NORTH 1, GROUP 1 FINAL

Monday, Feb. 27

3-Paterson Charter (17-6) at 1-Cresskill (18-9), 7 p.m.

How they got here: Paterson Charter made its way back to the championship game with a 65-45 road win over Park Ridge. The Lions will head back to Bergen County on Monday with hopes of repeating as sectional champs. Paterson Charter also picked up wins over Boonton, 72-48, and Kinnelon, 67-43, along the way to the title game.

Cresskill’s defense was great in the first two rounds as the Bergen County squad picked up wins over Hawthorne, 47-24, and Kittatinny, 53-28. Then, Cresskill’s offense cranked it up in the semifinals to help this team beat West Caldwell Tech, 72-59. Cresskill is now playing in the sectional final for the first time since 2020. It also played Paterson Charter that winter.

Players to Watch

Paterson Charter – Rodeny Byrd, Sr.; Kemar Degroat, Sr.; Giovanny Figueroa, So.; Kyle Fulcher, So.; Ka’Juan Gee, Jr.; De’Angelo Hibbert, Jr.; Adrian Mouzone, Sr.

Cresskill – Ryan Berkowitz, Jr.; Jimmy Connelly, Sr.; Jack Hayward, Jr.; Marko Radovich, Jr.; Sean Reiner, Sr.; Cody Song, Sr.; Omer Tal, Jr.; Omer Tal, Jr.; Talen Zitomer, Sr.

Paterson Charter wins if: The Lions are a well-coached team and this group may have a different look than the team that won Group 1 a year ago, but there is talent all around. Senior Adrian Mouzone was a key player in last year’s title run and he’s been a veteran presence on the floor. Some nights he puts up points and some nights he locks in on defense to make sure his team picks up the win. Giovanny Figueroa has been forcing turnovers all here and will also be one the Lions best defensive players in the title game. Senior Kemar Degroat’s length and ability to rebound has been a big help down the stretch and gives Paterson Charter more chances to score. Juniors Ka’Juan Gee and De’Angelo Hibbert played for a Manchester Regional team that won just a single game last winter. Now, they’re playing in a championship game. Gee led the offense in the semis and Hibbert has shown flashes of what he can do this season as a scorer. If those two players are feeling it in the sectional final, Paterson Charter is going to go on the road and win another sectional championship. The Lions beat Cresskill in the championship game back in 2020 and also won last year’s title.

Cresskill wins if: Cresskill just put up big-time offensive numbers in the semifinals and this team will need to have another good night on offense to beat the defending champs. Senior Talen Zitomer connected on four 3-pointers against West Caldwell Tech. Cody Song hit two himself and the team finished with seven makes overall from beyond the arc. Junior Marko Radovich is another good shooter to watch. If Cresskill can shoot like that against Paterson Charter, it will open up space to get other players involved. Ryan Berkowitz and Omer Tal are the team’s best rebounders and those forwards can help swing this game as well. Cresskill cannot give Paterson Charter second-chance opportunities. The Bergen County squad is going to need to control possession in this game and play at its own pace. If it can do that, Cresskill will have a chance to win its first sectional title since 2018. Coach Dan Egorow has done a good job all year and will have this team ready for the championship game.

Brandon Gould can be reached at bgould@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrandonGouldHS.