By Rich Fisher
Contributing Editor
On a day filled with numerous tangible highlights to discuss, the Red Bank Catholic girls’ basketball team was just as happy talking about the intangibles.
The Caseys, ranked No. 1 in the state, used a strong second half to overcome No. 3 ranked Morris Catholic, Denville, 62-45 in the NJSIAA Non-Public A championship game at Jersey Mike’s Arena, Piscataway.
The March 12 victory was not only RBC’s second state title in three seasons; it marked coach Joe Montano’s 800th career victory, while Addy Nyemchek emerged as the program’s all-time leading scorer.
That’s mind-boggling stuff to occur in one game, and yet coach and players were equally interested in conversing about team chemistry formed between seniors Nyemchek, Lola Giordano, twin sisters Tessa and Katie Liggio, Daniela Maletsky, Sophie Smith and Scarlet LeVake.
“It’s been a 10-year journey for us,” said Smith, who provided a spark with three 3-pointers in the third quarter. “We were already best friends before going to high school and we knew we were going to take that journey together.
“As much as I enjoyed playing for this program and for this coach, what made my experience is the girls on the team. It’s been four years of love and fun. It’s so hard to think we’re not going to play together anymore.”
Montano agreed with that final comment.
“They’ll be upset there’s no practice tomorrow,” remarked the coach of 36 years, who has presided over all 10 RBC state title teams. “The first day they were together (as freshmen) we knew they were advanced and competitive and really enjoyed basketball. Not every good player enjoys basketball, but they do.
“They’ve had their ups and downs. They’ve matured as young ladies and supported each other. That’s what I enjoyed most this year, that they enjoyed each other.”
Their enjoyment is such that Nyemchek feels they will still be in touch deep into adulthood.
“Definitely,” she said. “We talk about it all the time. They’re my best friends. We’re like family. I can’t wait to see everyone be successful and how everyone goes off to college to be great. But we’re definitely going to meet up and stay close.”
Their lasting memory will be of hoisting a state championship trophy after their final game together.
But it wasn’t easy.
It was an emotional start, as the team learned one day earlier it would be without Katie Liggio, who injured her ACL early in the South Jersey Group A title game against St. John Vianney. The goal was to get a lead large enough that Montano could insert Katie late just so she could be on the floor in the title game
That seemed tough at first.
After bursting to an 8-0 lead, RBC got in its usual foul trouble and found itself trailing 17-16 early in the second quarter and leading by just one point at halftime.
“We knew they were a very athletic team who could score,” Nyemchek said of Morris Catholic, the defending Non-Public A champ which won Non-Public B state titles the prior two years. “Defensively we weren’t locked in. We had some stupid turnovers; we lost our composure and we never really do that. So we got back together and made sure we were composed and picked it up from there.”
Some halftime encouragement by Montano helped.
“I told them,” he said, “’everyone has enjoyed watching you for four years. But for the 14 kids in the room, this game is about you. You gotta win this because you deserve it, not because we want it. You’ve already given us enough thrills. Just go get this for yourself.”
They did exactly that, stretching the lead to six after three quarters before pulling away in the fourth. With Morris Catholic up, 33-32, Smith hit two straight 3-pointers to give the Caseys a permanent lead.
“They give me so much confidence,” said Smith, who had nine points and four rebounds. “In that locker room everyone is so uplifting. That’s why I love them so much. They breed confidence in me.”
Nyemchek exploded for 17 points in the second and finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and five steals.
“I let the game come to me,” she said. “I know they face- guard me and I try to get my teammates open. Once they get open it gives me a little more room to get my shots.”
Nyemchek’s 1,781 career points broke 2008 grad Kristina Danella’s mark of 1,761, but she’s not just a scorer.
“Addy will do what her team needs to win,” Montano said. “If it’s a day she needs to pass the ball, she’ll pass the ball, if she has to score the ball, she’ll score it. If we need a big defensive game, she’ll do it.”
There were other contributors as well. Maletsky (4 assists, 4 steals) and LeVake (7 rebounds) had 16 of their combined 19 points in the first half to keep the Caseys afloat.
“We have such confidence in Sophie making those shots,” Nyemchek said. “We know Dani and Scarlet are great players and can get big buckets, especially not having Katie. We told them to play aggressive and they made big plays.”
Giordano contributed six points, four rebounds and five assists, and Tessa Liggio had four points, a block, three assists and two steals as RBC was able to get a big enough lead to allow Katie Liggio some court time.
It was a truly memorable afternoon – a state title, 800 wins, a scoring record and an emotional sendoff.
“I think it’s the cherry on top,” Nyemchek said.
Montano, who Nyemchek said “makes us who we are, makes us disciplined,” felt the best thing about his 800th win (aside from a state title) is he reached the milestone with this particular group of girls, who were sophomores on the 2024 state champs team. He felt what made the team unique was each player had a different skill set that, when combined, made the Caseys great.
Along with their personalities.
“If you saw the development from freshman year to now, how they matured into great young ladies, that’s as important as winning,” Montano said. “They’ve become awesome kids.”
