Dec 2002 SPF-Cranford Girls B Ball

Before Friday’s season opener at Cranford, ScotchPlains Girls’ coach Brian Homm worried about histalented teams’ one potential achilles heal, depth. “Our bench is thin and inexperienced. We will need tofind out about some people”, said Homm. As it turned out, Homm’s bench almost logged as muchtime as his starters when the Raiders rode a 30-2 runin the second and third quarters to turn a tight gameinto an easy 63-39 victory.

The game was not as closeas the final score with Homm liberally substitutingthroughout the second half. The Raiders’ super freshman trio of a year ago,center Hillary Klimowicz, point guard Jenny Burke andforward Maura Gillooley picked up where they left offcombining for 35 points, 17 by Klimowicz.

The trio had13 first quarter points as the Raiders cruised to a17-8 lead but Cranford’s Lauren O’Donnell hit a threepointer early in the second quarter to cut the lead to17-11. It was at that point that the play of two of those“people” Homm was referring to, substitutes ElizabethDeCataldo ,a sophomore guard and Chanelle Freeman, a6’2 junior forward combined with much improved 5’11junior forward Jen Russell and Klimowicz to break thegame open.

After Klimowicz hit two foul shots to make it 19-11,Russell converted an offensive rebound and a fastbreak layup to open the lead to 12. Cranford’s AmandaMitchell hit a jumper to make it 23-13 with 5 minutesleft in the half but that was the Cougar’s lastpoints for more than a quarter.DeCataldo scored five quick points on a three pointerand layup off a feed from Russell,then Klimowicz addeda three point play and Freeman took a nice pass fromKlimowicz to make it 35-13 at the half.

“It was close for a while but we really stepped it upon defense in the second quarter”, said Homm.The Lady Cougars with only one player over 5 ’10 haddifficulty competing with the Lady Raiders’ hugeheight advantage.

“They are not only tall but they are very talented”,said Cranford coach Brian Chapman.The Raiders’ ended any hopes of a Cranford comeback byrunning 12 more points to start the third quarter.Lindsay Pennella, the team’s only senior sandwichedtwo jumpers around baskets by Klimowicz and Burke andthen the two supsersubs DeCataldo and Freeman addedbaskets for a 47-13 advantage before Homm cleared hisbench.Homm was clearly pleased with the play of his three“new” players.

“Elizabeth is a player that has to come in and give usa lift”, said Homm. “Freeman and Russell are key players to help us withour inside game”,said Homm.

“With all the double teams that Hillary is going tosee this year, they need to step up” said Homm ofRussell,who was little used a year ago and Freeman whodid not play at all. Russell wound up with 10 points, Freeman had 5 and 10rebounds and DeCataldo had seven points.

“I’m looking to pass the ball when they double me”,said Klimowicz who had five assists. Almost lost inthe inside barrage was a flawless performace by Burkewho had six assists and several steals to go alongwith 11 points.O’Donnell led Cranford with 11 points, including threefrom behind the arc.

“I was so nervous all day,” admitted Burke.“There has been so much hype about us. We’ve beenpracticing very hard together and are happy to play agame that counts”.

Chapman,who played three freshmen in his 10 playerrotation was not surprised with the result.,“This is a young team and I think we should be a muchbetter team later in the year. I just hope that everyopponent isn’t as good as Scotch Plains”.