Randolph Girls Basketball concluded their 2023-2024 season with a 13-14 record, led by junior Kayla Brand and senior captain Katie Tighe, who were the team’s top scorers with 244 and 243 points, respectively. Here are some highlights from the 2023-2024 season.
Dec. 14 – Jan. 13: Rams Enjoy Strong Start to Season
The Rams started off their season strong, with a win against Sparta, 33-21. Junior Aliyah Lambo led the game with 15 points, and Brand had some great defense with four steals.
The following two games saw tough losses for Randolph against Chatham, 54-27, and Montville, 44-40. However, the Rams bounced back with a win at West Essex, 48-25, where Brand scored 21 points, closely followed by Tighe with 11 points and nine steals.
Later in the month, the girls also got to compete in the Ridge Holiday Classic and went 1-3 in the tournament.
The team entered the new year with motivation, starting with three wins in January. Upperclassmen Lambo and Tighe and junior Lindsey Bona contributed significantly to the team’s success, helping the young team progress through the season.
Jan. 17 – Jan. 23: Randolph Struggles Mid-Season
After the injury of some team members, the Rams fell into a slump with a four-game losing streak.
“We tried to stay positive and encourage each other,” Brand said about the team’s effort. “Some of the younger players began to step up.”
Junior Kayla Pentz stood out at this time, filling in for the missing players. Pentz, along with junior Kate Sullivan, contributed crucial points and steals for the team during these challenging matchups.
Jan. 26 – Feb. 1: Randolph Bounces Back with Five-Game Winning Streak
With support from the upperclassmen, the team rallied and turned their season around. Sophomores Kalya Takacs and Irene Pardo stepped up and helped the team. Randolph won against Morristown-Beard, 29-26; Kinnelon, 48-23; North Star Academy, 52-40; and Columbia, 56-51.
Their hard work paid off at the Mendham versus Randolph game, where the Rams won, 45-40, advancing in the Morris County Tournament.
“We play for each other, which many teams do not,” Tighe said. “Our team has done a great job of stepping up and doing what they need to do.” As a relatively fresh team, with many seniors from the Class of ’23 having graduated the prior year, this season’s team focused on communicating well and growing together.
Feb. 2 – Feb. 20: Rams End Season on High Note
Despite facing four tough losses after their previous wins, the team used these setbacks as motivation and won their last two games in the regular season against Kearny, 36-32, and Nutley, 54-42.
Tighe found her rhythm in the Nutley game, scoring a high of 21 points. She led her team to the win, with help from starters Brand, Takacs, Pentz, and Sullivan. They also get assistance from sophomore Reina Daniel, making key free throws when needed.
Randolph finished their season with a loss against Sumit, 24-40, in the first round of the State Tournament.
The Lady Rams final record closed at 13-14, capping off a well-fought winter season.
