Josh Lenko's career performance helps Ocean City reach first state final since 1972

Josh Lenko scored a game-high 30 points in Ocean City's 56-43 win over Westampton Tech in a NJSIAA Group 3 boys basketball state semifinal matchup at Central Regional High School in Bayville, New Jersey on Wednesday, March 12, 2026. Kevin Emmons/South Jersey Sports Zone

BERKELEY TWP. (N.J.) — The Ocean City High School boys' basketball team lost to eventual state champion Colts Neck in the NJSIAA Group 3 state semifinals in 2025.

With a victory over Delsea in the 2026 South Jersey Group 3 final, the Red Raiders earned a shot at redemption.

Josh Lenko made a career-high six 3-pointers and poured in a game-high 30 points to help ensure his team wouldn't fall short again.

His performance in a 56-43 triumph over Westampton Tech in the Group 3 state semifinals at Central Regional High School on Wednesday helped punch a ticket to the Group 3 state championship at Rutgers University.

The Red Raiders advanced a round further than they did a season ago and will play North Jersey Group 3 champion Colonia at Jersey Mike's Arena on Sunday at 2 pm.

"The one thing about this team and the last couple years," Ocean City coach John Bruno said, "is we just forget about the last game. We just go to the next game. That (loss to Colts Neck) never even came up. We never discussed it one time, ‘let's win because we lost last year.’ They really are a next game mentality team, and now the next game is the last game."

It's the Red Raiders' first state final appearance in 54 years.

"It was never really on my radar," Bruno said. "Never really thought about it. It's always let's just go play the next game. The idea of going to play at Rutgers hasn't really hit me, but I'm happy for those kids because it's a once in a lifetime experience for them."

Lenko scored Ocean City's first 10 points to help spark a run of 14 unanswered points. A 3-pointer by the junior capped a 17-1 spurt and gave the Red Raiders a 19-4 advantage.

“I was just the open man,” Lenko said. “I have to thank my teammates for getting me open. I happened to be the one to shoot it and make them. First two went in, coach said ‘just keep going if you’re feeling it.’ I guess they just went in.”

Ocean City held the Panthers scoreless from the 5:11 mark of the first quarter to the 6:52 mark of the second quarter. Westampton Tech only made one field goal until almost midway through the second quarter.

"They just did everything we needed them to do," Bruno said. "I felt defensively, that was really the difference. Defensively, when we picked up the tempo it seemed to change them completely."

The Panthers responded with a 15-0 run. Henry Njoga splashed a 3-pointer from the wing on an assist from Tristen Dickerson that tied the game at 19-19 at halftime.

Njoga scored first in the third quarter to give Westampton Tech its first lead since a 3-2 advantage less than three minutes into the first quarter. The Panthers led 24-21 after a layup from Jason Livingstone before the Red Raiders responded with an 11-0 run. WesTech never cut it's the deficit to less than five points the rest of the way.

Njoga finished with 15 points, three rebounds and two blocks. Livingstone added 11 points and four rebounds. Ocean City became the first team to limit Alexander Jeanty to single digits and secure a win this season. In the six games Jeanty, a senior with 1,045 career points, was limited to single digits, the Panthers went 5-1.

"We wanted to take the ball out of No. 24's hands," Bruno said. "We were gambling on our big men to rotate. I thought we did a good job on their big men. That was really my biggest concern if they were going to throw the ball inside. I thought we did a great job."

Westampton Tech concluded its campaign with a 23-9 record. The program won its first sectional title in school history with a 66-56 win over Middletown South. Coach Cetshwayo Byrd also directed the Panthers to their most wins in a single season.

"Successful," Byrd said of the campaign. "Won the most games in school history. Won a sectional. We'll take it. We were hoping to take that trip on Sunday, but it is what it is. The kids have nothing to hang their heads about. There were four teams left in Group 3, and we were one of them. We had a great season."

Lenko hit a 3-pointer ahead of the buzzer at the end of the third quarter to help ignite a 17-4 run. The Red Raiders led by as much as 20 points in the fourth quarter. The junior also grabbed four rebounds and tallied two steals.

Luke Tjoumakaris scored 16 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Point guard Dean Lappin was held scoreless but charted a game-high six steals, four rebounds and two assists. Alec Bell provided six points and four rebounds. Tighe Olek led the team with six assists.

“The difference was the role players who did everything," Bruno said. "Dean Lappin, Tighe Olek, Luke Tjoumakaris, Alec Bell. You're not looking in the stat sheet for them, but yet when the game is over, we won as much because of them as we did with Lenko shooting the ball well."

Ocean City improved its record to 25-6. The Cape May County program has won back-to-back South Jersey Group 3 titles and will make its fifth state championship appearance on Sunday. The program has won two state titles in 1955 and 1964.

"It's just great," Lenko said. "Last year, we got tripped up in this game. We battled and now we're back. It feels good to win this game and finally make it to the state title game."