Saddle River Day beats IHA in Bergen County Tournament final
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Top-seeded Saddle River Day entered the Bergen County Tournament as the overwhelming favorite amongst some great competition. In the end, Immaculate Heart made things close against SRD in the tournament final, but the Colonial Rebels ran the bracket to win…
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Continue ReadingTop-seeded Saddle River Day entered the Bergen County Tournament as the overwhelming favorite amongst some great competition. In the end, Immaculate Heart made things close against SRD in the tournament final, but the Colonial Rebels ran the bracket to win the BCT for the sixth-straight year. Here are some standout players we saw during the final that you need to be paying attention to.
Paulina Paris Paulina Paris 5'9" | PG Saddle River Day | 2022 State NJ (Sr.) – 5-8 PG, Saddle River Day
What’s there to saw about Paris that hasn’t been said. The North Carolina commit had herself a tournament final, putting up 34 points and knocking down five threes in the 72-60 win for SRD. She’s as gifted a pure scorer as we’ve seen in the state recently and in just her second year at SRD, she’s nearly eclipsed the 1000 point mark for the Colonial Rebels. Paris is a special player to watch.
Dakota Corey Dakota Corey 5'10" | SF Saddle River Day | 2022 State NJ (Sr.) – 5-9 SG/SF, Saddle River Day
Not to be overshadowed by Paris’s massive performance, Corey put up a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double for SRD in the final. She’s been somewhat of a double-double machine for the Colonial Rebels this season and plays a downhill style of basketball that shows off her tenacity and passion on the floor. Corey is an excellent defender, can rebound and box out well down on the block, and is capable of knocking down shots in big time moments.
Alexis Rosenfeld Alexis Rosenfeld 6'2" | C Morris Catholic | 2024 State NJ (So.) – 6-2 PF/C, Saddle River Day
Rosenfeld has gained a great deal of confidence as a sophomore as the forward is one of SRD’s main options down low this season. She’s been able to establish her presence more immediately this season and is much more agile defending overall. Her shot-blocking still needs some improvement, but she’s more aggressive when it comes to playing up on defenders to be able to deflect the ball away. The same goes on the glass as she’s utilizing her size better to dominate in the rebounding category.
Gina Gaccione (Sr.) – 5-8 PG/SG, Immaculate Heart
Gaccione has steadily improved on an annual basis for IHA and is having a career year as a senior. This guard knows how to score and get teammates involved on the offensive end. She can shoot the ball well from the perimeter and can finish with ease at the rim. Her passing looks effortless and has amounted to a number of scoring opportunities for IHA. On defense, she tracks opponents well, stands tall down on the block and her high basketball IQ gives her an advantage when looking to steal and break to the other end.
Isabella Asencio Isabella Asencio 5'4" | PG Immaculate Heart Academy | 2023 State NJ (Jr.) – 5-4 PG, Immaculate Heart
We watched Asencio play AAU ball over the summer and really shine as a guard heading into her junior year. So far, she hasn’t disappointed and her 18-point performance against SRD was a reflection of the improvements she’s made as a player. Offensively, Asencio is clicking on all cylinders and just knows how to find her way to the rim to score. On defense, she’s been a great help on the perimeter and does a good job keeping opposing guards in check.
Julia Schutz Julia Schutz 5'11" | SF Immaculate Heart | 2023 State NJ (Jr.) – 5-8 SF/SG, Immaculate Heart
Schutz has come alive and broken out in a big way as a junior with IHA, showing a great ability to shoot from three. She’s great in catch-and-shoot situations or with creating her own shots. Arguably the best part of her game is her defense as she’s turned into one of the best, if not the best defender on the team. That lock-down presence she has against opponents and her tenacity as a defender plays well and gives her that extra edge to come through with a big time stop when needed.