Pascack Valley rolls in tournament win by Chris Iseman of The Record
HILLSDALE — By the time the second quarter had ended, Pascack Valley had shown why it still is undefeated, why it’s one of North Jersey’s most well-rounded teams, and why opponents have such a difficult time slowing it down.
There’s the number of contributors on offense, either draining shots from the outside or driving to the basket for layups. There’s the defensive intensity that can simply overwhelm teams. And there’s an up-tempo style that the Indians thrive on.
Pascack Valley displayed all of that on its way to a 62-36 victory over Northern Highlands in the Joe Poli Tournament final on Friday.
The family of Joe Poli, the late Pascack Valley principal who died in 1989, presented the Indians with the championship plaque.
Kelly Smith led Pascack Valley with 16 points, Brianna Wong scored 14 with a pair of three-pointers, and Brianna Smith added 11 points with three triples.
The Indians’ offensive efficiency is a product of their unselfishness, and that showed on Friday.
“Every one of them contributed,” coach Jeff Jasper said. “We don’t have a go-to player, and the upside of that is everybody’s going to have their day. That’s a wonderful thing to have.”
Breanne Davis posted another strong performance for the Highlanders, finishing with nine points, including one three-pointer. Morgan Micallef added eight points with a pair of fourth-quarter threes.
The game was close through the first quarter. Northern Highlands’ Tori Reich made a second-chance basket early in the second to tie the score at 8.
Then the Indians started taking control.
Shannon Culloo knocked down a jumper, and Wong followed it up with a three from the left corner. Smith drained two triples and got a steal and made a fast-break layup by the time a 24-2 run for Pascack Valley ended.
Playing at their pace, the Indians rolled.
“We have to play quick, but not fast as Jasper says,” Wong said. “Sometimes we play too fast, and it gets out of hand. We have to play our level and make them play up to us, instead of us having to play up to them.”
Pascack Valley took a 34-12 lead into halftime. The Indians were stifling defensively.
“I’ve always believed that playing defense is only two things: Heart and guts,” Jasper said. “If you’ve got heart and guts, you can defend. These kids have heart and guts.”
Pascack Valley continued to play well after halftime, and Northern Highlands’ intensity never diminished.
Davis made consecutive baskets to bring the Highlanders — who were without Sarah Minchin for much of the game after she had to leave in the second quarter with an injury — within 13 points, but Wong got a steal and a fast-break layup and Brianna Smith followed it up with a three.
It was Pascack Valley’s game from there.
The Indians are rolling, picking up momentum with each victory. On Friday night, they showed why.
“We’ve been working so hard for this, and it keeps getting better and better,” Kelly Smith said. “You could see it on the court. Our chemistry, that’s kind of what’s getting us to the next level.”