Cranford's junior forward Jessica McCoy (right) had one of the big games in her 3-year career with the Cougars when she scored a game-high 22 points to help her team defeat Dayton, 62-48, Monday night in Union County Tournament semifinals at Johnson. (File photo by Todd Mundt)
Cranford's Mairead McKeary (left) and Governor Livingston's Alyssa Polimeni (14) will once again match up as both teams have advanced into Sunday's UCT final. (Photos by JR Parachini)
Cranford's Morgan Miller (left) looks for teammatre as Dayton's Jen Kuczynski defends during Monday night's UCT girls semifinals at Johnson High School in Clark. Cougars prevailed, 62-48.
G.L.'s Alyssa Polimeni brings the ball upcourt against Summit during 61-35 semifinal victory
G.L. And Cranford Both Advance
To Set Up 1 Vs. 2 In UCT Girls Final
To Set Up 1 Vs. 2 In UCT Girls Final
37th FRANK J. CICARELL UNION COUNTY TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS
By JR Parachini
For sidelinechatter.com
For sidelinechatter.com
CLARK – Both winners delivered the knockout punch right before intermission.
Cranford’s decisive 62-48 win over third-seeded Dayton began with a 6-0 run in the final three minutes of the second quarter. Governor Livingston’s dominant 61-35 triumph over fifth-seeded Summit was decided by a first half-ending 14-2 run after the Highlanders fell behind by four points at the start of the second period.
There you have it.
This is one of those years that there’s no doubt the top two teams in the county made it to the championship game.
After each posted double-digit victories in Monday night’s semifinals at Johnson, it will be second-seeded Cranford taking on top-seeded Governor Livingston in Sunday’s 5 p.m. final at Kean University’s Harwood Arena in Union.
The last time GL lost was its only defeat of the year, a 49-44 Mountain Division home setback to Cranford on Feb. 13. The only quarter Cranford won in the game was the second, but it was the best quarter the Cougars played this year as they outscored the Highlanders 24-6 after senior guard Morgan Miller made a half court shot at the first quarter buzzer.
GL began the season 17-0 and is now 22-1 and on a five-game winning streak. The Highlanders will host Watchung Hills Wednesday night at 7 in their only other game this week, which will be Seniors Night.
The last time Cranford lost was the only time it was defeated at home as well this year, falling to GL 42-38 on Jan. 19 in Mountain Division play. GL senior forward Rebecca Johnson scored the last four points of the game after it was tied for the final time with under a minute to go.
Cranford, which will not play again until Sunday, has won 13 straight since its loss to GL. Cranford’s three losses are by a total of eight points.
Both teams are not far away from being undefeated right now.
This is the first time the top two seeds reached the final since top-seeded Scotch Plains defeated second-seeded and in-town rival Union Catholic in the 2004 final for its first championship.
GL, in the final for the second straight season, is still seeking its first county crown. The Highlanders lost to two-time defending champion Roselle Catholic 33-26 in last year’s final at Kean.
Cranford is in the final for the first time since winning its only title in 2006. The Cougars won the crown that season as the top seed.
Sparked by a transition game that can often put teams to sleep, Cranford scored the final six points of the first half to take a 28-19 lead at intermission.
Cranford then made its first five shots and six of its first seven in the third quarter and built a lead of 18 at 46-28 before Dayton closed the period on a 4-0 run.
“When we play good defense and get after the ball, our offense usually flourishes,” Cranford head coach Jackie Dyer said.
After Dayton senior guard Emily MacDonnell scored on a layup to pull the Bulldogs to within three at 22-19 with 3:36 left in the second quarter, Cranford moved quickly following a MacDonnell missed free throw.
Miller got the ball to junior guard Mairead McKeary for an inside basket and then Miller, after a steal, passed to junior Kaitlin McGovern for another inside hoop.
Following a steal by McKeary, which was Dayton’s fifth turnover in the period, junior forward Jessica McCoy passed to junior guard Jenna Goeller inside for another close-range basket.
