Lady Cougars Nipped in Season Opener

The Cranford girls basketball team knew that they were coming into a tough game on Friday.

Governor Livingston usually plays the stubborn opponent, at least that was the case three times last season. Cranford won two out of three of those games, one of which upset the Lady Highlanders in the first round of the Group 2 Central state sectional, 44-41, and marked the start of the run to the sectional title game.

And the Lady Cougars were down one of their best players Friday night. Taylor D'Antico was still out with a groin injury as she was trying to get her six practices in. All players need to have six practices before they are eligible.

Despite being undermanned, Cranford battled tooth and nail with Governor Livingston through all 32 minutes on Friday night on the road in Berkeley Heights.

It was only a deflected shot picked up by Highlanders' Cat Quinn that made the difference as the Lady Cougars lost their season opener, 37-35.

Without D'Antico, Cranford put out a pair of freshmen, Jess McCoy and Kaitlin McGovern, and a sophomore Morgan Miller along with the two seniors, Jamie Webb and Daniella Gross.

"We're very young," said Cranford head coach Jackie Huber. "We had some defensive lapses. To me defenses win championships so we have to play very good defense."

While Governor Livingston had a pair of girls,  Alyssa Polimeni and Sam Dowling, who scored a dozen points each, Cranford's Webb had a big night with 14 points, a game-high that included a pair of three pointers.

"Jamie is a big-time leader on the floor and helps motivate the three freshmen on the team," said Huber.

In a scrappy game that went back-and-forth, Governor Livingston took a four-point lead, 35-31, with three minutes left in the game.

But the Lady Cougars did not let the Highlanders run away with the game and came back with a pair of Webb baskets including an untouched layup that tied the game up at 35 with two minutes remaining.

"They weren't going to give up," said Huber. "I thought we played very well."

After the tie, neither team could make a successful trip down the floor until Quinn grabbed the deflected shot and laid it in.

Cranford was trying to take advantage of its height coming into the game.

"Governor Livingston is a little small and we wanted to get the ball into the paint," said Huber.

While the tactic worked at times, the Lady Cougars defense could not stall the outside shooting of Polimeni and Dowling who combined for six three-pointers including four from Dowling.

The Lady Cougars will have another chance to avenge its opening season loss, this time at home on February 19 against Governor Livingston.

Cranford 2009-10 girls basketball season

(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

Dec. 22                                  Johnson

Dec. 27                                  at Lancer Invitational, Livingston High School, 1 p.m.

Dec. 28                                  at Lancer Invitational, Livingston High School, TBA

Jan. 5                                     Hillside, 4 p.m.

Jan. 7                                     Union Catholic

Jan. 8                                     at Roselle, 4 p.m.

Jan. 12                                   at Westfield

Jan. 16                   at Roselle Catholic, Noon

Jan. 19                   at Linden, 4 p.m.

Jan. 21                   at Brearley

Jan. 22                   Roselle Park, 4 p.m.

Jan. 29                   at Johnson

Feb. 2                     at Hillside, 4 p.m.

Feb. 4                     at Union Catholic, 4 p.m.

Feb. 5                     Roselle, 4 p.m.

Feb. 9                     at Roselle Park, 4 p.m.

Feb. 11                   Roselle Catholic

Feb. 12                   at Benedictine Academy, 4 p.m.

Feb. 16                   Westfield, 4 p.m.

Feb. 18                   Cedar Grove, 4 p.m.

Feb. 19                   Governor Livingston