AMITIE 27 PTS (13-14 FT), SANTARELLI 12, McGUIRE 11

Seemingly on the verge of an embarrassing thrashing after seven minutes elapsed in the first quarter, the 11th-seeded Cranford Cougars kept their wits and gave the second-seeded Union Catholic basketball Vikings all they could handle in the semifinal round of the Union County Tournament at Kean University in Union on February 15. The Cougar boys trailed 14-0 before they scored their first points then settled down and even tied the game two minutes into the fourth quarter but the 18-6 Vikings found late success from the free throw line to salvage a 68-62 victory.

There was no doubt that free throws played a major role throughout the game. The 19-6 Cougars sank 15 of 19 from the line and senior Nick Amitie, who led all scorers with 27 points, hit 13 of 14 from the charity line. But the Vikings were also quite proficient, sinking 20 of 25, which included 11 of 14 in the final quarter when they needed it.

“Yeah it was a hard fought game on both sides, and that Union Catholic team is tough. They have size, physicality, some guards who can shoot and handle the ball. We played very tough and competed the entire game, even though it did take us a few minutes to really get going. Our guys ran our game plan really well and were a few plays away. But you have to give it to them, they shot it lights-out from the line and held us off from pulling ahead in that second half” Cougar Head Coach Sean Trotter said.

The Vikings put on a show from the beginning and cruised to their 14-0 lead, which included numerous assists and the first of several slam dunks. This one came off the hands of Elijah Peters, who scored four points in the quarter and finished with 13 points and five assists. Terrence Wood (6 rebounds) scored six of his seven points and FK Muntari (3-for-4 free throws, 7 rebounds) put in four of his seven points. Luke Schorr scored two points.

Amitie (9 rebounds, block), who also led the Cougars with five assists, scored their first two points and Chris Santarelli (12 points – 3-pointer) sank a lay-up, was fouled and sank the free throw as the quarter ended 16-5 Union Catholic.

Both teams traded off five points for the first three minutes of the second quarter then the Cougars caught fire with a 10-0 run to cut the lead to 21-20 with 2:24 on the clock. Amitie scored seven of those points, including his first free throw, and Jack McGuire (11 points) banged in the first of his trip 3-pointers. Cranford won the quarter, 20-12, to make the score 28-25 Vikings at the half. Cougar Josh Ketschke (5 points) hit a 3pointer earlier in the quarter and Amitie netted a lay-up and sank a free throw with 1.1 showing. Viking AJ Altobelli, who led the Vikings with eight assists and four steals, scored six of his 13 points and Peters added five, while Jhan Acosta sank a free throw.

The Cougars inched a point closer to make the score 47-45 by the end of the third quarter but the presence of Viking seven-footer Yaw Ansong (3for-3 free throws, 9 rebounds) under the boards was glaring as he rolled in 11 of his team-leading 19 points in the quarter and would add the other eight in the fourth quarter. Peters added four points. Altobelli and Muntari each put in two points.

Coach Trotter expressed, “Yeah they are a pain because of their size, but our big guys did a nice job for most of the game against them both offensively, especially Nick who made them think about him the entire game, and defensively. We played tough team defense but with big guys like that, you cannot forget about them for a second or they make you pay with a quick offensive rebound and putback.”

The fourth quarter began with Ansong sinking a pair of free throws then Cougar Dylan Aveno hit a twopointer, was fouled and sank the free throw. Muntari sank one of two free throws thenAmitie assisted Santarelli on a 2-pointer to knot the score, 5050, with 5:45 left. Ansong got influential again under the boards, which included a slam dunk, and the Vikings grabbed a 56-50 lead butAveno and Darren Bush each answered with two points to keep the Cougars close at 56-54 with 2:43 remaining.

When Altobelli rolled in a lay-up with two minutes on the clock, the Cougars needed to go the foul route and hoped the Vikings would miss a few but Schorr would go to the line three times and sink all six free throws. Wood and Altobelli would also sink a free throw and Ansong put in another lay-up. In those final two minutes, McGuire would sink his third 3pointer, Amitie nailed a pair of free throws and Santarelli banged a 3pointer. Cranford 5 20 20 17 62 Union Catholic 16 12 19 21 68