After 3 losses during the season, Bergen Catholic basketball upsets Don Bosco in playoffs

RAMSEY – Bergen Catholic said four-get about it.

Pressing, running and diving for every loose ball, the Crusaders got off to a big early lead and held on to take down Don Bosco, 76-70, Monday night in the North Non-Public A semifinals.

The Ironmen had beaten the Crusaders twice in the regular season and in the Bergen Jamboree final − all by double digits − but they never led Wednesday.

“This is beyond a miracle,” said Bergen Catholic forward Brandon Benjamin, who scored a team-high 26 points. “I love it. I just knew we were going to win.”

What it means

Bergen Catholic advances to the North Non-Public A sectional final to face St. Peter’s Prep, which beat St. Joseph, 60-52, in the other semifinal. And of course, the Crusaders get a measure of revenge after losing three times to their arch rival this season.

“I am just so happy for our kids,” Bergen Catholic coach Billy Armstrong said. “I think nobody gave us a shot coming up here.”

Don Bosco was led by star Dylan Harper, who scored 38 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter as the Ironmen rallied from as many as 18 points down. The Ironmen end their season 26-3.

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What game plan?

Armstrong said he made things too complicated in the first three meetings with Don Bosco. For this game, he told his team they were going to press all over the court, attack the basket and just be ‘basketball players.’

“We were playing these guys and we made special game plans and I was like, for this game, no, let’s just be us,” Armstrong said. “And what that means is going a full-court press and getting points in transition, trying to score 100 points, shoot 3s and go for it. We didn’t do that the first three games and I take responsibility for that.”

The Crusaders jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead and were carried in the first half by Benjamin, who scored 19 in the half, including four 3-pointers.

“After the Jamboree loss, I just got back in the gym,” Benjamin said. “I was missing so many 3s, so I went in the gym to shoot and I was waiting for this game.”

The rally

Don Bosco and Harper didn’t go down without a fight, pulling to 68-64 with under two minutes to play.

A Harper finger-roll, which would have cut it to one, rolled barely off the rim and Tyler McQuaid and Nalim Parrish each made free throws down the stretch to seal it.

“I didn’t look up at the clock the entire fourth quarter,” Armstrong said. “I told my assistants to let me know if we need a timeout or if we need to run something special. I just kept my head down.”

Shining stars

Austin Spencer, Bergen Catholic: The sophomore came off the bench and delivered 11 big points including three threes.

Dylan Harper, Don Bosco: What more can you say about the Don Bosco superstar? He almost willed Don Bosco all the way back with his ability to drive, hang in the air and draw contact to generate three-point plays. Harper went over 1,000 points in his high school career in the performance.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bergen Catholic NJ basketball upsets Don Bosco in state playoffs