By Scott Stump - Senior Editor

     HOLMDEL - Rumson-Fair Haven's boys basketball team may be off to a 4-0 start one year after winning four games all season, but the Bulldogs are not taking anything for granted despite their swift turnaround.
     "We just tell the kids to play hard and defend, and you give yourself chances to win,'' said first-year head coach James Young. "We preach effort, and we preach defense.''
     Both of those were on display in Wednesday night's 53-48 win over Middletown North (1-3) in the quarterfinals of the Bayshore Tournament, as the Bulldogs, ranked No. 9 in the DigitalSports Top 10, made some key stops defensively in the third quarter and received a career-high 30 points from junior guard Matt Blumel to bring home the victory. They will face top-seeded Middletown South (3-1) in the semifinals on Thursday at 7 p.m. at St. John Vianney.
     The Bulldogs had a 21-7 lead at one point after ripping off a 14-0 run, only to watch as the Lions, who also have a first-year head coach in former assistant Mike Iasparro, surge back to within 24-20 at halftime.
      "We're just telling everyone that it's just a run, and we can get through it,'' said Blumel, who had 17 points in the first half.
      Rumson widened the gap to seven points heading into the fourth quarter, and then Blumel and junior point guard James LeCardi brought it home. LeCardi scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, including eight in the fourth quarter, and his two free throws with 1:27 left in the game provided a 50-41 lead and all but iced the game.
      "I think coach Young came in and did a great job,'' LeCardi said. "He's made us play hard. It's a whole new team.''
      It also marked the first time this season that LeCardi and Blumel each were playing at a high level at the same time for long stretches, as both have taken turns carrying the offense thus far. They combined for 46 of the team's 53 points in the win.
      "This is probably the first game they've both played well in spots,'' Young said. "We're trying to get them going at the same time because we believe stopping both of them will be hard for an opponent.''
      Blumel used an array of 3-pointers, drives to the basket and post-up moves to key his big offensive night. He worked with Minnesota Timberwolves guard Randy Foye during the summer, as Foye has a residence in Rumson, and has prepared himself for the increased attention of opposing defenses.
      "You've just got to go in the game every night thinking you're going to be the guy keyed in on,'' Blumel said. "You've got to be ready for it, you've got to be strong with the ball, and you've got to be ready to take a physical beating.''
      The Bulldogs now face one of their bigger tests of the young season against the Eagles, who are ranked No. 10 in the DigitalSports Top 10, and whom they scrimmaged in the preseason.
      "We lost to them in a scrimmage, so we want it pretty bad,'' LeCardi said.

MIDDLETOWN SOUTH 62, JACKSON LIBERTY 34
By Jim Geant, Middletown South student correspondent
A strong second half from Middletown South gave the Eagles a 62-34 win over Jackson Liberty and an impressive start in the Bayshore Holiday Basketball Tournament as the No. 1seed.

Jackson Liberty stayed in the game early, trailing by only 10 points at half, but in the third the Eagles came out and put the game away by outscoring the Lions 19-3. South's defense, led by strong play by sophomore Kyle Cancillieri, did not allow a field goal in the third.

By the end of the third, the South lead had grown to 26 points, 48-22, and the Eagles went to the bench to finish off the game.

Cancillieri set the pace with a game-high 17 points, his second strong performance in a row after coming off a 23-point effort in a loss to Freehold Township. Garret Thiel contributed 14 points of his own while Rob Callori scored 11, including three 3-point shots.

Middletown South takes on Rumson-Fair Haven, the number 4 seed who beat Middletown North 53-48, at 7:00 PM tomorrow night at St. John Vianney High School in the semifinal match up.

E-mail: stump@digitalsports.com