River Dell Varsity Girls Basketball Team puts up a valiant effort in Bergen County Tournament Quarterfinal loss to Teaneck

The River Dell Golden Hawks Varsity Girls Basketball Team(13-5, 7-0 Big North Patriot) gave the number two seed Teaneck Highwaymen(14-5, 5-1 Big North National) a run for their money but ultimately fell 65-59 in the Bergen County Tournament Quarterfinals at Northern Valley Regional Demarest High School in Demarest, New Jersey.

Morgan Sconza's standout performance, pouring in a game-high 26 points, Kasey Ziegler's 15 points, and Alexa DePol's 11, showcased the team's potential and talent.

"It's a tough to lose a game like that when you're in it and when all is said and done the team gave me everything they got," River Dell Head Coach Lindsay Steffner explained. "I'm proud of them, they played outstanding basketball, and they absorb that game and realize you can do that every game and that's my expectation is to play hard and just because you do so doesn't mean you're going to win but it's how you play the game of basketball and that's the love of the game and things don't always go your way."

"You feel bad after a loss like that and heartbreaking because you can't get that win for the seniors and Morgan and Kasey had their best games of their season."

"We have multi-sport athletes in that room and we're doing the best we can with the roster we have and everyone likes and pushes each other and they're really good friends." "We're going to win and lose some, but our ultimate goal is to win a league championship and turn some heads in the county and I think we did that in scaring Teaneck and showed what we can do."

Teaneck initially took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter, but River Dell quickly responded. Morgan Sconza's hot shooting, including two three-pointers, brought the score to a tie at 9-9.

The Highwaymen ignited a rebuttal as they reclaimed the advantage 14-9 with less than three minutes left behind the dominant play of Aniya Celestin in the paint.

The Golden Hawks answered back as Morgan Sconza continued to light it from downtown with her third triple, tying the game up at 16-16 with one minute remaining. However, by the end of the period, Teaneck led 18-16, with Aniya Celestin(18 points)  reaching double figures with ten points.

River Dell jumped back in front in the second quarter as Alexa DePol drained a trey. The Golden Hawks were fearsome on the offensive end, crashing the glass and grabbing rebounds that led to second-chance opportunities.

Meanwhile, on the defensive end, River Dell's interior defense did a superb job in the paint and low post, forcing the Highwaymen into committing turnovers and forcing jump shots that went array.

The Golden Hawks methodically bumped up the margin as Morgan Sconza exploded on the offensive end displayed in the first quarter, notching seven additional points. By the time intermission rolled around, River Dell led 32-22.

"I was happy with the game plan we went in with and saw if we could get man-to-man with them and just engage them and throw them off by throwing out zone at them," Head Coach Lindsay Steffner described. "We wanted to pack it in and make them take outside shots, and that would make it easier for us to get more defensive rebounds if we stayed around the glass.

"I was happy at halftime and told them they got to expect even more pressure than they just had, and you got to put them on their heels a little bit and they're an outstanding team." "They have kids that come off the bench, that are very good."

"I think we did a good job of containing Lexi Carnegie in the first half with a lot of different travel calls with our defensive switches and we kind of threw them for a loop a little bit but we're going to keep making adjustments too." "I said we got to stick to the game plan and just keep coming down and executing on offense."

Teaneck came out of the locker room in the third quarter with a squad full of energy and enthusiasm. The Highwaymen relentlessly drove to the rim and ended up drawing fouls that led to six trips to the charity stripe line.

After Lexi Carnegie was limited to five points in the first half, Carnegie erupted for 11 points, including sinking a pair of free throws with two minutes to go, tying the game up at 43-43.

Morgan Sconza was in the zone from behind the arc as she buried two more pearls, increasing her total to 23 points for the game.

Both teams then traded baskets and the lead, but Kasey Ziegler's layup with 28 seconds left put the Golden Hawks up 49-47 heading into the fourth quarter.

"They(Teaneck) did a good job of attacking the glass and getting some offensive rebounds which I wasn't overly thrilled with but I still think we were in position but unfortunately getting boxed out here and there and happens through the zone and we're not used to playing a whole lot," Head Coach Lindsay Steffner noted. "When you're in man-to-man the player is standing right next to you."

"There's a reason Teaneck is number two in the county, they got to the free throw line and put us on our heels." "We weathered the storm for a little bit and Kasey got some offensive rebounds and Alexa had a nice drive."

"Kasey left it all on the floor and she's diving everywhere and really wanted it." "Each game Kasey has played better and better and I keep telling her that's what I expect from her and that's what she's capable of doing and if you can do that against Teaneck you can do it against anyone."

"She used her athleticism and length well and there was a play in the game where it looked to be a tie up and somehow she was able to get the ball and get it up on the rim and goes in and you can't imagine how much strength and pure muscle that took and to get that shot off and get the ball in the basket was extraordinary." "She just does Kasey things, and I don't know how to word it because you can't explain until you see her play and she's fun to watch and I doubt I will ever have a player like her again."

Once the fourth quarter commenced, River Dell clung onto a 53-50 lead, but Teaneck cut the gap to a single point several times. The Highwaymen dialed up the intensity with a potent full-court pressure defense that resulted in the Golden Hawks turning the ball over and leading to transition points and 9-0 spurt.

Teaneck rode the Lexi Carnegie one-person show in the final quarter. Carnegie tallied 11 points, and the Highwaymen pulled away for the victory.

"Everyone in that gym watched a really good game of basketball for Bergen County and I told the girls that everyone rooting for River Dell was proud of their effort," Head Coach Lindsay Steffner remarked. "We are bringing some fun, joyful minutes for people from River Edge and Oradell and a really fun team to watch when we're playing well."

"I knew 70 percent of the people in the gym and familiar from our community there to support us and energy of the way our girls play." "It's a good way to connect a lot of us in the community and I had my former coach Coach(Brenda) Canal and former teachers and a fun way to see the evolution of what River Dell basketball is for me."

It's fun to look around the gym and see former coaches, players, parents, and neighbors." "Just general fans of girls' basketball that want to see an upset, and that's what the Bergen County Tournament is about, and people come out and like good competition, and it's nice to see the respect level with the gym packed there wasn't a whole lot of room to sit."

"The next two teams Ramapo and Old Tappan were cheering for us and Old Tappan fan base, and my students are in the stands cheering because I teach at Old Tappan and were cheering me when I came to work today." "Alex Orecchio who's a multi-athlete said Coach you coach one hell of game and I'm so amped up and excited to watch your girls play and what high school sports is about and people started learning what other people do."

"We're in a position to make a strong run in the state tournament and seeing all the Group 3's on our schedule and why we played Ramapo, Teaneck, Old Tappan, Sparta and Pascack Valley and I put them on the schedule for a reason so we can kind of match-up and see how we play and now it's about confidence and putting it together."