Latest / NorthJerseySports.com / The Ballgame! w/DBP's Diverio & Cresskill's Egorow

Transcript

The Ballgame! w/DBP's Diverio & Cresskill's Egorow · NorthJerseySports.com

0:02
New season, new sponsor as Vertical Rays is pleased to
0:07
present the ball game on North Jersey sports.com.
0:10
Raise more money for your school or your group in less time with
0:14
the Vertical Rays platform. Check them out at
0:16
verticalrays.com or e-mail local Rep and friend of the show Scott
0:20
Papetti at spapetti@verticalrays.com.
0:24
It's Vertical Rays on North Jersey sports.com.
0:39
Back on the Ball Game North Jersey Sports dot coms original
0:44
multimedia series talking all things hoops across North
0:47
Jersey. One episode this week was just
0:51
not going to be enough. I am Corey Doviak being joined
0:55
by my partner, the man at the bottom of the Garden State
0:58
Parkway. He is Felician assistant
1:01
basketball coach Brad Forrest. Theory.
1:04
How's it going where you are, Brad?
1:07
Very good, very good down at a little work convention down at
1:12
the Tropicana and Atlantic City. The casino's been somewhat
1:17
decent to me so far. The food's been great.
1:19
Can't complain. I'm still able to cover our very
1:25
much love Burton kind of Jamboree and getting some some
1:28
great feedback from some coaches and talking good stuff with them
1:32
about their seasons, you know, class games, future games,
1:37
really good stuff. So always excited to to be able
1:40
to do that. No doubt.
1:42
I got just this, this episode. We did an episode yesterday
1:45
which is already posted on North Jersey sports.com.
1:48
We taped that one on Monday night and got it up late Monday
1:51
night. So that's there.
1:53
And then we were going to make, you know, we were going to try
1:55
to do these two interviews and add them into that show.
1:58
But that show, as you and I get talking, went close to an hour.
2:01
So I thought the best way to do this was to pull these two
2:04
interviews out, let them stand on their own in this episode.
2:08
So we're going to talk to Kevin Demario, the head coach of the
2:12
Don Bosco Prep Ironman, the number seven seed that are going
2:15
to play undefeated #2 Tenafly in the quarterfinals this weekend.
2:19
And I loved listening to the interview as we were conducting
2:22
it because that was when Brad arrived at the Tropicana on
2:25
Monday night from a place where you needed a identification,
2:30
adult identification to get in, you know, 21 and over.
2:35
You conduct that interview. And I love the there is some
2:37
background noise, but I love it because it just shows the love
2:41
that Brad has for high school basketball because he's on a
2:43
work trip. And he could be, you know, he
2:45
could have been just out with the fellas.
2:47
And instead he decided to get Kevin Demario on the phone at
2:50
10:00 and put his festivities on hold.
2:53
So you're going to enjoy and. Kudos and kudos to Coach Demaro
2:55
for being like, yeah, whatever, yeah, sure, let's do it. 10:00
2:58
at night. That's right.
3:00
Let's talk some moves. Yes, and as you will hear, we
3:03
talked some hoops like I, I really, this could be the
3:06
longest show ever because we let him out of it early.
3:08
You'll hear it. But we, and I think I'm speaking
3:11
from both of us when I say we could have done a four hour
3:13
interview just talking to our County High school.
3:15
Bench. Huge trip.
3:16
Huge trip down memory lane. Yes.
3:19
All right. So then after that one that we
3:21
taped on Tuesday night just a few minutes ago, the head coach
3:24
of the Cressfield Fighting Cougars, who are the lowest seed
3:27
remaining in the Berlin County Jamboree.
3:30
They are #12 Dan Eggler is their head coach and he's going to
3:33
join us shortly. But we're going to jump into the
3:35
Kevin de Berio interview first. But we will be at the Rothman
3:37
Center on Sunday for Berlin County Tournament quarterfinals
3:41
and to talk all about it. Let's welcome in our first guest
3:44
on this interview portion of the Ball Game.
3:47
He is the head coach of Don Bosco Prep.
3:50
He is Kevin de Berio coach. Thanks for joining us here on
3:54
THE BALL GAME. Absolutely, anytime.
3:57
So it it's. Very interesting the path of the
4:00
Iron Man this season and very different from the one that has
4:04
been in the past few years. I mean, you know, you've built
4:08
one of the best programs in all of New Jersey over the past
4:13
however many years it's been now.
4:14
I don't even want to think about it because I'm getting old.
4:16
But and this year, not saying that you're not there still, but
4:21
it's been a building a little bit of a learning curve.
4:24
I mean, it's a different kind of season for you And, and yeah, go
4:29
ahead, You take it from there, go ahead.
4:31
No, it it, it has been, you know, we a lot of new faces.
4:37
A lot of. Early injuries and illnesses and
4:42
actually I think couple days ago, January 29th, was our first
4:48
day with everybody on the court for the practice.
4:56
Yeah, so obviously to get healthy and, you know, people
4:58
don't see that from the outside. They don't know your roster.
5:01
Like for me, I follow Bergen County basketball very closely,
5:05
but not having seen you, I don't know what's going on in your
5:07
locker room. And then you see like, oh, Bosco
5:10
lost to a public school team. I mean, you know, and it, it
5:13
just raises some eyebrows, which, you know, to say that for
5:19
any other team in Bergen County or wherever, you know, close to
5:23
to a Teaneck is nothing wrong with that at all.
5:27
But when it's Bosco, people are like, huh, what's going on?
5:29
So, you know, what's your approach with the kids and and
5:32
just trying to. Have a beer.
5:35
You know, our approach the whole season has just been, you know,
5:41
get after it on a daily basis. And I've been really happy with
5:46
our practices, their approach during practice and their work
5:51
ethic. You know, we just kind of keep
5:55
harping on, listen, do the do everything the right way, keep
6:00
getting better, You know, eventually, you know, and, and
6:04
we had some key pieces that were out for the whole fall and then
6:08
moving into the season and, you know, we, we knew we would be
6:11
getting some pieces back and creating some depth.
6:14
And but like I said there, we know we had a lot of valuable
6:21
minutes graduate last year and people move into new roles and
6:26
you know, you go from being a a role player to the first or
6:31
second guy on the scouting report.
6:33
It's a it's a whole new ball game.
6:35
So, you know, people getting adjusting to roles and.
6:38
Stuff like that and I think. You know, we are, I think since
6:46
honestly, I think since the Christmas break, I would say
6:51
we've been playing. I've been very happy with the
6:54
way we've been playing. We've improved defensively,
6:59
gotten better offensively. And you know, it's translated
7:02
to, it took a while, but it's now translated to some, some
7:05
wins. And we just look to build on
7:08
those. Brad, tip the waitress and then
7:10
ask your question. So it's funny, you know, it's
7:13
almost like, it's almost like Cos De Vera was kind of like
7:15
listening to our conversation as we were talking about Bosco
7:19
prior to, because, you know, I, I'd mentioned it's the same
7:22
thing. It's you know, you had guys last
7:23
year who were freshmen, sophomores and juniors who were,
7:28
you know, role players, impact guys, specialists, right, who
7:32
came in with the guy that last year.
