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Bella Curanovic (21), who helped lead the way with her 21 points and 16 rebounds, stands alongside coach Allison Skrec after Cranford defeated Somerville, 52-46, in Tuesday night's North 2, Group 3 state sectional semifinals, as the Cougars will now move on to take on the top-seeded Chatham Cougars in Friday's N2G3 title tilt. (Photos by JR Parachini)
SOMERVILLE - Just seconds into the second quarter Somerville extended its lead to a high of eight. Cranford came back. With under four minutes to play in the third quarter junior sharpshooter Kaylee Lauber drained a second consecutive three-point basket to put the host Pioneers back up by four. Cranford came back again. After that, no more comebacks were necessary. Why? Because after Lauber's second of those two three-pointers, her last of four total, the visting Cougars were not to be stopped. Cranford followed with a third quarter-ending 12-0 run to take back the lead back for good at 40-32 heading into the final eight minutes. Nothing on this night was going to deter a Cranford Cougar squad that was not frazzled at all in a visiting gym against a loud crowd against it and a team that had won nine more games. Then Cranford's best player, senior Bella Curanovic, hit two, big, consecutive jumpers from the top of the key with just over three minutes to play to put the Cougars up by seven after Somerville cut the deficit to three with four straight free throws. Curanovic followed by grabbing what seemed like every rebound the rest of the way. As great as Curanovic was, a stellar effort that included game-highs of 21 points and 16 rebounds, Cranford's performance was anything but a one-person show. Brooke Bentrewicz poured in 15 points including three big three-pointers. Ella Grady, one from the top of the key and one from the right side, produced two huge threes in the third quarter. Lily Costello scored five points and grabbed four boards. Courtney Toy hauled in five rebounds. It was a team effort, led by their best player, that propelled sixth-seeded Cranford to a stunning 52-46 triumph at second-seeded Somerville in the Tuesday, March 4 North 2, Group 3 girls basketball semifinal contested in Somerset County. While Somerville had a seven-game winning streak snapped and saw its season end at 23-6, Cranford is moving on to its first North 2, Group 3 final in 12 years. The Cougars - who are now 15-11, have won four straight and are 11-2 since being 4-9 on Jan. 21 - will play at top-seeded and defending champion Chatham (29-2) Friday, March 7 at 6 p.m. Chatham easily ousted fourth-seeded Mendham 44-21 in the other Tuesday, March 4 semifinal played at Chatham. Chatham defeated Cranford 66-31 at home on Dec. 28 in the Cougar Classic at Chatham. With that loss, Cranford was off to an 0-4 start before the Cougars won their first game. Before that, Chatham also defeated Cranford 53-35 at home in last year's North 2, Group 3 semifinals. Will the third time be a charm for Cranford this Friday night? One thing is for sure. The Cougars are going to win the game. The question is, will it be host Chatham or visiting Cranford? "Chatham is a great team, that is no secret," Cranford head coach Allison Skrec said. "We're a different team than we were then and so are they. We will give it our best shot." "We're excited to get another chance at them," Curanovic said. "We know they are a great team. We will have to try our best to make them make mistakes." It appeared early on for Cranford against Somerville that the home team may be on its way. The Pioneers quickly began the game with two buckets for a 4-0 lead and then ended the first quarter on a 5-0 run to go up 14-8. After Somerville took its biggest lead of eight at 16-8, Cranford managed to somehow keep the game a bit closer on the scoreboard. Curanovic, who scored Cranford's first basket after grabbing three offensive rebounds, scored again off an offensive board, was fouled and then made the free throw to pull the Cougars to within one at 21-20. Bentrewicz scored inside and then Costello on a layup to put Cranford ahead 24-21, courtesy of a second quarter-ending 7-0 run, at intermission. "This was a game of runs," Skrec said. "It's something we talked about. We've been in these types of games before." The game's biggest run, Cranford's 12-0 surge to close the third quarter, went like this: Grady drained a three from the top of the key to pull Cranford to within one again at 32-31. Grady then followed with a three-pointer from the right side to elevate the Cougars to the lead for good at 34-32 with 1:45 remaining before the fourth quarter. Curanovic followed with two free throws before the Cougars took advantage of a Somerville turnover and saw Bentrewicz score on a fastbreak. Grady then made two big free throws and suddenly Cranford was ahead by eight at 40-32 as the fourth quarter commenced. "We found open players and we took care of the ball," Skrec said. Cranford even survived a full-court press Somerville went to in the fourth quarter and the Cougars were also able to take chunks of time off the clock at the start of the third and fourth quarters by passing the ball around until someone was open for a clear shot. After Lauber scored her team's final two points on two free throws with 11.5 seconds left to make the score 51-46, Curanovic was fouled, made one of two free throws and then came up with a block and a rebound right before the final buzzer. "Bella had so many big rebounds for us in that fourth quarter," Skrec said. "Everyone did their jobs. All of our players made contributions. Our girls kept their composure." Playing teams like New Providence, Westfield, Roselle Catholic and Elizabeth in the Watchung Division of the Union County Conference proved worthy for the Cougars, despite finishing under.500 in the division. "Bend, but don't break," Skrec said. "We were prepared for moments like tonight." The key to Cranford bouncing back from being five games under .500 as January was nearing its conclusion? "We just had a stronger second half of the season," Skrec said. "It was just playing games and reps and players still learning their roles. We jelled and started playing together as a team." "We had to step up and keep locking in," Curanovic said. "We feel that we played such great teams and that prepared us." Somerville ended the first quarter on a 5-0 run. Cranford ended the second quarter on a 7-0 run. Cranford ended the third quarter on a 12-0 run to take the lead for good. Now Cranford gets to travel again to play at Chatham for the third time in a year. The Cranford Cougars will attempt to win North 2, Group 3 for the first time since 2013. The Chatham Cougars, with 57 wins under their belts the past two seasons, will try to repeat as North 2, Group 3 champs. NORTH 2, GROUP 3 GIRLS BASKETBALL SEMIFINAL AT SOMERVILLE CRANFORD COUGARS (52): SOMERVILLE PIONEERS (46):
1-Charlotte Taylor, senior, 1-1-0-5 5-Amaya Miller, junior, 4-1-6-17 2-Kaylee Lauber, junior, 1-4-6-20 23-Lily Taylor, sophomore, 1-0-0-2 24-Riley DeSarno, senior, 1-0-0-2 10-Kelsey Butler, senior, 0-0-0-0 Starters: C. Taylor, Miller, Lauber, L. Taylor, DeSarno. Totals: 8-6-12-46. 2025 NORTH 2, GROUP 3 GIRLS BASKETBALL SEEDS: 1-Chatham. 2-Somerville. 3-Summit. 4-Mendham. FIRST ROUND: QUARTERFINALS: SEMIFINALS: FINAL:
Friday, March 7 6-Cranford (15-11) at 1-Chatham (29-2), 6 p.m. . Follow JR Parachini on 'X' @parachini_jr
Sixth-seeded Cranford went on the road Tuesday night with impressive 52-46 road victory at second-seeded Somerville in N2G3 sectional semis. Copyright 2005 Sideline Chatter - comments - contact the webmaster
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