Thursday, March 6,
2008
By
Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
FRANKLIN
LAKES – When the Cresskill girls basketball team defeated
Belvidere to win the North 1, Group 1 title on Monday night, the
Cougars knew to celebrate while in the moment. Looming large over
any hopes of their dream season continuing was the prospect of
playing against the defending Tournament of Champions winner,
Newark University.
It was the ultimate
David vs. Goliath encounter on Wednesday night at Ramapo High
School. Cresskill came in with absolutely no pressure and University
came in needing to make a statement. The Cougars played in the
first half like they had nothing to lose, but in the third quarter,
the Phoenix played like a team that was ready to make a run at
another title.
University led by just
seven points at halftime before putting together a dominant third
quarter. The Phoenix blitzed the Cougars, 23-0, in the third quarter
to put any hopes of an upset clearly out of reach. Nadirah McKenith
scored a game-high 27 points as University advanced to the Group
1 state final with a 79-47 victory.
“We did not want
to give (Cresskill) any more confidence and we had to put a stop
to it,” said McKenith. “They definitely outplayed
us in the first quarter. Even though we were up seven, they pretty
much outplayed us in the first half. They just wanted it more
than we did and that had to change. We know everyone is going
to come at us with their best and we have to come right back with
our best.”
Cresskill was riding
high after a strong fourth quarter in its upset over top-seeded
Belvidere in the North 1, Group 1 final. That momentum carried
over into the first quarter last night. University’s all-state
center Lauren Mincy picked up two early fouls and the Cougars
took advantage inside. Carly Cerone and Colleen Ahearn asserted
themselves and Ahearn’s bucket gave them a 12-4 lead. They
were still up four at the end of the first quarter, 19-15.
The Phoenix battled
back to tie the game before the Cougars pulled ahead one last
time, 26-23, on a three-pointer from Stephanie Durakis with just
over five minutes to play in the first half. Someone needed to
step up for University and McKenith filled the role Mincy generally
occupies. She scored nine points in a 15-5 run to close the first
half, giving the Phoenix a 38-31 halftime lead.
With the pressure defense
of the Phoenix and Mincy back on the floor, the Cougars could
not get into an offense in the third quarter. It took just 2:11
into the third quarter for University to take over the game. It
forced five consecutive turnovers and scored on all five possessions
in the midst of a 13-0 run to bump the lead up to 20, 51-31. Mincy
and Quiana Trawick each had eight points in the third quarter.
“We turned it
over way too many times in the third quarter and they converted
on those turnovers every time,” said Cresskill head coach
Jennifer Kalish-Rilli. “We were pumped up coming out of
the locker room to start the second half, but their pressure was
just too much. You can’t turn the ball over against a team
like University time and time again and get away with it.”
Ahearn and Floriana
Borova each had 12 points and seven rebounds for Cresskill (21-7).
Cerone and Durakis chipped in with 11 and seven points, respectively.
McKenith netted a game-high
27 points, 17 of those coming in the first half, for University
(26-3). Mincy had 14 points and nine rebounds, and Trawick added
13 points.
“We played against
one of the best teams in the state and we were right with them
for a half,” added Kalish-Rilli. “I told them that
they were 15-to-17 year old girls just like we were and we had
nothing to be afraid of. Our first half was great. We came out
strong and we played under control. They got the best of us in
the second half, but this doesn’t diminish our season at
all. We set goals of winning our league and winning the section.
We did both, so I couldn’t be more happy with our season.”
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