Red Bank Catholic-Raritan: Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Shore Conference Tournament is underway with teams looking to take home the conference title. Red Bank Catholic and Raritan played in a thriller as the Rockets won 45-36 to advance to the quarterfinals. Here are the standouts from the Red Bank Catholic-Raritan game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1206523' first='Jack' last='O'Leary'], 6'1 CG Raritan 2023</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>O'Leary played with poise throughout the game as he made plays for them down the stretch. The 6'1 guard used his handle to get into the lane and finished nicely around the basket. O'Leary was unafraid of drawing contact during the game and hit key free throws down the stretch. He fought for rebounds on both ends of the floor and made plays on the defensive end. O'Leary is a gritty guard prospect who has made plays for Raritan throughout the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Tyler Burnham, 6'6 C Red Bank Catholic 2024</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Burnham had a solid game for the Caseys as he asserted his dominance down low. The 6'6 post was able to get position down low and finished through contact around the basket. Burnham showed off a nice touch around the basket and moved well off the ball. He secured rebounds on both ends of the floor and he influenced shots on the defensive end. Burnham's ability to finish around the basket is something that will help Red Bank Catholic in the state tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Billy Tigar, G Raritan 2023</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tigar led the Rockets with 16 points as he played a big part in their win. The senior guard knocked down four triples as he made the Caseys pay for giving him space behind the arc. He moved well without the ball in his hands and rarely forced bad shots in the half court. He moved his feet well on the defensive end as well. Tigar's combination of defense and shooting has been key for Raritan in 2022-23 and is a reason they have only lost one game this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2504931' first='Sean' last='Saxton'], 6'0 SG Red Bank Catholic 2025</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Saxton had a strong game off the bench for the Caseys as he provided them with a spark. The 6'0 guard set his feet before every shot and showcased a good release on his jumper. Saxton freed himself for open jumpers and layups in the half court as he was constantly moving off the ball. He worked hard on the defensive end and dove on the floor for loose balls. Saxton's ability to stretch the floor and play defense is something that Red Bank Catholic will need during the state tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Michael Diller, G Raritan 2023</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Diller had a good all-around game for the Rockets as he worked hard for them on both ends of the floor. The senior guard showed off a nice touch around the basket and was able to get into the lane during the game. Diller was able to get to his spot on the floor and rose up nicely on his jumper. He played solid on-ball defense and secured offensive rebounds in crucial parts of the game. Diller is a gritty guard prospect who is unafraid of doing the dirty work for Raritan in key situations.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->