River Dell Varsity Girls Basketball Team gets back in win column after dominating victory over Ramsey

The River Dell Golden Hawks Varsity Girls Basketball Team (12-4, 5-1 Big North Patriot) bounced back from a difficult loss to Saddle River Day in the first round of the Bergen County Tournament. They responded decisively by dismantling the Ramsey Rams (11-6, 2-4 Big North Patriot) 53-24 at River Dell High School in Oradell, New Jersey.

For a second consecutive game in a row, Alexa De Pol led River Dell in scoring with 16 points, while Dalia Interiano supplied 14 points.

The Golden Hawks were off and running in the first quarter, demonstrating tenacity by pounding the offensive glass and creating second-chance opportunities, and were up 10-5 at the four-and-a-half-minute mark.

River Dell was sparked by the dynamic play of Alexa De Pol, netting eight points, and De Pol swiping a couple of steals that resulted in transition layups.

“Alexa came out hot and played aggressively,” River Dell Head Coach Lindsay Steffner said. “She was great on both defense and offense. I was happy with her start.” “She had a tough match-up against No. 23 (Jules Pensari), who is athletic and underrated, but Alexa did a great job.”

The Golden Hawks increased their lead to 15-7 with less than two minutes left in the period. River Dell then further extended the gap, finishing the period ahead 19-9.

In the second quarter, the Golden Hawks continued to flourish on the offensive end, consistently driving to the rim for layups, including a sensational baseline reverse layup by Alexa De Pol.

River Dell sparkling in the passing game by moving the ball around the perimeter, distributing the ball to the open teammate, and getting out on the fast break and in transition. In addition, displaying a relentless effort, grabbing offensive rebounds that led to putback shots. Once halftime rolled around, the Golden Hawks held a commanding 31-15 lead.

“I’m happy with how we wear teams down. We’re strong inside, have great hands, and are super athletic. I love our effort on the boards,” Head Coach Lindsay Steffner described. “I said it out loud three or four times: great ball movement and possession. As the season goes on, I am extremely happy to repeat that. Even if we miss shots, our basketball IQ is improving. The movement shows the players’ unselfishness.”

“I’m proud of the way the girls are playing, and Ramsey is obviously a good team.” “Last time we played them, we were down six to them at halftime, and we really put together a great second half, and they’re the type of team that can do the same thing to us, so we had to really come out firing on all cylinders and make sure we know our matchups.

“We had to stay focused, with many fun distractions and lots of energy in the crowd. I told the players to remember be the role model you want to be for the little kids and keep playing hard.” “It’s a great community builder to see so many young families there.”

Once the third quarter commenced, the River Dell went on a 6-0 run to start the quarter. The Golden Hawks pushed the pace on the fast break, pounding the ball into the low post and defense, leading to a steal and a subsequent layup.

Offensively, the catalyst for River Dell was Dalia Interiano, who scored 8 points and displayed her superior ball-handling skills, dishing dimes to teammates for layups.

The Golden Hawks were perfect from the free-throw line, going 6 for 6. They gradually extended their lead throughout the quarter and finished the period in full control at 47-19.

“We called Dalia’s number often. She had a mismatch. Ramsey was missing their point guard, and her defender didn’t have the speed to keep up. Dalia took advantage of that,” Head Coach Lindsay Steffner stated. “It’s great to see her recognition and confidence in getting to the rim. She really did a nice job.”

"We talked about hitting free throws. It's great to see because we struggled against Saddle River Day, lost by three, and missed key opportunities, so we focused on that."

In the fourth quarter, the advantage widened significantly, allowing players off the bench to get quality playing time and experience, with Emma Yeandle and Ava Guiterrez scoring.

“I’m thrilled when I can play kids off the bench. They have a great role in our program,” Head Coach Lindsay Steffner mentioned. “I’m sure they want more minutes, but they take pride in the time they get and never complain. They keep improving.”

“They work hard in practice every day. When they get a chance to score, make a play, get a defensive stop, or rotate the right way, it’s great to see. Their teammates’ support is awesome.”

River Dell returns to the hardwood on Thursday, February 5th, for an away game at Westwood (13-5, 5-1 Big North Patriot). Tip-off is at 4:15 p.m. at Westwood Regional High School in Westwood, New Jersey. Earlier this season, on January 8th, the Golden Hawks defeated the Cardinals 57-48 at River Dell High School.

“It’s a rivalry game, and we’ve prepared our approach,” Head Coach Lindsay Steffner said. “We’re tied at 5-1 in the league, it will be a battle. They have strong guard play, and both teams match up well—it’ll be a fun game.”