North Jersey highlights
NEW MILFORD — From his first 3pointer to his last, senior Jaiden Ortiz delivered the best long-range shooting performance of his career for New Milford.
Ortiz hit a career-best seven 3pointers and scored a career-high 21 points to lift the Knights to a 50-41 victory over Waldwick in Tuesday night's North 1, Group 1 boys basketball quarterfinal.
“I've always just used the same rhythm as I use for any other three,” said Ortiz, who made the majority of his shots from NBA distance. “I just step in, shoot confidently, and it's all in the legs.”
Ortiz shot 7-for-12 from beyond the arc to help second-seeded New Milford (20-7) lead from start to finish against No. 6 Waldwick (15-11) in a game that could best be described as a “3-for-all.” Treys were being fired at an alarming rate.
While Ortiz was scoring from distance, junior Luis Placido attacked the basket in the second half and scored 11 of his 18. He scored back-to-back Knights' baskets in the third to stretch the margin to 37-31. Sophomore Jake Johnson muscled his way inside for eight points.
In the fourth, Waldwick came as close as 41-38 on a 3-pointer from freshman Antonio Miccinilli. He hit a trio of treys and scored a team-high 16, while junior Axel Da Silva scored 10.
Ortiz ignited the home crowd with a pair of 3-pointers, both from NBA distance, to boost the lead to 47-39. He hit a trey from the left wing for a 44-38 lead, then hit another from the right wing for the 47-39 edge.
“He came out hot, and Jaiden Ortiz has been a heck of a kid for us,” said New Milford coach Hershey Groff, whose team plays Thursday's semifinal at No. 2 Cresskill. “He's a captain, and this is the best game he's shot all season. And those two big threes he made at the end carried us to the win.”
Ortiz staked New Milford to a 19-14 lead after the first quarter by sinking his first trio of 3-pointers and 5-for-7 overall against the Waldwick zone. He hit his first three attempts and assisted on a Placido 15-footer to give the Knights an 11-7 lead.
“My other teammates weren't really there in the beginning,” said Ortiz, whose previous career bests were five 3-pointers and 20 points, “and I knew I had to step up.”
Elsewhere in North 1, Group 1: Cresskill rides balanced scoring
Seniors Marko Radovich and Jack Hayward scored 19 apiece and defending champion and No. 2 Cresskill built a double-digit halftime lead en route to a 74-58 victory over No. 10 Kinnelon.
Sophomore Luke Kopczynski scored 13, senior Rocco Webster 12 and junior Omer Tal 11 for Cresskill (1612). The Cougars will face New Milford for the second time this month, after defeating their NJIC rival three weeks ago, 77-60.
Top-seeded Paterson Charter rolls
Senior Ka’Juan Gee and junior Kyle Fulcher scored 14 apiece to lead top-seeded Paterson Charter to a 6441 victory over No. 9 Mountain Lakes.
Senior Deangelo Hibbert and freshman Jahki Singletary scored eight apiece, and junior Giovanny Figueroa and senior Amare Devonish chipped in seven apiece for the Lions (22-3). Paterson Charter will host No. 5 West Caldwell Tech in Thursday’s semifinals.
North 1, Group 3
Defending champ Ramapo dominates
Senior Peyton Seals scored 22 and senior Chris Cervino 17 as defending state Group 3 champion and topseeded Ramapo defeated No. 9 Dwight Morrow, 84-48.
Junior Charlie Wingfield added 15 points and junior Ryan Goldman 14 for Ramapo (21-8). Junior Maurice Williams scored 16 for Dwight Morrow (16-12). Ramapo hosts No. 5 Teaneck in Thursday’s semifinals, and it beat its Big North rival in December, 67-42. Teaneck tops Demarest
Sophomore Mickell Taylor scored 25 and junior Ty Carnegie 20 and No. 5 Teaneck outlasted No. 4 Demarest, 72-71. Junior Jarrell Hamitt added 15 points as Teaneck (19-8) beat its Big North National Division rival for the second time in three tries.
Senior Brandon Srebnik scored 25, senior Jake Goldenberg 14 and junior Zach Schweid 13 for Demarest (20-6).
Northern Highlands holds on
Junior Lucas Dipasupil scored 30 and No. 2 Northern Highlands outlasted No. 7 Morris Knolls, 68-65.
Senior Sawyer Chapler scored 12 and sophomore Pharoahe Dixon 11 for the Highlanders (20-7).
Northern Highlands hosts No. 3 Wayne Valley in Thursday’s semifinals, and it lost to its Big North rival in its season opener, 67-49.
Wayne Valley streak hits 14
Senior Omar Ali scored 17, senior Anthony Apicella 14 and senior Hudson Devine 13 and No. 3 Wayne Valley defeated No. 6 Tenafly, 59-46. The Passaic County champion Indians (22-5) extended their winning streak to 14 games.
Senior Yuval Guttman scored 14, senior Reilly Benowitz 13 and junior Jake Yanofsky eight for Tenafly (1510).