Emily Driver scored all 8 of her points in the first quarter as Pascack Hills got off to a fast start in a 38-24 win over Indian Hills on Thursday in Montvale..
MONTVALE – After an extended run of success in the 2000s that culminated in a state sectional final appearance in 2008, the Pascack Hills girls basketball program has had its struggles. When the Broncos had it rolling, the gym in Montvale was packed a couple of nights a week when the boys program was also piling up wins.
As is the nature of public school sports, the good times inevitably faded and then the rebuild had to begin as participation dwindled. At one point there were less than 20 players in the whole program before Lindsay Jachens, a former player from the glory days, stepped in as head coach and started to reverse the tide.
Heading into this season, the first under new head coach AJ Aliprantis, the Broncos could start to focus on competing rather than just surviving.
"Lindsey [Jachens] did a great job. She built up the numbers and we have 30-plus players in the program now. That was not easy and it was a great job by her. She got it going and I am trying to pick up where she left off," said Aliprantis, who is also the Broncos' girls soccer coach. "We are starting to compete, the girls are working hard in practice and it is starting to pay off for them."
The improvement showed even in a 4-point loss against Mahwah on Tuesday in the Big North Patriot Division opener and win No. 1 in the league came on Thursday as Pascack Hills improved to 3-4 on the season with a 38-24 victory over Indian Hills in Montvale.
"I think we have really grown from just being teammates to being friends and the chemistry is really good this year," said senior point guard Kate Glass. "It's nice to see the improvement over some time and hopefully that will turn into some wins."
Pascack Hills and Indian Hills are two of the smallest schools in the Big North Conference and the Patriot Division is tough with the likes of River Dell, Mahwah and Westwood all calling it home, so a game like Thursday's was one of importance to both sides.
Freshman Sydney O'Rourke came off the bench to score a team-high 9 points for Indian Hills.
Getting off to a good start was paramount and Pascack Hills junior Emily Driver made sure that it was the home team that took control early. Driver was actually a shooter as she made two first quarter 3-pointers in the first period and helped the Broncos get off to a 19-4 start after the first period. Sabrina Madonick put the cherry on top of the first quarter barrage as she threw in a buzzer beater from the long side of halfcourt.
"Coming off of the loss in our last game we knew we had to come back strong because we want to keep some momentum going. Making some shots early was a good way to start," said Driver. "Our passing has gotten so much better, so we are sharing the ball, the open shooter is the one shooting and that has a lot to do with our chemistry. It is so good this year."
Depth is a constant challenge for Indian Hills, the lone Group 1 school in the Big North, and injuries have done the Braves no favors. Morgan Quill, a senior who was supposed to be a starter for the third straight season, was lost to a knee injury in a state playoff soccer game and will not make it back this season. And, just 3:20 into the game on Tuesday, another three-year starter and another guard, went down with a knee injury. She did not return to the game and early indications pointed to a long-term absence.
The Braves, however, are still fighting. They are 3-5 on the season and, even if it wasn't in the original plan for the season, they now have the space to give extended minutes to three promising freshmen. Annabelle Nelson was already in the starting lineup and Anna Vigeant and Sydney O'Rourke were the first two off the bench.
O'Rourke has shown flashes of brilliance this season with 8 blocks in one game and she led Indian HIlls with 9 points on Tuesday despite not playing at all in the fourth quarter.
With head coach Julie Buccino, the standout point guard on those early 2000s Pascack Hills teams, away on maternity leave, Darren White has stepped in as Indian Hills' interim head coach and committed to growing process of what could and should be a quality group as it gains experience this season and beyond.
Kaitlyn Wittlinger scored 7 points for Pascack Hills, which improved to 3-4 on the season.
"There is absolutely going to be a learning curve this year and, as a Group 1 school in the Big North, the schedule is a little daunting. Our next three games are against Pascack Valley, River Dell and Ramsey," said White. "There is no rest for the weary, but we will be battle tested, that is for sure."
O'Rourke scored 7 of her 9 points in the second quarter to keep the Braves from being run out of the gym and in the second half they pulled closer rather than let it all fall apart. They allowed just 11 second half points and none in the fourth quarter.
"Logan [Biernacki] banged up her knee so early in the game; it was 2-2 when she went out. Besides her ability, she is a three-year starter for us. There is an emotional aspect to that," said White. "The kids were upset. They love her and they got shook up, but they settled back down and that same game in the past we could have lost by 40. I am very happy with the way they played, especially the way they closed the game out with an 11-0 run."
O'Rourke and Ella Romanzo came off the bench to combine for 14 of Indian Hills' 24 points, while Avery Gall, Kylee Horn and Biernacki each made one field goal. Horn's was a 3-pointer and Nelson's two free throws rounded out the scoring for the Braves
Madonick scored 9 points off the bench to top Pascack Hills' scoring. Driver finished with 8 and Glass, Olivia Juliano and Kaitlyn Wittlinger all finished with 7. The Broncos have a chance to get back to .500 on Saturday morning when they host West Milford before getting into the teeth of their league schedule next week.
"I think we are getting better every time we play and things are looking up for us," said Madonick. "We are going to just keep trying to improve a little bit every day and see how far it can take us."
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