Despite not having senior guard Joseph Contreras, Richard Montgomery overcame Wootton’s late comeback effort in their first division game, finishing with a final score of 64-50.
With a starting lineup of all seniors, Daniel Alexander, Nasiir “Nas” Robinson, Julian Stover, Julian Watson, and Jonathan Custodio, the Rockets won the tip with ease, foreshadowing what the rest of the contest would look like. Just seconds after the tip, Custodio knocked down a three pointer to give RM an early 3-0 lead. After a defensive stop on the other end, the Rockets’ next possession ended in another three pointer from guard Julian Watson to go up 6-0. The Rockets came out in full court man-on-man press, making the Patriots rotate the ball above the three point line and forcing them to take low-percentage long range jump shots. On offense, the Rockets continued to use their highly successful hand-off set, moving the ball around the perimeter with backdoor cuts to the hoop. Julian Watson led the Rockets on defense with stellar ball pressure that led to multiple steals and transition layups. By the end of the first quarter, RM took a commanding lead with a score of 17-5.
Coach Breslaw decided to steer away from the smaller starting lineup at the beginning of the second period, substituting Tolu Baiyashea and Zaire Mitchell in, as well as the only sophomore on the team, Daryn Alexander. The Patriots did pick up their scoring pace in the beginning of the period, but the stellar defense from the Rockets returned, bringing a halt to the surge. Baiyashea and Mitchell led the rebounding efforts, hauling in board after board on both offense and defense. The scoring pace kept steady throughout the quarter and the Rockets continued to suppress any efforts by the Patriots to enter the paint for a layup. After Nas Robinson knocked down a long three pointer, the Rockets went back to moving the ball through the high post to finish off the quarter. At the half, RM was on the path to a blowout, leading Wootton 32-13.
The original starting lineup for the Rockets took the floor as the second half began. Unlike the first half, the Patriots came out swinging. They attacked the basket more than before, drawing fouls and sinking free throws. However, the Rockets were able to put a lid on this. Flashy assists from Julian Watson and Julian Stover ignited the crowd with flashy assists to the Daniel Alexander for open layups. On the ensuing defensive possession, Daniel Alexander leaped up to intercept a lob pass. He sprinted down the court and went up for a layup, but was fouled hard on the attempt. Despite the rough fall, Alexander got up and hit two free throws to extend the lead. Shortly after, the Rockets went on a two minute scoring drought, during which the Patriots slightly shortened the lead. This was short lived, however, coming to an abrupt end after Julian Watson sank another three pointer. Towards the end of the quarter, junior Jordan Stover checked into the game. He heated up immediately on offense and defense, strengthening the Rockets’ stronghold on the lead. With the final period in reach, the Rockets led once again, with a score of 46-28.
The final quarter commenced as the Alexander brothers, Julian Stover, Tolu Baiyashea, and Gerami Sadeghi stepped in. It quickly became evident that Wootton was not going down without a fight. Led by guard Kevin Ayissi-Etoh, the Patriots upped their defensive effort and rotated the ball and found easier ways to the hoop to shorten the Rocket’s lead. However, RM would call to the spiked efforts. Daryn Alexander got the crowd on their feet with an acrobatic layup, and then with multiple hustle plays to fire up his teammates. The teams went back and forth for minutes upon end. When senior George Brewington checked into the game, the overall energy for RM spiked. Brewington brought fast hands and feet on defense leading to turnovers by the Patriots. On the offensive end, Brewington got past his defender with a smooth crossover that resulted in a tough layup under the rim. Great hustle and tremendous hustle helped the Rockets maintain their lead as the final minutes winded away. As the clock ran out, Richard Montgomery had come out victorious in their first division game against Wootton, with a final of 64-50.
The Rockets are now 6 -3 on the season.
