River Dell Varsity Girls Basketball Team Extends Winning Streak to Five with Dominant Victory over Indian Hills

The River Dell Golden Hawks Varsity Girls Basketball Team (8-1, 3-0 Big North Patriot) extended its winning streak to five games with a commanding 70-38 win over Indian Hills (3-7, 0-3 Big North Patriot) at River Dell High School in Oradell, New Jersey.

Val Visconti led the way with an outstanding performance, notching a game-high 31 points and pulling down 22 rebounds. Alexa DePol also made a significant impact, adding 13 points.

The Golden Hawks wasted no time, jumping out to a 7-2 lead in the first minute and quickly building a double-digit advantage. Visconti asserted her dominance in the paint, scoring 10 points and controlling the boards in the opening quarter.

River Dell’s relentless full-court and man-to-man defense stifled Indian Hills, holding the Braves to just one point for the rest of the period.

Offensively, River Dell displayed patience and teamwork, moving the ball around the perimeter and finding open teammates for high-percentage shots. Alexa DePol and Maddie Roth each tallied six points in the first quarter. By its conclusion, the Golden Hawks led 22-5.

Head Coach Lindsay Steffner praised her squad: “We moved the ball really well and it’s a pleasure to watch the team play at that level. They were excited to play at home, confident, and made their shots and passes. Val putting up 31 points and 22 rebounds and going beast mode.”

Visconti continued to shine in the second quarter, adding eight more points as River Dell widened its cushion and provided valuable minutes for bench players. At halftime, the Golden Hawks held a comfortable 42-20 lead.

“We were able to get everyone in, including the seniors—Molly Irving, Emma Yeandle, Ava Guiterrez, Delaney Kristan, and Kayleigh Windram,” Steffner noted. “They’ve been in this program for four years, work hard in practice every day, and do the drills and scout team.”

“They go through every emotional up and down like everyone else and may not get as many minutes, but they’re invested and make sure they get credit and some playing time. It was nice to see Ava and Kayleigh score.”

“Their contributions don’t always show up in the box score, which can be hard for high school kids to deal with. My seniors are phenomenal, great student-athletes—and playing four years in a program is not easy. I give them a lot of credit because many kids, by senior year, if they don’t think they’ll play much, pack it in. It’s such a missed opportunity to be part of something special and not worry about playing time.”

The starters returned in the third quarter, and Visconti’s offensive prowess was again on display, matching her first-quarter output with another 10 points. Alexa DePol also found her rhythm, contributing seven points. By the end of the period, River Dell had stretched its lead to 63-24. In total, seven Golden Hawks players scored in the game.

“Alexa is healthy again and wasn’t playing well when she was sick and took a lot out of her physically,” Steffner said. “I’m happy to see that she’s fully recovered and able to contribute for us. She provides a ton of energy and speed.”