By Greg Matura – Record Sports Department
HACKENSACK – Luka Radovich made the shot in the final seconds of overtime after fellow senior George Sikoryak made the pass.
Cresskill became the first Group 1 public school to advance to the semifinals of the Bergen County Jamboree since 2000 after Radovich’s three-pointer off a Sikoryak feed knocked off Hackensack in Saturday night’s quarterfinals.
Radovich’s catch-and-shoot three-pointer from the left corner with 5.0 seconds left lifted the unbeaten Cougars to a 57-56 boys basketball victory over the Group 4 Comets at Fairleigh Dickinson’s Rothman Center.
“I knew I was taking it when I got it,” Radovich said.
With 5.0 seconds left, Hackensack had a shot to win it, but a desperation halfcourt heave fell short by senior guard Atiba Taylor Jr. (game-high 22 points).
Radovich finished with a team-high 18 points, as well as 15 rebounds, for sixth-seeded Cresskill (20-0). Fellow senior forward Wellington Ventura had 12 points and 15 rebounds.
“We kept it close, and when it came down to crunch time, guys stepped up,” Cresskill coach Dan Egorow said. “And that’s all you can ask.”
Third-seeded (17-6) Hackensack had taken a 56-54 lead with 23 seconds left in overtime on two free throws by senior Toren Portee.
“We didn’t rebound the ball well,” said Hackensack coach Aaron Taylor, whose team was outrebounded, 42-31. “We let them beat us on the glass offensively and defensively. We relied too much on jump shots when we could get to the basket. I thought we could get to the basket more.”
Sikoryak earned the game-winning assist because he didn’t think he could get to the basket on penetration. So he passed it left to Radovich.
“I drove and saw [the Comets] all stepped in [to the lane],” Sikoryak said. “He’s a great shooter, so I just kicked it to him, and I knew he was going to make it. I had confidence.”
“My jump shot was getting blocked all game, so I was going to pump fake,” said Radovich. “But I saw nobody there.”
