Cougars Basketball Loses in Sectional Final Game, 53-42
Cranford gets stymied by West Morris Central's defense in sectional title game.
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After a thrilling overtime victory on Saturday night against top-seeded Chatham High School to advance to the North 2, Group 3 title game, the Cranford Cougars couldn’t keep their postseason momentum going against the West Morris Central Lady Highlanders, losing 53-42.
Led by Morgan Miller with 13 points, the Cougars started the game off strong, finishing the first quarter with a 13-7 lead. But as West Morris began to settle into a rhythm, Cranford would relinquish its lead early in the third quarter, and not be able to regain it.
Senior Mairead McKeary was kept in check on the night, scoring just 10 points after West Morris put senior Carly Shello up against the guard. Shello, disrupted McKeary’s passing lanes and shot attempts for the final three quarters, rendering her a non-factor for most of the game.
After taking a one-point lead into halftime, the Cougars would get into early foul trouble in the third quarter, sending Central’s Shayna Ericksen (31 points) to the line for eight free throw attempts, seven of which were made. Ericksen scored all of central’s 11 points in the third quarter, and shifted the momentum back to the home team.
After West Morris took the lead early in the third, Cranford would continue to play catch-up and keep the game close, heading into the final period down by three points.
But a quick jump shot by Ericksen early in the fourth put the Lady Highlanders up by five, and the Cougars couldn’t recover. Cranford went down by as much as 12 in the final quarter, and couldn’t hit their desperation threes as the game clock wound down.
Cranford ends the season with a record of 22-6 after Monday night’s loss.
Led by Morgan Miller with 13 points, the Cougars started the game off strong, finishing the first quarter with a 13-7 lead. But as West Morris began to settle into a rhythm, Cranford would relinquish its lead early in the third quarter, and not be able to regain it.
Senior Mairead McKeary was kept in check on the night, scoring just 10 points after West Morris put senior Carly Shello up against the guard. Shello, disrupted McKeary’s passing lanes and shot attempts for the final three quarters, rendering her a non-factor for most of the game.
After taking a one-point lead into halftime, the Cougars would get into early foul trouble in the third quarter, sending Central’s Shayna Ericksen (31 points) to the line for eight free throw attempts, seven of which were made. Ericksen scored all of central’s 11 points in the third quarter, and shifted the momentum back to the home team.
After West Morris took the lead early in the third, Cranford would continue to play catch-up and keep the game close, heading into the final period down by three points.
But a quick jump shot by Ericksen early in the fourth put the Lady Highlanders up by five, and the Cougars couldn’t recover. Cranford went down by as much as 12 in the final quarter, and couldn’t hit their desperation threes as the game clock wound down.
Cranford ends the season with a record of 22-6 after Monday night’s loss.
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