7:34
And now, like you said, they're stepping into much larger roles,
7:38
playing much, you know, much more like 4 times.
7:41
And it's a little bit different, you know, and you know, and my,
7:45
you know, my hat's off too. Because you know, it's tough.
7:48
You know, it's tough when you're, you know, the
7:49
expectations are always so high. You know, you're constantly
7:52
battling, not just, you know, the influx of kids, you know, in
7:56
and out every year, you know, both managing that along with
8:00
the expectations, you know, and I think you've done a very good
8:02
job. You know, I think JP, you know,
8:04
was a Division One commit has kind of come along a little bit
8:08
much better than he has. Stepping into that role.
8:12
Brad Brown has done a very good job here the most done a good
8:14
job. Martucci's done a good job.
8:16
You've got guys that are stepping into these rules.
8:18
I I think you know, you know, the losses are, are a product of
8:22
those guys finding their footing in this early season.
8:27
And I think now at this point, I didn't correct me if I'm wrong,
8:30
but I think now you guys are trying to starting to find your
8:31
footing And that that seven seed is, is a little bit could be a
8:36
little bit deceiving because you know, you're playing like the
8:39
the number one, number two seed. You know that you guys are are
8:42
traditional? Yeah.
8:44
I mean it can be I think you know and I, I do think you know,
8:50
kind of to the to to that point. I do think actually we will
8:54
probably seated fairly I think based on our body of work and I,
9:02
I do think they gave us the benefit of the doubt with
9:05
strength of schedule, but at the same time how to kind of keep us
9:11
in check with where our overall record was.
9:14
So I I, I was happy. Just to get.
9:17
In, you know, and then from there we just don't look back
9:24
and don't look too forward. Just live in the moment and go
9:27
game to game and try to try to take care of business.
9:30
Do you think that's added? Do you think that's added?
9:32
I'm sorry, do you think I've added a, a chip, a chip on the
9:35
shoulder for these these guys? It it happens for me or or yeah.
9:41
Yeah, yeah. You know, I, I, I don't know the
9:43
chip on the like. I, I think it's more for me,
9:47
it's more proving that we were worthy, like some people felt as
9:54
though at 7:00 to 9:00 record at the time, you know, shouldn't
9:59
have been considered and you know, that kind of thing.
10:02
And I thought that the Jamboree committee based on like taking
10:06
the top, seeding the top 16 teams or 24, however they do it,
10:12
I think did take into account the, of our strength of
10:17
schedule. And, you know, I, I thought that
10:24
was fair. But I, you know, I think for me
10:25
it's more proven that we belong and that, you know, maybe we are
10:31
better than the 7th seeds. You're better than the 7th
10:36
seeds. I I mean, you look at that
10:38
string schedule and not that I'm not going to pretend I know how
10:40
good, you know, Frederick Douglass High School is from if
10:44
you're going out and playing a national schedule, it's safe to
10:47
say that those are some quality opponents that you went up
10:49
against. And when you look at your record
10:51
against in, you know, if you just took your record solely
10:54
based on New Jersey competition, I mean, you lost to, you know,
11:00
Bergen Catholic, Saint Peter's Prep and Paul the 6th.
11:03
I mean, I see that, yeah. So so it does change the dynamic
11:12
where a little bit where as the seven seed, you're kind of in
11:15
the role. I mean, to me in my mind, just
11:18
because I've covered you so long and I know the history of Don
11:20
Bosco prep, like to me, you're always the favorite, but with an
11:24
opportunity to to kind of play spoiler.
11:26
I mean, Tenafly is undefeated. They're having one of the
11:29
seasons in program history. I was at the game Saturday
11:32
morning. You know, they had a really big
11:34
crowd and the community has rallied around this.
11:37
The Tiger team, I'm sure they'll show up at the Rothman Center
11:39
and. Oh yeah.
11:41
Here comes that little underdog 7.
11:45
Yeah, yeah, in the bright lights and we'll see.
11:48
But you know, yeah, it's a different role for you.
11:50
It's really, you know, my point. It's 100%.
11:53
Yep. Do.
11:55
You relish that. I don't mind it.
11:58
Yeah, not at all. You know, it kind of goes back
12:03
to, you know, Bill Parcells, you are what your record says you
12:06
are. And you know, we are who we are
12:08
and you know, we have to accept where we're at right now.
12:12
And the goal is to get better every day.
12:14
And you know, in Jamboree, it's about survive in advance.
12:18
And you know, us and Tenafly both advance.
12:22
So that's that's all we need to focus on right now and not worry
12:27
about the next game or anything like that.
12:30
And that's why we play the game, you know, that's why we play the
12:32
game, you know, and I will say that I, it doesn't matter who I
12:36
picked, if I knows who I picked. If you look at the podcast,
12:39
well, I, I think I think one of the differences that that plays
12:44
into your hands is the fact that, you know, most of these
12:48
guys, even no matter what their role was and, and especially you
12:51
and your staff, you guys have been in this.
12:53
If you guys have played in these games before, you've coasted in
12:55
these games before. You know, they're not, they're
12:58
not, it's not like going to the Walkman Center, the Golden City
13:01
Center is it's not going to be eye opening for them.
13:04
They've played in in bigger venues with a lot of, with
13:07
bigger crowds and stuff. So, you know, they may not be as
13:09
rounded as much as a Tenafly who may not have played in one of
13:12
these atmospheres yet. So, you know, I think that also
13:14
plays plays into your hands a little bit as well.
13:17
Right. Yeah, No, I mean.
13:21
Yeah. And based on what you've seen
13:22
from Tenafly, you know, how do you, how do you see, I'm not
13:26
asking about game, but how do you see this game unfolding as
13:28
far as you know what you guys, what you guys do and what kind
13:32
of fly does you know, how do you see kind of unfolding Sunday?
13:37
Afternoon. Well, I mean, I, I, the, the one
13:39
thing I could definitely say is they are extremely well coached.
13:45
They're definitely going to be prepared.
13:48
They have a dynamic score and then really good, fundamentally
13:57
sound players around him that seem to enjoy playing with each
14:03
other and stay within themselves, which to me, those
14:08
are scary teams that, you know, that don't go outside themselves
14:17
trying to do whatever it takes to win games.
14:19
And that's what they've done. Like people have said to me.
14:21
Oh, yeah. But yeah, they're undefeated.
14:22
But they've only, you know, they've won a bunch of close
14:24
games. Like yeah, that's the point.
