Highlights from opening round of state tournament
The opening rounds of the NJSIAA girls basketball tournament took place Wednesday and Thursday, setting up the public sectional quarterfinals for Monday (even-numbered groups) and Tuesday (odd-numbered groups).
The North Non-Public A/B tournaments began Friday, with the quarterfinals on Monday.
Here are the highlights and takeaways from first-round action.
River Dell scores big
The highest team total in North 1, Group 3 belonged to No. 4 seed River Dell (17-7), a 74-60 winner over No. 13 Montville. The Hawks also employed Thursday’s top individual scorer in the bracket, as sophomore Alexa DePol netted 34 points.
Next up, coach Lindsay Steffner’s squad hosts the team she coached from 2012-15, No. 5 Demarest (20-7). The Norsewomen advanced to the quarterfinals by dispatching No. 12 Morris Hills, 5233.
Senior Taylor Miller recorded a double-double (14 points, 14 rebounds) for Demarest, which reached the 20-win mark for the second time in coach Jenny Jurjevic’s nine-year tenure. The 2018-19 team went 22-7 and reached the sectional semifinals.
Leonia makes the leap
In North 1, Group 2, Leonia scored its first state-tournament win in 23 years by stifling No. 11 Lodi, 50-17. The No. 6 Lions (20-6) advance to face No. 3 Glen Rock (18-6), which won the brackets other Bergen vs. Bergen matchup against Indian Hills, 47-17.
A dive into The Record archives showed that the last Leonia postseason win came on Feb. 26, 2001 – that, too, was against Lodi in the same bracket, 52-51.
The Lions have strung together consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the mid-1990s, though last year’s 15-9 campaign ended quietly.
“We missed out on the state playoffs last season,” coach Joe Prenenski said. “Even with our record, we came up two power points shy of making it.”
West Milford wings it
The No. 10 seed in North 1, Group 2, West Milford (14-10) scored its first playoff win since 2016 and is assure of its first winning record since that same season.
Five different Highlanders made multiple three-pointers in Wednesday’s 66-38 victory at Elmwood Park, which sends the team to No. 2 Mahwah for the quarterfinals. Senior guard Avery Vacca drained 4 threes en route to 14 points and joined Laurel Space (14) and Adison Arciniega (12) in scoring double digits.
Eastside stunned by No. 16
The surprise of Wednesday’s action happened in Paterson, where 16th seed Livingston (9-18) eliminated last year’s North 1, Group 4 runner-up.
The Lancers rallied from a 22-15 halftime deficit to topple No. 1 seed Eastside, 40-37.
The Ghosts (20-5) ended with two straight losses after falling to Wayne Hills in the Passaic County final. They faced Livingston without guard Jianni Dickson, who got hurt late in the county title game, and “unsung hero” Jhy’Deisha Stewart also was limited by injury.
“Stewart tried to gut it out but couldn’t play much,” Eastside coach Brandon Pilgrim said.
The Lancers held a 41-32 advantage in rebounds to earn a quarterfinal meeting with No. 8 Passaic Tech.
Ridgewood rights the ship
The No. 11 seed in North 1, Group 4 also sprang an upset in Paterson, as Ridgewood (13-13) sank 7 three-pointers in a 48-26 victory at No. 6 Kennedy (1611). Sophomore Catie Klemm (15 points) and senior Alysha Arora (9) each made three shots from behind the arc, helping the Maroons pull away with a 17-1 second-quarter run. The win was their second straight after losing 5-of-6, and it sets up a quarterfinal trip to No. 3 West Orange.
Junior My’Shayla Clancy led the Knights 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals.