Bergen County Tournament Preliminary Round Preview

<p>The Bergen County Tournament is a day away. Will anybody be able to knock Saddle River Day off their perch after winning 7 straight titles? We will talk about all that later on, but today let's focus on the Preliminary Round matchups with seeds #9-#24.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#17-Park Ridge at #16-Westwood</strong></h2>   <p>Had the result of their 1/14 matchup been different this game would be a home game for Park Ridge. However, at the Zach Latteri Foundation Benefit Games, Westwood put on a defensive clinic in the 2nd half to pull out a 38-32 win over Park Ridge. After being down 23-14 at the half, Westwood held Park Ridge to just 9 points in the 2nd half. They did what most teams have been unable to do and that is contain [player_tooltip player_id='414430' first='Allie' last='Shenloogian']. Allie still finished with 16 points, but she struggled to get good looks in the 2nd half as Westwood always had a defender dedicated to being in her hip pocket. This is a battle of 1,000-point scorers as Shenloogian squares off against Westwood's [player_tooltip player_id='488848' first='Kate' last='Walsh']. When you watch these teams, you feel like Westwood's supporting cast is a bit deeper but if Allie gets hot all bets are off. I think this is a close game and Westwood finds a way to advance to play #1 seed Saddle River Day on Saturday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#24-Waldwick at #9-Northern Highlands</strong></h2>   <p>Waldwick has challenged themselves with some tough competition so far this season and this game will be another test. The problem for 7-9 Waldwick is that they are 1-8 against teams in the tournament and this will be an uphill battle. Highlands is led by seniors [player_tooltip player_id='326664' first='Sienna' last='Corey'] and [player_tooltip player_id='488839' first='Cate' last='Weinberger']. Those 2 have combined for 71 3-pointers in 16 games and they score over 63% of their team's points. Sienna is patient with the ball, has a lot of range and is an excellent passer in both transition and the halfcourt. She leads the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks and steals as the team's PG. Cate is averaging 3+ 3-pointers per game and with more 3s than 2s you better not leave her open at the arc. Waldwick will have to figure out a way to contain these guards while getting shots at the other end for leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id='601410' first='Lyla' last='Stokes']. Already halfway to 1,000 career points, this sophomore leads the team in scoring, rebounding, blocks and steals. Waldwick will need [player_tooltip player_id='583956' first='Hailey' last='Zirpoli'] and other scorers to step up to stay in this one, but I think Highlands wins by 20 or so and moves on to play #8 seed Demarest who is as hot as any team in Bergen County right now.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#21-Ramsey at #12-Pascack Valley</strong></h2>   <p>At the beginning of the season, I thought Ramsey could sneak up on teams with some young talent but after a 4-1 start to the season they have since gone 3-7 and are 1-6 against teams in the Bergen County Tournament. Last year's 3rd leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id='879722' first='Hannah' last='McGurr'] has not taken the leap the Rams were expecting after the graduations of top 2 scorers Amanda Rosen and Julia Taylor. Leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id='825539' first='Charlotte' last='Auty'] started her sophomore season with 6 double digit scoring efforts in her 1st 8 games but has not gotten into double figures in any of the last 6 games. Sophomore Jules Pensari has shown the ability to score at times, but Ramsey will need all 3 to show up in order to compete this weekend. Pascack Valley is on the opposite side of this script. After starting 6-7, they have won 4 straight, and they are 4-7 against tournament teams. The difference in this game will be the backcourt. Juniors [player_tooltip player_id='414399' first='Celina' last='Bussanich'] and [player_tooltip player_id='525311' first='Ava' last='Burke'] lead the scoring for PV and freshman [player_tooltip player_id='677605' first='Raina' last='Gibbs'] has added a 3rd scorer as a strong spot up shooter. Bussanich and Gibbs combine to average just under 5 3-pointers per game. Bussanich should go over 1,000 career points some time in February and Burke gives them size and scoring inside. These 3 players score almost 75% of their team's points. I like PV in a convincing win against Ramsey before moving on to face #5 seed Holy Angels.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#20-Dumont at #13-Paramus Catholic</strong></h2>   <p>The season started off well for Paramus Catholic and new coach Ed Hodge. They went 3-1 with wins over Tenafly and River Della and the only loss being a 1-point defeat at the hands of #7 seed Old Tappan. They played a very challenging schedule but after a hot start they lost 8 straight games including losses to #3-Teaneck, #4-Ramapo, #5-Holy Angels and #9-Northern Highlands. Though they were 3-9 their strength of schedule was rewarded with a #13 seed in this tournament, and they responded by getting their biggest win of the season against Holy Angels while avenging an early season loss. This team is about [player_tooltip player_id='488850' first='Bianca' last='Ellis'] and [player_tooltip player_id='325170' first='Kylie' last='Cabana']. Ms. Outside, Ellis averages 15+ppg and 3+ 3-pointers per game. She has range and, when she gets hot, watch out. She has 3 or more 3s in 11 of 13 games. Ms. Inside, Cabana is approaching 1,500 career points and leads the team in scoring, rebounds, steals and blocks. Ellis and Cabana combine to score over 70% of PC's points. Dumont sits at 8-8 but is only 1-8 against tournament teams. They get over 75% of their points from senior [player_tooltip player_id='588687' first='Sophia' last='Mandalakis'] and juniors [player_tooltip player_id='583454' first='Gabriella' last='Bartelucci'] and [player_tooltip player_id='525314' first='Lucia' last='Giangregorio']. If Mandalakis can contain Cabana inside and Giangregorio and Bartelucci can keep Ellis from getting open looks on the perimeter this will be a game. I think PC rides the wave of the big win over Holy Angels and wins a close one over Dumont before looking to get revenge on #4 seed Ramapo for a loss at She Balls Too Showcase. