Girls Basketball

December 19, 2010

Harrison wins second straight

Rayven Lucas, Harrison

Harrison sophomore Rayven Lucas led all scorers with 15 points.

Click Here for photos from Harrison at McNair

By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director

JERSEY CITY – The basketball season is less than 48 hours old and Harrison head coach Al Ruiz can already see the change in his team – changes in demeanor and spirit, as well as the standings.

A team that has struggled in recent years, the Blue Tide now have two wins in as many days after a convincing 50-19 victory over McNair yesterday morning.

“You can definitely see in their faces the confidence,” said Ruiz who is in his first year as head coach after previous serving as an assistant. “You definitely see that they’re happy with where they’re going and where they could be this season,”

“It’s been better (this season),” said senior Nicole Cerqueira, a four-year starter. “He motivates us and it’s made us better.”

Harrison (2-0) had won in come-from-behind fashion at Becton the night before. There wouldn’t be any late-game drama this time around as the Blue Tide converted on a pair of buckets in the first minute and had opened up an 8-0 lead within the opening three minutes.

“I didn’t want the girls to come in feeling satisfied after one win,” Ruiz said. “I felt that if we pushed this game these girls are going to start feeling it and the momentum’s going to start going.”

Harrison’s pressure defense set the tone for the day as it forced the home Cougars (0-2) into 11 turnovers in the game’s first 10 minutes as the Blue Tide built up 20-4 lead.

“I hadn’t seen (them play defense like this),” said Ruiz, adding that his team’s added depth has allowed them to press more. “They’re starting to believe in their defensive ways and the defense should only get better from here on out.”

“We are a very basic team, we’re not very skilled, so facing that type of pressure is going to be very difficult for us,” McNair head coach Annie Cossolini said. “It’s something they’re going to have to get used to.”

Harrison would finish with 27 steals in the win with Cerqueira leading the thievery with six. Cerqueira, just missed her second double-double of the season as she added 13 points and nine rebounds.

“She likes to be in the mix of things, Ruiz said. “There’s no way you can tell her ‘stay down low, stay up top.’ She’s going to be wherever the ball is. She’s looking for it, she’s hungry for it.”

Bianca Martinez and Briana O’Donnell added five and four steals respectively. Sophomore Rayven Lucas scored a game-high 15 points, nine of them coming in the initial 20-4 run.

Arayna Kemp led McNair with six points, while Madison Cruz added five in defeat.

Arayna Kemp, McNair

Arayna Kemp scored a team-high six points for McNair and had three rebounds.

  1 2 3 4 Total
Harrison Blue Tide (2-0)
13
13
14
10
50
McNair Cougars (0-2)
4
2
8
5
19
Harrison   McNair
  2s 3s 1s Pts
Nicole Cerqueira
6
0
1
13
Maria Fernandez
1
0
0
2
Briana O'Donnell
1
0
0
2
Rayven Lucas
4
1
4
15
Bianca Martinez
3
0
0
6
Thianara Ramos
0
0
0
0
Sarai Rivera
0
0
0
0
Nicole Cunha
1
0
0
2
Steph Flatley
0
1
2
5
Allison Oliveira
0
0
0
0
Yulissa Pereya
1
0
1
3
Genevie Andujar 1 0 0 2
Ashley Rodriguez 0 0 0 0
Total 18 2 8 50
 
  2s 3s 1s Pts
Arayna Kemp
2
0
2
6
Madison Cruz
2
0
1
5
Linsah Coulanges
0
0
0
0
Natalia Estremera
2
0
0
4
Bena Nyangau
0
0
0
0
Darleen Rivera
0
0
0
0
Elizabeth Sarafiem
1
0
0
2
Akasha Maples
0
0
0
0
Micah Baluyat
0
0
0
0
Sarah Becker
0
0
0
0
Grace Suttle
1
0
0
2
Delsana Holis 0 0 0 0
Christina Nicholas 0 0 0 0
Total 8 0 3 19
     
Harrison: Cerqueira 9 rebounds, 6 steals; Martiez 5 steals; O'Donnell 4 steals; Pereya 4 rebounds. McNair: Maples 4 rebounds.