North Jersey Top 25 boys basketball rankings see change near the top

Bergen Catholic maintains a tight hold on the No. 1 spot in the North Jersey Top 25 boys basketball rankings, and there’s a new team standing at No. 2.

Bergen Catholic remains No. 1 thanks to an 83-48 win over Teaneck in the Bergen County Jamboree semifinals Feb. 15 at FDU. St. Mary climbs one spot to No. 2 after a 76-53 semifinal victory over then-No. 2 Tenafly.

The top spot will be on the line when Bergen Catholic, seeking a record 13th Jamboree title, faces St. Mary, making its championship debut, in the Jamboree final at FDU’s Bogota Savings Bank Center at 7 p.m. on Feb. 20.

Welcome to championship week, as several other tournaments approach their finals.

The Passaic County championship is Feb. 21 at Wayne Valley. First, there’s the Feb. 19 semifinals, with top-seeded Wayne Valley hosting fifth-seeded Wayne Hills, and defending champion and second-seeded DePaul hosting third-seeded Eastside.

The Bergen Invitational final is Feb. 21 at St. Joseph, where Ramsey battles Ridgefield Park. And the NJIC Championship is Feb. 18 at Paterson Charter and features top-seeded St. Mary against second-seeded Lyndhurst.

Meanwhile, Waldwick senior Andrew Del Rey became the 15th boy from Bergen County to reach 2,000 career points. Del Rey hit 2,002 on a three-point play with 11 seconds left in the second quarter of a 66-51 win at Bogota on Feb. 12.

Dwight-Englewood senior Leo Colosimo and Westwood senior Joe Cerritellisurpassed 1,000 career points. Colosimo reached the milestone on a 3-pointer in the third quarter of an 88-69 loss to Hackensack on Feb. 10. Cerritelli reached it during the second quarter of a 65-28 win over Paterson Arta on Feb. 13.

Here are the Top 25 rankings, as well as standings for the Big North Conference and North Jersey Interscholastic Conference, based on games reported through Feb. 15.

Top 25 rankings

1.Bergen Catholic (23-3)

2. St. Mary (22-3)

3. Tenafly (20-2)

4. Teaneck (19-4)

5. Don Bosco (12-11)

6. Eastside (20-4)

7. Hackensack (15-8)

8. DePaul (16-7)

9. Northern Highlands (16-7)

10. Wayne Valley (18-4)

11. Demarest (16-7)

12. Dwight-Englewood (14-9)

13. Lyndhurst (17-8)

14. Cresskill (21-3)

15. Ridgewood (13-7)

16. Ramapo (14-10)

17. River Dell (13-9)

18. Ramsey (16-7)

19. Old Tappan (12-11)

20. Westwood (15-7)

21. Ridgefield Park (20-4)

22. Waldwick (17-7)

23. Fair Lawn (13-7)

24. Wayne Hills (12-12)

25. Paterson Charter (13-10)

Also considered: Cliffside Park (13-10), Glen Rock (12-11)

NORTH JERSEY INTERSCHOLASTIC CONFERENCE Final Standings

Colonial Division

St. Mary 10-0

Dwight-Englewood 7-3

Paterson Charter 6-4

Glen Rock 5-5

Rutherford 2-8

Saddle River Day 0-10

Meadowlands Division

Lyndhurst 10-0

Park Ridge 8-2

Manchester 5-5

Hawthorne 4-6

Weehawken 3-7

Ridgefield 0-10

Liberty Division

Cresskill 10-0

Midland Park 7-3

Waldwick 7-3

New Milford 4-6

Pompton Lakes 2-8

Butler 0-10

National Division

Secaucus 9-1

Palisades Park 7-3

Wood-Ridge 5-5

Leonia 4-6

Wallington 4-6

Harrison 1-9

Patriot Division

North Arlington 9-1

Becton 7-3

Bogota 5-5

Garfield 4-6

Hasbrouck Heights 4-6

Lodi 1-9

American Division

Elmwood Park 7-1

Emerson 6-2

Saddle Brook 5-3

Eastern Christian 2-6

Hawthorne Christian 0-8

Based on results reported thru Feb. 15.