Bergen County Jamboree: Top Takeaways

<p>The 64th annual Bergen County Jamboree may have started last weekend, but places for the quarterfinals were at stack this weekend. The top teams in Bergen County began their journey to the title game on February 28. The tournament took place at two locations with the top half of the bracket playing at Northern Highlands, while the bottom half was at Tenafly. Here are the top takeaways from the Bergen County Jamboree.</p> <p><strong>1. Bergen Catholic is poised for another TOC run</strong></p> <p>The Crusaders have been rolling all season long and they continued their strong play with a 83-46 victory over Hasbrouck Heights. The Aviators held a 16-15 lead at the end of the first quarter, but they were unable to maintain their offensive efficiency. Notre Dame commit <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/matt-zona/">Matt Zona</a></strong> dominated down low as Hasbrouck Heights did not have an answer for him.</p> <p>Sophomore guards <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/will-richardson/">Will Richardson</a> </strong>and <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/julian-brown/">Julian Brown</a> </strong>were in attack mode all game and they pressured Hasbrouck Heights into numerous turnovers. Senior <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/raejon-figures/">Raejon Figures</a></strong> provided a steady presence for a Bergen Catholic team without junior big man <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/diari-duncan/">DiAri Duncan</a></strong>. The Crusaders are one of the top teams in New Jersey and look ready to repeat as Non-Public A champions.</p> <p><strong>2. Don't sleep on Paramus Catholic in Non-Public A North</strong></p> <p>Bergen Catholic is the clear favorite in Non-Public A North, but do not overlook Paramus Catholic. The Paladins dismantled Dwight-Morrow 89-60 behind juniors <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/derrick-bueno/">Derrick Bueno</a></strong> and <strong>Niko Ruffin</strong>. They both scored 23 points in the game with the former dominating in the paint.</p> <p>Ruffin was a sniper from behind the arc as he knocked down four three-pointers in the game. Senior <strong>Jordan Morris </strong>was almost unguardable off the bounce as the Maroon Raiders could not keep him in front. Paramus Catholic may be a little undersized, but the Paladins are going to be a tough out in the state tournament.</p> <p><strong>3. Ramsey can challenge Camden and Manasquan in Group 2</strong></p> <p>The Rams struggled with Saddle River Day, but they still finished with a comfortable 90-72 win. Cornell commit <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/sean-hansen/">Sean Hansen</a> </strong>showcased his versatility as he scored around the rim, cleaned up the glass and knocked down a pair of three-pointers. He and fellow senior <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jaden-quinerly/">Jaden Quinerly</a> </strong>finished with a game-high 29 points as the Rebels could not keep him out of the lane.</p> <p>Albany baseball commit <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/steven-turk/">Steven Turk</a></strong> was everywhere on the court as he jumped passing lanes, hustled for rebounds and made good passes. Junior <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/grant-holbrook/">Grant Holbrook</a> </strong>gave the Rams another physical presence around the basket. Camden and Manasquan are seen as the top teams in Group 2, but Ramsey's combination of size, talent and shooting is enough to challenge them in the Group 2 playoff.</p> <p><strong>4. Pascack Hills-Ramsey will be an entertaining North 1 Group 2 final</strong></p> <p>The seedings for the state tournament has not yet been released, but Ramsey and Pascack Hills are seen as the top teams in North 1 Group 2. The Cowboys controlled the pace of the game against Ramapo in their 62-51 upset. Senior <strong>Jason Schulman </strong>led the way with 16 points, while junior <strong>Jake Morales </strong>dropped 15.</p> <p>Junior big man <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/aidan-kehoe/">Aidan Kehoe</a></strong> was key down low as he altered numerous Ramapo shots around the basket. His size and length could give Ramsey problems down low, but the Rams are a bigger team than Pascack Hills. Both teams have already faced off against each other twice this season, which would make the third match-up more intriguing.</p> <p><strong>5. Hasbrouck Heights is an underrated team in Group 1</strong></p> <p>The Aviators may have lost by 36 points, but they gave Bergen Catholic a game in the first half. Senior <strong>Jaden Castro </strong>hit a buzzer beating three-pointer to give Hasbrouck Heights a 16-15 lead after one. Junior <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kunga-tsering/">Kunga Tsering</a> </strong>struggled with turnovers in the beginning, but got into a scoring groove in the second half. <strong>Steven Fausette </strong>did a good job running the Aviators' offense, while <strong>Will Koukoutsis </strong>provided floor spacing. Hasbrouck Heights has not gotten a lot of attention in Group 1 this year, but the Aviators are one of the teams to watch when the state tournament rolls around.</p>