Lenko's 'unconscious' performance helps send Raiders to state title game for first time in 54 seasons

Posted: March 11th 2026

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

With the Ocean City High School boys basketball team holding a double-digit lead midway through the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s state Group III semifinal, Josh Lenko made a questionable decision to attempt a three-point shot from the left corner.

Lenko, though, was having one of those games many players can only dream about, so, of course, the shot went in after bouncing off the rim and the backboard.

The basket was one of six three-pointers by the junior forward, who poured in a game-high 30 points to lead the Raiders to a place the program hasn’t been since before most of the current players’ parents were born.

Thanks to Lenko’s performance and near-perfect basketball in the first, third and fourth quarters, Ocean City topped Westampton Tech by a not-as-close-as-it-appears 56-43 scoreline to land in the state championship game for the first time since 1972.

Ocean City (25-6) will face Colonia on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Rutgers University for the state Group III championship. Colonia was a 67-57 winner over Montville in the other semifinal.

“I’ve been here for 37 years and to do this now, this has never really been on my radar, to go to a state final,” Ocean City coach John Bruno told the media after the game. “For us, it was always, ‘Let’s just go play the next game.’ The thought of playing at Rutgers hasn’t hit me yet. But I’m so happy for these kids because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

JOSH LENKO: Six three-pointers and 30 points

Ocean City, two-time South Jersey champions, used its trademark patient, precision-passing offense to slice open the Westampton Tech defense in the opening quarter. Lenko made his first four shots, two of which were three-pointers, and scored the Raiders’ first 10 points of the game. Ocean City eventually swelled its advantage to 19-4 early in the second quarter.

Central Jersey champion Westampton Tech (23-9) roared back from there, scoring the last 15 points of the half to tie the game at intermission.

After Westampton Tech took a three-point lead early in the third quarter, the Raiders quickly found their groove again. Their offense returned to its first-quarter level and their defense tightened. The result was a game-changing 11-0 run that led to Ocean City taking an eight-point lead at the close of the period. Westampton Tech never challenged in the fourth, as Ocean City eventually increased its lead to as high as 20 points with two minutes to play before settling for the 13-point victory.

“What I’m most happy about is that everyone did what we needed everyone to do,” Bruno said. “I thought our defense in the second half was the difference. We picked up the tempo and pressured them a little bit. We tried to gamble and rotate and cover and we did a great job of it.”

Lenko was clearly the game’s offensive star. He scored 17 of his 30 points in the second half. His six three-pointers were the most he’s ever made in one game.

Senior forward Luke Tjoumakaris added 18 points and 10 rebounds for Ocean City. Seniors Alec Bell, Dean Lappin, Tighe Olek and Chris Pontari combined for just eight points but were just as instrumental in the victory, according to Bruno.

“The way Lenko shot the ball today, that’s just unconscious,” the coach said. “We knew because of their zone and the way they trap that we were going to have to make shots to have a chance and Josh really made some shots.

“But the difference was the rest of the role players who did everything we needed them to do. They did all those things you don’t see on a stat sheet. We won as much because of them as we did because of Lenko making all those shots.”

Ocean City will attempt to win its first state championship since 1964 and third overall. It will be the program’s fifth appearance all-time in the state title game.

Ocean City gets the chance to play for a state championship after losing by two points in the state semifinal game last season.

“I don’t know if these guys even look at it that they just missed getting there last year,” Bruno said. “They have the mentality of, ‘Forget about the last game, let’s go get the next game.’ They have that next-game mentality. Now, the next game is the last game.”