Road Bump for the Cougars: Boys Suffer First Loss at Linden, Girls Clipped on the Road at North Hunterdon

Nicholas Mistretta

MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent

Cougars Boys Edge Close but Fall Short at Linden for First Loss of Season

LINDEN – The Montgomery boys basketball team absorbed its first setback of the season Tuesday night, dropping a tight 53–51 decision on the road to Linden in a non-conference matchup.

Montgomery, which entered at 8–0, dug itself an early hole, trailing 14–9 after the first quarter. The Cougars settled in during the second, outscoring Linden 15–8 to take a slim 24–22 edge into halftime of what quickly became a possession-by-possession game.

Ethan Lin once again powered the Montgomery offense, pouring in a game-high 21 points. Lin did his damage at all three levels, knocking down a pair of three-pointers, attacking the rim for five field goals inside the arc, and going a perfect 5-for-5 from the line.

Mike Simborski provided a strong secondary scoring punch with 16 points, including one three-pointer and steady production in the lane. Shriyans Mallavarapu chipped in 6 points, while Connor Benedict added 5 and Xavier Harrigan finished with 3 to round out the Cougars’ scoring.

Montgomery put together a strong third quarter, scoring 18 points and narrowly winning the frame 18–16 to carry a one-point lead into the final eight minutes. But Linden answered in the fourth, using timely perimeter shooting and late-game execution to outscore the Cougars 15–9 and reclaim the lead for good.

Linden was led by a balanced attack that featured 16 points from Asante Jones and 11 from Jayden Holman. Jekhi Burnam added 10, while Bazir Belvin connected on two three-pointers for 6 points.

Despite the loss, Montgomery’s performance on the road against a quality Linden squad underscored the Cougars’ ability to compete in tight, physical games.

Montgomery Girls Come Up Short at North Hunterdon Despite Saini’s Strong Effort

ANNANDALE – The Montgomery girls varsity basketball team battled but could not overcome a steady North Hunterdon offense on the road, falling 43–31 on Tuesday night.

Montgomery opened well, trading baskets with North Hunterdon and trailing just 12–10 after the first quarter. The game began to tilt in the second period, as North Hunterdon found its rhythm from the perimeter and outscored the Cougars 13–6 to take a 25–16 advantage into halftime.

North Hunterdon continued to build its lead in the third, using a 11–5 edge in the quarter to head to the fourth up 36–21. Montgomery responded with a stronger final frame, putting up 10 points in the fourth, but the early deficit proved too much to erase.

Guard Anya Saini led the way offensively for Montgomery, finishing with a team-high 12 points, including a pair of three-pointers and a 4-for-4 performance at the free-throw line. Saini’s scoring helped keep the Cougars within striking distance as North Hunterdon made its push in the middle quarters.

Abby Schwartz added 4 points, while Virginia Herring contributed 3. On the perimeter, Sophia Lehmann knocked down two three-pointers for 4 points, and both Aliza Schulberg and Kristin Huang chipped in 2 points apiece. Prisha Grover and Grace Gandolfo each added a point from the line as Montgomery worked to generate offense against a disciplined North Hunterdon defense.

North Hunterdon was paced by a strong outing from Marlee Ceglia, who scored 17 points, combining drives to the basket with outside shooting. Skylar Burr added 6 points, while several other Lions contributed on the scoreboard to maintain balance and control throughout the contest.

The loss drops Montgomery to 3–3, but the Cougars continue to show resilience in a challenging early-season schedule.

Photo Credit: Doug Herring