The SJR basketball team was back in action Tuesday afternoon as they traveled to Northern Valley Old Tappan to take on the Golden Knights. 

SJR was looking to bounce back after a loss to Ramapo over the weekend. Old Tappan offered a perfect opportunity for the Green Knights as they were on a 3-game losing streak. The game started off very evenly balanced as both teams came out scoring efficiently on the offensive end. The Golden Knights held a 16-14 advantage at the end of the first 8 minutes of play. However, it was in the second quarter where the Green Knights took control and never looked back.

Sparked by strong stops on the defensive ends, SJR was able to get to the rim and take the lead before half. Senior Jeremiah Noble, junior Hunter Vero, and the freshman duo of Aiden Rodriguez and Nick Tait all contributed on the way to an 18-7 second quarter that led to a 32-23 halftime lead for the visitors.

Coming out of the break, the offensive play from SJR continued to flow. Junior Julian Paradise knocked down a couple threes that kept the momentum going. Old Tappan had their best scoring quarter of the game, but it wasn't enough to shorten the lead. The Green Knights led 49-40 heading into the final quarter.

The Green Knights consistency was the key on Tuesday afternoon. They were able to get defensive stops and outscore the Golden Knights once again in the fourth quarter, halting any potential chances of a comeback. The buzzer sounded and St. Joes recorded their 2nd victory in their last 3 games, with a 63-52 triumph on the road. 

SJR was led by top scorer senior Julian Paradise who racked up 23 points. Senior captain Tom Diomedi took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his 15 in the final period. After defeating Old Tappan, Coach Dan Davis and his team will have a full week off before returning to Michael J. Doherty Court to host Paramus Catholic on February 3rd.