14:27
Like, yeah. Yeah, that, you know, they won
14:30
those games and you know, it's the the the tight games are, you
14:35
know, they got a little history and, you know, confidence in
14:38
that they can pull it out in the in the last four minutes of
14:41
games. So you know, they're they'll
14:46
they'll stay within themselves and you know, we'll try to do
14:50
the same. You know, neither team is overly
14:54
big. So I don't think there's, you
14:58
know, JP is clearly the biggest of anybody on the court, you
15:04
know, but it, it's. Always going to have a shot,
15:09
always good. You know, but it's, you know, I
15:13
think I think it'll be a really good game.
15:14
I think they're a very good team.
15:16
I think they're a scary team to play.
15:19
So, you know, it's, it's, we'll do our best to to be prepared as
15:25
well. How much does the switch to the
15:27
big floor change things? Does it help you?
15:31
Hurt you or is it you know, both teams have to play on it?
15:34
What? How do you feel about it?
15:36
I I think. It kind of depends on.
15:38
Game of. Style of play, you know, if, if,
15:44
if I'm playing a team that's going to press this, I'd rather
15:47
be on the big floor. And you know, I've had teams
15:51
where I, I love it and we can spread the floor out and stuff
15:56
like that. And then other games where I,
15:57
you know, I wish we were playing in Garfield.
15:59
Or something and. You know, on the set of the of
16:08
happy days. Yeah, I do appreciate.
16:10
I do. I do appreciate the BPSL
16:12
reference code Deverio. Absolutely.
16:14
Anytime I do appreciate that yeah, I'm just saying that this
16:23
was this is probably to me this was the second most intriguing
16:26
matchup just because maybe maybe you don't think of it, man, it
16:32
might be a day of Goliath. You know, it is what it is, you
16:36
know, but I I think I yeah, but I think it's gonna be a very
16:40
good. I think it's a very good match
16:42
The. Underdog The the.
16:44
Date Yeah. I mean, I, I, I to me, you know,
16:47
if the Super computer was picking I'm throwing seeds out
16:49
the window. I I just think this is gonna be
16:51
a very good game where you have this, they're all buying into,
16:57
you know, the team mentality at all.
16:58
And they're playing yeah, and doing the same and then have a
17:01
very good season win, win their lose on Sunday.
17:03
They're they're still going to do some good things the rest of
17:07
the way out and and win or lose with you.
17:10
I think the way you guys are playing right now doesn't define
17:13
the earlier season in the out of State Games.
17:15
But I, I'm looking forward to this game because I, I think
17:18
it's taking two teams that are, that are fighting their footing
17:21
now at the right time during the year.
17:24
And it's gonna be, like I said, it's too long.
17:26
I'm looking forward to this one. Yeah, No, it should be good it.
17:31
Should be fun. Last one for me is before you
17:33
get to pedophile, you got Burton Catholic tomorrow.
17:36
Yeah, we do. We do have a game tomorrow.
17:39
So just. Oh yeah, there's again tomorrow,
17:41
yeah. It never ends and you know it
17:44
it. How do you see that episode?
17:46
It's very so we know everything that goes with it and all the
17:49
reasons and everything else. But is it different this year
17:51
because do you feel like you have something to prove or is it
17:54
you know, or is it just it doesn't matter what the
17:58
circumstances are for either team?
17:59
It's the rivalry is always the same.
18:01
It's always the rivalry. Yeah.
18:05
You know, I remember you'd like COVID year, like we were like 7
18:11
and seven or something like that, and Bergen was 14 and O
18:14
and we were going there. And I remember there was an alum
18:20
who kind of was like, God, it's going to be your first, like,
18:22
season of under 5 hundreds. And like, I was all pissed.
18:25
Off in my head like thinking like.
18:28
This is jumping to conclude. And like, we ended up beating
18:29
them, you know? I just think when the two
18:33
schools wear off, doesn't matter.
18:36
What sport? Like anything can happen,
18:40
emotions are running high and you know, adrenaline and you
18:44
never, you just never know in these games.
18:47
No, no doubt about it. And it's not like your team is
18:49
bereft and talent, correct, correct.
18:53
The last one from me and I just this is more as a, you know, a
18:56
lover of Bergen County basketball, similar to myself
18:59
and Brad and all of us here. I saw Mikhail Taylor go for 47
19:05
on Saturday in the Jambo. I mean, that's crazy.
19:08
And just in what? What's the best Jambo game
19:11
you've ever seen in your? Great question there you.
19:17
Go. I like that.
19:18
Go. Rutherford Demarest.
19:21
Oh. In 80. 8085 was it or 80?
19:25
6 the 90. Five the.
19:28
Demarest. Jumping up the Buckley Buckley
19:30
twins and I think they were there.
19:34
Corn cornet, cornet, cornet cornet cornet.
19:37
Yes. Cornet right, big kid.
19:40
And then you had you had Zacarias and Shannon.
19:45
I think Juan was on. Rutherford was the back court.
19:49
I hate this. Well, actually, I'm happy to say
19:51
it's kind of a little bit before my time, I think.
19:53
Yeah, yeah. In 8th.
19:55
Grade that was, that was a really good one.
19:57
And then obviously Pagoda with Newswander Clark.
20:04
Yeah, I think Newswander went for like 43 that night.
20:12
So that was a really good game as well.
20:14
Crazy, yeah. So so since you brought that up
20:17
course, since you brought that up course, what was your what
20:19
was coach? What was your favorite game to
20:22
coach in to be a part of another?
20:24
And and and and don't don't take don't I mean you have you have
20:29
few of those you ever re titles. But but in fact, from like the
20:32
championship games, what was like one of your your most fun
20:34
games to to just really coach and be a part of as far as
20:37
atmosphere and and and you know, your guys and what was like your
20:41
it could be a first round game or second round.
20:42
What was like one of your favorite games to actually be a
20:44
part of? I think there was, I think it
20:48
was Mahwah played at round of Hope College, probably
20:55
quarterfinals and we had no right winning the game.
21:05
Somehow we we hung around and we were we were definitely the
21:09
heavy favorites. They totally outplayed us and we
21:13
we hit a three at the buzzer to send it into overtime and then
21:18
won in overtime. That one was very memorable.
21:25
Teaneck. I'm.
21:29
Trying to think which which year it was, I think I'm drawing a
21:35
blank on his name. The little guard.
21:37
He was young. But they were big.
21:40
They they were really good. They were big.
21:45
We had Jamal Mosley. Oh, yeah.
21:49
Oh, OK. I love these.
21:53
I love these trips down memory lane.
21:55
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I haven't thought of Jamal
21:56
Mosley in in. Yeah, Mosley.
21:59
Graduated, he probably went for like 29, had an unbelievable
22:03
game, I thought. We totally bottled up their.
