VIDEO: Wildwood sets distance-shooting record in critical victory

Posted: January 26th 2024

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

WILDWOOD – Anyone who’s seen the Wildwood High School girls basketball play knows they have excellent long-distance shooting ability.

Now, the Lady Warriors have concrete evidence proving so.

In an incredible display of marksmanship in one of the team’s most important games of the season to date, Wildwood sank an eye-popping 21 three-pointers in an impressive 84-57 win over Woodstown in a Tri-County Conference crossover game Thursday.

According to data on the National Federation of High Schools website, the 21 three-point field goals are a New Jersey state record for three-pointers made in a game. According to the data posted, no New Jersey team has made as many as 17 three-pointers in a game.

The national record for three-pointers in a game, according to the NFHS, is 34 by a school in Arkansas in 1999.

Wildwood (12-3) got its three-pointers from four players. Macie McCracken and Angela Wilber each sank seven, Rebecca Benichou made six and Sophia Wilber connected on one. The Lady Warriors shot 21 for 39 from behind the three-point line (53.8 percent).

Ahead 19-15 after one quarter, Wildwood took control of the game behind a 34-12 advantage in the second quarter, a period in which the Lady Warriors made nine three-pointers. Wildwood held a 79-42 edge through three quarters.

McCracken finished with a game-high 31 points to go with 13 rebounds and six assists. Angela Wilber posted 25 points and Benichou added 18 points, five rebounds and four assists.

The victory came over a Wolverine team with which Wildwood is battling, along with Woodbury, for the top overall seed for the South Jersey Group I Tournament. The win will also help Wildwood’s case when it comes time for seeding for the Tri-County Conference Tournament, since Woodstown currently leads the TCC’s Diamond Division. Wildwood is the leader of the Classic Division.

Wildwood has made 159 three-pointers through 15 games, an average of nearly 11 per game.

Woodstown (11-3), which had won six straight games before Thursday’s loss, defeated Wildwood in last season’s South Jersey Group I title game.

Talia Bottavio (18 points) and Megan Donelson (17 points) led the Wolverines in scoring in the loss.