The St. Mary Rutherford Gaels (19-8) won the 2025 Bergen Invitational Tournament Title in a 53-50 victory over the Westwood Cardinals (14-9) at Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey.
@saintmaryhoops defeat @GoCardsHoops 53-50 in overtime of the #BergenInvitationalTournament Championship Game this evening @SJRHighSchool #Montvale #NewJersey @ONNJSports @bergencoaches 🏀🏆 pic.twitter.com/lRaWPwFmZm
— Sports News By Sunil Sunder Raj (@SunilSportsNews) February 22, 2025
B.J. Cunningham led the charge for St. Mary Rutherford with 13 points, closely followed by Matt Kennedy with 12. Joe Cerritelli of Westwood was the game’s top scorer, amassing an impressive 22 points, with Jack Walsh contributing 14.
The first quarter was a spectacle of three-pointers, with both teams scoring seven shots from downtown. The lead changed hands multiple times, with the Gaels finishing the quarter on top with a score of 16-12.
@ end of the first quarter #BergenInvitationalTournament Final @saintmaryhoops leading @GoCardsHoops 16-12 @ONNJSports 🏀 pic.twitter.com/u3XAJnq7UG
— Sports News By Sunil Sunder Raj (@SunilSportsNews) February 22, 2025
Westwood responded in the second quarter as Joe Cerritelli tallied seven points while Sean Morrison buried two triples that put the Cardinals up 23-19.
Undeterred, St. Mary Rutherford roared back to reclaim the advantage 29-28 at halftime, with Matt Kennedy and B.J. Cunningham netting 12 points.
@ halftime #BergenInvitationalTournament Final @saintmaryhoops up 29-28 against @GoCardsHoops @ONNJSports @bergencoaches 🏀 pic.twitter.com/yBaIk8IXut
— Sports News By Sunil Sunder Raj (@SunilSportsNews) February 22, 2025
As the third quarter commenced, the Gaels caught lightning in a bottle with a 6-0 spurt. Westwood, displaying a remarkable amount of grit and determination, answered back with a 7-2 run to close to within 39-37, as Sean Morrison canned his third three-pointer of the game.
St. Mary Rutherford withstood the Cardinals’ furious push, as lay-ups from Merrick Olkowksi and B.J. Cunningham kept the Gaels ahead 41-39 at the end of the quarter.
@ end of the third quarter #BergenInvitationalTournament Final @saintmaryhoops in front 41-39 against @GoCardsHoops 🏀 pic.twitter.com/rcCQC5hUt6
— Sports News By Sunil Sunder Raj (@SunilSportsNews) February 22, 2025
Westwood trailed 43-39 in the fourth quarter, but a 9-0 blitz on all trifectas, Joe Cerritelli sinking two from behind the arc, and Mike Rinaldi sinking one, put the Cardinals back in front 48-43 with five and a half minutes remaining.
The heavyweight duel ensued, and St. Mary Rutherford fought back with courage, managing to tie the game up 48-48 on a jump shot by B.J. Cunningham with three and a half minutes left on the clock.
Eventually, the game went to overtime, and the scoring output dropped significantly. B. J. Cunningham hit two free throws to put the Gaels up 50-48, and then Ilan Santos converted a lay-up.
With just a minute and a half remaining, Westwood managed to narrow the gap to 52-50 with a lay-up by Jack Walsh. Ty Reaves scored one of two free throws, bringing the score to 53-50. In a last-ditch effort, the Cardinals attempted a desperation shot, but it fell short, securing the victory for the Gaels.
