their season suddenly under pressure, the Cougars responded.

Montgomery outscored Ridge 12–5 in the fourth quarter, closing the gap possession by possession and ultimately pushing ahead for good in the final minutes. Free throws down the stretch and key defensive stops sealed the 38–37 result.

Aliza Schulberg and Alia Johnson led the way offensively, each finishing with 12 points. Schulberg did her damage from long range, knocking down four three-pointers to power the Cougars’ perimeter attack. Johnson provided balance inside and out, scoring on drives and connecting from deep while going 3-for-4 at the foul line.

Montgomery also got important contributions across the lineup:

• Abby Schwartz scored 5 points, including a two-point field goal and three free throws.
• Anya Saini added 5 points on a combination of a two-pointer and a three-pointer.
• Sophia Lehmann hit a three-pointer for 3 points.
• Virginia Herring chipped in 1 point at the line.

Ridge was led by Maggie Kiessling, who poured in 15 points on a mix of field goals and a perfect 6-for-6 effort at the free-throw line. Sophia Attia added 7 points,Ana Fukushima had 5, and Lexi Hansen and Melanie Tafur scored 4 apiece as the Red Devils nearly pulled off the comeback after their slow start.

Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com