Selflessness and defense have been the key factors in the winning ways of the Pascack Valley boys’ basketball team.

The Indians (6-1) have not lost a game since their season opener against Old Tappan. This six game stretch of wins started on December 22 with a 64-44 win at Tenafly and was extended most recently with a 78-56 home win over Fort Lee on January 9. The first three games of this win streak earned PV a ranking at #13 in The Record’s Top 25 Boys Basketball Teams.

While most teams attribute a streak like this due to the breakout of a star scorer or all-around player, Valley head coach Al Coleman and his guys have noticed their winning is due to the work they do as a unit.

“Our main factors to our success so far have been our defense and our ability to share the ball,” said senior forward Colin Dedrick.

One of the biggest reasons Valley has been able to find success is due to the work they do when they don’t have possession of the ball.

Opposing offenses have a hard time moving the ball and finding the open shot against Pascack Valley. Forced turnovers and contested shots have been a regular sight in their recent games.

Hard work on the defensive end has shown in the statistics. In the past week, the Indians’ three opponents have only scored an average of 54.6 points.

The team’s excellence without the ball has allowed them to comfortably play their game when they have possession. Offensively, the game plan has not changed much from last year and from before the streak.

“The experience that was gained over the last year has given us the confidence needed to help our positive start,” said coach Coleman.

Going into the season, a strong point of this PV team was the familiarity between the players. There were no seniors on the team last year, so the starting lineup has virtually stayed the same. The experience gained helped the players learn each other’s strengths, hone their skills, and learn how to play together.

Before the season, Coleman and the team stressed that each player can contribute. That has never been more evident than it has been during this win streak.

Junior guard Legend Dominguez has taken on the responsibilities of point guard, providing scoring when it is needed, finding the open man, and moving the ball. His fellow classmate and member of the backcourt, Matt Vasel, has been a lethal shooter, especially from behind the arc where he makes threes with regularity.

Senior forwards Colin Dedrick, Eric Ziccarelli, and Jon Piccinich have been stat sheet stuffers, grabbing most of the rebounds, forcing turnovers near the basket, protecting the rim, scoring, and making smart passes. Senior Kyle McManus, senior Justin Balestra, and sophomore Alex Lin have come off of the bench and fit into the system offensively and defensively while giving the starters some rest.

Having a group of guys that love to play together and that stick to the game plan is a winning formula that has worked for Pascack Valley.

As long as they keep playing at a high level, the Indians expect to keep winning games and extend this streak.

“We are very confident that our success will continue,” said Dominguez. “We believe we can be one of the best teams in the county when we play our best. We go in with the attitude that nobody can stop us.”

PV’s next game is a true test to their streak, as they travel to Teaneck (7-1) on January 12. They also see some tough teams in late January, such as Wayne Hills (6-1) and Bergen Catholic (7-0).

However, the staff and the players are never looking too far into the future.

“One day at a time, one game at a time,” said coach Coleman.