Photo Credits: Tom Horak for NJ Advance Media
Teaneck coach Brad Allen stood on his team’s home court holding two trophies, one in each arm. A year ago, Teaneck’s group of players had never played in a sectional final, and it would’ve been easy to question if they were up to the task. They won the sectional title a year when expectations were lower. That wasn’t the case this year. Teaneck expected to get back the sectional final because it had a strong group of players returning. However, Allen’s team dealt with a myriad of injuries, including losing arguably its best player in sophomore Lexi Carnegie, who sustained a season-ending knee injury. And as it has all season, Teaneck fought through the adversity and showed resilience on Saturday to come away with another trophy.
Behind its suffocating press defense, which forced numerous turnovers, top-seeded Teaneck, the No. 18 team in the NJ.com Top 20, defeated second-seeded Old Tappan, 59-46, in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 sectional final in front of a raucous home crowd.
Teaneck (23-7) advances to the Group 3 semifinals, where it will face Chatham, the No. 13 team in the NJ.com Top 20, on Wednesday at Ramapo. It’s Teaneck’s second consecutive North 1, Group 3 sectional title, and it comes a year after Allen’s squad captured its first one in a decade. Allen held both trophies in his hands while his team celebrated a hard-fought win against a familiar opponent in Old Tappan, with Saturday’s contest being the fourth time the two teams have played each other this season, with Teaneck coming out on top three times.
Old Tappan (23-7) jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the first quarter, but Teaneck clawed its way back, tightening the screws on its press defense and using the experience of last year’s sectional title to lean on. “Every single player came back knowing what it means to feel like a champion,” Allen said. “So we practiced it every day, we prepared every day, and we fought every day. And despite all of the injuries, the external scenarios, the illness, they were resilient, and we got another championship.” Teaneck senior Erin Frazier posted a double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, while sophomore Jillian Carter added 14 points and senior Demi Simpson had 13 points and eight rebounds.
The press defense carried Teaneck in the second half, allowing Allen’s squad to take control. The contest was tied at 20 at halftime before Teaneck went on an 11-2 run in the third quarter, taking a 34-25 lead it would not relinquish. “In the third quarter, we didn’t allow them to pass half court until three minutes to go,” Allen said. “Everybody did exactly what we told them to do at halftime, and it worked out really well.”
Old Tappan continued fighting to the final minutes of the game, but couldn’t overcome Teaneck’s relentless press. Senior Layla Giordano scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Grayson Housley and Alivia Badurina both score nine points.
Teaneck lost in the Group 3 semifinals to eventual Group 3-runners up Randolph. That loss was a valuable experience for Allen’s team, which has circled getting back to that game. They have the opportunity to change that result on Wednesday. “It’s amazing. We’re making history and we’re chasing history,” Simpson said. “The job is not finished.”
By Luis Torres | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Photos By Tom Horak | For NJ Advance Media
