COSTELLO SINKS 10 PTS, TOY 7 PTS, CURANOVIC 6 PTS

A very defensive style game was expected and that is what happened when the fourth-seeded Cranford High School girls basketball team hosted the 13th-seeded Governor Livingston Highlanders in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 Tournament in Cranford on February 22. Neither team managed to score double digits in any given quarter except once and the 18-7 Cougars emerged with a low-scoring 33-21 victory.

The expectations of a very lowscoring, defensive game goes back to January 13 when the Cougars defeated the Highlanders, 29-10.

“I thought our defense was solid. GL does a nice job of being patient on the offensive end and makes you play defense for long periods of time. With that being said, I thought our defense did a nice job,” Cougar Head Coach Allison Skrec said.

Sophomore Lily Costello led the Cougars offensively with 10 points, including a 3-pointer and 1-for-2 from the line, to go with two assists and two rebounds. Sophomore Courtney Toy contributed seven points, including a 3-pointer, and added two assists and a rebound. The Highlanders put a lot of pressure on junior Bella Curanovic and held her to six points but she led the team with four steals to go with five rebounds and two assists.

With such a slow-paced game, midway through the first quarter each team could put only two points on the board. Costello scored and GL’s Sara Castrovinci scored. With 3:52 showing, Mia Firdman (5 points – 3-pointer) gave the 9-13 Highlanders a 4-2 lead but Curanovic answered less than a minute later to knot the score. In the final two minutes of the quarter, Costello and Curanovic both converted steals to lay-ups for an 8-4 Cranford lead.

Nothing much changed in the second quarter but the Cougars increased their lead to 15-8 by halftime. Chelsea Kieswetter (5 points) scored all four of the Highlanders’ points, while Costello sank a 3-pointer and a 2-pointer, and Curanovic added another lay-up. The only double digit entry came in the third quarter when the Cougars outscored the Highlanders, 12-8, to carry a 27-16 lead into the final quarter.

Cougar senior Kristina Lowe finished with two points, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals. Senior Sofia DeMarco had four points and a blocked shot. Senior Maddy DeLong had two points, three rebounds, an assist, block and a steal. Sophomore Brooke Bentrewicz had four rebounds, two points and a steal. Carly Lynch had a rebound.

Maria DiPasquale finished with six points, including 2-for-2 in free throws for the Highlanders. Ava Feinberg was 2-for-2 from the line.

“There was no let up in our effort, communication, or energy in those lengthy defensive possessions. In general, I thought we did a good job of moving our feet without fouling, while also being disruptive with active hands, leading to some steals and quick scores,” Coach Skrec concluded.

Next would be a home game on February 27 against 12th-seeded West Morris, 47-32, winners over fifthseeded North Plainfield.