Cougars lean on Trotter to face tough slate

More often than not, Cranford head boy's basketball coach Ryan Huber worries about Sean Trotter.

The senior guard injured both his shoulders playing football and received medical clearance to return to action less than a week before the Cougars' season opener.

With only one full scrimmage under his belt, Trotter returned to action to score 30 points in that season-opening loss to Abraham Clark High School, and for 32 minutes, his head-down-and-go style somehow managed to ease his coach's concern.

"Do I worry about Trotter? During the game, no," Huber said. "But right now? Yes. Am I going to make sure he's healthy for Wednesday's game? Absolutely.

"It doesn't matter what it is, he's just a competitor. Whether it's a practice drill, no matter what it is, he's just going to go 100 miles per hour for 32 minutes a game."

Trotter sunk a quartet of 3-pointers for 12 of his points, but the rest came off drives to the basket when he almost always took a beating to result in 10 free throws.

"The effort he gave — that's just Trotter," Huber said. "He's a gamer."

It is an effort Huber came to expect from Trotter and one he will continue to need throughout the course of the season if the Cougars are to have success.

Although Huber recognizes Trotter will need help offensively — only three other players scored in the 60-48 loss to Abraham Clark — he is not afraid to lean on him.

"Whatever you have to do to win a game," Huber said. "If he has to score 50 out of 50 to win a game, that's what's going to happen."

In the early going, that may happen more often than not.

Cranford's success will rely on perimeter shooting — something Huber admits, but did not receive enough of in the season opener.

Senior Mark Osofsky hit four 3-pointers for all 12 of his points, but according to Huber, Trotter is the only remaining member of last season's Union County Conference Championship team that has a wealth of experience.

For the rest, the early going will provide an opportunity to learn.

"I think for some of the guys this was their first taste," Huber said. "Trotter is our only returning player who played in every game last year. I think for some of the guys now, they know the speed of the game, they know the effort and they know what they need."

That speed will only increase as Cranford enters the heart of its schedule.

The first and biggest test comes Jan. 6, when the Cougars host the nation's 11th-ranked team in St. Patrick's.

The Celtics' roster reads like a college basketball preview, headlined by Kentucky commitment Michael Gilchrist, Western Kentucky-bound guard Derrick Gordon and sophomore Pittsburgh commitment Austin Colbert.

At the end of the month, the Cougars get to face Villanova-bound guard Tyrone Johnson and his Plainfield teammates. And Group IV contenders Union and Linden are sampled throughout the rest of the winter slate.

"Every night's going to be a war," Huber said. "I told the kids in the beginning of the season, 'We can't take punches, we have to come out swinging.'

"I think if you look at the schedule it's one of the toughest in the state of New Jersey, but we're not going to back down from anybody. We're going to play."

It is the same mentality Cranford sees from its senior guard, and when Trotter is on the court, his coach does not worry.