WHAT A YEAR!!!
MARCH 12 – PISCATAWAY, NJ – So many dreams to be fulfilled.  St. Peter's Prep looking for its first state championship since 1959.  Bergen Catholic was looking for its first ever back-to-back and first ever #1 ranking, the best the Crusaders had ever done before was #2 last year.  How would this game end?  Would the Marauders who last beat the Crusaders in the state sectional final in 2024 prevail again or, would it be the Crusaders, setting a record for most victories in a season in school history. 
     Fans would not know until the very end as the two top-ranked teams in the state battled it out on the hardwood of Jersey Mike's Arena on the campus of Rutgers University.  The link to watch the game on nj.com and listen to Dan Long's legendary play-by-play can be found below.
     The first quarter started with teams battling for every inch on the court.  Great defensive steals, forcing turnovers, translated into a slow start.  Before long, the Marauders grabbed an advantage.  Julius Avent would respond, knocking down BC's first two points of the game.  St. Peter's began stretching an early lead to 8-5.  That's when a long-range Avent three-pointer steadied the ship.  BC crept back into the contest, down 12-10 with just 8 seconds remaining.  Just as Mr. Baydar was texting  a 12-10 score to the faculty back in Oradell, Jaden Brown blocked a Marauder shot in the corner.  Owen Wucherpfennig grabbed the loose ball and passed it to Jahlil Owusu at the foul line with 3 seconds remaining.  Owusu began to dribble, executed a roll away from pressure and let the ball fly from the mid-court line with just 0.2 seconds remaining.  The half-court shot rattled into the hole and not only did BC have a thrilling 13-12 lead, but Mr. Baydar had to send a new text message.
     It was such a statement shot.  As well as the team in Maroon played, it would not be there day.  The teams battled through the second quarter with the Crusaders opening up a 26-18 lead entering the half.  Jaden Brown began emerging as the afternoon's scoring star.  After five first period points, Jaden registered another 10 in the second quarter and a theme was emerging..."automatic."  That's the word Coach Armstrong encourages his free-throw shooters with and his top one, scored points his 14^th and 15^th points of the day with free throws.
      There is a selflessness about this team, where attitude and effort are the standards to which teammates are held.  Bridgie McMillan playing through the pain of a badly sprained ankle, Sean Forbes playing through pain, Alex Mazzella and Marcus Brown all contributing minutes and making the most of every second were essential for this team win.  Jaden Brown hit a couple of third quarter buckets and Julius Avent started imposing his will, hitting a pair of free throws and finishing the quarter with 7 points.
      The fourth quarter was a low-scoring affair with BC looking to run as much clock as possible.  They won the clock battle and forced the Marauders to use up their fouls, while BC had a couple to give.  Ultimately, the Prep tied the score with three point two seconds remaining.  They were as long a three point two seconds as one could imagine, but ultimately, a Jaden Brown three-quarters court shot hit the corner of the backboard and the score was tied 45-45 as time ran out.
     Automatic.  The fouls  carry over from game's end to overtime, so BC was in the bonus and did a great job getting the ball into the hands of Jaden Brown and Julius Avent.  Brown hit seven of eight free throws in overtime.  Avent hit three of four and Owen Wucherpfennig hit one of two, finishing with three points from the line.  Those eleven free throws created the distance BC needed to put SPP away, earning a memorable 56-52 victory.
      What a season!  As a matter of fact, what a couple of years! 

• BC's FIRST #1 FINAL RANKING! 
• 29 victories this season, most in school history!
• 13^th Non-Public "A" North Sectional Championship
• 13^th Bergen County Oscar F. Thompson Jamboree Championship (Tournament Record)
• Big North United Division Champion
• Back-to-back State Champions (first time in school history)
• Two-year total of 56 wins (school record breaks 50 back in 1992-1994 – when Coach Armstrong played point Guard for BC and 2001-2003.
• Two 1,000 point scorers in the Class of 2026.

Thanks to Mr. Kevin Page '74 for helping with school records.
 

TEAMS	1	2	3	4	OT	FINAL
#1 Bergen Catholic (29-3)	13	13	13	6	11	56
#2 St. Peter's Prep (28-4)	12	6	19	8	7	52

 

NAME	2PT	3PT	FTM	FTA	PTS	REB	AST
Julius Avent	5	2	5	6	21	4	0
Alex Mazzella	0	0	0	0	0	2	2
Jaden Brown	4	3	9	10	26	5	0
Sean Forbes	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Brandon McMillan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Owen Wucherpfennig	0	0	3	6	3	9	2
Jahlil Owusu	1	1	1	3	6	2	1
Marcus Brown	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Totals:	10	6	18	25	56	25	5

BLOCKS:  Julius Avent (3), Jaden Brown (1), Sean Forbes (1), Jahlil Owusu (1)
STEALS:  Julius Avent (2), Brandon McMillan (2), Alex Mazzella (1), Jaden Brown (1), Jahlil Owusu (1)

WATCH THE GAME AND LISTEN TO DAN LONG HERE:  https://highschoolsports.nj.com/watch/45292