Friday, March 5, 2010

Roselle Navigator: A compelling Final Four - UCT girls' basketball semifinals Tuesday night at Roselle Catholic | Facebook

Roselle Navigator: A compelling Final Four - UCT girls' basketball semifinals Tuesday night at Roselle Catholic | Facebook

Fourth-seeded Cranford (17-6, 2 in a row): The Cougars are 5-4 since their 12-2 start, which included a seven-game winning streak.

However, Cranford’s last two games have been double-digit victories over winning teams Oak Knoll and Governor Livingston. The Cougars began the season with a two-point loss at
GL.

“Before the Oak Knoll game we struggled a little bit with outside shooting and defense,” third-year Cranford head coach Jackie Huber said. “We had seven 3s in that
game (the quarterfinal win over Oak Knoll) and did a phenomenal job on
defense.”

In the 57-44 win, which included a 20-6 start, Cranford limited Oak Knoll leading scorer Catie Mota to 14 points.

The Cougars then downed GL 51-34 at home Friday for added momentum going into Tuesday’s game vs. RC.

For a team that will be playing on the road in a somewhat hostile environment, Cranford actually looks forward to playing the Lions at the Lions Den.

Why?

Because Cranford has a good resume in that gym.

The Cougars have won conference games at Roselle Catholic the last three seasons. In addition, third-year head coach Jackie Huber won a junior varsity county championship over
Governor Livingston in that gym during her last year as the Cranford JV coach in
2007.

Cranford’s varsity team captured its only UCT championship in 2006 – at RC’s gym.

So Cranford teams know what it takes to win big games at RC.

Huber’s first game as Cranford’s head coach was a 41-38 overtime triumph at Roselle Catholic in the season opener for both two years ago.

Her Cougars knocked off a 9-0 Roselle Catholic team at RC last year and an 8-0 Lions squad at RC this year.

Here’s a closer look:

2007-2008 SEASON

Dec. 21, 2007 at RC: Cranford 41, Roselle Catholic 38 (OT)

The season-opener for both. Roselle Catholic then won at Cranford.

2008-2009 SEASON

Jan. 15, 2009 at RC: Cranford 44, Roselle Catholic 33

Roselle Catholic was 9-0, including a conference win at Cranford.

Roselle Catholic then came back to beat Cranford in UCT quarters.

2009-2010 SEASON

Jan. 16, 2010 at RC: Cranford 49, Roselle Catholic 47

Jamie Webb layup at the buzzer wins it for the Cougars.

Roselle Catholic was 8-0.

Roselle Catholic then won at Cranford.

“My girls are very excited that they’re playing Roselle Catholic at Roselle Catholic again,” Huber said. “We play better excited against them on their home court than we do on our
own.”

In last year’s quarterfinals at Rahway, Roselle Catholic came back to edge Cranford 36-35, scoring eight of the game’s final nine points after Cranford led 34-28 with two
minutes to go.

Allison Skrec made two free throws with two seconds left to erase a 35-34 deficit.

“We felt that last year’s game was taken away from us in the last seconds,” Huber said. “The refs called a blocking foul and Allison made the free throws.

“This year it’s the same situation, just one game higher.

“One of our goals is to make the county final. What better place to play than at Roselle Catholic to fight for that.”

Roselle Catholic came back against Cranford in that game last year and in this year’s first conference game Cranford came back against Roselle Catholic.

Cranford tailed 42-31 heading into the fourth quarter of the Jan. 16 game at RC. The home team Lions looked to be in control as the fourth quarter began before Cranford was able to chip away at the deficit.

Eight minutes later and – after Webb’s game-winning shot – the Cougars outscored the Lions 18-5 in the fourth for the victory.

“We had a couple of those kinds of comebacks,” Huber said.

One of those came in a near win eight days earlier when Cranford fell at Roselle 52-50. The Cougars trailed by 17 heading into the
fourth quarter before outscoring the Rams 20-5 in the final eight
minutes.

Another came after the RC win, which was a non-conference overtime road win over Linden. Cranford won the fourth quarter 12-9 and then overtime 8-3 to
complete a 44-39 triumph. A 3-point basket by sophomore Morgan Miller with 12
seconds left tied the game at 36-36, sending it to OT.

“Not giving up when the team is flat is what separates good teams from great teams,” Huber said. “We fight harder to get back into it.

“When a team may expect us to be tired, that’s when we have the most energy.”

In the last meeting against Roselle Catholic there was no Cranford comeback. On Seniors Day at Cranford, the Lions won 42-33, jumping out to a 10-3 lead after
the first eight minutes and not allowing the Cougars to comeback in the second
half.

“They came out strong in that game and we were struggling to hit our shots,” Huber said. “For about a two-and-a-half week period our shots were falling in and out.”

That stretch began with a 38-28 conference loss at Union Catholic on Feb. 4. Cranford easily topped the visiting Vikings 38-21 at home back on Jan. 7.

“We had a hard time getting shots back recently until the Oak Knoll game,” Huber said. “Against Roselle Catholic the last time we played them, our shooting was very
off.

“We know they’re going to get their shots and Meghan Faughnan is going to shoot her 3s. Skrec will score her points too.

“We need to step up defensively and do a little bit more.”

Cranford played mostly man defense the last time, with senior center Danielle Gross and freshman forward Kaitlin McGovern guarding Faughnan, who can totally take over a game if
she gets hot with her 3-point shooting.

“Part of the problem last time was that we were too worried about making sure there was help off of her,” Huber said. “She has a quick release. We have to make sure we have a hand in her
face at all times.”

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