Cranford’s transition game, which worried Dayton head coach Dave Rennie the most, was in high gear.
“Once we were really moving the ball around we got pumped up,” said McCoy, who led all scorers with 22 points, including two three-pointers. McCoy also contributed 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals as part of an all-around outstanding game.
“At the end of the second quarter Morgan and Mairead came up with those steals and we took advantage,” McCoy said.
Cranford didn’t cool off during halftime, with the Cougars on fire from the field as the third quarter progressed. McCoy produced three field goals among Cranford’s first five shots that all went in.
“Our shooting was definitely on this game,” McCoy said. “I’m so happy it was.”
Goeller’s third three-pointer gave Cranford its biggest lead of 22 at 56-34 early in the fourth quarter.
Dayton managed to go on a 12-0 run right after that to get it to 10 at 56-46 with 2:03 left.
However, after a Cranford timeout, the Cougars quickly produced consecutive baskets, with McGovern and then McCoy scoring inside.
Dayton was led offensively by senior guard Jen Kuczynski, who scored all 14 of her points in the second half.
Dayton, as the 12 th seed, upset fourth-seeded Cranford 43-42 in last year’s quarterfinals at Rahway. The teams split Mountain Division games this season, with Dayton winning 46-43 at home on Jan. 6 and Cranford coming out on top 54-36 at home on Feb. 2.
“Losing to them last year was really upsetting,” McCoy said. “They were kind of a no-name team and we thought it was our year to win it.
“Hopefully, this is our year.”
“The third quarter was crucial for us,” Dyer said. “We continued what we started to do in the second quarter, which was playing good defense and getting in good position to score.”
Cranford’s only scorer that did not finish in double digits was junior forward Kaitlin McGovern, who poured in seven points. However, she blocked five shots, including three big ones in a first quarter that saw Cranford only up by one at 14-13. Miller and MacDonnell only took one shot each in the first eight minutes.
“Kaitlin did an awesome job,” Dyer said. “She was there for our help defense.”
Goeller, Miller and McKeary each scored 11 points, while MacDonnell and starter Nikki Athan scored nine each for Dayton and Anna Lies seven.
Dayton had a four-game winning streak snapped and fell to 18-7. The Bulldogs will look forward to next week’s North 2, Group 1 playoffs.
“When we lost to Dayton last year it was disappointing because they were in the lower division,” Dyer said. “I think we were a little too comfortable.
“This time we kept the lead. We were happy with the lead, but not satisfied and that was a big reason why we kept it.”
A three-point basket by senior guard Kelly Osmulski put Summit in front of GL 16-12 with 6:07 left in the second quarter. A banker basket off the glass by junior reserve Carly Wilson gave the Hilltoppers an 18-14 advantage with 4:58 remaining before intermission.
It was at that point that GL had enough.
An Alyssa Polimeni pass to Erin Ferguson inside made it 18-16. A Polimeni free throw pulled the Highlanders to within 18-17.
Then reserve Alyssa Cranston scored inside to give GL the lead for good at 19-18 with 3:38 left.
The Highlanders, using their height advantage, were now rolling.
Polimeni came down with the ball the next two possessions - with Summit turning it over in between - and found Ferguson underneath for 21-18 and then Ferguson underneath again for 23-18.
After a basket by Osmulski halted a 9-0 GL run, Polimeni found junior Mallory George underneath to put the Highlanders up 25-20.
Summit turned the ball over again, with GL taking advantage as Cranston nailed a three-pointer from the right side to make it 28-20.
Polimeni followed with a three-pointer of her own from the left side and then Sam Dowling made one of two free throws to give GL a 32-20 halftime cushion.
The Highlanders won the third quarter 17-5 for a 49-25 lead. The fourth quarter was just a formality.
“They got the ball inside to Ferguson and we, obviously, had no answer for that,” Summit head coach Brian Erickson said. “That’s why they’re No. 1 in the county and the top seed.”
