Wednesday,
January 1, 2014
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
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Melissa Heath finished with team-highs of 17 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks for Northern Highlands, which entered the Joe Poli Tournament for the first time and won it with a 52-43 victory over Ridgefield Park in the final. |
HILLSDALE – Both Northern Highlands and Ridgefield Park accepted invitations to the prestigious Joe Poli Tournament as an early season measuring stick to see how they stacked up against some of the best girls basketball teams in Bergen and Hudson County. But when the two squared off on Tuesday for the tournament title, it was an early-season opportunity to make a statement as the winner would earn a ton of confidence and, just as important, some clout down the road in the seeding for the Bergen CountyTournament.
The Highlanders used an early second quarter run to grab the lead for good, but not without some pressure-packed moments. Northern Highlands saw its 11-point fourth quarter lead quickly dwindle down to a single point before righting the ship. Melissa Heath’s basket helped stop the run and fueled the Highlanders to the Joe Poli Tournament crown in their first year ever competing in the tournament with a 52-45 triumph over the Scarlets at Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale.
“This was a huge win for us against a very good team,” said Northern Highlands’ head coach Al Albanese. “We knew (Katherine) Haines is one of the best players in the county and she played great. This game was about facing adversity and staying calm. I thought we showed a lot of poise and made big plays when we had to.”
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Ridgefield Park senior Katherine Haines finished with 28 points and 13 rebounds. |
The game had the feel of a county or state tournament game going in and it lived up to its billing by being entertaining right from the opening tap. Haines, Ridgefield Park’s senior All-County forward, got off to a quick start and the Scarlets held an 11-8 lead after one quarter.
Northern Highlands used a 6-0 spurt on baskets from Madison Dunbar, Emily Bonafacic, and Heath to take the lead. A three-pointer in the final minute by Dunbar gave the Highlanders a 25-16 halftime lead and it was still a nine-point spread heading into the fourth quarter when Bonafacic scored for the only double-digit lead of the game by either team. Ridgefield Park did not fold up its tent and leaned on Haines to come storming back. She scored seven points in a 12-2 spurt that Samantha Rinaldi capped with a pair of free-throws to slice the Scarlets' deficit to 41-40 with 3:55 remaining.
From that point on, the Highlanders’ 2-1-2 full-court press gave RP fits as it was unable to get into any type rhythm and went the next 3:12 without a field goal. Heath scored a big basket to put her team up four with just over two minutes to play as the Highlanders pulled away late for the title.
“After the big run they went on, we still had the lead and had to play like we were trying to protect it,” said Dunbar, a four-year starter. “We had so many players who have stepped up tremendously so far. Jackie (Reyneke) was great for us and she was a security blanket in the middle if we made a mistake. Now we have to rely on each other more now defensively and we have more to prove on every possession.”
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Madison Dunbar had 15 points for Northern Highlands, which is off to a 4-1 start. |
Heath finished with team-highs of 17 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks for Northern Highlands (4-1). Dunbar added 15 points, four assists, and three steals. Bonafacic was the X-factor throughout the tournament and once again had a solid performance with nine points and seven rebounds. Haines led all players with 28 points and 13 rebounds for Ridgefield Park (4-1).
While there is still plenty of basketball to be played before the Bergen County seeding meeting, the Highlanders have made their case early to be seeded in top 3 or 4 teams. Now that the expected dropoff after the graduation of Jackie Reyneke, the program’s all-time leader in points and rebounds, has been quashed, the lofty expectations are back. And that to suits the 2013-2014 Northern Highlands team just fine.
“Winning this tournament definitely gives us a lot of confidence for the rest of the season,” said Heath, a 6-foot-1 junior forward. “It was a very exciting game with a lot of adrenaline, but we kept our composure. We have some players who are just getting their first varsity experience and they are playing amazing so far. I know winning this tournament means a lot to Coach Albanese and it means a lot to us too. Our goal now is to build on that become a better team as the season goes on.”
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