High School Sports Elite | Old Tappan at No. 18 Teaneck: North 1, Group 3 finals preview

Photo Credits: NJ.com

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 1, GROUP 3 FINAL PREVIEW

Saturday, March 2

2-Old Tappan (23-6) at 1-Teaneck (22-7), 1 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE

Members of the Big North Conference National Division in Bergen County, Old Tappan and Teaneck are going to be playing for a remarkable fourth time this season. They played two division games against one another and then played in the Bergen County Tournament semifinals. Teaneck holds the edge in the season series, 2-1, winning the first meeting and the semifinals of the BCT, while Old Tappan won the second meeting

Both of these teams know each other extremely well and there likely won’t be any surprises when the two teams meet for a sectional championship. Teaneck is also the defending sectional champions and will look to win their second consecutive sectional crown, while Old Tappan is searching for its first since 2018.

PATH TO THE FINAL

Old Tappan

First round: Defeated No. 15-seed Teafly, 57-30
Quarterfinal round: Defeated No. 10-seed West Essex, 46-35
Semifinal round: Defeated No. 3-seed Ramapo, 61-58

Teaneck

First round: Defeated No. 16-seed Roxbury, 61-36
Quarterfinal round: Defeated No. 8-seed Morris Knolls, 49-43
Semifinal round: Defeated No. 5-seed Demarest, 45-37

LEADING SCORERS

Old Tappan

Layla Giordano, Sr.: 15.5 PPG
Maya Giordano, Sr.: 9.6 PPG
Mia Derrico, So.: 6.5 PPG

Teaneck

Demi Simpson, Sr.: 13.2 PPG
Leayana Dorville, Fr.: 11.4 PPG
Erin Frazier, Sr.: 9.1 PPG

KEY FACTORS

Win the rebounding battle: Teaneck, the No. 18 team in the NJ.com Top 20, is among the best rebounding teams in the state as players like seniors Demi Simpson and Erin Frazier crash the boards extremely well. Simpson has been a monster on the glass this season, averaging 13 rebounds per game. Old Tappan is also going to have to crash the glass with players like twin senior sisters Layla and Maya Giordano. Winning the rebounding battle and getting second and possibly third chances on offense with hustle and grit are going to be critical to determining which team lifts the sectional title.

Be consistent from the field: Neither team can ill-afford going through a shooting slump on Saturday. Teaneck and Old Tappan are going to have find ways to make shots throughout the contests either through running their offensive sets to get open looks. Getting open looks is one thing, making those open looks is an entirely different thing. Draining those open shots will go a long way.

Don’t get too high or too low: Teaneck, led by coach Brad Allen, and his team have been here before, winning a sectional title last season. Old Tappan is playing in its first sectional championship game since winning its last championship in 2018, so coach Brian Dunn’s current group of players haven’t been here before. Even with Teaneck reaching the sectional championship for the second year in a row and with Old Tappan making its first appearance since 2018, both teams will have to be even-keeled. Being calm under the pressure of playing in a championship game when calls might or might not go your way is critical.

PREDICTION

Teaneck 48, Old Tappan 43

Source Link: https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2024/03/girls-basketball-north-1-group-3-final-preview-old-tappan-at-no-18-teaneck.html

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