Union County basketball teams that won on Saturday to advance to sectional finals included the Dayton boys’ and the Cranford and Governor Livingston girls’.
Top-seeded Dayton won at home over fourth-seeded Dunellen 59-41 in the North 2, Group 1 semifinals and will now host second-seeded University in Tuesday night’s boys’ N2, G1 final in Springfield.
This is the fourth straight year that Dayton, now 20-5, will be playing University in the North 2, Group 1 playoffs and the third straight season the teams will be battling in the final.
Here’s a look at the scores of their threee previous state tournament clashes:
2011-2012 SEASON:
March 5, 2012: University 71, Dayton 64 (OT) – final at Dayton
University was the 10th seed and Dayton the fourth.
2010-2011 SEASON:
March 8, 2011: Dayton 51, University 50 – final at Dayton
University was the third seed and Dayton the first seed.
2009-2010 SEASON:
March 5, 2010: University 64, Dayton 36 – semifinal at University
Dayton was the fourth seed and Unversity the first seed.
The Cranford girls’ downed Chatham 41-38 at home before the GL girls’ ousted Mendham 46-37 in the North 2, Group 3 semifinals.
It was a good day for Union County teams over Morris County squads.
As a result, sixth-seeded Cranford (19-8) will take on arch rival and top-seeded GL (23-4) in Monday night’s final in Berkeley Heights.
Cranford has won three straight, while GL is on a season-high and Union County-best 13-game winning streak. The Highlanders are now also the winningest team in Union County this season.
A total of 37 Union County teams qualified for the state playoffs – 19 boys’ teams and 18 girls’.
Of those 37, only seven made it to this coming week – the Linden, Dayton, Patrick School and Roselle Catholic boys’ and the Cranford, GL and Roselle Catholic girls’.
Here’s a look at Monday’s and Tuesday’s schedule concerning the seven Union County teams above that are still alive:
MONDAY, MARCH 4
BOYS’
North 2, Group 4 final: 2-Ridge at 1-Linden, TBA
Non-Public, South B semifinals: 3-Wildwood Catholic at 2-Roselle Catholic, TBA
5-Gill St. Bernard’s vs. 1-Patrick School at Rahway, 7 p.m.
GIRLS’
North 2, Group 3 final: 6-Cranford at 1-Gov. Livingston, TBA
Non-Public, South B semifinals: 4-Trenton Catholic at 1-Roselle Catholic, TBA
TUESDAY, MARCH 6
BOYS’
North 2, Group 1 final: 2-University at 1-Dayton, TBA
– JR PARACHINI