SPRINGFIELD — Redemption.
Saturday night at Rutherford it came with equal parts execution and emotion, and with a dash of humility as the Rams secured a berth in next week’s Class 5A Final Four with a 63-52 win over Bishop Kenny.
Rutherford, 26-2, advanced as the Region 1-5A champion and will face American Heritage (Plantation) on Friday in the state semifinals.
Bishop Kenny, seeking a return trip to Lakeland, ended 21-9.
“We’ve been here so many times, I’m just happy for the kids,” said Rutherford coach Rhondie Ross, whose team was playing its fourth region final in five years.
Aside from Saturday, Rutherford’s only trip to meet the state’s elite in that span came in 2010, when the Rams advanced in Class 4A.
The victory over Bishop Kenny also was the first time Rutherford had won a region title on its home court, and marked the third time in school history it reached the Final Four.
“This is redemption for two years ago when we lost (at home) to Terry Parker” in the region finals, Ross said.
“This is a new standard for our program.”
Although Rutherford took charge with a 16-5 edge in the second quarter that produced a 16-point halftime bulge, the outcome was in doubt until the final minute.
The Rams led 47-32 with 6 minutes, 22 seconds remaining when the Crusaders mounted a final charge. Behind splendid 6-foot-3 sophomore Christian Carlyle, who led all scorers with 30 point, they clawed within 55-50 when Justin Goldfeder scored on a drive and was fouled.
Goldfeder missed the free throw, and Rutherford counted its final eight points at the free-throw line to finally cement the victory.
The Rams also missed 14 free throws for the game, about their only downfall in an otherwise stellar performance.
“Yeah, except for the free throws,” Ross admitted. “You know we were not supposed to even be here. We lost seven seniors from last year’s team. This was not expected.”
That didn’t appear the case early on when Rutherford excelled in every phase of the game. The Rams built a 32-16 halftime lead by taking four charging fouls, swishing four of 10 3-point attempts and outrebounding the Crusaders 27-23 for the game.
By contrast, Bishop Kenny was hounded on the perimeter by an extended defense and only attempt three 3-pointers in the opening half and missed all three.
But Carlyle willed his team on, even when the Crusaders had three starters foul out. Carlyle had a stretch where he scored 14 of Kenny’s 18 points, and the Crusaders kept chipping away at their deficit until the thought of a miracle comeback appeared possible.
“There was a reason they made it to state last year,” Ross surmised.
Gabe Steele led Rutherford with 19 point, scoring on a dunk and immediate steal and layup to repel the Crusaders’ first rally.
Khaliel Spearman added 18 points, five rebounds and a blocked shot, but sixth man Destin Dunton became a key factor after Josh Wade fouled out early in the fourth quarter.
Dunton went to the line 16 times, all but two of them in the fourth quarter and made 11 as Rutherford refused to fold. Keith Arts added six points and six rebounds and Dorian Moore had six rebounds.
Carlyle added eight rebounds and a block to his total and Chris Joyce had seven rebounds and a block before fouling out. Shaggy Allman had nine points before fouling out.
But no other Crusader had more than five, and the Rams held on and then celebrated.
It was the first time in school history they could cut down their nets to commemorate a region championship.
BISHOP KENNY (52)
DeVries 0 0-0 0, Goldfeder 1 0-1 2, King 2 1-2 3, Nutter 0 0-0 0,Maher 1 0-0 3, McDougald 0 0-0 0, Joyce 2 0-0 5, Driscoll 0 0-0 0, Allmond 3 3-4 9, Smith 0 0-0 0, Carlyle 12 4-7 30. Totals: 21 8-14 52.
RUTHERFORD (63)
Wade 2 2-2 6, Dunton 0 11-16 11, Steele 8 1-4 19, Foster 0 0-0 0, Moore 0 3-5 3, Spearman 5 6-10 18, Arts 3 0-0 6. Totals: 18 23-37 63.
Bishop Kenny 11 5 11 25 — 52
Rutherford 16 16 9 22 — 63
3-point goal: Bishop Kenny 4 (Carlyle 2, Maher, Joyce), Rutherford 4 (Spearman 2, Steele 2). Total fouls: Bishop Kenny 26, Rutherford 20. Fouled out: Bishop Kenny (King, McDougald, Joyce), Rutherford (Wade). Technical fouls: Bishop Kenny (Allmond).