Lyndhurst boys basketball reaches NJIC Tournament final

Lyndhurst to face rival St. Mary's in championship game after defeating Cresskill in semifinals

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Lyndhurst boys basketball team has reached the NJIC Tournament final after defeating Cresskill 59-56 in the semifinals. The Golden Bears, who have won 10 of their last 11 games, will face rival St. Mary's of Rutherford in the championship game on Wednesday. Lyndhurst had to overcome a 24-8 third quarter run by Cresskill before rallying in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.

Why it matters

Lyndhurst's run to the NJIC Tournament final comes after the team faced a challenging early-season schedule, which coach Perrin Mosca believes has prepared them for this moment. The Bears will now have a chance to win their first-ever NJIC title against a familiar foe in St. Mary's, who has defeated them twice already this season.

The details

In the semifinal win over Cresskill, Lyndhurst jumped out to a nine-point halftime lead before the Cougars stormed back in the third quarter. But the Bears regained the lead in the fourth quarter and held on for the victory, led by 18 points from Avery Cano. Lyndhurst will now face a St. Mary's team that is ranked 15th in the state and riding a 17-game winning streak.

  • Lyndhurst and St. Mary's will play in the NJIC Tournament final on Wednesday, February 19, 2026 at 7 p.m.
  • Lyndhurst defeated Cresskill 59-56 in the NJIC Tournament semifinals on February 12, 2026

The players

Perrin Mosca

The head coach of the Lyndhurst boys basketball team who created a challenging early-season schedule for his team.

Avery Cano

A Lyndhurst player who scored a game-high 18 points in the semifinal win over Cresskill.

Johnny Chaname

A Lyndhurst player who scored 17 points and added 9 assists in the semifinal victory.

Filoteo Mosca

A Lyndhurst player who also scored 17 points in the semifinal win.

St. Mary's

The Lyndhurst boys basketball team's opponent in the NJIC Tournament final, a team ranked 15th in the state and riding a 17-game winning streak.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We've been playing our best basketball these last couple of weeks. I was waiting for it to happen at the beginning of the year. We lost some of these tough games. But you know what, it was helpful in that now we're winning these close games and coming out on top on some of these close games. I think it's because of the schedule we had early in the year.”

— Perrin Mosca, Lyndhurst boys basketball coach (theobserver.com)

“St. Mary's has been one of the top teams in the NJIC for a long time and these kids know it. We've come up on the wrong end of quite a few games (against them) these last few years. But they're ready to play them, they want to play them. I'm excited that they get the chance to play them again for this title.”

— Perrin Mosca, Lyndhurst boys basketball coach (theobserver.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.