22:07
Guard and then he kind of, and I'm drawing a blank on his name
22:09
now, but he single handedly 4 quarters.
22:14
You know what, I'm just going to drift dribble.
22:16
Through all of this. And that's where.
22:19
We did, James. That's exactly who it was, yeah.
22:21
Yeah, yeah, Yeah, We talked about him.
22:23
Yeah, James. Yeah, I do.
22:24
I do remember. I do remember this game.
22:26
I think I I was at this game. Also, yes, it was also at
22:29
Ramapo. Yes, it was I.
22:32
Think I was at that Mahwah game that you're talking about
22:34
because yeah, I'm looking for the story in my archives, but.
22:39
I might do it, might do it. Hit the shot.
22:41
Might do it. Yeah.
22:44
There you go. Yeah, I and I remember sitting
22:47
with Jim Toronto senior after the game.
22:49
He was exhausted and heartbroken and everything else crazy yes
22:55
All right, so Brad, he just brought up to koi James.
22:58
So why don't we hit him with the all right, coach, I was, I was
23:01
going to do it for all of the for your own program, but I
23:05
don't think that's fair to do to you to put you on the spot.
23:07
So we we played earlier, we played Part 1, bench 1 cut 1.
23:14
So we'll let you we've I'm not going to ask 3 Bosco players.
23:17
So we've got the Teaneck three. We used Teaneck before just
23:21
because of Mikkel Taylor's great performance.
23:24
You got a start one bench 1 cut 1.
23:28
Jaqui, James, Mikkel Taylor, Leandre Washington and Brad and
23:37
I both came up with the same. We both shows the same, so we'll
23:41
see where you stand. I'm probably gonna go James
23:46
Washington Markel. OK, I think.
23:51
That's the thing. We all, we all have, we all have
23:53
James starting, Yeah. And then flip the the flip the
23:56
Washington Taylor one. OK.
24:00
Yeah. What were your thoughts on on
24:02
Washington, just out of curiosity?
24:07
And they're like very dynamic Guard defends.
24:09
Yeah, he does. He takes he takes off all the
24:11
boxes. But what you know, what's your,
24:15
what's your, what's your logic behind the the switch there?
24:19
I and and part of me, like part of it is like my, my memory on
24:24
Washington isn't great, but I always knew he hurt us, you
24:30
know? Huh.
24:32
Can we know his name or danger? But.
24:35
Fred. Fred.
24:36
Extracurricular activities. Yeah.
24:38
I'm, I'm ordering more drinks. I'm ordering more drinks, yeah.
24:42
So mine is based on Atlantic. City mine is based off personal.
24:48
Games. Yeah.
24:51
So like my history with our kind of like it's one game like so I
24:59
just I, I'm and like we used to play those guys all the time.
25:03
Yes, in the NNJL. Yeah.
25:05
And now like team are back occasionally.
25:07
So it might be not, it might not be fair, but it's it's my own
25:11
personal history. Don't you?
25:14
Do you miss Bradson the NNJL? The loved it loved.
25:20
It. Oh my.
25:21
God, bring it all back. BPSLBPSL.
25:24
Bring it all back. Yeah, yeah.
25:26
I want rivalries. I want you know all they try to
25:28
do is. Everyone, everyone tries to,
25:31
they all try to recreate the wheel.
25:33
Everyone's like. Yeah, I don't like it, you know,
25:36
but let's be honest, those has Bergenbach and I'll speak from
25:39
my experience, right? Just from the game that I went
25:42
to last year, you know, I missed I think the Bergen Bosco
25:46
rivalry, but I it wasn't. The the semi.
25:49
Final last year of January was not a Bergen Bosco Jambo semi
25:53
final. There was no student sessions.
25:55
There was no chanting. There was no nothing I said no,
25:58
I didn't. I didn't.
25:59
I wasn't at the your first game this year with, with Bergen.
26:02
Yeah. No, I, I, I that I, I want to
26:05
get. Back to that I.
26:05
Think we we've gotten away from that because there's there's so
26:09
many different structures and changing of everything and
26:11
leagues and alignments and and so I want to get back I want to
26:15
get back to that back to word And you you said at core, you
26:18
know, ten O 5 came and the students came out.
26:20
I want to get back to that. That's that's what high school
26:22
sports is all about. Yeah, that's what we cannot do.
26:27
I'm trying to think who I was talking to yesterday, but they
26:28
brought that up just like, forget about just even Bosco
26:32
Bergen. Just like in general, students
26:35
don't come out to the games. Yeah.
26:37
It's crazy, you know, like. It it is it is.
26:40
Kev, you know, what's crazy too is that adult, you're the, you
26:44
know, well known as the Don Bosco Prep non public, a head
26:48
coach who's built a great program, but you're actually a
26:52
small school guy. And now in the NJIC, how about
26:56
there's a basketball in a basketball season where
26:59
Cresskill, Park Ridge and Emerson are in different leagues
27:02
and don't play each other? It's insane.
27:05
It's insane. Like and they base their
27:07
schedule on this year in which where they could graduate 10
27:12
seniors like it makes no. Sense at all.
27:15
It's it's they've now turned in. They've now turned the NJIC into
27:19
soccer relegation, yes. Exactly, exactly right.
27:23
Soccer relegation is allowed to go out and replace players when
27:26
you know you know. Richfield last year had one of
27:30
the best seasons in in however many years and it was all based
27:35
on the great senior class and last I looked they were O 111.
27:39
Correct. They're playing up with, you
27:41
know, and my poor pal Park Tiger Lions are, are strong as well,
27:46
but that's. That's your life.
27:48
That's my my Emerson. Cavos are are are thriving right
27:51
now. Yes, yes they are.
27:53
That's right. Yep.
27:54
Yep, Johnny. ZI have.
27:55
One last question. I have one last question before
27:57
I go. My one last question is and
27:59
I've, and I've, I've watched, I've coached, you know, I've,
28:03
when I was high school, you're, you're coaching at Bosco.
28:06
I've gotten, you know, into the college ranks.
28:07
I've, I've coached the high school level.
28:09
You know, I've recruited a bunch of your guys, you know, just out
28:13
of curiosity, who has been, it doesn't have to be a, a, a star
28:17
player, an NBA draft pick. It doesn't have to be.
28:19
Who has been your favorite player to coach, you know
28:23
throughout yours, you know almost 30 years at Bosco.
28:28
I have to pick one. Just for the one who kind of
28:33
stood out, like, like I said, doesn't have to be somebody
28:35
stellar. You just thoroughly enjoyed
28:39
coaching because they, they did everything you asked.
28:42
They they embodied. It was to be an Ironman.
28:45
CC Bagan. Leon, you liked it?
28:48
Now he was. He was by Peter, right by
28:55
Montclair. What the Hell's the name?
28:59
That little about Ridge, he just told me not.
