OCHS Teams of the 90's


Mike Rowell top Raider boys basketball player of the 90s!


By TOM WILLIAMS
Gazette Staff Writer

The 1990s were pretty good to Ocean City High School boys basketball.

There were eight winning seasons in the 10 years against the consistently tough competition of the Cape-Atlantic League, including three division championship and the program’s first South Jersey title in 27 years.

There was also plenty of drama, including Coach John Bruno’s battle to preserve his job, despite seven winning seasons in the prior eight years. Then, in drama worthy of a TV movie, after winning that fight, Bruno’s team went out and won that South Jersey title in an unlikely overtime win over Middle Township.

The Player of the Decade is Mike Rowell, who graduated as the greatest career scorer in school history. He also was only the fifth player in school history to lead his team in scoring three straight years, set a career record for steals and was only the fourth junior to average 20 points a game. Then, as a senior, with 6-4 Brazilian transfer Gil Ferrari adding great strength to the inside game, Rowell had 30 more assists than he had as a junior.

Rowell is joined on the all-decade team by a pretty good quartet. J.D. Asselta supplies great strength in the middle as the center. Brandon Granger, who started on all three division champions, and LaQue Lee, who set a school record with 50 points in one game, are the forwards. And none other than Derrick Yeoman, who set a single-season scoring record with 28.4 points a game, joins Rowell in the backcourt.

With this team, Rowell, the all-time career scoring leader, might average 15 assists a game.

Bruno, who coached the Raiders throughout the decade, has versatility on the bench. Ferrari, the only player in OCHS history to score 20 points in three seperate tournament games during the same year, is the center. Steffon Davis and Jay Granger are the forwards while Vic Humphrey and Quan McCray give strength to the backcourt.

OCHS Boys Basketball in the 90s
Season......Record....Coach..............Leading Scorer

1989-90....12-15......John Bruno........Derrick Yeoman 15.8
1990-91....16-11......John Bruno........Derrick Yeoman 28.4
1991-92....16-8........John Bruno........J.D. Asselta 26.4
1992-93....14-9........John Bruno........Vic Humphrey 16.3
1993-94....15-10......John Bruno........Brandon Granger 15.4
1994-95....17-8........John Bruno........LaQue Lee 24.1
1995-96....17-9........John Bruno........Steffon Davis 15.8
1996-97....10-14......John Bruno........Mike Rowell 18.8
1997-98....14-10......John Bruno........Mike Rowell 21.0
1998-99....19-10......John Bruno........Mike Rowell 14.8


The All-90s Raider Boys Basketball Team

First Team
Forward...Brandon Granger
Forward...LaQue Lee
Center.....J.D. Asselta
Guard......Mike Rowell
Guard......Derrick Yeoman


Second Team
Forward...Steffon Davis
Forward...Jay Granger
Center.....Gil Ferrari
Guard......Vic Humphrey
Guard......Quan McCray