RETURN CURANOVIC, DeLONG, DeMARCO, GRADY, LOWE
Evolving into a very competitive team began midway through the season for the Cranford High School girls basketball team last year. After a very rocky beginning, winning only one in their first eight games, they began to gel and cruised with a 9-2 winning streak, which included knocking off a strong Scotch Plains-Fanwood team twice, so this season the Cougar girls aim to continue that positive momentum and did so with a 45-30 victory over the Westfield Blue Devils in Westfield on December 14.
The Cougars had only one senior, captain Sarah O’Donnell, in the starting lineup and had to juggle the positions throughout the season in order to find a proper fit. Fortunately, four of their five returning girls have played significant varsity for multiple years.
The four Cougars with multiple years of experience are junior Bella Curanovic and seniors Maddy DeLong, Sophia DeMarco and Kristina Lowe. Junior Ella Grady also received significant court time.
Last year Curanovic, who was one of the leaders on this year’s volleyball team, emerged and led the Cougars in scoring with 302 points, which included two 3-pointers and 44 free throws, and in rebounds with 151. She also had 37 assists, 32 steals and 10 blocked shots. Lowe, who was a co-captain on the soccer team, was the leading contributor in assists with 68 and was also the “Chief Thief” with 47 steals. Lowe also scored 144 points and was second on the team with 138 rebounds and added four blocks.
DeMarco, the home run king on the softball team, could also hit from the outside with 26 3-pointers and finished with 140 points, while adding 121 rebounds, 56 assists (2nd on team), 27 steals and three blocks. DeLong, also a long ball hitter on the softball team, was second on the team with 34 steals, while adding 119 points, 101 rebounds, 37 assists and two blocks.
“Four out of five of those returners have played significant varsity for multiple years. That experience and confidence will be crucial for us getting off to a stronger start this season,” Cougar Head Coach Allison Skrec said.
Towards the end of the season, Lily Costello and Courtney Toy, now both sophomores, began to experience court time at the varsity level.
“We’re expecting to see both Lily Costello and Courtney Toy, who practiced daily with varsity last year, while playing significant JV minutes, step into larger roles for us this season.
This sounds very simple, but they are playing like they’re a year older,” Coach Skrec pointed out.
This season the Cougars have added several new girls to their roster and are hoping that it will pay dividends. That group includes, seniors Molly Devlin and Carly Lynch, juniorsAlex Werthmann and Corey Botsakos, sophomore Brooke Bentrewicz, and freshmen Sienna DeStefano and Kasey Coon.
“We will be a deeper team than previous seasons – the luxury of keeping fresh legs on the court should be beneficial to us,” Coach Skrec explained.
The Cougars’ first three regularseason games would be against rivals, first an away game against the Westfield Blue Devils on December 14. Next was a home game against the Roselle Catholic Lions on December 19, followed by an away game against the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders at 4 p.m. today.
“I’m happy with how we have been progressing the first couple of weeks. This group is unselfish, focused and motivated,whichmakescoachingthem really enjoyable,” Coach Skrec said.
Against the Blue Devils, the 1-0 Cougars seized a 15-5 first-quarter lead. Curanovic, who finished with 12 points, four rebounds and two assists, sank five points. Lowe (10 points, 4 rebounds, 6 steals, 3 assists) put in four points. Grady (6 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals) sank a 3pointer and DeMarco, who finished with eight points (2 3-pointers, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, steal) nailed a 3pointer with 10 seconds left in the quarter.
The Blue Devils, however, stepped up the defense in the second quarter, while the Cougars were off the mark in their shooting. The result was a 122 run and a 17-17 tie at the half and it began when Andie Janota (3 assists, rebound) assisted sophomore Megan Logan (6 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, block, assist) on a lay-up with 6:20 left in the half.
After the Blue Devils sank another lay-up, senior Sara Rooney assisted Catherine Oliveira (6 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, steal) on a 3-pointer. Logan and Sophie Lane each sank a two-pointer then Rooney knotted the score with 10 seconds left.
The Cougars went on another 15-5 run in the third quarter then outscored the Blue Devils, 11-8, in the fourth to close the door.
Rooney finished with seven points (2 3-pointers), eight rebounds and an assist. Lane finished with trip 3-pointers, four rebounds and a steal. Mairin Fowler had three rebounds and an assist. Laura Oliveira had two points, three rebounds, a block and a steal. Makenna Reed had a steal and Erin Doherty pulled a rebound.
Cougar Maddy DeLong led the team with 10 rebounds, while adding six points, three steals and an assist. Lily Costello sank a three-pointer, grabbed three rebounds and added a steal and an assist. Courtney Toy provided an assist.
