Bridgewater-Raritan 2nd half rally powers Panthers past Bound Brook on opening night

Both Bridgewater-Raritan and ninth-ranked Bound Brook showed signs of what life might be like in their first seasons moving to the Raritan Division of the Skyland Conference in Thursday night’s season opener.

The visiting Crusaders looked solid on the road against a deeper opponent, but that lack of depth early in the season showed when Jackson Morrison went down to a third quarter right lower leg injury, tried to return but was ineffective.

The Panthers got a taste of how the division will be a battle every night, despite moving “down” from the top Delaware Division. And they used their depth to their advantage, getting seven players in the scoring column.

*Bridgewater-Raritan’s Brody Nussman – who had a career high 15 points – looks for a pass against Bound Brook in the season opener in Bridgewater on December 14, 2023. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)*

The teams went back and forth in the first half, with The Brook pulling out to as big as an eight point lead on two occasions in the second quarter. Bridgewater got within two at the half on back-to-back threes by junior Brody Nussman, and another by fellow junior Bobby Gillespie.

Bound Brook got back to an eight point lead in the third before Morrison went down. That was when things went South, and Bridgewater capitalized.

Nussman finished with a team high – and career high – 15 points, including three treys, while junior Jeremiah Williams and senior Middlesex transfer Jayden Pearyer led all scorers with 16 apiece, with Pearyer hitting three times from the arc, all with great form and touch.