Saturday, February 18, 2012

By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer

Rudy Chavez lining up the 3-pointer that made his the fifth boys basketball player to score 1,000 career points at Ridgefield. On Senior Night, the Royals held off New Milford, 58-49.

RIDGEFIELD – Of all the games that Rudy Chavez has played at Ridgefield Memorial High School, Friday night's home game is one of those that he will never forget. Not only was it Senior Nigh, but Ridgefield is in the midst of enjoying its best season since 2005. Throw in the fact that Chavez came into the game against New Milford needing only six points to get to 1,000 for his career and memories were sure to be made. With his entire family in the stands and butterflies in his stomach, the sharp-shooting Chavez figured the best way to calm himself down was to get it over with as quickly as possible.

Chavez canned a deep three-pointer from the wing with 3:15 to play in the first quarter for his 1,000th point only to watch his team quickly fall behind after he reached the personal milestone. Behind Chavez, the Royals battled back and then held off a late rally for a 58-49 victory at Ridgefield High School.

Chavez scored three points early and was just three points away when he took a pass from fellow senior Edgar Lebron and canned the three-point shot right in front of his family sitting in the bleachers behind him, which put him into school history as only the fifth boys’ basketball player ever to reach quadruple digits in points scored.

Bobby Blunt and New Milford were looking for their second win of the season.

“It’s a great feeling and a great honor to be only one of a few players here that has done it,” said Chavez. “When it left my hand, it felt like it was going to go in. I’m glad it did, because there was definitely tension and I just wanted to get it done with so I could relax and play without that being in the back of my mind.”

Chavez’s three gave the Royals an 8-3 lead, but New Milford showed that its players could also hit from long-range. Royce Rebustillo had a pair of three-pointers and Dante Tobler also made one in a 14-2 spurt that gave the Knights their largest lead, 17-10. The Royals answered back with an 11-4 run capped by a layup from Wilson Mateo.

But the Knights refused to go quietly as Connor Swanson hit a three-pointer just before the half and another to start the third quarter to put the Knights back in front, 27-24. After Swanson’s pair of threes, Chavez and his teammates started to get an unfortunate feeling of déjà vu. They lost on Senior Night last year to Waldwick, which only had one win on the season going into that game. Last night, it was a pesky New Milford squad who was also looking for its second win of the season that gave the Royals everything they could handle.

“We had a big crowd for this game and with nine seniors and it being Senior Night, we couldn’t let this one slip through our hands,” said Chavez.

Wilson Mateo tied for game-high honors for Ridgefield, which snapped a 3-game losing streak.

The Royals got the ship righted, leading by as many as 12 points in the third quarter, but the Knights hung around until the final minute. Rebustillo hit an NBA-range three-pointer to cut the lead to five with 1:09 to play before Ridgefield got a layup from Brandon Estrella and hung on for the win.

Chavez and Mateo tied for game-high honors with 18 points apiece for Ridgefield (13-10), which snapped a three-game losing streak. Bobby Blunt finished with 11 points and Rebustillo had nine for New Milford (1-17).

Ridgefield can now turn its attention toward the state tournament where it will have a home game in the first round of North 1, Group 1 play against Weehawken with the winner getting top-seeded Newark Tech. Now that Chavez has achieved his milestone, he is more concerned with helping to create a lasting playoff memory for his team.

“We want to win at least a game in the states and try to do some damage along the way,” added Chavez. “Tonight was great for me personally, but I couldn’t have done it without my family off the court and my teammates, who are my family on the court. It’s been really special to grow up playing with my best friends since I was like ten years old and see how we’ve grown together. We don’t want this to end and we’re going to take it as far as we possible can.”

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