Bergen County Championship Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The cream has risen to the top in the Bergen County Tournament and the two teams left standing are #2-Demarest and #5-Ramapo. One was expected to be here and has cruised to back to finals. The other barely survived the 1st round and has probably played in the most exciting game in each round of this tournament. Let's take a look at both teams starting with the heavy favorite. Just like the semifinals games, the championship will be held at Pascack Valley HS </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#2-Demarest vs. #5-Ramapo</span></strong> - 2pm</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The game for all the marbles to see who will take home the crown after Saddle River Day's 9 year reign comes down to a matchup of two public schools for the first time in this tournament since 2014. After never making a championship appearance in school history until last year, Demarest is right back in the finals with a couple of new faces. You don't have to like how they build their roster, but you have to respect the roster they have. They have cruised to the finals beating #15-Ramsey, #10-Saddle River Day and #3-Teaneck by an average of 20+ppg. With senior Smith commit, [player_tooltip player_id='600897' first='Gabriella' last='Mittelman'] and junior Tenafly transfer, [player_tooltip player_id='789186' first='Zoe' last='Wasserlauf'], Demarest has two point guards making them a tough team to press. Both players average in double figures with 12+ppg and 11+ppg respectively. Each is averaging just over 1+ 3-pointer per game and they are 2nd and 3rd on the team in made 3-pointers. Gabriella and Zoe are top 2 on the team in assists and steals. This team heavily relies on their two point guards but they are also extremely balanced. The supporting cast is strong. Junior IHA transfer [player_tooltip player_id='959847' first='Nassiah' last='Cole-Haricha'] averages 7+ppg. She brings size to the team. She is 3rd on the team in scoring, 2nd in rebounding and 4th in 3-pointers. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='651513' first='Deana' last='Finkelstein'] leads the team in rebounds and is 3rd on the team in assists and steals. She is also the team's top defender. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='835246' first='Ella' last='Peck'] is a gunner. She is a great spot up shooter in the Demarest drive and kick game and while running to corners in transition. She has 14 3-pointers in her last 3 games including 9 against Pascack Valley. The supporting cast consists of sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='964294' first='Ava' last='Francica'] who has made 17 3-pointers in a reserve role and sophomer Caitlyn Fontana. Demarest still wants to play fast. They are 14-0 when they score 50 or more points but, more importantly, every time they have scored 50+ppg this year they have finished with a double digit win. They get the ball up the court quick off misses and makes so you better be ready to sprint back. However, there defense is improved from last year and it has shown in a couple of low scoring Ws for the Demarest. 5 of their top 7 played in this game last year so they should be prepared for the moment. Combine that with a rigorous regular season schedule and you have a team primed to win the 1st County Championship in school history.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ramapo's path to the finals has certainly not been as smooth as that of Demarest. They return for the 1st time since winning a 2nd consecutive title in 2010. They snuck by #12-Fair Lawn in the 1st round in a game they trailed for the first 28+ minutes. In the quarterfinals, they never trailed against #4-Old Tappan and pulled out a 9 point win in a game where it was just a two possession game in the last minute. In a back and forth Final 4 game against #2-IHA, Ramapo overcame a 9-point 4th quarter deficit on 4 straight 3-pointers and prevailed by a point in OT. Though Demarest is battle tested in the championship game, Ramapo has been the most tested in this tournament. Ramapo is also led by two scorers who put up a lot of points for the squad. Where Demarest's leading duo averages 46% of the team's points, Ramapo's senior duo of [player_tooltip player_id='559136' first='Camden' last='Epstein'] and [player_tooltip player_id='564268' first='Toni' last='Pernetti'] combine for 61% of their team's points. The difference for Ramapo this year has been players stepping up in big spots. In the first round it was Pernetti and senior [player_tooltip player_id='600887' first='Grace' last='Saxton']. In the quarterfinals it was Epstein and in the semis, though Epstein was the leading scorer, the shooting of freshman Sofia Cosimano and junior Trinity Horn got the team back in the game. Epstein and Pernetti average 20+ppg and 15+ppg respectively with 58 and 41 3-pointers. Epstein is also 2nd in steals and assists and 3rd in rebounds. Pernetti is the team's top defender and is 2nd in rebounds and blocks and 3rd in assists and steals. Saxton is a force on the glass and a good distributor. She leads the team in rebounds, assists and blocks. Horn is 3rd on the team with 24 3-pointers and 4th in assists and steals. Cosimano is 4th in 3-pointers and rebounds. Ramapo gets a defensive spark off the bench from junior Amelia Rubenacker and a two-way threat from freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1245588' first='Olivia' last='Lunsmann'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>THE VERDICT</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams have a lot of decisions to make on how to guard their opponent. The answer to these questions could dictate the outcome of this game. Which coach will push the right buttons? If Ramapo cannot contain Demarest's pace and keep them out of transition and Demarest is making 3-pointers, this could be another easy victory for Demarest and the school's first ever girls baksetball county championship. The Ramapo girls have never played in a game of this magnitude and 5 of Demarest's top 7 has already been there. Ramapo has to show up ready to go. There is no time to ease into the game here. Ramapo would probably prefer to play in the 40's and slow Demarest down. Ramapo is not afraid to play fast but a track meet favors Demarest. Can Ramapo take advantage of their size? Will the refs let them play as they have been the last couple of weeks. Lots of questions that will be finally answered in 48 hours. Demarest will have to rebound with all 5 players and Ramapo will have to get the right shots for the right people. At the end of the day Ramapo's Cinderella story ends here. They have been squeaking by for three straight weeks in this tourney. Demarest has been on a mission to get back to this game since falling short last year and their team of hand picked talent will reign supreme in this one. <strong>After 9 years at Saddle River Day, Demarest will hoist the trophy for the first time in school history.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->