Boys Basketball: Valley Shows Heart and Toughness in Loss to Teaneck

If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.

Teaneck came into Pascack Valley High School as the top team in North Jersey and the underrated Indians gave them everything they could handle.

In the end, Teaneck proved too much and defeated Pascack Valley 79-67, handing them their first loss of the season.

"It feels good knowing that we could play with them," said Junior Ryan Onderdonk, "because now we know that we have a great chance for the next time we play."

Coming into the contest, not many people gave Valley a fighting chance. They were an unproven bunch while Teaneck had been the staple of high school basketball in North Jersey for quite some time.

The Indians silenced the doubters pretty quick, trading baskets with Teaneck throughout the first quarter. The deficit was four at the end of the first and Coach Coleman had to be pleased with how his team came out and competed.

The second quarter was much of the same. Teaneck would score some easy baskets, but the Indians would continue to answer. The shooting of the Onderdonk twins along with the charges taken by Senior Kyle Schneider kept Pascack Valley in the game before halftime.

At intermission, Pascack Valley was down 35-31 and had the players and fans of Teaneck shaking their heads.

The Teaneck coach must have gotten into his players during the break because his team came out with a different intensity on the defensive end of the floor.

"I thought we gave up too many points," said Onderdonk. "and had too many turnovers that let Teaneck score easy baskets (in transition)."

During the first couple minutes of the third, Valley was having trouble advancing the ball past half court. Senior Nick Soravilla and Junior Chris Jackson were being heavily pressured and it seemed that there was no one there to bail them out. Teaneck scored the first 10 points of the third to take a 14 point lead.

At this point, Pascack Valley could have given up. They had played with the best team in the county for a half and could have settled with that. Instead, the Indians showed their Valley toughness and clawed their way back. With a 9-0 run, Valley ended the 3rd only down 53-48.

It was only a matter of time before the countless turnovers caught up with the Indians. Teaneck made a few easy buckets to begin the forth and never looked back. Valley continued to make shots, but simply couldn't stop Teaneck on the defensive end.

"You're not going to win too often when you let up 79 points," said Onderdonk.

Final score: Teaneck 79, Pascack Valley 67.

Kyle Onderdonk led the Indians with 19 points and Ryan Onderdonk added 15. Kyle Schneider (13) and Chris Jackson (12) were also in double figures.

Valley certainly should not be disappointed with their performance. They were a couple of plays away from making this a game down the stretch. The Indians deserve to keep their heads held high as they have put the rest of Bergen County on notice that they are a team to be reckoned with.

Despite the loss, Onderdonk did have some positive takeaway.

"Now we know that we can compete with anyone in the county."