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BOYS BASKETBALL: Rams Roll Past Branco, Hudson

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BART O’CONNELL

Tribune correspondent

Published: December 3, 2008

HUDSON - Gary Anders still has questions about his squad, mainly how they will handle big leads or sudden adversity.

But one question that seems to have been answered already is just how much better Ridgewood is compared to the rest of Pasco County.

Led by a suffocating first-half defensive effort and four players in double figures, including 28 points from center Lukas Poderis, the Rams (2-2) cruised past Hudson (2-1) 75-56 at the Cobra Gymnasium on Tuesday.

Not even 35 points from Hudson senior Jarrod Branco, including a near-perfect third quarter, was going to stop Ridgewood from re-asserting its in-county dominance.

"One of the things we focused on is having a large lead at the half and how we would handle it. It's a new situation for us [this year]," said Anders, whose squad led by 20 at the break. "And for awhile there we couldn't get the ball out of Jarrod's hands, make him pass. Sometimes I solicit their input; was it a physical or mental letdown? If I find the answer to that, I'll be on to something."

The Cobras trailed by 23 when Branco began heating up, scoring the game's next nine points as part of a 13-0 run, which extended into the fourth quarter.

But Anders quickly changed the game plan to get the ball to Poderis. The 6-foot-8 center had just two points in the third period, but his back-to-back baskets early in the fourth killed the rally for good. He also was a perfect 10-of-10 from the foul line.

"We just pushed [the ball] to Luke down there, crammed it in there. You have to when you have a kid like that," Anders said. "Sometimes it's hard to get the guards to buy into that, but they have to realize it will open things up for them as well."

Branco had just one field goal, a 3-pointer, in the fourth period before leaving the game with cramps. He has 999 career points.

Bryan Jones and Jacob Rauh had 14 points each for the Rams, and Alvin Satram added 11.

Hudson's game plan was quickly altered when center Stephen Brom picked up two fouls in the first 1:21, and was taken out of the game by Coach Jason Vetter. He finished with eight points before fouling out in the fourth. An aggressive inside game was part of the plan for Anders and the Rams, who return home to face River Ridge on Friday.

RIDGEWOOD 75, HUDSON 56

Ridgewood (75): Satram 2 7-8 11; B. Jones 7 0-0 14; Rauh 4 4-7 14; Poderis 8 10-10 28; Reardon 3 0-0 6; Kujak 1 0-0 2. Totals 25 21-25 75.

Hudson (56): Santos 2 0-0 4; Russo 0 2-3 2; Jar. Branco 13 7-11 35; Brom 4 0-0 8; Pryor 1 0-0 2; Livengood 1 2-3 4; Jam. Branco 0 1-2 1. Totals 21 12-19 56.

Total Fouls -- R 14, H 23. Fouled Out – Brom (H). Technicals – Bench (H). 3-point goals – Rauh 2, Poderis 2 (R); Jar. Branco 2 (H). Records – R 2-2, H 2-1. JV Score – Hudson 41-39.

Correspondent Bart O'Connell can be reached at tampasport@gmail.com.

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