Sophomore Alexa Caunedo scored a team-high 18 points for NV/Old Tappan, which held off rival Pascack Valley, 48-46, on Thursday afternoon.

OLD TAPPAN - The Golden Knights clamped down on defense in the fourth quarter to come away with a 48-46 win over longtime rival Pascack Valley in a hard-fought, tension-filled victory on Thursday afternoon.

"It's a heated rivalry so it's always fun," said Old Tappan sophomore forward Alexa Caunedo, who led Old Tappan with 18 points. "We know it's going to be intense, especially at the end when the crowd gets really riled. It was a hard environment to play in but I think we handled it well."

"Our team loves it when it gets close," added senior forward Sienna Drullinsky. "I think we all had a great time in the second half of the game. We got a lot of steals in the second half. We work on defense a lot and I think you saw it. We worked hard. We would rather play a really good team than have a blowout. We always pump each other up and we're excited to play together. We're a close team."

The game was competitive throughout with neither team leading by more than 6 points. The first quarter ended in a 14-14 tie and Old Tappan led at the half, 26-25, and was also ahead by 1 heading into the fourth quarter.

"We have similar styles and ways of playing the game," said Golden Knights coach Brian Dunn. "Both teams are going to suck it up and play good 'D' and work really hard at both ends of the floor. It comes down to some of the players making big plays at the right time."

Panthers junior Raina Gibbs, who led all scorers with 26 points, drained a three-pointer and drove to the basket for 2 more points in the opening minute of the second quarter.

"[Raina Gibbs] was phenomenal the whole game," said Dunn. "She was tremendous, especially in the first half. It was a great matchup with her and Sienna (Drullinsky)."

Drullinsky was the unsung hero of the game. In addition to putting up 16 points she was tasked with guarding Gibbs for most of the game.

Pascack Valley's Raina Gibbs finished with a game-high 26 points.

"She's a good player," Drullinsky said. "In the beginning I was trying to figure out how I could guard her better and I feel I did a lot better in the second half. I was never an offensive player when I was younger - it was always defense. That's how I got started on this team - with my defense. I worked on my offense a lot and now I play both."

"Nobody has to do what she has to do, anywhere," Dunn said of Drullinsky. "She has to guard the best kid on the other team no matter what position, one to five, that girl plays and she does it. She trails the kid, gets screened and bumped all day on the defensive end. Then we have to set screens and have her be the focus on offense and she had to run through 100 screens. She doesn't come out - she plays all 32 minutes. There is nobody else who does that. Everyone else can get a break and guard a kid who is not a big part of the offense and get a rest on 'D.' She gets no rest and I'm proud of her."

Caunedo and Drullinsky combined for 30 points in the first three quarters to keep the score close.

"She had a bunch of putbacks and rebounds in the first half," Dunn said of Caunedo. "Their kid is a good post player - she had her work cut out for her. We got some good looks for Sienna and she hit her foul shots. She grinds and just keeps scrapping and figures out a way to keep us in games."

Old Tappan trailed by 5 midway through the third quarter when Caunedo drained a pair of free throws and senior guard Sadie Murphy canned a three-pointer off a steal, sandwiched around a spectacular scoop shot by Gibbs. With less than 2 minutes to go Drullinsky completed a 3-point play and Old Tappan took the lead for good, 39-38. A minute later Drullinsky scored again from in close but Gibbs drove and scored with 3 seconds left to make it a 1-point game heading into the final frame.

Senior Sienna Drullinsky played well at both ends for Old Tappan, which improved to 9-4 on the season.

"Raina (Gibbs) was a monster," said Valley coach Jeff Jasper. "When they're not throwing three kids at her, which some teams do, she is great. Old Tappan is phenomenal, well-coached, great athletes, a good team. She earned every one of those points she made tonight. She made ridiculous shots - great penetration, she was great going north and south, she was great pulling up for other shots, shooting under pressure, rebounding - every part of her game. Without it, it's a 20-point game."

Old Tappan improved to 9-4, while Valley fell to 9-6.

"They (Panthers) made some big shots and we were able to make a couple more on a nice run when we were down," said Dunn. "We put a good run on there instead of just folding up. I'm proud of the kids for that."

"We love competing - it's definitely a good environment to play in," added Caunedo. "But it's always intense and a little nerve-wracking."

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