The Tenafly High School boys basketball team’s postseason run ended Wednesday with a narrow 49-45 loss in the state semifinal, closing the season after one of the most successful years in recent program history.
The game remained tight throughout, with both teams trading baskets and momentum until the final minutes decided the outcome. Although the loss prevented the team from advancing to the state championship game, it did little to overshadow what had already been a remarkable and historic season for the program.
Tenafly finished with 24 wins, captured its league title, and advanced to the semifinals of both the state tournament and the Bergen County Jamboree—the program’s first jamboree semifinal appearance since 2012.
“These guys actually made a lot of history this year,” head coach Jeffery Koehler said. “We got to the final four in the jamboree counties, and that’s the top four teams in the whole entire county. In states, we were the number one seed in Group 3…so to do that this year with 24 wins, to win our league, it was definitely something…we made history.”
Koehler credited the team’s leadership for helping guide the Tigers through months of preparation and competition.
“It starts and ends with my captains. Caleb Berkowitz (’26) and Nick Baldini (’26) set the tone early,” Koehler said. “From our spring work, our summer work, our camps, and our leagues, they were always in charge of everything that we did throughout the season.”
Despite the tough semifinal loss, Koehler said the team showed resilience through adversity all year.
“These guys played hurt, they played sick, they played injured,” Koehler said. “We had 15 out of 18 kids sick before the state game… and we were still tied with three minutes left and had a shot at the end to win it. That’s a tribute to these guys and the adversity they fought through.”
For Senior captain Caleb Berkowitz, the final buzzer brought a mix of emotions.
“Honestly, it was a lot of anger, sadness, and just a feeling of disappointment because it really just wasn’t the way I wanted to go out,” Berkowitz said.Despite the ending, Berkowitz said the team’s perseverance defined its playoff run.
“I think during our playoff run, our best trait was perseverance,” said Berkowitz. “No matter what came at us, whether it was injuries or sickness, we never gave up. We were down for a lot of the quarter and semi-final game, and we always played until the last whistle.”
He further added that the team’s confidence and championship expectations helped fuel the postseason push.
“I think we stayed motivated because we knew who we were and we knew we had the talent to win a state championship, and that was the goal from the start,” Berkowitz said. “We knew the kind of atmosphere we created with the success we had, and it just added on to us wanting to.”
While the team hoped to advance further, reaching the semifinal stage was still a major milestone.
“Making it to the semifinals meant a lot to me even though I wanted to go further,” Berkowitz said. “I think the team was overall very happy but not satisfied with it because we were supposed to win all the games up to that point.”
Berkowitz said the team’s strong chemistry also played a key role in its success.
“The team always did a good job at supporting each other because we made sure that everyone was on the same page all the time,” Berkowitz said. “We also all had the same mentality–never give up and don’t quit–which contributed to a lot of our success.”
The season also created unforgettable memories for players.
“I think I’ll always remember the Teaneck home game,” Berkowitz said. “It was a large crowd with many people anticipating this game. It went to double overtime and was just such a crazy game. I loved the crowd supporting us, but it was also fun having a crowd hate us.”
For junior Alexander Manalang (’27), the end of the season felt surreal.
“I felt almost bittersweet at the end of the semifinal game,” Manalang said. “I was sad that I couldn’t be in during the last moments because of my injury, but I felt like I was in an empty gym…I was cherishing the moments from the season…just grateful that I could play with those guys.”
Manalang said adversity throughout the season helped shape the team.
“Our team did amazing fighting adversity this game, and especially all season,” Manalang said. “Losing our star player allowed me to step up and become a bigger part of the team,”Manalang said. “I think that week, we saw the most adversity as most of the team caught an illness, but fought through it. Giving it our all showed what team we were.”
Manalang said one play in particular will always stand out.
“I’ll always remember the alley oop I gave Nick Baldini in the senior night Bergenfield game,” Manalang said.
Junior Jase Harris (’27) also reflected on the mix of disappointment and appreciation following the semifinal loss.
“It was disappointing for sure,” Harris said. “We lost, and we all thought we could win that game, we knew we could win that game; but there was also gratitude because it was a great season. It was historic.”
Players also said the team’s resilience and sense of community helped them overcome multiple challenges throughout the season.
“We all pushed each other,” Harris said. “If one of us had an off night, we knew that the others could pick up the slack…knowing that we were there for each other…even when we did have challenges…was really the power of our team…”
“We created a family,” Manalang said. “Since the fall league, we’ve been creating chemistry and a community where we can support each other. We can talk to each other about everything. Caleb and Nick… did a great job leading us.”
While players reflected on the season, the Tigers’ success also energized the school community.
“..In the fall, sports were kind of dead,” Matthew Collado (’26) said. “But I think that this historic basketball season really brought the school together, and the energy was just amazing.”
Collado said the excitement surrounding the team could be felt throughout the school.
“Even during school when we didn’t have games, the energy was just bustling through the halls,” Collado said. “I think the basketball team has meant a lot to the students here.”
Moments during games often created unforgettable memories for fans in the student section.
“I think an unforgettable memory would have to be when Caleb Berkowitz hit a three-pointer right in front of the student section, turned around and celebrated it,” Collado said. “I thought that was a lot of fun.”
“…My all-time favorite memory is Nick Baldini dunking in the first round of the state tournament to just really solidify the great season this season had.” Ethan Herrera (’26) said. He also said the team’s run helped build excitement not just for basketball but for the school’s athletics as a whole.
Although the season ended one game short of the state championship, players said the experience will motivate the returning roster moving forward.
“This season has meant so much to me,” Berkowitz said. “Being a captain in my senior year and just having the kind of success we did was absolutely amazing. I loved playing on this team because of the bonds we had with each other.”
As the season ends, the program hopes the momentum from this historic run will carry forward.
“I think the team will learn about how hard work pays off and how no matter the circumstances, you should never give up,” Berkowitz said. “It also shows how Tenafly Basketball is legit, and people should respect the program.”
“Us juniors will cherish every moment next year, giving it our all each and every game,” Manalang said. “We need to adjust to losing our guys this year, but we have the talent and skills to make an even better team next year.”
After a historic season that included 24 wins, a league championship, and deep postseason runs, the Tigers have set a new standard for the program–and raised expectations for the seasons ahead.
