December 10, 2010
HCV Preview: North Bergen
Ashley Vazzona is one of three four-year starters for North Bergen this season.
Click Here for North Bergen girls basketball photos
By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director
With just one starter over 5-foot-5 and the lack of a true go-to scorer, North Bergen is anything but conventional on the court.
Despite these limitations, the Bruins won 17 games a season ago and reached the semifinals of the Hudson County Tournament thanks to a press-heavy system.
“We’re going to press the whole game,” head coach Dan Reardon said. “We know we can’t rely just on one player. If they start keying on one, the others will have to step up.”
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North Bergen’s balanced scoring attack makes keying up on a particular individual a challenge, guard Ashley Vazzona is the one who often finds herself as the main target of opposing defenses.
“We expect her to be our leading scorer,” Reardon said. “She can slash to the basket and she can shoot from the outside.”
Vazzona, a HCV All-County First Team Selection last season, was particularly lethal shooting from the wings. She, along with fellow guards Jazmin Palma and Ashley Heredia give the Bruins a trio of four-year starters on the courter. Palma is the primary point guard and Heredia’s speed is key in the press defense.
Senior Alyssa Arroyo rounds out the four-guard lineup. Six-foot forward Nicole Paulino is the one source of size and has the ability to connect from the perimeter. Even with Paulino being the only one standing taller than 5-foot-5, Reardon has been impressed with the group’s work on the boards during scrimmages.
“I’m amazed at how well we’re rebounding and boxing out,” he said. “You’ve got to control boards.”
North Bergen has the potential to be one of the area’s deepest teams thanks to a trio of sophomores coming off the bench. Guard/forward Doris Ilic is a 5-foot-10 player with a developing post game and some outside shooting, while guards Amanda Rivera and Tiana Nassralah might be the squad’s two fastest players.
“Tiana and Amanda are just super, super fast,” Reardon said. “They’re just starting to figure it out on the court, but they have a big upside.”
Guards Ceiline Delahoz and Raynelliz Carrillo will also see action off the bench. Junior Kayla Muniz, a 5-foot-9 transfer from County Prep will further bolster the team’s depth when she’s eligible to play in mid-January.
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