29:02
Like Glen Ridge, Glen Ridge, Glen Ridge, Yeah.
29:06
And I, I will I go ahead. Brad I'm, I'm just saying one of
29:10
my, one of my favorite kids to watch and, and to and to recruit
29:13
and to me was Georgia Milligan. Awesome, awesome kid.
29:18
Awesome kid. He he, he played in my leagues
29:20
and my men's leagues and stuff, but he just his his character,
29:23
his attitude, his demeanor, he just, yeah, he embodied what it
29:27
was to be, you know, like when I, when I, when I see, like if
29:31
you had a poster up with Don Bosco, like, hey, come here,
29:33
come to Don Bosco. Yeah.
29:34
I envisioned Giorgio Milligan on that poster.
29:36
Yeah, and I always called him like our most under recruited
29:40
player ever. Yeah, because.
29:43
Everyone lays. A non shooter.
29:46
Yeah. Three player of the year.
29:49
Wow, yeah. Yeah, I was a big fan of Brandon
29:52
Anderson, right? The point guard that went to
29:53
Brandon. That.
29:54
Was good also everyone. I I mean, I, I've written a
29:58
zillion stories in my life and I don't remember any of them, you
30:01
know, really, because they just. I do remember writing the story
30:04
about Brandon Anderson, about how I think one of the lines I
30:08
use in it was he puts in a lot of work to make it look like
30:10
he's not doing any work. He was, yeah, one of the
30:13
smoothest players that he. Smoothest I have ever coached.
30:16
Oh, good. All right.
30:17
But like, he, he, he, you're right.
30:20
Like looks like he's not trying. Yeah, but you could never.
30:23
Catch very deceiving. You couldn't catch him from
30:25
behind you, you know, like, correct.
30:28
Really crazy. Listen, this was oh, good.
30:33
I just didn't want to keep you all night because I could and.
30:36
Yeah, I could. We could.
30:37
We could talk. I could talk oops with you all
30:39
night. I could talk about, you know,
30:40
the amount, the amount of great guys you've had that.
30:42
You've called into your. Program.
30:44
And I've been very fortunate, yeah.
30:46
But now I have like, you know, just not, not just for a
30:49
basketball sale, but just just successful members of society
30:52
that you you've helped, I think, develop and mentor over the
30:55
years, you know, and to, to, to see them, you know, in their
30:59
post athletic careers. You know, I can go online.
31:01
But like I said, you know, you do a very good job there.
31:04
You and your staff do a great job.
31:05
You have a very good staff. Appreciate it.
31:08
But yeah, you know, I think I do a great job.
31:09
I'm really looking forward to this game and look to having you
31:13
on again sometime in the near future.
31:15
Yeah, that sounds great. Anytime.
31:17
All right, Brad, well, let's move on to another participant
31:21
in the Bergen County Jamboree quarter final round.
31:25
The lowest seed remaining, the only Group 1 left.
31:29
The team that I picked to make it this far in the Jambo, they
31:34
are the Cresco Cougars. He is their head coach.
31:37
Dan Aggaro, thanks for joining us here on THE Ball GAME.
31:42
No, guys, thank you. It's all my pleasure to be on.
31:44
I appreciate you guys having me. It's been well, it's our
31:48
pleasure and if we're you're on at this stage of the tournament,
31:50
it means that you're doing well. I mean, Group One Cresskill,
31:54
Group 4 Ridgewood, Group One, Cresco trailing for a lot of the
31:58
game, came back to win it. I mean, Cresco has a pedigree
32:02
of, you know, not it's not your everyday run-of-the-mill Group 1
32:05
school, But every time you make one of these runs, I mean, it's
32:08
it's got to be a great feeling. I know the community gets
32:11
involved. Cresco has a great athletic
32:12
history, great basketball history.
32:14
So what's the mood around the Cougars as we take this year on
32:17
a Tuesday night? I well, obviously everyone is
32:21
excited and you know, I think about what you guys talked about
32:25
in your podcast previewing it is about, you know, community
32:28
engagement and what the jambree and like these big games mean
32:31
for it, like the more successful that your teams are, like it
32:35
just gets people into the gym and like you get that great
32:37
environment. And of course you saw us when we
32:39
played Tenafly at the Brian Long class, like we had such a great
32:43
group of students that showed up and also just community members.
32:46
So, you know, like a game like this just really brings everyone
32:49
one in which, you know, it has been so, so great to be like
32:53
just the town, just like, you know, feeling a little bit alive
32:55
right now. Yeah, and it it feels a little
32:58
old school with a, a traveling student section.
33:01
I mean, that used to be the norm.
33:03
It's changed a little bit around here.
33:05
You know, a lot of people notice it.
33:06
We've been talking about it. But you know, like you said, it
33:08
was at the Brian Long Classic. It was on a Saturday afternoon,
33:11
not close to Cresskill High School.
33:13
You know, you had the the so I mean, I think.
33:15
People bought into this. Team early on and why not?
33:18
You had a lot of good talent coming back and you have the
33:20
pedigree and everything else. But you know, talk about the
33:23
season as a whole. I mean, the only loss was that
33:25
day against Tenafly and Tenafly's undefeated.
33:28
They're the number two seed in the Bergen County Jamboree.
33:31
So even by Cresskill standards, this has been a great.
33:34
I know you want to go finish it off and win a section title and
33:36
all that kind of stuff, but even by Cresskill standards, this has
33:39
been an unbelievable start to a high school basketball season.
33:43
No, I mean, it has and I'm like, you know, I, I truly feel very
33:46
lucky like it. It starts with having obviously
33:49
the players have to buy into what you're saying as a coach.
33:51
And, you know, now this day and age, it's not always easy,
33:54
especially if you're the kind of really hard coach that I can be
33:57
on them. Like for them to constantly buy
33:59
in and take criticism and take coaching and, you know, then
34:03
apply it to the court and credits all those guys.
34:06
Like, you know, it starts with the top with, you know who I
34:08
think of as our leader, our senior captain, you know, Luke
34:11
Kopchinsky, he's that old school.
34:13
He's battling in the low block and, you know, he doesn't
34:16
complain without anything. And I think that's just that's
34:19
the tone for the rest of the guys for Orion Fangelbert or
34:22
Jake Lewin and you know, Jimmy Jon to to make sure that they're
34:25
also then playing as hard as they possibly can.
34:28
And then you get your, your kind of your, your glue guys that are
34:32
unselfish and they sacrifice their own kind of stats like to
34:36
make sure that the team is succeeding.
34:37
And you need those guys. And, you know, like Liam Peleg
34:41
is a perfect example of someone who could put up a lot more
34:44
shots and could be scoring a lot more, but is just playing within
34:47
our system, you know, so that we're beneficial of that.
34:50
And, you know, I, I think that right now we're, we're trying to
34:54
view it all as just what's the next game?
