Bogota coach Jay Mahoney moved into 2nd place all-time in Bergen County boys basketball with career win # 649. The Buc’s earned a 68-57 victory over Wood-Ridge in the North 1, Group 1 State Tournament opener.
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By Greg Mattura / Record Sports Department
BOGOTA – Jay Mahoney still has the vocal cords, the energy, and, most of all, the passion to continue coaching at Bogota.
And Mahoney is now No. 2 on the all-time list for career coaching victories in Bergen County boys’ basketball.
The Bucs gave Mahoney his 649th career win by opening the 100th NJSIAA Tournament with a 68-55 victory over Wood-Ridge on Monday night in a North 1, Group 1 opener.
Bogota (20-4) registered its 12th 20-win campaign in its 39 seasons under Mahoney by grabbing a quick lead and maintaining a double-digit advantage despite some ill-advised shots.
“This team might epitomize the overall 39 years,” said Mahoney, 63. “We might not be the beset dribblers, the best shooters, the best passers, the most sound defensive players who make the most basketball plays. But a lot of us play the game 12 months a year, put in so much time in the off-season to improve, and we love the game. And we’re not afraid to fail, and that’s how their coach is.”
Mahoney moved past the late Chris Donfield, who earned all of his 648 victories guiding Bergen Catholic. The all-time winningest coach is Marty Rivard, who retired two seasons ago from Bergenfield after earning a majority of his 769 victories at Cresskill.
Bogota, seeded No. 2, utilized a balanced attack to defeat No. 15 Wood-Ridge. Senior Deiker Padrino scored 16, junior Argenis Soriano and Ashante Caviness 15 apiece and senior Timothy Uzor 13.
“I’m just proud to be on the team to bring him to this second-place achievement,” Uzor said. “It’s pretty amazing, and it’s just an honor.”
“It’s says that I’m really proud of my team, and my coach, and it’s a pleasure,” Padrino said. “And this is something I’m never going to forget in my lifetime, being coached by Coach Mahoney.”
Also in North 1, Group 1
(1) CRESSKILL 65, (16) WALLINGTON 53 (at Cresskill): Harrison Lucibello scored a game-high 21 for Cresskill (25-2). Cougars senior Luka Radovich returned from an illness that sidelined him for multiple games and scored eight.
(3) EMERSON 70, (14) NORTH WARREN 33 (at Emerson): John Dime scored a game-high 26 points to lead Emerson (17-8).
(6) HASBROUCK HEIGHTS 67, (11) BOONTON 56 (at Hasbrouck Heights): Matt Moretto scored 20, Jasiah Purdie 16 and Kunga Tsering 15 for Hasbrouck Heights (14-11).
(7) NEW MILFORD 71, (10) PALISADES PARK 66 (OT) (at New Milford): Senior Matt McElroy had a game-high 32 points, as well as seven boards, for New Milford (17-8). Chris Rodriguez scored 31 for Palisades Park.
North 2, Group 1
(7) SECAUCUS 62, (10) HOBOKEN 58 (at Secaucus): Aaron Kashian and Jamling Lama scored 22 apiece to pace Secaucus (12-11).
North 1, Group 3
(3) NV/DEMAREST 62, (14) GARFIELD 41 (at Demarest): Joe Rotonde scored 16 and Jake Runyon 15 for Northern Valley at Demarest (21-5). Garfield’s Darko Petroski scored a game-high 20 and surpassed 1,000 career points.
