No. 1 SJV gets past No. 8 Sparta, heads to TOC final with a win away from immortality – NJ.com

There has been almost no question that this is where St. John Vianney was going to end the 2021-22 season when the Lancers kicked off their season back on Dec. 17.

The path to the Tournament of Champions final has taken St. John Vianney through some of the top teams in the state. Another team was added to that list on Friday when the No. 1 Lancers got past No. 8 Sparta 75-54 in the T of C semifinals at RWJ Barnabas Health Arena in Toms River.

SJV (31-1) will face a familiar opponent in No. 4 Rutgers Prep in the championship game on Sunday in the final T of C contest.

Rutgers Prep defeated No. 2 Manasquan earlier on Friday, setting up a highly-anticipated rematch between the two teams. The Lancers won the first matchup 87-48 on Feb. 13.

St. John Vianney is one win away from immortality.

The Lancers could stake their claim as arguably the best team in New Jersey girls basketball history, given the in-state and national schedule theyve played. It would also be the schools eighth T of C championship, and first since 2016, if they can get past Rutgers Prep at Jersey Mikes Arena at Rutgers.

Weve been hearing about it a lot on the internet. I dont think weve really said it ourselves, but I definitely think that we have a pretty good chance as going down as that, said Zoe Brooks, who scored a game-high 27 points against Sparta. Theres been a lot of good teams with Diamond Miller (at Franklin) and Michelle Sidor (at Saddle River Day), but I definitely think we can be up there with them.

To get to Sunday, the Lancers had to get through a hobbled Sparta (27-4) team ready for its biggest test of the season.

It didnt take long for SJVs press to cause Sparta problems. The Lancers press was unrelenting, giving Sparta center Alexa Acker issues when she got the ball near center court. It led to turnovers, which turned into easy baskets for the Lancers.

SJV led 22-10 after the first quarter on the way to its latest wire-to-wire win. The win is the 10th over a team ranked in the NJ.com Top 20 at one point this season. Add in wins over five nationally-ranked teams when the Lancers have played them in Christ the King (N.Y.), DME Academy (F.L.), Lake Highland Prep (F.L.), St. Thomas Aquinas (F.L.) and the first Rutgers Prep meeting, and its easy to see why SJV is in the conversation as the best girls basketball team in New Jersey history.

The only loss came to Sidwell Friends (D.C.), the No. 1 team in the country.

A huge reason for the Lancers success is how deep they are, with the backcourt of Brooks and Madison St. Rose leading the way, and with coach Dawn Karpell pushing the right buttons and making the right calls.

Brooks and St. Rose were again outstanding against Sparta, with two combining for a highlight-reel pass in the second quarter when St. Rose, who was near midcourt, threaded the needle through a Sparta defender to hit Brooks in stride for an easy layup.

Honestly, I feel like my team played their hardest throughout the whole entire season, St. Rose said. Every team that came in the way, we got together, we played together, and weve stepped up to the competition.

Zoe Brooks (35) of St. John Vianney tries to score against Alexa Acker (24) of Sparta during the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions girls basketball semifinal between St. John Vianney and Sparta at RWJ Barnabas Health Arena at Toms River North High School in Toms River, NJ on Friday, March 18, 2022. Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media

Brooks had four assists, three rebounds and four steals to her 27 points, St. Rose added 21 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals. Bre Delaney scored nine points off the bench and gave starter Ashley OConnor a breather as she guarded Sparta point guard Ally Sweeney.

Sparta hung tough early, but could not overcome St. John Vianneys pressure. Junior Brynn McCurry started for the first time since the opening round of the postseason after nursing an ankle injury. She scored a team-high 24 points with six rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Acker added 11 points and eight rebounds, and Sweeney had nine points, four rebounds and three assists, battling through constant injuries shes sustained during the postseason run. The Spartans never stopped playing until the end, trying to claw away at the big deficit at the free-throw line and in the fourth quarter.

Ultimately, the Lancers depth was too much.

St. John Vianney is the most talented team Ive seen all season, coach Catherine Wille said. I saw them on film a million times, but when you get them live, its 10 times harder with Zoe Brooks and Madison St. Rose and all the other people. Its sub after sub after sub. I have the core five that are beaten, battled and bruised. I thought we did a good job of not giving up and thats what got us here.

Its been a dream season for us and I couldnt be more proud of them. Im just so excited that we had this opportunity in the last Tournament of Champions.

Even with the win, Karpell thought her team wasnt at their best against the Spartans, having uncharacteristic turnovers and sloppy play. She is aware her team will have to play better against Rutgers Prep on Sunday, especially after how they defeated the Argonauts in the first meeting.

Rutgers Prep will be motivated to spoil SJVs coronation.

Karpell will have her team ready to make even more history, setting up another chance to hang another banner inside their home gym with a team that has never gotten a chance to play in a T of C final.

I think our history is our history, and its super exciting, Karpell said. But for these kids, its their first time, and I think for them its a special opportunity because its their first time going to do it. Im super excited.

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You can reach Luis Torres at ltorres@njadvancemedia.com and you can follow him on Twitter @ByLuisTorres.

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No. 1 SJV gets past No. 8 Sparta, heads to TOC final with a win away from immortality - NJ.com