MoCo360 High School Sports: Three-point barrage leads Richard Montgomery past Bethesda-Chevy Chase

Rockville Rockets squad hands B-CC its first loss of the season in early high-profile matchup of boys' varsity basketball teams.

December 14, 2023 3:44 p.m.

As the Richard Montgomery Rockets of Rockville lined up against Bethesda-Chevy Chase Barons for the opening tip on Wednesday night, what stood out was the height disparity.

Both members of the Barons frontcourt stand above 6-foot-5, in addition to another forward at 6-foot-3.

Regarding height, the Rockets were mismatched compared to the Barons. Yet, thanks to effective three-point shooting, Richard Montgomery raced out to a six-point lead minutes into the first quarter.

- Advertisement -

The Rockets’ early hot streak from beyond the arc never cooled. Richard Montgomery laced 13 three-pointers en route to a 68-53 victory over the Barons.

De'Marean Frazier (#11) of Richard Montgomery dribbles against Lucas Allen (#12) of Bethesda-Chevy Chase on Dec. 13, 2023. Credit: Shaun Chornobroff
De’Marean Frazier (#11) of Richard Montgomery dribbles against Lucas Allen (#12) of Bethesda-Chevy Chase on Dec. 13. Credit: Shaun Chornobroff

“We had some guys knock down shots who don’t normally,” said Richard Montgomery head coach David Breslaw. “Those are the shots we practice. Those are the shots we are comfortable taking, especially when you play a team that big.”

After ending the first quarter with a 15-9 lead, Richard Montgomery created distance in the second quarter. The Rockets scored 23 points, including six threes in the quarter to go into the half with a 38-26 lead. Of Richard Montgomery’s 38 first half points, 30 came from beyond the arc.

“This was exactly how we scripted it. That normally doesn’t happen,” Breslaw said.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase went on an 8-2 run in the opening minutes of the second half, slicing the deficit to six points. Anytime the Barons showed a glimpse of overcoming their deficit, the Rockets forced a steal or drilled another three-pointer to snatch momentum. By the end of the third quarter, the lead was back into double-digits, and remained until the final buzzer.

Sponsored
Face of the Week

Both teams sit at 3-1 after the game. Bethesda-Chevy Chase, using its height to dominate defensively. Before Richard Montgomery waltzed into their home gym, the Barons had allowed opposing teams to score an average of 43 points in their opening three games.

“All those guards returned from last year, so we knew that’s what we had, and we knew what we had to do. We just didn’t come out and execute the game plan,” said Bethesda-Chevy Chase head coach Sean Tracy. “As a coach, I got to do a better job of preparing these guys, but we got to find a way to guard.”

Cameron Rothstein-Epp led the Barons with 13 points, while 6’6” center Adam Strong-Jacobson was not far behind with 10 points.

Steven Mbah Jr. (#24) of Richard Montgomery goes up for a shot amid a sea of defenders against Bethesda-Chevy Chase on Dec. 13. Credit: Shaun Chornobroff

Richard Montgomery showed a glimpse of its ideal blueprint for winning on Wednesday night. The Rockets were not only effective from long range, but had a variety of contributors in the process, instead of just being reliant on one player.

The Rockets had three players in double figures during the game and an additional two with nine points. Sophomore guard Tavares Vaughan-Cooper led the game with 25 points.

- Advertisement -

“We’re beginning to trust each other and feel comfortable with the offense, and recognize where and when we need to move,” said Breslaw. 

Richard Montgomery’s lone loss was a 73-66 loss against undefeated Wootton on Dec. 8. To replicate an offensive performance like the one seen on Wednesday, Breslaw gave a simple formula.

“Moving the ball, finding open guys and taking shots that don’t frustrate the rest of the team,” he said.

Upcoming Games:

Richard Montgomery: vs. Blair (Fri., Dec. 15, 7:15 p.m.), vs. Sherwood (Tue, Dec. 19, 5:30 p.m.), @ Springbrook (Fri., Jan. 5, 5:30 p.m.)

Bethesda Chevy-Chase: @ Springbrook (Fri. Dec. 15, 7:15 p.m.), vs. Walter Johnson (Tue, Dec. 19, 3:45 p.mm.), @ Wootton (Tue, Jan. 5, 5:30 p.m.)

Digital Partners

Enter our essay contest