BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer
JEFFGRANIT staff Marissa Rodriguez and the Bishop Ahr Trojans have emerged as one of the GMC’s elite teams this season as they look ahead to the upcoming postseason. EDISON — The Bishop Ahr High School girls basketball team stretched its winning streak to five with a 53-17 win over Highland Park Saturday.
Earlier in the week the Trojans registered wins over South River and Spotswood. The team is currently in second place in the Greater Middlesex Conference Blue Division with a 7-1 league record.
Junior Sara Burrows has been bringing her A-game to the court as of late scoring 12 against both Highland Park and South River.
“Sara is showing more confidence lately,” Bishop Ahr head coach Kevin Harper said. “The guards are also doing a nice job of getting her the ball inside where she can make easy baskets.”
Freshman center Christy Dure has been another key contributor in the team’s run to a 10-2 record. Dure netted eight in the win over Highland Park.
“Christy is starting to find her way,” Harper said. “The adjustment period is hopefully coming to an end for her.”
In the 45-30 win over South River Jan. 20, senior Erin Mulvey scored 10 points and teammate Ashley Johnson netted seven. Mulvey is currently the team’s leading scorer with 11.5 per game.
“The key for us is that we’ve been playing pretty solid defense,” Harper said. “The team has only given up 50 points twice all year. Last week the highest they gave up in a game was 30, so they’ve been pretty stingy.”
Spotswood was the first victim in the week and they were beaten 42-26. Junior guard Maura Crehan scored 12 in the win.
“That was one of Maura’s better games,” Harper said. “Hopefully, everyone will stay on track because we have a tough week ahead of us.”
After a meeting with Metuchen scheduled earlier in the week, Bishop Ahr will host Mother Seton for a 7 p.m. meting tonight. The Trojans came out on top in their first meeting, 43-29.
At week’s end the Trojans get a much anticipated rematch with the top team in the GMC Blue Division, the Cardinal McCarrick Eagles.
The Eagles are 8-0 in the conference with a 9-2 overall record. It was the Eagles that handed Bishop Ahr its lone loss in Blue Division competition.
“Hopefully, we won’t turn the ball over as much as we did in that first loss,” Harper said. “Turnovers gave us a lot of trouble last time and it gave them some easy baskets.”
McCarrick’s freshman Lauren Zarantanello has been emerging as one of the league’s brightest future stars and the Trojans will need to find a way to contain the talented center.
“She [Zarantanello] had 12 against us last time,” Harper said.
“The team was impressive with their defensive pressure and Zarantanello played a key role.”
Zarantanello’s size was another key factor in allowing the Eagles to have their way with Bishop Ahr in the first game.
“We will definitely have to rebound better,” Harper said. “They are an up-and-down team, and they like to run, but they really hurt us on the offensive glass. We can’t give them the second chances and the easy putbacks.”