34:56
You know, like last night we're up at Waldwick and all we were
35:00
focused on is like, let's make sure that we win and then we can
35:02
secure the the league title. And, and it was all business for
35:06
us up there and, and not worrying about what's next to
35:09
the Jamboree or what the PowerPoint situation looks like
35:11
it's next opponent up. Let's just focus on them and
35:14
worry about them. Yeah, you don't have the other
35:17
stuff doesn't come into play until you come out of the
35:18
podcast and the people aren't happy.
35:21
About it but. Yeah, go ahead, Brad.
35:25
Yeah, you know, so for me, I mean cresskill.
35:28
You know. Year in year, I was always,
35:31
always, you know, tough, competitive.
35:33
Like I said, we had talked about, you know, so am I playing
35:36
days, right? Matt Henry was there.
35:38
We graduated the year before me. But you know, Marty Rivard has
35:42
always had guys playing. Very well and.
35:47
And I believe that was BCSL back then, correct?
35:50
Yeah, so. Yeah.
35:51
So, but yeah, you know, you know, to, to, you know, continue
35:57
this line, right, and be the only double digit seat.
35:59
And so I, I haven't seen you guys play yet, but I've heard a
36:01
lot of good things about Kopchinsky and what you guys are
36:04
doing over there in Crest Hill. But my hands off definitely.
36:08
You guys, you know, take take me to that, that Ridgewood game,
36:12
you know, you know, Group 1 again to Group 4, right,
36:15
defending, you know, Northland Group 4 section champs, right?
36:18
Obviously they lost some guys and and so on.
36:21
So far the new kind of, you know, brought a lot of guys back
36:23
from a good team last year. You know, give me your thoughts
36:27
on that game and how it went and and you know what you look
36:30
forward to moving forward to the the quarter.
36:33
Yeah, Well, I, I appreciate that, Brian, just to touch on
36:35
it, like as you said, like Coach Rivard started this program, you
36:38
know, 36 years building up and then Coach did a fantastic job
36:42
of, you know, taking it even to the next level.
36:44
And I'm trying to do my best of just, you know, holding us up to
36:47
that standard, which is, which is challenging.
36:49
But if you go back to the Ridgewood game, as you
36:51
mentioned, you know, it wasn't like we were looking at it in
36:54
the terms of, hey, they're Group 4 Ridgewood and we're Group 1
36:57
Crest. So we're we're looking at it.
36:59
It's like we have 11 guys that dress on our our varsity team
37:02
and we're seeing how we match up and what's our best game plan
37:05
and how we can attack it. And you know, Richard gave us
37:09
everything that they have. They are tremendous team so well
37:12
coached by coach Troy there. And you know, just I give my
37:16
guys a lot of credit that we got into the third quarter and you
37:19
know, Ridgewood made a little run at the end and got that lead
37:22
up to 12. And you know, we didn't quit.
37:23
We didn't pack it in. Luke came out actually in the
37:26
start of the 4th and hit the three that cut it down
37:28
immediately to 9. I think we got a turnover and
37:31
then Nimmi don't hit another 3. So it comes down to six.
37:34
And it was like, Hey, we're back in this game and we're, we're
37:37
still playing, you know, having that confidence and that belief
37:41
has gone a long way. And, and obviously playing our
37:43
schedule like, you know, I, I, we do try to go out there and,
37:46
and play some of these big N schools and, and bigger teams to
37:49
be battle tested and, you know, so that we're prepared for
37:52
situations like this. And, you know, our holiday
37:55
tournament against Cliffside Park, like that was, that was a
37:58
really tight physical game that we won by three early on that
38:02
that gave us a lot of belief in ourselves.
38:04
And then obviously you mentioned already Corey, you know, playing
38:07
10 to fly and I thought that for, you know, 28 minutes we
38:11
really hung in there with them. So I think that kind of even in
38:14
a loss just gave us the belief that we could actually be really
38:17
competitive. And the fact that, you know,
38:19
Luke has been a three-year starter now Ryan and Jake are
38:22
two year starters. So we do have experience as well
38:25
which which helps out tremendously.
38:28
And that was a game too. That was, you know, that's what
38:31
made me picky to go to the quarter finals because I, I, I
38:34
mean, I've been saying it all year and you know, basketball in
38:37
the Steph Curry era has turned to, you know, threes everywhere
38:40
and everything else. I love the way you get your team
38:44
to play inside out basketball. And I, I love Mark Kopchinski's
38:49
game. I mean, first of all, a Lou
38:50
Kopchinski, right? Is that is Mark isn't?
38:53
His dad, Mark. That is Mark.
38:55
And the reason why I know that is that is Mark is because and
38:58
the reason why he's a tough kid and because you have some
39:00
toughness on your team is because there's a lot of
39:02
Edgewater flavor over there in northern Bergen County.
39:05
It it residing in Cresskill now his dad is a Leonia graduate
39:09
Edgewater kid I believe. But I also know that Jake Lewins
39:12
dad is Eric Lewin, who grew up in the Edgewater Colony around
39:16
the corner from my mother and stepfather.
39:18
So I know for a fact that there is some southern Bergen County
39:22
toughness inside the Cresco program.
39:25
And I love the way you use loop inside out basketball.
39:30
And you know, like a lot of times it doesn't.
39:32
The offense doesn't start on the offensive end until he gets a
39:35
touch and it it's it's almost like, you know, wow, that's such
39:39
a novel idea to throw the ball into where your mismatch might
39:43
be to a, you know, a post player who might be able to actually
39:46
drop step and go to the basket. So, you know, just talk about
39:49
the bind because it's a different way of playing
39:51
basketball nowadays to make sure the big boy touches the ball
39:54
every time. No.
39:56
Yeah. You're right, and I think it's a
39:58
it's a buy in mentality and like, you know, the the guards
40:01
and the outside players, they have to buy into it.
40:03
And you know, I give first of all, you got to give Luca ton of
40:06
credit that he's even buying into sitting on the low block,
40:09
you know, and actually playing down there.
40:11
And it's a physical game and a lot of times go back and forth,
40:16
you know, but he takes his, he takes his punches every game
40:18
and, and he's battling back and. Worth in there and then, you
40:21
know, as we would say if it was up to, you know, myself and
40:24
coach. Jabel it would be.
40:25
He would touch the ball. Every single possession, you
40:28
know, because it just it does help open up the floor a lot
40:31
more. And, and you know, I think that
40:32
our guys are you have really, you know, seen what will happen
40:36
and Luke is unselfish. So if guys are open, he's going
40:40
to be a Wheeling passer and take it out.
40:41
And you know, to your point, though, we do shoot our fair
40:45
share of threes and, and you know, we that keeps us in the
40:48
games a lot and also helps us kind of to open up games.
