From Feb. 10–19, the Randolph Boys Basketball team went 1-3, bringing its record to 14-12 entering the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 Tournament. The Rams will host No. 9 seed Somerville on Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. in the first round.

Here’s a recap of the week’s action.

Feb. 10: Rams Fall to Pope John, 65-54, on Senior Night

Randolph fell to Pope John 64-54 on Senior Night, moving to 13-10 overall and 7-4 in NJAC National play. 

Before tipoff, the program honored its seniors and their families in a pregame ceremony recognizing their dedication and commitment to the program over the past four years. 

“It’s definitely emotional playing your last regular-season home game,” senior Tristan Durkin said. “These other seniors and I have been playing together ever since we could first play.” 

Randolph kept things close early, trailing just 10-9 after one quarter. The Rams battled on both ends of the floor, matching Pope John’s energy and intensity. 

However, Pope John used a strong second quarter to create separation, outscoring Randolph 23-16 to take a 33-25 lead into halftime. 

Durkin led the Rams with 13 points and four assists, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc to keep Randolph within striking distance. Sophomore Jordan Dixon added 11 points, attacking the basket and converting key opportunities at the line. 

Senior Jack Leonard contributed nine points and four rebounds, while junior Cooper Tighe filled the stat sheet with eight points, five rebounds and three assists. Senior Kristian Foote provided a spark from deep with two three-pointers, finishing with seven points, and Ryan Warner contributed with six of his own. 

The Rams continued to fight in the second half. After being outscored 15-10 in the third quarter, Randolph entered the fourth trailing 48-35. The Rams responded with their highest-scoring quarter of the night, putting up 19 points in the final frame. 

Randolph showed resilience down the stretch, moving the ball well and competing on the glass, finishing even with Pope John in rebounds. Despite the late push, the Rams were unable to fully close the gap. 

“Definitely not the result we wanted, especially on Senior Night,” Durkin said. “But we’re going to use it as motivation and keep working to finish the season strong and look to make a deep playoff push.” 

“It was a tough loss, but we need to focus on the future,” Warner added. “We have a very hard group for states so we have to work hard.” 

Feb. 12: Rams Bounce Back Against Roxbury, 50-42

Randolph rebounded with a hard-fought 50-42 victory over longtime rival Roxbury.  

Roxbury came out firing, building an 18–11 lead after the first quarter and putting Randolph on its heels early. But the Rams responded with defensive intensity, holding Roxbury to just seven points in both the second and third quarters to completely shift the momentum and seize control.

Leading the way was Leonard, who scored a game-high 16 points. Leonard attacked the rim and knocked down a three-pointer, going perfect from the free-throw line, while also contributing six rebounds and three assists in a complete effort. His steady presence helped Randolph regain control after the early deficit. 

Randolph’s defense proved to be the difference. Dixon applied constant pressure on the perimeter, finishing with three steals to spark transition opportunities. Inside, Ricky Fleischer controlled the glass with six rebounds as Randolph limited second-chance opportunities and forced tough looks throughout the second half. 

The Rams also received key contributions across the lineup. Tighe added 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers, while grabbing five rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block. Warner chipped in eight points, and Foote and Durkin provided valuable minutes and timely scoring to keep the offense balanced. 

After trailing early, Randolph outscored Roxbury 39–24 over the final three quarters, showcasing resilience, depth and disciplined defense in a hard-earned 50–42 road victory 

Feb. 17: Rams Fall to Jefferson, 76-59

Facing one of the top teams in the NJAC Freedom Division, the Rams battled throughout but ultimately fell 76-59 to Jefferson. 

Randolph found itself in an early hole after a tough first quarter, trailing 23–9, and spent the remainder of the game working to chip away at the deficit. Despite the slow start, the Rams showed resilience, particularly coming out of halftime when they outscored their opponent 21–16 in the third quarter to inject life back into the game. 

Offensively, Randolph was led by Warner, who finished with 17 points. Warner was aggressive, attacking the basket and knocking down a pair of three-pointers to help the Rams’ scoring.

Foote delivered a strong two-way performance with 15 points, connecting on three shots from beyond the arc while anchoring the defense with six blocks in the paint. 

Leonard added 13 points, including three three-pointers, providing a spark from the perimeter. Point guard Dixon controlled the tempo and distributed the ball effectively, finishing with six assists to go along with six points and two steals. 

Randolph moved the ball well as a team, totaling 17 assists and knocking down nine three-pointers, showing its ability to generate offense in stretches.

Defensively, the Rams recorded nine blocks, with Fleischer contributing three, as they worked to protect the rim and contest shots inside. 

Although the early deficit killed the Rams’ chances, Randolph’s effort in the second half and balanced scoring highlighted the team’s fight and depth as it continued through the heart of its schedule. 

Feb. 19: Rams Drop Contest to Summit 61-41

Despite a strong effort in stretches, Randolph fell 61–41 to Summit on Thursday night, dropping to 14-12 overall and 8-4 in NJAC National play. 

Randolph got off to a difficult start, managing just five points in the opening quarter while Summit built a 17–5 lead. The Rams showed signs of life in the second quarter, only allowing seven points and cutting the deficit to 24–17 at halftime. However, Summit regained control in the third and pulled away with a 23-point fourth quarter to seal the win. 

Warner led Randolph offensively with 14 points, knocking down two three-pointers and converting four shots from inside the arc to pace the Rams. Leonard added 12 points on four two-point baskets and four free throws, while also leading the team on the glass with seven rebounds and recording a steal. 

Foote contributed seven points and two rebounds, and Tighe added four points along with six rebounds and a steal, providing energy on both ends. Durkin chipped in three points and dished out a team-high six assists, helping facilitate Randolph’s offense throughout the night, and being a key playmaker all season 

As a team, Randolph totaled 41 points on 14 two-point field goals, two three-pointers, and seven made free throws. The Rams grabbed 19 rebounds and recorded eight assists, while Fleischer added a block to highlight the defensive effort. 

Although Summit’s strong first and fourth quarters proved to be the difference, Randolph’s second-quarter defensive stand and balanced contributions showed the team’s competitiveness as it continued through the final stretch of the season. 

Looking Ahead

Randolph will turn its attention to the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 Tournament, hosting No. 9 seed Somerville on Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. The Rams will look to build momentum and make a deep postseason run.