Paulina Paris scored a career-high 37 points as Saddle RIver Day won the Non-Public North B state sectional title with a 75-51 win over Morris Catholic.
WAYNE - Throughout this season, Saddle River Day has faced all types of challenges. With another championship at stake, the team faced a unique one that did not take long to grab their attention. Facing off against No. 2 seed Morris Catholic in the North Non-Public B section final, dynamic freshman guard Mia Pauldo put the pressure on the Rebels’ defense early and often. Saddle River Day is not the kind of team to get rattled, however, and can turn a game around in a hurry. A big reason is that they have a sensational player of their own in All-State guard Paulina Paris.
The Rebels trailed after the first quarter, but the deficit quickly evaporated. Paris and Faith Williamson each hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 20-0 run during the second quarter that swung the momentum back in the Rebels’ favor. Paris picked up the offensive pace from there, scoring a career-high 37 points as top-seeded Saddle River Day are once again the champions of North Non-Public B after a 75-51 victory over No. 2 seed Morris Catholic on Thursday night at Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne.
The Saddle River Day basketball program is known best for its hard work year round which sets them apart from other teams. Their conditioning going into games is what has given them a reputation as a team that gets stronger as the game goes on. The section final was a game the Rebels have been working hard in the off-season in preparation for, so that they executed when it mattered most.
Pauldo was a handful right from the opening tap, scoring all 12 first-quarter points for the Crusaders. She hit a pair of stepback threes, the latter of which gave them a 12-6 lead. Williamson cut that lead in half with a three-pointer to end the first quarter. It was all the momentum the Rebels needed as they quickly took control to start the second quarter.
Freshman Mia Pauldo scored 35 points for Morris Catholic.
Although Saddle River Day is known for their offensive prowess, this is a team that prides itself on playing solid team defense. Dakota Corey and Julianna Almeida stepped up big time defensively in the second quarter, getting rebounds and steals which gave the Rebels an even bigger advantage. Despite Pauldo never fading out, the team knew they were prepared to outlast the Crusaders. Paris and Williamson heated up from beyond the arc with Corey finishing in the paint. Corey hit all four of her shots during the crucial 20-0 run as Saddle River Day seized control by halftime with a 35-21 lead.
“We’re never nervous when we’re down,” said Corey. “We always know we have it, we’ll always be there and we’ll always be in your face no matter what.”
Although Pauldo remained a consistent scoring threat in the second half and pulled Morris Catholic (25-2) back within single digits early in the fourth quarter, Paris answered back emphatically. She netted 16 of her career-high 37 points, including 6-6 from the foul line, in the fourth quarter to help the Rebels pull away for their fourth straight North Non-Public B North section title.
Corey and Almeida each added ten points for Saddle River Day (25-1).
The Rebels now get the game they have been waiting for all season in the Non-Public B state final against Rutgers Prep. In last season’s finale, Rutgers Prep had six players score in double-figures in a surprisingly convincing 81-54 win. It was a loss that helped fuel all of the conditioning that the team did over the off-season months. That training and hard work has paid off thus far, and the team hopes that their work ethic will bring them a bit of revenge and a state title to go with it.
“We are the best conditioned team in Jersey,” says Paris. “Practices are different than how most teams practice, with a lot of running. We’ll get ours, it’s coming.”
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