40:51
And it works both ways. If we're hitting threes, it's
40:54
going to get even more opportunities on the low block
40:57
in a one-on-one situation. And if he's drawing double
41:00
teams, it gives them an open threes outside.
41:02
So it really is what our game plan usually is, the deal.
41:07
Sounds like an offensive game plan perfectly tailored for Brad
41:12
Forest theory. Absolutely.
41:15
We found a we found a lot of success doing that in 2003.
41:18
Yeah, yeah. I mean, and that was Group One,
41:21
right, Brad? You were Group One at a time.
41:23
I don't even know 1 here. Dan knows Brad played for
41:26
Elmwood Park and they won N won Group 1 and then went on to play
41:32
the greatest one of the greatest basketball teams North Jersey's
41:35
ever seen, Bloomfield Tech in the Group One state semi finals.
41:39
They had four divi 4 Division One players.
41:41
Brad. Five or five.
41:43
I'll start at 50. My from Villanova to Richmond to
41:47
Rutgers to. West Virginia, yeah.
41:50
You know what, it pretty much I would like to have AI would like
41:52
to have a team like that too, you know?
41:54
Yeah, that would make life easier.
41:56
But Elmwood Park came within a three pointer.
41:59
Who shot it? Brad, Tom.
42:02
Brown. That's amazing.
42:06
That's all about. Tom Brown's 3 pointer.
42:08
Rattled in and out and they almost beat Bloomfield Tech to
42:12
go to the Group One state final And you know, and, you know on
42:16
the other side of it. And I and I like I you know,
42:18
it's sad to bring up and I I you know, I hate the way it ended,
42:21
but we should I I love the opportunity to keep his memory
42:24
alive because the head coach of Brad's high school team was Mike
42:27
Powers who coached that run of games with stomach cancer and
42:31
passed away. How much how how long after the
42:33
season. Brad.
42:35
So I yeah. So.
42:37
Oh my God, that's terrible. But yeah, but what was the mind
42:40
that you guys had? Yeah, yeah.
42:42
So in August it was terrible. Yeah, but I what, you know, it's
42:46
great to have a Division One coach.
42:47
I mean, I had Group 1 coach on here with a couple of Group One
42:50
podcasts. Those who can, you know,
42:52
reminisce and all know that feeling.
42:55
I mean, I was in the gym that day and it was totally crazy.
42:58
And Brad and I, I've been friends since, which is I can't
43:01
believe I'm I'm this old, which is really crazy.
43:03
Anyway, so moving forward here, Dan, I mean, you know, it
43:09
doesn't get any easier per SE. Teaneck, Next up, they got a kid
43:14
named Michael Taylor, who at 47 on Saturday.
43:18
So, you know, no problem, shut down.
43:23
Yeah, I think everyone in the state has probably heard of his
43:26
name. Yeah.
43:27
What do you think of going into this one?
43:28
I mean, obviously, listen, it's going to be a good ball game and
43:32
you know, it's going to they have some matchup problems that
43:35
you're going to present too. So, you know, just talk about
43:38
the opportunity that that sits here in front of you.
43:41
As you said, it's it's a great opportunity, you know, for us
43:45
and and it should be a really good game, really good game.
43:48
I mean, coach Roy does an amazing job and as you
43:51
mentioned, everyone who has been watching any high school
43:54
basketball knows who the name Taylor right now, just a
43:58
fantastic player and you know the unfortunate tragedy that
44:01
their team has experienced. I mean your heart just goes out
44:04
to them like that. You know, their friend and their
44:06
teammate has suffered this and you know, our, our well wishes
44:09
are for them as and hoping a speech recovery.
44:12
You know, so it's like they're, they're a special team too, Like
44:15
they're playing hard, They're playing, they're really hitting
44:17
their stride. And even, you know, with this
44:20
emotional like feeling over them, they're still finding ways
44:24
to win and they're still finding ways to be super competitive.
44:27
And, and listen, it's, it's Teaneck.
44:28
They're always good, right. So, you know, we're gonna have
44:30
our hands full, but we're we're gonna prepare our guys as best
44:33
as we can. And you know, as we tell our
44:36
guys, it's let's give our them our our best 32 minutes of
44:39
basketball and see what happens. Yeah, go ahead, Brad.
44:42
Yeah. And yeah, for me, you know, it's
44:44
the same thing. You know, when you have when, as
44:47
long as you, you play your game plan, right?
44:49
My my goal would be like, hey, listen, Taylor's averaging 26
44:53
points a game. He got his 26 points a game.
44:55
We can't allow him to do anything more than that, right?
44:59
That's gonna give ourselves a shot, right?
45:00
Yeah. He's gonna pick the ball.
45:02
Well, he's gonna do those things, right?
45:03
He's gonna, he's gonna dribble through traffic, right?
45:05
We had just try and continue as much as possible, right?
45:07
And he's just that that was what we're gonna have our chance to
45:11
win a game. Yeah, no, yeah.
45:13
You guys do, I think you guys do, I think you guys do present
45:16
some problems for him. You know, you know, they listen,
45:20
you know, without now, you know, high school basketball doesn't
45:22
have a shot clock, right, which which may be coming soon, then
45:25
sooner rather than later. But you know, when you have the
45:28
ability to play inside out, right, it's a it's a execute and
45:32
and make guys defend a lot of those actions that you guys run
45:35
and things like that. You know, when you put teams to
45:38
the test, you know it's tough. And especially when you execute,
45:41
you know it could, it could, you know, really help when when you
45:44
have a team like Teaneck who plays a little bit more of a
45:47
drastic style than you guys do. Yeah, I mean, I, I, I hope that
45:51
you're right that we'll, we'll be able to Brad.
45:53
But you said it perfectly. Like, you know, you can't stop
45:56
at Taylor. You, you just got to hope to
45:57
continue them and hope to keep him at his average.
46:00
And you know, you need a few times and to present itself in a
46:04
way. And we need guys to step up too.
46:06
And you know, even though, like you mentioned with the shot
46:08
clock, which I got to be honest with you, I hope that the shot
46:11
clock comes into play. You know, I think that'll help
46:13
out especially end of game situations a lot more, even on
46:16
the Group One level a lot. But like, because even if you
46:19
look at the game, you know, for the 1st 3/4, really most shots
46:23
are going up before the 3035 seconds anyway, right?
46:27
The game moves pretty quickly. You know, the problem I have
46:30
really with it is like the end of games and listen, we're we'll
46:33
take advantage of the rule too. You know, teams, we have to two
46:36
minutes and then all of a sudden you start freezing it out right.
46:39
So I, I do hope the shot clock does come into play and, you
46:43
know, hopefully soon. And I think it'll help the game
46:46
move along and make the end of games much more competitive.
46:49
But in this case, you know, that might actually play into our
46:51
favor as long as we can take care of the ball and, you know,
46:55
be, you know, really smart about it.
