Bergen County Tournament finals preview

High School Sports Elite • Oct 29, 2024

Photo Credits:

Rematch of powerhouses, but seeds are flipped

By PJ Potter | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The BCWCA Bergen County Tournament championship is coming up next.

Check out all the information, stats and predictions below for the highly-anticipated final.

Matchup: 1-Old Tappan vs. 2-Immaculate Heart

Venue: Old Tappan

Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Coming into the season, it was known that Old Tappan and Immaculate Heart would be the teams to beat up north in Bergen County. Two consistent programs that have each seen their fair share of championships, this matchup is a rematch of the 2023 finals, which saw IHA win in three sets as the top seed.

This year, Old Tappan corralled the No. 1 seed and is the last remaining undefeated squad in all of New Jersey. Each team has two matches prior to the championship bout, but check out the teams’ records and player statistics below entering championship weekend.

Old Tappan (19-0)

Coach: Melissa Landeck

Road to championship game: 17-Park Ridge; 8-Demarest; 4-Ramapo

Old Tappan notes: The 2024 season has been a conquest of redemption for the Golden Knights. The current senior class was bumped out of the Bergen County Tournament in the quarterfinals in each of their freshman and sophomore seasons. As juniors, they reached the finale, but fell to an IHA team that finished as the top-ranked Non-Public team in the Garden State.

On Saturday, Old Tappan and their seniors have the opportunity to go out on a high note. They’ve climbed the state rankings, hanging in at No. 6 with just a single set loss all year.

The offense begins with Samantha Kranzler, a 2022 First Team All-Group 2 star who missed half of the 2023 season due to injury. She’s navigated OT to a tremendous spot as the most dangerous Group 2 program, but the Golden Knights have also etched vital offensive roles out of Eva Curko, Julia Whaley, Bianca Benasillo, and Gabriela Paltag to keep the opposition guessing. Setter Addison Gioffre has plenty of options to get the rhythm going, but a historically-sound IHA defense will try to combat all hitting lanes. Gioffre has the experience to keep everyone on their toes, and she may just be the difference in the championship game.

Last Bergen title: 2019

5 players to watch

Samantha Kranzler: 218 kills, 101 digs, 28 aces
Addison Gioffre: 414 assists, 68 digs, 17 aces, 14 kills, 14 blocks
Eva Curko: 83 kills, 34 digs, 12 blocks
Julia Whaley: 76 kills, 29 blocks
Jamie Kim: 140 digs, 23 aces

Full Article

Source Link: https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2024/10/bergen-county-tournament-finals-preview-rematch-of-powerhouses-but-seeds-are-flipped.html

Athlete's Latest Article

Old Tappan takes down another undefeated team.

Jan 24, 2026

Old Tappan defeated previously undefeated New Providence 45 to 40 on Saturday, January 24, 2026. The win handed New Providence its first loss of the season. Defense drove the result. Old Tappan held New Providence to one of its lowest point totals of the season and forced tough shots throughout the game. Old Tappan led 12 to 9 after the first quarter and took a 23 to 12 lead into halftime. New Providence rallied in the fourth quarter, but Old Tappan stayed composed and finished the game at the line and with stops on defense. Sienna Drullinsky led Old Tappan with 19 points, including 11 made free throws. Alexa Caunedo scored 12 points. Alivia Badurina added six points. Sadie Murphy finished with five points. Nina Caunedo hit a three pointer for three points. Mauimi Quiros, Christina D’Andrea, Katie Degennaro, and Joley Giordano all played and helped on the defensive end as Old Tappan protected the lead late. Old Tappan improved to 10 and 3. New Providence dropped to 15 and 1 after its first loss of the season.

Old Tappan too much for Eastside

Jan 10, 2026

Old Tappan beat Paterson Eastside 58 to 48 on Saturday at the Showdown in the 6ix Showcase at Teaneck High School. Old Tappan set the tone with rebounding and steady free throw shooting. The Golden Knights finished with 25 rebounds and made 23 of 28 foul shots. Old Tappan led 33 to 22 at halftime and widened the gap in the third quarter. Paterson Eastside made a late push behind Alexis Chambers and cut the margin to 11 points. Old Tappan stayed composed at the line and closed out the win.Alexa Caunedo led Old Tappan with 20 points and 8 rebounds. Drullinsky finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds and went 13 for 16 from the free throw line. Alivia Badurina scored 9 points and added 2 rebounds. Quiros finished with 7 points. Nina Caunedo added 5 points and 3 rebounds. Sadie Murphy grabbed 3 rebounds. Joley Giordano pulled down 1 rebound and had a bunch of steals. Christina D’Andrea finished with 2 rebounds.For Paterson Eastside, Chambers scored 17 points with 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, and 3 steals. Jade Bethea had 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Keyrie Rodriguez scored 8 points with 1 assist and 1 block. Khori Muckle added 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal. Aubrey Newell finished with 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals. Emely Jimenez Abreu scored 3 points with 2 rebounds and 1 block.

Big win at home for Old Tappan Girls Basketball

Jan 06, 2026

Old Tappan dominated from the opening tip and rolled past Tenafly 57 to 18 on Tuesday afternoon at home. Old Tappan jumped out to a 23 to 2 first quarter lead and controlled the pace for all four quarters to move to 6 and 1 on the season. Sienna Drullinsky led all scorers with 16 points and set the tone early with strong finishes inside and trips to the free throw line. Christina D’Andrea added 9 points with three made threes, while Alexa Caunedo scored 8 points and consistently pressured the defense. Sadie Murphy contributed 6 points and brought steady energy on both ends. Lea Savino and Alivia Badurina each scored 6 points, both knocking down multiple threes. Nina Caunedo and Olivia Richards chipped in 3 points apiece with timely perimeter shots. Joley Giordano coming off the bench, anchored the lineup with strong defensive focus, ball movement, and physical presence throughout her minutes. Giuliana Foschino, Mauimi Quiros, Madison Plescia, Farrah Ibrahim, Katie Degennaro, Sophia Kang, and Alivia Badurina all saw action and helped maintain intensity, spacing, and communication as Old Tappan rotated through the bench. Old Tappan outscored Tenafly in every quarter and showed depth, balance, and discipline on both ends of the floor.