Rowan College of Southr Jersey’s women’s basketball team displays its championship trophies after defeating Passaic County Community College on Feb. 28.
The Rowan College of South Jersey women’s basketball team managed to make history on Feb. 28 at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, when it beat No. 1-ranked Passaic County Community College 62-51 to again win the Region 19 North Atlantic District Championship.
Rowan was ranked No. 2 heading into the game, with a record of 20-6 to Passaic’s 19-4. Both teams previously competed against two opponents each to secure a position in the tournament final.
The game was tightly contested early on, with a score of 17-14 at the end of the first quarter, then 34-29 at half-time. Rowan got the advantage in the third quarter by scoring 18 points, compared with Passaic’s 10, to get to 52-39. The Roadrunners then held off the opponent in the fourth quarter for the win, the fifth time Rowan has secured the Region 19 title.
The tournament’s MVP went to forward Shannon Pierman, who scored 10 points and came away with nine rebounds in the final game.
“”This means a lot to win it,” she said. “We’ve worked hard all season to get here and we’re excited to move on to nationals.”
Guard Alaina LaMonica scored 10 points in the final game of the championship. Another key contributor in the game was center Savanna Shute, who stepped up when Pierson left the game briefly after a foul. She managed to end the game with eight points and seven rebounds.
“”Savanna gave us a big boost when Shannon left briefly,” noted head coach Rich Cooper. “She played well both on defense and on the boards.”
Of Rowan’s five Region 19 titles, Cooper has won four, including this year. The win also guaranteed the team a spot in the NJCAA Division III National Championship Tournament in Texas.
“”It’s exciting to go back to the national tournament,” Cooper enthused. “We hope to make an impact.”
