CLARK, NJ — The Crusaders tried their best.
Arthur L. Johnson High School, the fifth seed, even led by five points after the first eight minutes, in an attempt to prevent all four top seeds from advancing to the Final Four.
In the end, however, fourth-seeded Plainfield High School proved too poised, powerful and prodigious.
Malia Underwood connected on her only three-point field goal at the second quarter buzzer to extend Plainfield’s lead to four at the break, before the Cardinals began separation in the third quarter, thanks to some strong offensive rebounding and converting Arthur L. Johnson turnovers.
“They were able to speed the game up and we made a lot of bad passes,” Arthur L. Johnson head coach Joe Marino said.
Plainfield went on to post a convincing 58-44 Union County Tournament quarterfinal round triumph against Arthur L. Johnson on Saturday, Feb. 14, at Arthur L. Johnson High School in the second of the four quarterfinal contests played there.
The other top seeds also won, with top-seeded New Providence High School first eliminating ninth-seeded Elizabeth High School, 70-39, in a battle of the last two champions. Then, in the evening games, it was second-seeded Westfield High School defeating 10th-seeded Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, 54-21, and third-seeded Union Catholic High School beating sixth-seeded Cranford High School, 50-46.
50th annual UCT Girls Basketball Semifinals
at Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark
Wednesday, Feb. 18
4-Plainfield (13-10) vs. 1-New Providence (22-1), 6 p.m.
3-Union Catholic (12-9) vs. 2-Westfield (17-6), 7:30 p.m.
team records are through games played Saturday, Feb. 14
Regular season Union County Conference–Watchung Division play
Dec. 16: New Providence 64, Plainfield 51 – at New Providence
Jan. 15: New Providence 60, Plainfield 53 – at Plainfield
Jan. 8: Westfield 59, Union Catholic 36 – at Westfield
Feb. 3: Westfield 53, Union Catholic 51 – at Union Catholic
Championship game at Kean University’s Harwood Arena in Union
Sunday, Feb. 22
Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.
The 50th annual girls basketball Union County Tournament was scheduled to continue Wednesday, Feb. 18, with semifinal contests at Arthur L. Johnson that include Plainfield vs. New Providence at 6 p.m., followed by Union Catholic vs. Westfield at 7:30 p.m.
The championship game is set to be played Sunday, Feb. 22, at Kean University’s Harwood Arena in Union, with a tentative starting time of 2 p.m., before the boys final.
Plainfield, which outscored Arthur L. Johnson, 50-31, after the first quarter, was sparked by the play of senior guard Jahnae Lembrick, who led all scorers with 16 points. Others who contributed mightily included Imani Mullings with nine points, Stacy Argueta Graceila with eight, and Underwood and Kazhae Casey with seven each.
“They were able to expand the court and they were faster than us,” Marino said.
Arthur L. Johnson jumped out to a 6-1 start that included the Crusaders beginning with a full court press. Jordanna Tarentino made the first two of her eight free throws and then produced a layup to put Arthur L. Johnson up 4-0. Elizabeth Fitzharris then scored off an offensive rebound to make it 6-1.
A layup by Avery Forfa gave Arthur L. Johnson an 11-6 lead. Two more free throws by Tarentino made it 13-8 at the end of the first quarter.
Tarentino and Alisia Hamm paced Arthur L. Johnson offensively with 12 points each.
Plainfield improved to 13-10, while Arthur L. Johnson fell to 18-3.
Later in the day, Cranford, the sixth seed, also led 13-8 at the end of the first quarter against third-seeded Union Catholic in the fourth and final quarterfinal of the day at Louis J. Peragallo Gymnasium. Union Catholic came back to take a one-point lead heading into the fourth quarter en route to a 50-46 triumph in the closest quarterfinal of the day.
The teams previously split UCC-Watchung Division battles, Cranford winning 35-34 at Union Catholic on Thursday, Dec. 18, and Union Catholic winning 57-48 at Cranford on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
Arthur L. Johnson, the Union County Conference-Mountain Division champion perfect at 12-0, was next scheduled to host Oak Knoll on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 4 p.m., and then wrap its regular season schedule at home against Kent Place School on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 5:30 p.m.
The Crusaders will then prepare for the Central Jersey, Group 2 playoffs that will commence Tuesday, Feb. 24. Arthur L. Johnson expects to get the No. 3 seed and would be home for the first two rounds, should the Crusaders win their first-round game.
“We like where we are,” Marino said. “We’re set up to play two home games and then, hopefully, get another shot at Rumson.”
Arthur L. Johnson lost at Rumson–Fair Haven High School, 73-37, in the second round last year. Manasquan High School is the defending champion.
UCT quarterfinal at Arthur L. Johnson
5-Johnson Crusaders (18-3) 13 10 12 09 – 44
4-Plainfield Cardinals (13-10) 08 19 19 12 – 58
5-Arthur L. Johnson Crusaders (44):
3-Elizabeth Fitzharris, senior, 4-0-0-8
2-Alisia Hamm, senior, 1-3-1-12
10-Avery Forfa, senior, 1-1-0-5
11-Jordanna Tarentino, senior, 2-0-8-12
12-Julia Lettini senior, 2-0-0-4
4-Clare Brighouse, junior, 0-1-0-3
15-Audrey Humphries, sophomore, 0-0-0-0
13-Giuliana Hamm, sophomore
Starters: Fitzharris, A. Hamm,
Forfa, Tarentino, Lettini.
Totals: 10-5-9-44.
4-Plainfield Cardinals (58):
1-Jahnae Lembrick, senior, 6-1-1-16
21-Sarae Croley-Battle, junior, 1-0-6-8
11-Imani Mullings, senior, 3-1-0-9
2-Malia Underwood, sophomore, 2-1-0-7
23-Kazhae Casey, senior, 3-0-1-7
33-Stacy Argueta Graceila, junior, 4-0-0-8
24-Mackenzie Anderson Cook, junior, 0-0-0-0
Starters: Underwood, Mullings,
Croley-Battle, Casey, Anderson Cook.
Totals: 19-3-8-55.
Photo by JR Parachini
