BY DARREN COOPER / RECORD SPORTS
SADDLE BROOK – Saddle Brook sophomore Ashley Georgevich set a career high with 25 points, but all anyone wanted to talk about was her passes.
“She is a great point guard,” said Falcons senior Asia Rivera. “I know that when she dribbles the ball if you’re open she is going to get it to you. You have to be prepared.”
With Georgevich leading the way, the Falcons raced past Wood-Ridge, 61-46, Monday night in the first round of the North 1, Group 1 Tournament. Saddle Brook will host Park Ridge on Wednesday.
“Ashley just has tremendous court vision,” said Falcons coach Darren White. “I think it goes back to her soccer background a little bit. She sees the floor extremely well and she’s unselfish. And she’s not afraid of contact.”
In the first quarter, Georgevich was brilliant in the open floor, feeding teammates Bianca Ianneilo and Vicky McBride with passes in the perfect spot leading to lay-ups. She finished with eight assists, right on her season average.
That precision helped the Falcons open up a quick 15-point lead. The rest of the game was somewhat even as a young Blue Devils team found their footing, but they were never able to solve Georgevich.
While enjoying the attention of the 25 points, Georgevich said she preferred making the perfect pass.
“It just comes to me,” said Georgevich. “I think playing different sports and playing together helps.”
It has been an emotional winter at Saddle Brook. 2017 ended with the death of Brooke Costanzo, which halted preseason practice for a week. Then, just recently, the death of Andrew Gutierrez dealt the school another emotional blow.
“It’s been a big challenge to say the least,” said White, who is friends with the Gutierrez family. “It’s hard enough as an adult to deal with this, I can’t imagine what it’s like for 15-, 16-year old kids.”
Georgevich said she was ‘close friends’ with Gutierrez and that they shared some of the same classes.
“It’s been a struggle,” she said. “Especially during practice and just getting practices in. We just work through it and play for him.”
“We had a horrible week,” said Rivera. “We are trying to stay focused on basketball, but it’s hard.”
That could have explained the Falcons sag after a hot start. Wood-Ridge trailed by as many as 16 in the first half, but chipped away and pulled to 24-17 in the first minute of the third quarter on a steal and lay-up by Jenna Castellano.
But the Falcons were able to seize control again. Georgevich hit a long jumper, then made a free throw after a technical foul was called on Wood-Ridge. McBride connected on a short basket, and Georgevich scored again on a drive to the basket. The 8-0 run spanned 1:25 of the third quarter, and was enough.
It was the third time this season the Falcons had beaten the Blue Devils.
“We knew that they had some players,” said Rivera. “We had to guard the point guard, and they had some big girls, so we had to rebound and push the ball, but you never know, they watch tape too.”
“I thought we played great the first seven minutes of the game and then went flat,” said White. “We got a little sloppy and they hit some shots and we missed some free throws and lay-ups. I thought the first four minutes of the third quarter we kind of put it back together.”
