Lady Bulldogs run winning streak to five

Girls basketball

By: Matt Nalbone
   Even though it’s still very early in the season, the Hopewell Valley Central High School girls basketball team has done some very good things.
   After only winning six games all last year, they headed into last week’s game against Nottingham with a perfect 4-0 record, holding the Hammonton Holiday Tournament championship. Hopewell Valley led the entire game on its way to a 45-33 victory.
   Leslie Maurer led the way offensively with 13 points, while Lauren Manley chipped in with 12 points, six coming on three pointers. Maurer had a good all-around game with six rebounds, four assists and four steals to lead the Lady Bulldogs.
   Kristy Cramp and Emily Newport had seven points apiece, as Hopewell Valley improved to 5-0 on the season.
   "It was the first home of the season, so the girls were a little overanxious," Hopewell Valley coach John McGinley said. "We were playing well, but not as well as we could have been."
   Hopewell Valley led 23-17 at halftime and didn’t slow down. The Lasy Bulldogs never gave up the lead, making 14 foul shots in the win.
   "Nottingham played good on defense," McGinley said. "They were man-to-man, but, in the second half, we were driving to the basket and getting to the foul line more."
   Lauren Reading had six rebounds while sharing time with Newport, who got into foul trouble early.
   "We made our run when she (Reading) was in the game," McGinley said. "We had a good defensive effort in the second half, and we built a 14-15 point lead. It was good we were able to get a lot of people in the game."
   Hopewell Valley got 12 people playing time, as they prepared for the tough CVC schedule that lies ahead. Through five games, the girls sit on top of the Valley Division in the CVC.
   The Lady Bulldogs have a perfect 3-0 record within the conference and hold a one-game lead over West Windsor-Plainsboro North. Cramp leads the team in scoring and is sixth in the conference, averaging 14 points a game.
   Manley is averaging 11.5 points per game, good for eighth in the conference. The team scores an average of 45 points a game while only giving up 34 on defense.
   The team has two tough games this upcoming week, a home game against Trenton and a battle on Monday with West Windsor-Plainsboro North.
   "It will be good for us to play such a high-caliber team," McGinley said. "We just have to go out and do the best we can."