The defensive philosophy of keeping opponents under 40 points worked out like a charm for the 13th-seeded Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School boys basketball team as the Raiders stunned the hosting fourth-seeded Ridge Red Devils, 40-33, in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 Tournament on February 21. The 15-11 Raiders gave the 15-10 Red Devils a douse of how tough Union County boys basketball is.

Raider senior Anderson Pollack finished with 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers and going 3-for-4 from the line, two assists, two rebounds and a steal. Senior Kyle Hunter finished with 10 points (2 3pointers, four free throws), four rebounds and two assists. Junior Jack Sponheimer finished with eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers and 2-for-2 from the line, two rebounds, a steal and an assist. Senior Sam Sponheimer scored five points (3-for-4 free throws) and added three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Senior Jaden Carpien finished with four points, three rebounds and two assists. Senior Jack Wall had two points, three rebounds, a steal and an assist. Junior Jacob Handy had a rebound.

Ridge’s Quinn Dashefsky finished with nine points (3-pointer, 6-for-8 free throws), five rebounds and an assist. Luke Kreitz had eight points (6-for-8 free throws), four rebounds and two assists. Owen Chwatek had eight points (3-pointer), two assists and two rebounds. Sidd Narayanabhatia had five points (3pointer) and a rebound. Trevor Dour sank a free throw and had two rebounds. Milan Borovicanin had four rebounds. Josh Shapiro had two points and two rebounds. Logan Reiss had two rebounds.

The Raiders would face the 12thseeded Linden Tigers in the second round on February 26. The Tigers ousted fifth-seeded Hillsborough, 57-42.