Coming off a strong second-half performance in a 62-46 victory against Carteret at home on Monday, the Sayreville War Memorial High School girls basketball team seems to be attaining the consistency coach Tara Currie wants to see on a regular basis.
Left to right: Sayreville War Memorial High School’s Lanie Andrews puts one up while on the move during a game against Manasquan Dec. 26 in the Jack Kuhnert Holiday Basketball Tournament in Freehold Township. Sayreville War Memorial High School’s Tanasia Wilson puts one up from underneath the boards. The Bombers dominated the boards as Tanasia Wilson grabbed 17 rebounds and Jessica Kitrys pulled down 10 caroms — and scored 17 points apiece. Laine Andrews added 14 points and Cheyenne Grant contributed 10 points. The game remained close through the first half before Sayreville pulled away after the intermission.
With the victory, Currie’s team upped its record to 6-1 overall. The lone loss came against Manasquan in the Jack Kuhnert MemorialTournament in Freehold. Sayreville finished fifth in the tourney, but won its two other games against Freehold Borough and HamiltonWest. In the latter, the Bombers squandered a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, only to recover and win in overtime.
PHOTOS BY RICH GRAESSLE In Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) White Division action, Sayreville has defeated Monroe and Perth Amboy, in addition to Carteret. The Bombers other victory came against Perth Amboy in a nonconference match-up.
“We’ve kind of been playing well, but not really playing that well,” Currie said. “The girls have generally outplayed the opposition, but we just can’t seem to put them away and we’re going down to the wire.”
Currie pointed to the Freehold Borough game as an example. Up by 14 points in the final quarter, the Bombers withstood a furious Colonials rally and held on to win. At the other extreme was Sayreville’s showing against Manasquan. Outscored 18-5 in the opening quarter, the Bombers gradually battled back and cut the lead to three points with less than two minutes remaining.
“We have to develop some more consistency,” Currie said. “It’s good to be 6-1, but I really think the girls can play better, especially since we have so many experienced seniors in the lineup and we have good team height.”
Kitrys and Andrews are in their fourth season as starters, and both have been playing well. Kitrys, a 5-11 forward, averages 17 points and eight rebounds, while Andrews, who plays point guard, averages 10 points and distributes the ball well.
Wilson, another 5-11 forward, is in her third varsity campaign and is the team’s top rebounder, averaging nearly 11 caroms per game. Grant, one of Sayreville’s best defenders, is in her second varsity season.
The Bombers have clearly missed Jacquie Ciak, another four-year starter, who normally shares point guard duties with Andrews in Sayreville’s three-guard attack. Ciak is out with a knee injury and may return later this week. Her ability to take the ball to the hoop adds another element to the Bombers offense.
Two juniors, Alexis Baker and Natasha Gordon have been splitting time as the third guard in Ciak’s absence. Nicole Adamusik, junior Jamilla Manley and sophomore Rachel Harris give Currie additional depth to call upon.
That depth may be tested the rest of this week as Sayreville was preparing for two tough divisional contests at press time. Yesterday, the Bombers were slated to travel to neighboring South Amboy to visit Cardinal McCarrick before returning home tomorrow to host Bishop Ahr.