Cougars Storm Back in Fourth to Stay Unbeaten, Top Immaculata 72–62

Nicholas Mistretta

MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent

MONTGOMERY — For three quarters, Montgomery and Immaculata traded punches. In the fourth, the Cougars landed the knockout.

Montgomery used a huge 28-point fourth quarter to pull away from visiting Immaculata and secure a 72–62 win at home on Tuesday night, improving to 3–0 on the season.

Immaculata (1–1) came out firing, racing to a 23–13 lead after the first quarter behind hot shooting from its backcourt. Montgomery answered in the second, tightening defensively and finding its rhythm on offense with a 21–8 advantage to take a 34–31 lead into halftime.

The momentum swung again in the third. Immaculata responded with a 16–10 quarter, reclaiming a 47–44 edge heading into the final eight minutes. From there, it was all Cougars.

Montgomery erupted for 28 points in the fourth, turning a tight contest into a double-digit victory behind aggressive drives, timely perimeter shooting and relentless pressure.

Lin and Simborski power the offense
Ethan Lin once again led the way offensively, pouring in 27 points on a blend of attacking drives and perimeter shooting. Lin knocked down three 3-pointers and added six more field goals inside the arc, consistently breaking down the defense in key moments.

Mike Simborski provided a powerful complement inside, finishing with 23 points. He scored seven two-point field goals and added a pair of threes, giving Montgomery a reliable option in the paint and from the perimeter.

The duo combined for 50 of the Cougars’ 72 points, spearheading both the second-quarter surge and the decisive late-game push.

Girls Varsity: Johnson’s Triple-Double, Three-Point Barrage Lift Montgomery Past Phillipsburg

MONTGOMERY — The Montgomery girls varsity basketball team found its offensive rhythm from beyond the arc and never let go.

Behind a triple-double from Alia Johnson and a combined 10 three-pointers from Sophia Lehmann and Aliza Schulberg, the Cougars defeated Phillipsburg 55–44 to earn their first win of the season and even their record at 1–1.

Montgomery controlled the tempo for much of the night, using sharp ball movement to generate open looks on the perimeter and leaning on its size and discipline on the glass to limit Phillipsburg’s second chances.

Johnson does it all with monster all-around effort
Johnson turned in a dominant all-around performance, recording a rare triple-double:

• 17 points
• 10 rebounds
• 10 assists
• 2 steals

Offensively, she was relentless and efficient, scoring from multiple levels. Johnson attacked the basket, stepped out to knock down two three-pointers, and was nearly automatic at the line, hitting nine free throws. Her playmaking was just as impressive, consistently drawing help defenders and finding open teammates on the perimeter and cutting to the rim.

On the boards, Johnson’s 10 rebounds helped Montgomery control the paint at both ends, and her defensive activity added to the Cougars’ overall pressure.

Lehmann and Schulberg light it up from deep
Montgomery’s offense revolved around its perimeter shooting, and Lehmann and Schulberg provided the spark.

Sophia Lehmann finished with 17 points, all but two coming from long range. She hit five three-pointers and added 2 points from the line, while also pulling down 6 rebounds and adding a steal. Her shooting opened up the floor, forcing Phillipsburg to extend its defense.

On the opposite wing, Aliza Schulberg matched that outside production with 15 points on five three-pointers of her own. She also added 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal, giving the Cougars another reliable perimeter threat that Phillipsburg struggled to contain.

In total, Montgomery knocked down 12 three-pointers, with Lehmann and Schulberg combining for 10 of them — a decisive factor in the outcome.

Herring and Schwartz control the glass and dirty work
While the long-range shooting drew the headlines, Montgomery’s frontcourt did much of the heavy lifting inside.

Virginia Herring anchored the interior with 10 rebounds, tying Johnson for the team high, and added 6 points worth of hustle plays in the stat sheet in the previous game; in this one she chipped in 1 point, but her impact on the boards and defensively was substantial, finishing with 1 assist and 2 steals. Her work cleaning the glass helped the Cougars maintain possessions and limit Phillipsburg’s ability to climb back.

Abby Schwartz contributed a steady all-around effort as well, finishing with 3 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, doing a bit of everything — from boxing out to facilitating in the half court.

Grace Gandolfo added 2 points, and Anya Saini grabbed a rebound off the bench, helping Montgomery to a 33–0 edge in listed rebounds in the stat sheet and reinforcing the Cougars’ dominance on the interior.

Defensive pressure seals it
Montgomery’s defense played a critical role, forcing turnovers and disrupting Phillipsburg’s rhythm. The Cougars recorded 8 steals as a team, with Johnson, Herring, Schulberg and Schwartz all getting into passing lanes and applying pressure on the ball.

Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com