Despite two well-fought battles, Randolph experienced back-to-back losses to Delbarton on Wednesday, Feb. 5, in the first round of the Morris County Tournament (MCT), and in the rematch on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
At the MTC game, Randolph lost to Delbarton 79-19. Despite the loss, the Rams remained focused on growth and redemption. In the Feb. 11 rematch, Randolph showed major improvement, but ultimately fell to Delbarton again, this time by a score of 66-35.
Rampage covered the Feb. 5 game, where, from the opening tip-off, Delbarton set the tone with high-pressure defense and a fast-paced offense. The Green Wave jumped out to an early lead, knocking down a flurry of three-pointers and capitalizing on turnovers to go up 28-10 by the end of the first quarter.
Randolph struggled to find offensive rhythm against Delbarton’s aggressive defense but saw strong efforts from junior Ryan Warner, who hit key shots to keep the Rams in the fight.
“We knew Delbarton was a complete team, but this game was an eye-opener that reminded us we have to bring it every day to compete at this level,” senior Jack Smith said. “We’re grateful for the chance to compete in the county tournament and will use this to get ready for states.”
Delbarton’s dominance continued into the second quarter, outscoring Randolph 25-2 to take a commanding 53-12 lead into halftime. Despite the deficit, the Rams kept battling. Junior Jack Leonard contributed in the paint with a putback bucket in the third quarter, while sophomore Andrei Nitulescu fought for tough points inside.
“The team stayed confident despite the score,” Leonard said. “We knew we were capable of more, but our shots weren’t falling, and they couldn’t miss. A loss like this fuels us for the next game because none of us ever wants to feel that way again.”
The Green Wave controlled the pace throughout the second half, but Randolph found moments to build on, including a strong and-one finish from sophomore Cooper Tighe in the fourth quarter.
“We need to keep our heads up, leave the loss behind us and get back on the court,” Nitulescu said.
Despite both losses, the Rams displayed growth from their previous matchup and will look to build on that progress as they prepare to face West Morris tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 13.