46:58
So a long question by Brad, a great answer by then, which gave
47:03
me the opportunity to go through the archives here.
47:07
Tuesday, January 9th, 2007. A young Dan Agro scored 22
47:13
points to lead Preston to its 640 ninth win under head coach
47:18
Marty Rivard. And you had to do it in Powell
47:20
Park. Just drive tonight a little bit
47:24
more. Go ahead, do it.
47:25
No, I wouldn't, you know that. But there was a lot of pressure
47:28
leading up to that. That game too, by the way.
47:31
All right. It's so crazy, though, I'm just
47:33
trying. I'm reading the story here.
47:35
And 649 wins. Pete F the 2 was the principal
47:40
at the time. He did the whole Mark Cieslak
47:42
was the head coach of PAL Park boys basketball at the time.
47:46
Really, you know, a great piece of history that you were a part
47:50
of. I mean, what are your memories
47:51
of that game and did you realize that you were the top picture in
47:56
the story that I wrote 20 years ago now?
47:59
I remember being part of it. I don't remember being your top
48:02
picture there, but thank you for that.
48:07
If I remember, I might have a little more hair than than I do
48:10
now. Don't we all?
48:14
Yeah. Exactly.
48:15
Right. I know, but I think that like,
48:17
that was a special season for for a really remarkable coach
48:21
that we had. And, you know, Cresco basketball
48:24
does not exist without Coach Robard.
48:26
And like I'm not in this position without him.
48:28
So I felt really, I think all of us on that team, you know, Caleb
48:32
King and George Pecker Arrow, we all felt, you know, really
48:36
honored to be part of that moment.
48:37
You know, although it wasn't in Town Park, you know, we were all
48:40
hoping to do with that Cresco. Yeah, true.
48:42
Yeah. I mean, all the places.
48:44
South Park, Marty probably had 600 of his wins a match, so
48:52
yeah. No.
48:53
All right, so we have a new feature on the ball game here.
48:58
Again, I mentioned it because we did an interview with Kevin de
49:00
Barrio last night that's running in the show that we're going to
49:03
publish with you. So Sean Macisaac adapted the
49:07
Knuckleheads podcast segment which is short bench cut for
49:13
high school. So as my assistant Sean has sent
49:17
in the Crestfield version for you as a crestal life and he
49:21
current head coach has to start one of these players, bench one
49:26
of these players and cut one of these players and here are your
49:29
options. One Matt Henry 2 I know I know
49:33
though, and three is Matt Flood. How do you handle this
49:38
situation? Coach, this is this.
49:41
Is the tough one. This is the tough one, no doubt.
49:44
All right, I'm gonna, I'm I'll start with, I think the I'll do
49:49
the cut right away, get up, get away with the hardest one.
49:52
All right, I think unfortunately, Coach Dodo is
49:55
going to have to be cut from this list.
49:57
Goodbye, Coach. Dodo.
50:00
All right, then, then you put me in a bind here of the all time
50:03
leading boys score with Matt Henry and an all time grade and
50:07
and Matt Flood. But I think what I'm going to do
50:10
is I'm going to take the youth in this case and I'll I'll start
50:13
Matt Flood. You know, he's got a couple
50:15
years younger than the same, you know, Mr. Henry there and we'll,
50:20
we'll bring that Henry off the bench.
50:22
Yeah, when you need a three pointer late, he's the guy, but
50:25
you don't want to. It's so great too, because I'm
50:28
glad you said because, you know, if I was doing all time my
50:32
favorite kids to cover over the years, Matt Flood would be in my
50:36
top five. I mean, he texted me the other
50:39
day. He was excited, just excited
50:40
about cresto basketball being back at this level too.
50:42
And you know, I'm really looking forward to I hope they get to
50:45
see him on Sunday at the Rothman Center.
50:48
And I, you know, it is great going down memory lane with
50:52
these segments. So and I also love Mike too.
50:56
And now I can't wait to see him. So you know Edgar will cut you
50:59
bro. Well, I must say the nice thing
51:02
about about, you know, like us playing so well and and
51:06
generating this thing is like, I guess Ridgewood that Henry was
51:09
in in the stands. Mike Dodo was in the stands, you
51:12
know, that Flood couldn't be there, but he was there last
51:15
night against Waldwick. So it it does like as you
51:18
mentioned it, when you have success, you know, everyone
51:21
starts to come out and everyone supports the other day and you
51:24
know, Brian Furman, text me, you know, congratulations.
51:27
So that's another, you know. True, you know.
51:30
You know, cressfield Ledger there.
51:31
So it's very exciting right now and, you know, we're just hoping
51:34
to keep this thing rolling. I'm just doing a little more
51:39
research here. I didn't read the last the last
51:41
paragraph of my story. Eggrow had 22 points and six
51:44
blocks and was the only player on either side to finish in
51:47
double figures. You outscored the Pal Park
51:50
Tigers yourself for three quarters, 16th to 13th.
51:53
Oh. The.
51:56
Indignities never end when you're talking about a real
51:58
barnburn there 16 to. 13. After 3/4.
52:02
Please bring the shot clock. In Oh man.
52:07
Brad, do you have anything else or should we like let's get back
52:09
to his preparations? Yeah, we're going to let him get
52:12
back to his prep, but yeah, I'm very much looking forward to
52:15
watching you guys play, you know, seeing Crespo Cresco
52:18
basketball back at its peak. I'm looking forward to seeing
52:22
what you do with the rest of your season as well, despite
52:24
whatever happens on Sunday all. Right, guys.
52:26
So thanks. I appreciate it.
52:27
Thanks for having me on. All right, Brad, that was great
52:29
stuff there with Dan Eggrow, the head coach of the Cresco
52:32
Cougars. And, well, maybe not quite as
52:35
bad as leaving out, you know, thanking your wife after maybe
52:38
winning an Academy Award or something like that.
52:41
After our conversation concluded, Dan Eggaro did text
52:44
me back and he wanted to make sure that we got into this
52:47
programming at some point. The name of Justin Rivera, his
52:51
assistant coach, he does a great job for Cresskill.
52:53
And he wanted to make sure that he got a mention as well.
52:56
He's an important part of the program.
52:58
And, you know, our conversation was back and forth and we went
53:01
all the way back to 2007. So Needless to say, we got
53:05
sidetracked a little bit. And also just reiterating the
53:08
importance to the Cresskill program of Mike Jabel, one of
53:12
the best long time assistant coaches in all of Bergen County
53:16
and North Jersey. A great dude who I love seeing
53:18
in the gym all the time. And Dan just wanted to make sure
53:21
that he got his proper flowers, even though he was mentioned in
53:23
the main interview itself. So just some information to add
53:27
to a great addition of the ball game.
53:31
Follow the leader.