Riley Gorman of Immaculata hits a fourth-quarter three to help the Spartans past Bridgewater-Raritan in Somerville on January 16, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
The first time Immaculata and Bridgewater-Raritan met this year, it was a double-overtime thriller the Spartans won 65-60 back on the opening night of the season, almost a month ago to the day.
Only 32 minutes was needed Thursday night, but it was another rock ’em, sock ’em contest, and Immaculata winning by a similar 66-59 score.
Immaculata took an early 10-4 lead, but the Panthers closed the first quarter strong to go ahead 13-0 after eight minutes. The Spartans tied it up at 25 just before the half, went into the locker room with a 27-25 lead, and never gave it up again.
That doesn’t mean the Panthers didn’t fight back. Boy, did they ever. But every time Brody Nussman or Richie Gardner – who had eight in the fourth quarter alone – hit big shot after big shot, Immaculata had an answer.
Cole Hayden and Riley Gorman were the big reasons why. Gorman finished with 24 points to lead everyone, and 19 of those came in the second half, ten in the final quarter.
“It’s easy when I have good teammates and coaches around me,” Gorman said after the game.
Hayden finished with 16, going 5-for-5 from the foul line, including three-for-three in the third.
That and the fact Immaculata didn’t commit a turnover in the fourth quarter until the final couple of minuets helped them hold off the Panthers, to improve to 9-3 overall, 4-2 in the Skyland Conference’s Raritan Division.
They’re just one game in the standings behind Montgomery, with Ridge in between, and will visit the Cougars next Tuesday before the Somerset County Tournament is seeded on Monday, January 27th.
Bridgewater-Raritan dropped to 8-5, but just 1-5 in the Raritan Division.
Click below for postgame reaction from Immaculata’s Riley Gorman and head coach Ryan McKeever:
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