Off-Season Work Pays Dividends
With Union Off To A Superb Start

CRANFORD - In order for the Union Farmers to puff out their chests a bit and play with the confidence necessary to prevail over opponent after opponent a game-plan had to be constructed well before tryouts were to commence right after Thanksgiving.

The main reason for the boys basketball team getting off to a 6-1 start?

"The off-season, for sure," senior forward Javy Ocasio said. "There were three-hour practices and time spent in the weight room. That's where we began to grow as a team."

Junior guard Reed Flood amplifies: "we had to understand what our roles would be."

Union cruised to a convincing 69-52 Union County Conference-crossover triumph at Cranford Monday, Jan. 5 to improve to 6-1. The Famers are a basket away, they lost to Immaculata by one point, of being undefeated one game into January.

The playing field is more equal to Union's talent with the Farmers now situated in the UCC's middle Mountain Division. However, that transition is also serving as a motivator of sorts.

"We're playing with a bit of a chip on our shoulders," said Flood, who poured in 18 points, including three-three-pointers, against Cranford. "We want to show people that we should move back up (to the Watchung Division) next year."

Ocasio, using his height advantage, was strong on the board against the host Cougars and also contributed eight points.

Producing one more three-point field goal and leading Union offensively was freshman guard Elijah Cortes, who finished with 22 points on team highs of four three-pointers and five two-point field goals.

Cortes led a charge of Union filling the Martin Gymnasium baskets at Cranford High with a total of 12 three-pointers, seven in the first half and five more in the second, with as many as five Farmer players making at least one.​Cortes was also quick to grab a steal and take it all the way to the basket for an easy two.

"We wanted to set the tone early and dominate," Cortes said.

Union did just that. Following Cranford's only lead of 3-2 on a three-pointer made on the left side by senior Dylan Aveno, the Farmers went on to take a 20-10 lead after the first eight minutes.

Union continued to increase its lead in the second quarter with a mix of making threes and also scoring inside to build a lead of as much as 19 points. Union's largest lead of 21 was realized midway through the third quarter.

"I had confidence in my shot and my teammates were finding me," Cortes said.

"Elijah is on a pace for kids his age that's not too common," Union first-year head coach Erick Loften-Harris said. "He listens and learns."

Cortes characterizes Union's 6-1 start this way: "we're playing as a team. Our defense is defining our offense by leading to fast breaks and easier baskets."   

Union is next scheduled to host Mountain Division rival Johnson Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 4 p.m. and on Thursday, Jan. 8 is to play at Seton Hall Prep at 7 p.m.

The Farmers close a four-game week with a contest at Union City on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 1 p.m. 

"We have four tough games this week, so we wanted to get off on a good start," Cortes said.

"We shot the ball well, and that helps, and we wanted to make Cranford uncomfortable," Loften-Harris said. "Defense has been our staple. We have a certain margin of points we try to yield every game in addition to winning the rebounding margin."

Cranford senior guard Enzo Madrini paced all scorers with 23 points and was the only Cougar to score in double-digits. Madrini, who netted 11 of his points in the third quarter including two three-point plays, also paced Cranford with three of the team's six three-pointers. Madrini scored 17 of his points in the second half.

UNION COUNTY CONFERENCE-CROSSOVER GAME
Union (6-1)                  20          16          18          15 - 69
Cranford (3-4)             10          09          18          15 - 52

UNION FARMERS (69):
4-Reed Flood, junior, 4-3-1-18
20-Javy Ocasio, senior, 3-0-6-12
12-Elijah Cortes, freshman, 5-4-0-22
2-Stephen Siaw, senior, 0-2-0-6
5-Jeremy Archelus, junior, 0-1-0-3
11-Ezenna Asawabelem, senior, 0-2-0-6
25-Jordan D'Angiolilo, sophomore, 0-0-0-0   
13-Yeoukiro Lafortune, sophomore, 1-0-0-2
15-Justin Ridley, senior, 0-0-0-0
Totals: 13-12-7-69.
Starters: Siaw, Flood,
Ocasio, Archelus, Cortes.

CRANFORD COUGARS (52):
5-Enzo Madrini, senior, 4-3-6-23
3-Nick Dizdar, senior, 0-0-0-0
2-Dylan Aveno, senior, 0-1-1-4
11-Nate Aveno, sophomore, 1-1-0-5
10-Will Morgan, senior, 2-0-1-5
22-Nick Kiriakatis, sophomore, 4-0-0-8
33-Joe Petino, senior, 2-0-0-4
4-Brody Ewing, junior, 0-0-0-0
20-Dean Kiriakatis, sophomore, 0-0-0-0
12-Connor Nam, sophomore, 0-1-0-3
13-Owen Kwiatkowski, junior, 0-0-0-0
Totals: 13-6-8-52.
Starters: Madrini, D. Aveno,
Dizdar, Morgan, N. Aveno.