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#19-Rutherford at #14-Ridgewood</strong></h2>   <p>Rutherford sits at 10-4. Though they played Park Ridge tight and also Secaucus in 1 of their 2 matchups they lack a signature win on their schedule heading into Thursday's matchup with Ridgewood. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='601407' first='Mackenzie' last='Vellis'] averages 13+ppg and 2+spg while senior [player_tooltip player_id='859736' first='Maya' last='Forte'] averages 9+ppg and 7+rpg. They do not get a lot of production from the 3-point line as they average just 2+ 3-pointers per game as a team. After a 1-5 start, Ridgewood sits at 9-8 and is riding a 4-game winning streak. They are 2-6 against tournament teams with their signature win coming 2 weeks ago against #9 Northern Highlands. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='871281' first='Catie' last='Klemm'] leads the team in scoring and 3-point makes. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='588682' first='Sofia' last='Morino'] is 2nd and scoring with almost all of it coming in the paint. She also leads the team in steals and assists and is 2nd in rebounding. Ridgewood has a solid core of contributors and I think that will be enough for a double-digit win that sends them to the Round of 16 for a matchup with injury depleted #3-Teaneck.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#22-Ridgefield Park at #11-Mahwah</strong></h2>   <p>After an 8-3 start, Ridgefield Park lost 4 of their last 5 and sit at 9-7. They are 1-6 against tournament teams. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='600884' first='Nadia' last='Otuyelu'] leads the team in scoring, rebounding, blocks and steals while junior Riley Fucci is their 3-point sniper. Whether they have the guard play to compete with Mahwah will be the question. Mahwah's record has followed a similar path to Ridgefield Park though it has come against a much tougher schedule. Mahwah started 11-1 including a 42-17 win over Ridgefield Park in December. In their toughest stretch of the schedule, they have gone 1-3 in their last 4. They are 5-2 against tournament teams and 1st year coach Kerin Roche has a young team playing with a lot of confidence. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='488846' first='Marissa' last='LaVerghetta'] leads a quartet of impressive guards for the Thunderbirds. She is a slasher who leads the team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='677735' first='Harper' last='Cohn'] averages 10+ppg and leads the team in 3-point shooting, while sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='600901' first='Taylor' last='Tremblay'] and [player_tooltip player_id='559078' first='Ava' last='Comer'] add scoring and even more 3-point shooting to this group. I think, like the first meeting, Ridgefield Park will struggle with the pace and the guard play of Mahwah allowing the Thunderbirds to cruise along to a Round of 16 meeting with a hot #6-River Dell team who beat Mahwah 50-42 last week. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#23-Fair Lawn at #10-Glen Rock</strong></h2>   <p>Fair Lawn's record is 8-5 but they are 0-4 against tournament teams. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='488841' first='Faith' last='Erasmo'] and [player_tooltip player_id='859836' first='Japleen' last='Singh'] along with freshman [player_tooltip player_id='835253' first='Gisela' last='Tapia'] lead the scoring for the Cutters as they make up over 68% of the teams scoring. They run into an 11-3 Glen Rock team that only has losses to #4-Ramapo, #9-Northern Highlands and 11-3 Jefferson with all 3 losses coming by less than 10 points. They are 3-2 against tournament teams. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='601348' first='Mia' last='Vergel de Dios'] leads a balanced scoring attack with senior [player_tooltip player_id='489453' first='Maggie' last='Harris'] and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='871420' first='Abby' last='Grove'], but junior Emily McKegney is the motor that makes it all go. Her energy at both ends fuels this team. I think Glen Rock rolls in this one setting up a very interesting matchup with #7-Old Tappan in the next round. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#18-Cresskill at #15-Tenafly</strong></h2>   <p>Senior [player_tooltip player_id='489489' first='Erin' last='Fahy'] leads 9-7 Cresskill into this one. Cresskill is 3-6 against tourney teams so far. Erin leads the team inside with 16+ppg and 8+rpg having recently passed the 1,000 career point mark. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='489490' first='Julia' last='Hasenstab'] and Sophia Doto have combined for 50 3-pointers in 16 games and do the bulk of the scoring on the outside. Tenafly started 5-1 and have since gone 2-7. All 8 losses are against tournament teams with their lone win against a tournament team coming against Dumont. They are led by junior [player_tooltip player_id='414410' first='Juliet' last='Schwartz'] and freshman [player_tooltip player_id='789186' first='Zoe' last='Wasserlauf']. They each average 15+ppg and have combined for 57 3-pointers in 15 games. They score over 60% of their team's points. I am calling an upset in this one as I don't know if Tenafly has an answer on the inside for Fahy. Let's say Cresskill by 4 and they move on to face #2-IHA in the Round of 16.</p>

The Bergen County Tournament is a day away. Will anybody be able to knock Saddle River Day off their perch after winning 7 straight titles? We will talk about all that later on, but today let's focus on the Preliminary Round matchups with seeds #9-#24.