By TOM WILLIAMS

On Sunday afternoon, the Ocean City High School boys basketball team won the state championship.

John Bruno’s Raiders defeated North Jersey champion Colonia, 55-46, to become the only state champion from South Jersey in boys basketball this year. Though not an overpowering offensive team, Ocean City pretty much blew through the state tournament, outscoring five opponents by a combined 80 points. The only team to seriously challenge them was Winslow Township. And the Raiders made the plays they needed to make for a 50-48 overtime win in that game.

This marked the fourth time that OCHS had two state champions in the same school year. Tim Cook’s girls cross country team did it in the fall. The last time it happened was in 2005-06 when boys soccer and field hockey both were state champions. Mike Pellegrino and Trish LeFever had done it in those same sports in 1999-2000. It first happened in 1988-89 when Mike Naples’ girls cross country team and Gina Zappariello’s softball team went all the way.

It was also Ocean City’s first state title in Group 3. Dixie Howell’s 1955 title team was in Group 1 and his 1964 team in Group 2.

John Laudenslager, a key member of the 1964 state basketball champions, was there for the state tournament games, wearing his 1964 jacket. (It still fits!) He was joined on Sunday by the grandson of the late Randy Fox, wearing his grandfather’s 1964 jacket. They brought with them the spirit of John Cranston, Ed McClain, Bill Haynes, Barry Banks, Rick Howell, Craig French, Bud Swan, Jim Wimberg and Butch Gleason.

Bruno finished his 37th year as OCHS coach with 537 wins. Only nine coaches in South Jersey history have more and only three active coaches – Paul Rodio of St. Augustine, Joe Kessler of Egg Harbor Township and Paul Wiedeman of Haddonfield.

Another big part of this season was the fan support. They sold out a couple games at the Dixie Howell Gym (where, by the way, OCHS has won 15 straight NJSIAA Tournament games) and followed them on the road.

There were times in Sunday’s game when you thought the Raiders were in trouble. There were times in many of their games when you thought they were in trouble. But the best word to describe this team was poised. It didn’t phase them if they fell behind in the second or third quarter. Even in the fourth quarter. Because most of the time they had what they needed to win the game.

The only team on their schedule that they couldn’t defeat was South Jersey Group 2 champion Middle Township. And there were stretches in both those losses when they took control. They split with Holy Spirit and St. Augustine and lost to Atlantic City, a team they defeated twice during the season, in the championship game of the CAL Tournament. After controlling that game for more than 25 minutes, they saw the Vikings rally and win, 51-50, on a free throw by brilliant sophomore Don’Taye Thompson with five seconds left.

If you watched this team you probably will not forget how their individual talents merged into a successful team.

Luke Tjoumakaris and Josh Lenko led the team in scoring. Tjoumakaris, a strong leader who had a knack to find an open spot on the floor, controlled the inside game and averaged 15.5 points per game. He scored 481 points, the 19th highest total for one season in school history. His 884 career points is No. 18 in OCHS history.

Lenko was an explosive scorer – he scored 30 or more points three times, including in the state semifinal against Westampton Tech. He averaged 14.3 points and his 457 points this year is in the top 25 at OCHS with a season still to go. Lenko will enter his senior year with 743 career points and 44 three-pointers.

Add to those two a half dozen seniors who brought the magic together.

Dean Lappin and Tighe Olek were solid defenders who frequently drew the toughest defensive assignments. They could score – each one contributed some key baskets during the state tournament march. Alec Bell was second on the team (to Lenko) with 16 three-pointers and also made some critical buckets. Chris Pontari came off the bench to contribute a lot more than his 5.5 average. In fact, he led the team with 15 points in the CAL championship game.

Kevin Entress is an interesting story. He started the school year as a quarterback at Atlantic City. In fact, he was 15-for-15 in the Vikings’ opening game for 278 yards and two TDs. Two weeks later, he transferred to OCHS. He decided he wanted to play lacrosse and ACHS does not have a lacrosse team.

Anyway, Entress plus seniors Liam Zintner and Luke Passarella gave the Raiders some strong minutes off the bench.

There are also four underclassmen who saw some action but figure to be a big part of next year’s team. They include sophomores Columb Higgins, Nevin Millstein and Quinn Olek, plus freshman Corey Clemens.

Bruno had a team this year that gave him just what he wanted. They controlled the ball with sharp, accurate passes, shot nearly 50 percent and played tough defense. Strangely, many of the people who praised the Raiders for their ball control and teamwork – and their patience on offense – support the addition of a shot clock, which would have had a negative impact on the OCHS season.

Bruno thought he had a team for the ages with Derrick Yeoman and J.D. Asselta in his first few years. There was the stunning upset in 1999 when Ryan Reich made a 35-foot shot to send the South Jersey final against Middle Township into overtime and Mike Rowell took over in the extra period for Bruno’s first South Jersey win. But they lost in the state semifinal.

Two years ago it looked like he had his team – a very talented group led by Kori Segich (the CAL scoring champion), Dylan Schlatter, Patrick Grimley and Charlie LaBarre. But they lost to an equally talented Mainland team in three overtimes.

Last year, the Raiders won the South Jersey title and might have been on their way to a state title. But star point guard Ben McGonigle went down with an injury in the first minute of the state semifinal. OCHS still had the lead in the final minute of the game before losing.

This season, there were no obstacles. Ocean City won its first state title in boys basketball in 62 years.

For seven decades the names Joe Kennedy, Frank Wickes and Chick McDowell had a special place in OCHS history after winning a state title in 1955. For the last six decades, John Cranston, Randy Fox, Ed McClain, Barry Banks and Bill Haynes joined them as special names.

Now, future generations will speak the names Luke Tjoumakaris, Josh Lenko, Tighe Olek, Dean Lappin and Alec Bell with that same reverence.

They produced that season for the ages for John Bruno, an emotional victory that ended the season with a win.