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http://www.nj.com/cranford/index.ssf/2010/01/cranford_high_school_girls_bas.html

Cranford High School Girls Basketbaball continue winning ways

By Cranford Chronicle

January 16, 2010, 10:00AM

By David Lazarus
CRANFORD — The Cranford High School Girls Basketball team continues to use a mixture of veteran leadership and youthful exuberance to rack up victories. The Cougars enter their Saturday, Jan. 16 showdown at defending county champion Roselle Catholic with a 6-2 record, following a 46-40 victory at Westfield on Tuesday, Jan. 12. The victory came in the second of five straight away games, the first of which was a 51-50 loss at Roselle on Friday Jan. 8 that ended Cranford’s five-game winning streak and was their first loss with their full lineup intact.

Freshman Jessica McCoy and sophomore Morgan Miller each had 13 points as the Cougars pulled away to a 40-30 lead with a 21-9 showing in the third period. Senior Jamie Webb chipped in with nine points and eight rebounds.
“I am very pleased with the way Miller and McCoy have been playing. They work very hard. What I like about the two of them, is that no matter if their shots aren’t falling, you know they are going to hustle back on defense and contribute on the other end. When their shots are on, there is no stopping them,” said Coach Jackie Huber.
“I am extremely pleased by the way my team is playing and how they have come together as one. I look forward to see what the rest of the year brings,” added Huber.

The Roselle loss came on the second day of back-to-back games, the first of which was a
38-21 rout of Huber’s alma mater Union Catholic. The Cougars applied their stifling defense to come out winners in a case of pupil (Huber) beating teacher (Kathy Matthews).
“It is always a good game when we play UC. Everything I’ve learned about defense I learned from Coach Matthews,” said Huber.

Webb led the Cougars with 16 points, while Miller added 10 points, eight of them coming in the first quarter, which included a pair of three-pointers. Cranford led 11-3 after one quarter, and saw the margin reduced to 18-13 at the half. The Vikings cut the lead to one with four straight points to start the half but that would nearly be the end of their scoring for the night. The Cougars ratcheted up their defensive intensity and held the visitors scoreless the remainder of the period.
“We increased our defensive intensity in the second half to get control of the game,” said Huber.

The five-game winning streak finally ended the following night against Roselle as the Cougars nearly came all the way back from a 17-point third quarter deficit only to fall one point short. While Huber could have used the fatigue from three games in four days as an excuse, she instead found solace in the fourth quarter rally.
“Having three games in a week is never easy. Roselle is a very good, quick team and it took us a little while to get into our rhythm and tempo. Once we did we made a nice comeback. No one likes to lose, but I am very proud of my girls and the way they kept fighting. They very easily could have given up when we were down by 17 but as a team they came back in the fourth quarter and played with heart,” said Huber.
Miller led the team with a career-high 21 points, including 11 in the first half when Cranford trailed by only four at the half. Senior Danielle Gross and McCoy chipped in with 10 points each for the Cougars.