Polimeni and Ferguson finished with 15 points each, George with 13 and Dowling with 10. Ferguson, arguably the best rebounder in Union County, grabbed 17 boards and George nine.
“We knew that Summit was going to come out with a lot of energy,” Polimeni said. “We looked to get the ball up to Erin and she was open. Even if Erin wasn’t open we would look for her to fight for the ball.”
Summit entered its first game against GL in two years with a nine-game winning streak and a 16-1 mark since Jan. 5. The Hilltoppers, who will host Lyndhurst Wednesday night and then play at Union Catholic Friday afternoon, fell to 18-5. They will look forward to next week’s Central Jersey, Group 2 playoffs.
“If we do what we want to do we’re very difficult to beat,” Ferguson said. “That means focusing on our game plan.”
Limiting a new opponent this season to less than 40 points and getting the ball inside at will sounds like GL was more than up to the challenge in knocking off a Summit squad that was playing extremely well.
“We challenged our big players and Erin got hot,” GL head coach Andy Silvagni said. “We were running everything we had for our big players.”
While GL was the underdog in last year’s final, the Highlanders will not be perceived in the same manner this time.
“With the talent that we have we expected to get back to the championship game,” Silvagni said.
Summit received 13 points from Osmulski and nine from senior guard Kate Martino.
NOTES: During the spring, Cranford has had GL’s number in UCT championship games.
Cranford softball beat GL in the 2006 and 2010 finals, while Cranford baseball defeated GL in the 2007 and 2011 championship games.
FIRST UCT SEMIFINAL AT JOHNSON
3-DAYTON (18-7) 13 6 13 16 - 48
2-CRANFORD (22-3) 14 14 18 16 - 62
DAYTON BULLDOGS (48):
15-Anna Lies, senior, 2-0-3-7
10-Jen Kuczynski, senior, 3-2-2-14
3-Emily MacDonnell, senior, 3-1-0-9
1-Ricci Rajoppi, sophomore, 0-0-1-1
14-Nikki Athan, sophomore, 1-1-4-9
23-Heather Fritzen, junior, 3-0-2-8
Starters: Lies, MacDonnell,
Kuczynski, Fritzen, Athan
Totals: 12-4-12-48
CRANFORD COUGARS (62):
13-Mairead McKeary, sophomore, 3-0-5-11
20-Jessica McCoy, junior, 8-2-0-22
22-Kaitlin McGovern, junior, 3-0-1-7
4-Jenna Goeller, junior, 1-3-0-11
3-Morgan Miller, senior, 1-3-0-11
Starters: Miller, Goeller,
McCoy, McGovern, McKeary
Totals : 16-8-6-62
SECOND UCT SEMIFINAL AT JOHNSON
5-SUMMIT (18-5) 8 12 5 10 - 35
1-GOV. LIVINGSTON (22-1) 10 22 17 12 - 61
SUMMIT HILLTOPPERS (35):
22-Nicole Johnson, senior, 2-0-1-5
11-Kate Martino, senior, 3-0-3-9
14-Kelly Osmulski, senior, 3-1-4-13
10-Amanda Murphy, senior, 0-0-0-0
24-Olivia Galuppo, senior, 0-0-0-0
23-Fionna Flannery, senior, 1-0-0-2
21-Carly Wilson, junior, 3-0-0-6
Starters: Martino, Osmulski,
Johnson, Murphy, Galuppo
Totals: 12-1-8-35
GOV.LIVINGSTON HIGHLANDERS (61):
14-Alyssa Polimeni, senior, 2-2-5-15
42-Sam Dowling, senior, 2-1-3-10
22-Erin Ferguson, junior, 6-0-3-15
15-Mallory George, junior, 6-0-1-13
22-Rebecca Johnson, senior, 0-0-0-0
3-Bari Machado, senior, 0-1-0-3
10-Alyssa Cranston, junior, 1-1-0-5
Starters: Polimeni, Dowling,
Ferguson, Johnson, George
Totals: 17-5-12-61
No comments:
Post a Comment