'March Madness' Continues in Fort Lee with Girls Recreation League Playoffs

The Fort Lee Girls Recreation Basketball League continued its own version of “March Madness” Wednesday with two exciting semifinal games in the seventh and eighth grade division.

An overachieving Luppino Homes team, the number four seed in the tournament, hung tough for three-and-a-half quarters in their matchup with Silly Rabbits in the first game, eventually losing to the top seed, 28-21, according to league president Michael Klein.

“Both teams played tough from buzzer to buzzer, but like in the NCAA March Madness tournament the number one seed stays alive,” Klein said. “I commend Coach Luppino & Broderick for getting this team to the semifinals.”

The second semifinal of the evening pitted Porter & Yee Insurance against Allied Metal.com, and it was a nail-biter for all 32 minutes, going “right down to the wire,” Klein said.

Porter & Yee won by the slimmest of margins, 16-15.

“It was a game that had the 7th grade and 8th grade scoring champions playing against each other,” Klein said. “It was one of the most exciting games I have seen all year. It was a defensive struggle, especially in the first half, and then in the second half, the offense opened up.”

The game ultimately came down to a few key fourth-quarter defensive stops by Porter & Yee, which forced Allied Metal.com to start fouling and putting their opponents on the foul line. The Porter & Yee hit three of their last four free throws to seal the one-point victory.

The championship game between Silly Rabbits and Porter & Yee in the seventh and eighth grade division is next Tuesday night at the gym, which “will be rockin,’” according to Klein.

He said Silly Rabbits’ only defeat of the season came against Porter & Yee, who beat the division champs, 21-19 in January.

“I'm really looking forward to a classic finale to end the 2012 season,” Klein said.

Championships and Trophy Ceremonies

On Saturday, the third and fourth grade championship game starts at noon at the middle school gym; the fifth and sixth grade championship game is at 2 p.m.

Those games will be followed by trophy ceremonies, to which Fort Lee Board of Education and Mayor and Council members are invited, Klein said.

He also said Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich will toss up the opening tipoff to start Tuesday’s championship game, which starts at about 8:10 p.m.