Sophomore Deana Finklestein scored a game-high 25 points for Demarest, which bounced back from its first loss of the season with a 66-55 win over Pascack Valley.
DEMAREST – Northern Valley/Demarest sophomore Deana Finkelstein drove and scored with 1:13 left in the third quarter to break a 50-50 tie and give Demarest the lead for good in a 66-55 win over league rival Pascack Valley on Tuesday afternoon. This game was its first since NVD suffered its first loss of the season to district rival Old Tappan last Thursday.
“It was bound to happen,” Demarest coach Jenny Jurjevic said of the loss. “We were 10-0 and we couldn’t believe it ourselves. We knew we were going to get clipped, we just didn’t know when. We wanted one more. Our league is insane so if you can clip everybody one time in our league - if you can get PV, Teaneck, Old Tappan once - you are in the running - that’s a good season. But Old Tappan played really well. He’s (Old Tappan coach Brian Dunn) getting them exceptionally better - they’re playing more team ball this year than last year. They moved the ball around and had 17 assists. So they had a great game of team ball. Hopefully we can get to that level when we get back to moving the ball that well.”
Tuesday’s game was a back-and-forth contest particularly in the first half, when the two teams pushed the ball up the court every chance they got. The lead changed five times. Demarest continually drove to the basket while Valley relied on three-pointers, draining 9 of their 11 treys in a wild first half that ended 42-40 in favor of the Panthers.
“I can’t believe it was 42-40 at the half,” said Jurjevic. “It was like an NBA Knicks thing.”
Valley sophomore Raina Gibbs canned 5 of her game-high 6 three-pointers in the first half as the Panthers ran out to their biggest lead of the game, 39-31, with 3 minutes to go before intermission. But Demarest rallied in the final 30 seconds with a short jumper by Ava Francica and a steal and drive to the basket by senior Angie Tirado to make it a 2-point game heading into halftime.
“I think when we went into the locker room, coming off a loss to Old Tappan after being undefeated, there was just a drive in all of us to go out and get it, work as hard as possible,” said Demarest senior Chloe Poirot. “We really dialed it in on defense. We’ve been working extremely hard on defense in practice. Those two hours are spent making each other better so when we come into a game we’re at 110 percent all the time. We had energy in the locker room and we had to get it all done on the court.”
Ava Burke, one of Pascack Valley's two senior starter, finished with 10 points.
DEMAREST – Northern Valley/Demarest sophomore Deana Finkelstein drove and scored with 1:13 left in the third quarter to break a 50-50 tie and give Demarest the lead for good in a 66-55 win over league rival Pascack Valley on Tuesday afternoon. This game was its first since NVD suffered its first loss of the season to district rival Old Tappan last Thursday.
“In the second half we knew we had to turn it up,” Finkelstein added. “We needed some urgency, because we were just going back and forth. We were running in transition - that was our main goal - to really push on transition - and I think we really executed on that. Them pushing it [also] allowed both of us to free up on the back end.”
Tirado tied the game 42-all with a drive to the basket in the opening minute of the third quarter but a mini run by Valley, consisting of a free throw by sophomore Emma Costello, a three-pointer by senior Ava Burke and basket by freshman Keira O’Cathain off a great pass from Burke gave Valley a 48-42 lead.
Three straight baskets from in close by Finkelstein tied the game and point guard Gabriella Mittleman (11 points) gave Demarest a 50-48 lead.
“Mittleman was a soldier today,” Jurjevic said. “She ran the offense, facilitated the ball movement. When she’s open she’ll hit.”
Burke tied the game with a coast-to-coast layup and a minute later Finkelstein, who finished with a game-high 25 points, gave the Norsewomen a lead they would not relinquish.
Angie Tirado is one of two senior starters for Demarest, which is now 11-1 on the season.
Both teams are on the young side, with only two starting seniors on each team. In addition to seniors Piorot and Tirado the Demarest starting lineup is Mittleman, who is a junior, sophomore Ella Peck, who had a pair of treys and sophomore Finkelstein. Coming off the bench are sophomore Lila McElroy (1 point), freshmen Ava Francica (7 points) and Caitlyn Fontana.
“We have so many options that when we move the ball we work very well together and we just want the best for each other,” said Finkelstein.”
“I love it,” team captain Poirot said of the underclassmen's contributions. “I’ve met my best friends through this program. I just want to be a mentor for everyone and bring this program success and chemistry. I want to come to practice after school and enjoy the people you’re around and the atmosphere you’re in. It can come from coach (Jurjevic), it can come from the staff, but I also think it can come from me and Angie Tirado as leaders, especially for me being a captain. I feel my biggest job is not to bring success on the court but to keep everyone’s spirit up and energy up.”
Burke, who tallied 10 points, and Celina Bussanich (12 points) are the senior starters for Valley. Gibbs, who had a team-high 18 points, and Danielle Regula are sophomores, while freshman O’Cathain (10 points) is a tall presence inside. Junior Riley Hirsch, senior Maddie Gibbs and Costello come off the bench.
Demarest improved to 11-1 while Pascack Valley fell to 8-5.
“I think the energy comes from within and we are so close in a unique way that basketball has brought us together,” Piorot said. “We all love sports and being on a team. We all can be best friends on the court and off the court. We are always cheering for each other, always making each other happy, making sure everyone is smiling. That energy comes from those on the court and the bench too.”
“A lot came with this game,” added Finkelstein. “As Chloe said we came off a loss after being undefeated so when you’re at the top everyone wants to come for you. It was really important for us to keep doing what we’re doing, making each other better every single day. We were able to execute and even though they were having a lot of energy we came together and were able to pull it out.”
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