Gill St. Bernard’s girls face off in Non-Public North B final against Montclair Immaculate in first sectional since 2014

Gill St. Bernard’s has not made it to a sectional final in eleven years, but the Knights’ experience this season goes beyond their years.

Led by a quintet of seniors, four of whom playing college basketball at the next level, Gill St. Bernard’s has had one of its banner seasons and currently boasts an eight-game win streak.

Coming off a dominant 85-39 win over Hudson Catholic in the semifinals, the Knights will face off against a familiar foe in the finals on Monday.

In 2023 and 2024, Gill St. Bernard’s played Montclair Immaculate in the Non-Public North B quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. The Lady Lions won both matchups, before falling to Morris Catholic in the championship in both years. With the Crusaders moving to Group A this season, it left a void in the title game.

This year? The natural progression continued, as the two will face off in the title game, Monday at 7 pm at Paterson Kennedy High School.

Led by UConn-bound Gandy Malou-Mamel, the Knights bring a fierce transition attack led by their defense, winning the Somerset County Tournament title before its sectional tournament run.

While Malou-Mamel’s numbers in scoring and rebounding already show her impact on the floor, what the numbers don’t show profiles her impact as well, as the defensive hub in the middle and setting up everything at the rim.

In the backcourt, senior Tessa Lozner directs traffic on offense with plenty of wing depth, led by forwards Sidney Quinn and Maya Abramson.

Montclair Immaculate (22-6) brings a balanced scoring attack led by forward Nila Giraud, who is playing her best basketball at the right time. She comes into the title game with four straight double-doubles, including a 32-point, 12-rebound performance in the Lady Lions’ semifinal win over Saddle River Day.

Giraud is one of five players scoring at least 200 points this season, with Giraud (15.8 points per game) doing so in only 16 games.

Is the third time the charm for Gill St. Bernard’s with its experience and pace, or will Montclair Immaculate reach the mountaintop on Monday?

Click below to hear Gill St. Bernard’s Head Coach Mark Gnapp talk about the Knights and the Non-Public North B final against Montclair Immaculate: