CRANFORD, NJ — A breakthrough season of sorts was realized last year for the Cranford High School girls basketball team.
Head coach Allison Skrec’s first team that finished better than .500 and since the 2015-2016 team closed 15-9, threatened for both Union County Tournament and North 2, Group 3 supremacy.
The Cougars, with seven varsity returners from last year’s squad that fashioned an impressive 19-8 overall record, reached last year’s UCT final for the first time since last capturing the crown in 2016 and then advanced all the way to the North 2, Group 3 semifinals.
The seven girls back include senior Bella Curanovic, junior Lily Costello, junior Courtney Toy, junior Brooke Bentrewicz, sophomore Sienna DeStefano, senior Ella Grady and sophomore Kasey Coon.
“They will all get significant minutes this year,” Skrec said.
Curanovic led the Cougars in points scored with 413 and rebounds with 171 a year ago in helping Cranford establish itself as one of the top teams in Union County once again. Curanovic led Cranford with 25 points in its UCT semifinal 50-48 win against Roselle Catholic High School and then filled the hoop for a team-high 23 points in its 59-57 overtime setback to Elizabeth High School in the UCT final at Kean University.
Elizabeth, which downed two-time defending champion New Providence High School, 64-56, in the UCT semifinals at Arthur L. Johnson High School, after losing twice in two tries to the Pioneers in Watchung Division play, claimed its first UCT crown since winning a third straight title in 1997.
The Minutemen went 19-10 overall and 5-7 in its first year back in the Union County Conference’s Watchung Division. Elizabeth then went on to reach the North 2, Group 4 final, falling at Hillsborough High School, 59-46.
Costello poured in 207 points for the Cougars last year, who fell at Chatham High School, 53-35, in their North 2, Group 3 semifinal. Chatham went on to beat visiting Colonia High School, 67-32, in the final and then won at Teaneck High School, 46-44, in the Group 3 semifinals. Chatham’s 28-4 season came to an end when it was defeated by Mainland Regional High School, 59-51, in the Group 3 final at Toms River North High School.
Key Cranford players lost to graduation included last-year seniors Maddy DeLong, Sophia DeMarco and Kristina Lowe. DeLong grabbed 118 rebounds, DeMarco scored 158 points and Lowe produced 119 points and 137 boards.
Cranford opens this Saturday, Dec. 14, at Morris County foe Mendham High School, a 1 p.m. tipoff.
Mendham, guided by head coach Hillary Milner, went 19-9 overall last year and 8-2 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference’s National Division. The Minutemen also reached the North 2, Group 3 semifinals, falling at Colonia High School, 52-42.
“Mendham poses a great test for us right off the bat,” Skrec said. “They’re a great program and are very well coached.
“We are excited and will be prepared for that challenge.”
Cranford finished 8-4 in the Watchung Division a year ago, tied for second with Roselle Catholic behind champion New Providence at 12-0. The Pioneers won the Watchung Division for the fourth straight year, including 2020-2021 at 12-0, 2021-2022 at 14-0 and 2022-2023 at 13-1.
Cranford Girls Basketball schedule for 2024-2025
• Saturday, Dec. 14, at Mendham, 1 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 19, at Roselle Catholic, 4 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 23, Roselle, 11 a.m.
• Friday, Dec. 27, Madison at Chatham, 3:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 28, at Chatham, 6:15 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 30, Oak Knoll at Chatham, 3:30 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 3, Elizabeth, 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 7, Scotch Plains–Fanwood, 6 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 9, Westfield, 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 11, at Arthur L. Johnson, noon
• Tuesday, Jan. 14, at Plainfield, 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 16, at New Providence, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 18, at Governor Livingston, 11:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 21, Roselle Catholic. 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 25, Mt. St. Dominic Academy, 11:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 28, at Elizabeth, 4 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 30, at Scotch Plains–Fanwood, 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 4, Plainfield, 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 6, New Providence, 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 13, at Union Catholic, 4 p.m.
Head coach: Allison Skrec
Union County Conference Girls Basketball Alignment for 2024-2025 season:
Watchung Division = seven schools
Cranford
Elizabeth
New Providence
Plainfield
Roselle Catholic
Scotch Plains–Fanwood
Westfield
Defending champion: New Providence
Mountain Division = seven schools
Jonathan Dayton
Governor Livingston
Arthur L. Johnson
Oak Knoll
Roselle
Summit
Union Catholic
2023-2024 champion: Plainfield
Valley Division = seven schools
David Brearley
Hillside
Kent Place
Linden
Rahway
Roselle Park
Union
2023-2024 champion: Roselle
Photos Courtesy of Allison Skrec