Friday 12-29-06 -- Cons. Game at Morris Hills HS
Sometimes, a little Holiday magic is all you need. Morris Hills used a lot of hard work, great defense and a handful of key shots to turn a 32-44 deficit to a 55-47 victory after outscoring the Cougars 23-3 in the final frame.
Kittatinny looked as if they were going to cruise easily to their second win of the season. The Cougars looked strong and opened with 14-7 lead with a little more than 2 minutes left in the first. Cougar Senior Phalen Livingston scored the first two points of the game on free throws and finished the first frame with 8 points. Junior Erica Calella popped in 6 and Christine Indoasto added 4 off the bench as the Cougars built an 18-11 lead to end the first quarter. Scarlet Knight Sophomore Meghan Gaven scored the final two baskets of the first quarter of Morris Hills.
The Cougars had built a 14 point lead scoring the first 7 points, five by Livingston, in the second quarter before Laura Urbanowitz connected for Morris Hills. Cougar Eric Calella hit both of her free throws to give Kittatinny a 14 lead, 27-13. Morris Hills head Coach Bill Niemann was hit with a technical foul. For those of you who know Coach Niemann, you know he can be vocal and pretty darn stern at times. This was not one of them. I should have asked coach if intended to be T’d up, because immediately after the free throws and facing their largest deficit of the day, the Scarlet Knights responded in a big way. The Kittatinny player made only one of four of the bonus shots. The Lady Knights went to work on the double digit lead. Senior and leading scorer Nicole Celli (27 for the game, 9 this quarter) sank a three pointer from the top the arc; Lauren Urbanowitz stole the ball on the way up the court and converted the lay up for a quick 5 point swing and immediately the momentum swung in favor of the host; The Lady Knights finished down by 3 to end the quarter.
Nicole Celli opened the second half with a game tying three. With the game knotted up at 28, the Cougars responded with a 12 point run. Alyssa Boyer and Livingston contributed with 7 in the 3rd. The Cougars led 44-32 at the end of the third quarter. Morris Hills’ only off
ense was two three pointers from Celli and a free throw from Urbanowitz.
Coach Niemann must have reached down into his Holiday gift bag and found a little bit of magic. The Scarlet Knights began chipping away at the lead and looked confident in the final frame. Defensively, the Knights were superb, holding the Cougars to only three points. The Scarlet Knights opened with a basket from Jessica Bertoli followed by 2 hoops from Colleen Kelly. Kelly manufactured the second basket stealing the ball and connecting on the lay up. Celli knocked down back-to-back threes, the second giving the host lead with 4:50 left in the game its first lead since early in the first quarter when they lead 5-4. Celli, Urbanowitz and Kelly all added free throws to finish the game and score another impressive comeback.
Last week, the youth based Scarlet Knights came back to tie up Parsippany Hills and win the game in over time to win their third game in as many tries. Morris Hills moves into 2007 with an impressive 4-1 record and looks to continue playing well. Their schedule remains very tough from here on in. The Scarlet Knight only loss was in the opening game of this tournament to undefeated and tournament champion West Morris. Friday the 5th, the Scarlet Knights battle the up and coming and a bit surprising Scarlet Knights of West Essex. West Essex, lead by excellent coach Tom Kenny, are currently 5-0 and playing the best ball of Kenny’s tenure at the North Caldwell School. Hills then travels to Chatham, hosts Hanover Park during the next week.
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Team stats Kittatinny Morris Hills Points 47 55 Field goals 19-44 (43.2%) 13-45 (28.9%) 3 point field goals 3-8 (37.5%) 8-19 (42.1%) Free throws 6-11 (54.5%) 21-30 (70.0%) Rebounds (Total-Off.) 19-13 14-11 Steals 10 9 Blocked shots 1 2 Total fouls 22 12 Bench points 6 9
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