VIDEO: Bean, Dunner make sure Crusaders close out home schedule with playoff victory

Posted: February 24th 2024

Pat Bean and Charlie Dunner combined for 41 points to pace Wildwood Catholic to a playoff victory over Ranney.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

NORTH WILDWOOD – Seniors Pat Bean and Charlie Dunner made sure the last home game of their high school basketball career didn’t result in a defeat.

Bean poured in 23 points – getting 20 of them in the first half – and Dunner sank 18 points to pace Wildwood Catholic Academy to a 65-50 victory over Ranney in a first-round South Jersey Non-Public B contest Friday evening.

“I’m especially happy for them,” Wildwood Catholic coach Will Warehman said. “You talk this time of year now that the season’s winding down that you want to have your best showings, especially for your seniors, because the kids don’t want it to end. It was good to see those two guys lead us.”

Wildwood Catholic (11-15), the eighth seed in the tournament, began to control the game in the second quarter when Bean heated up for 12 points, the Crusaders taking a 37-27 lead into halftime. Wildwood Catholic then began the second half with a 13-4 run to up its lead to 19 points and was never threatened the rest of the way by ninth-seeded Ranney (12-13), a team that featured just two seniors among its eight–player rotation.

Tayshaun Jackson helped the Crusaders offensively in the second half, tallying eight of his 10 points after the break.

Brody Mauro, a freshman, led Ranney with 11 points. Drew Buck and Just Buck each added 10.

The contest was a rematch of the 2019 South Jersey title game, when Wildwood Catholic pushed Ranney, then the top-ranked team in the state, to overtime before losing.

Wildwood Catholic faces a daunting task in the next round. The Crusaders will play at top-seeded St. Rose, the No. 1-ranked team in the state, in Belmar on Monday. The Purple Roses feature Villanova commit Matthew Hodge and numerous other Division I prospects.

“We’re going to go up there and give it everything we possibly have,” Wareham said. “If you’re telling someone your goals and they’re not thinking you’re crazy, then you’re probably not dreaming big enough. We’re going to go up there with every intention of trying to win the game. Whatever happens happens. But we do know they’re one of the best teams in the state.”