What can be considered a two-and-a-half month learning experience on many levels for the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High girls' basketball team came to an end Monday night in first round North 2, Group 3 competition.
The 13th-seeded Raiders fell at fourth-seeded Millburn 51-37, which wraps a 6-17 season. Scotch Plains finished 4-9 in the Watchung Division of the Union County Conference, with league wins over Plainfield, Rahway, Westfield and Elizabeth.
Millburn jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead, forcing turnovers with its full court press and trap.
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Scotch Plains scored the game's next five points, but then the Millers went on an 11-0 run to take an 18-5 lead.
The Raiders never gave up and drew to within seven at 30-23 early in the third quarter and trailed only by eight at 36-28 early in the fourth, but that was as close as they got.
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Millburn received a game-high 15-point effort from freshman bench player Jenny Smith, with the Millers improving to 18-6.
Millburn will next host fifth-seeded Somerville Wednesday in a quarterfinal.
Scotch Plains was paced offensively by junior point guard Evie Klotz, who scored eight, including one 3-pointer.
Klotz and every one of her other teammates can look forward to returning next season with a solid year of experience under their belts.
"We've been through a lot this year," first-year head coach Jennifer Ryan said. "Some things we handled better than others. Unfortunately, we couldn't handle Millburn's press."
Juniors who can return include Klotz, Erin Brown, Becca Kreyer, Aysia Peterson and Linsey Phelan. Ryan hopes to have a healthy Peterson for the entire season next year.
Liz Gallo is the lone sophomore on this year's roster, with the freshmen class including Kelsey Meisch, Christine Monroy, Renee Oliver, Taylor Sebolao and Tara Sweeney – all of whom started games this year.
"Everyone is back, so that's good," Ryan said. "We had to overcome injuries and inexperience this year, with the girls needing to understand what it takes to play at this level. Next year we will have leadership and maturity. The girls need to focus right now and do what's necessary in the off-season to be ready to go by November."
NOTES: The only conference game Scotch Plains did not play was its contest at Elizabeth, which was snowed out and will not be made up.
The Raiders can say that they defeated Westfield by double digits at home, with the Blue Devils ending up being one of the top five teams in the county. Scotch Plains topped Westfield 53-42 at home on Jan. 5.
Scotch Plains also won a county game over Rahway and qualified for the states, which were good signs for a team that started from scratch.
NORTH 2, GROUP 3 FIRST ROUND GAME AT MILLBURN
13-SCOTCH PLAINS (6-17) 10 7 9 11 - 37
4-MILLBURN (18-6) 20 7 9 15 - 51
SCOTCH PLAINS (37): Erin Brown 1-0-0-2, Liz Gallo 0-0-1-1, Sara Kileen 0-0-0-0, Evie Klotz 1-1-3-8, Becca Kreyer 3-0-0-6, Kelsey Meisch 0-0-0-0, Christine Monroy 0-0-0-0, Renee Oliver 2-0-4-8, Linsey Phelan 0-0-0-0, Taylor Sebolao 3-0-1-7, Tara Sweeney 2-0-1-5, Nicole Turso 0-0-0-0. Totals: 12-1-10-37.
Starters: Sebolao, Sweeney, Klotz, Monroy, Oliver.
MILLBURN (51): Hayley Distler 1-1-0-5, Carly Feit 4-0-2-10, Tori Graessle 0-0-0-0, Gabby Lee 0-0-0-0, Jordan Lee 0-0-0-0, Isabel Manfredonia 0-0-0-0, Taylor Perretti 4-0-1-9, Hallie Pickard 5-0-0-10, Jenny Smith 4-0-7-15, Stefanie Weg 0-0-0-0, Proshat Zarrabikia 1-0-0-2. Totals: 19-1-10-51.
Starters: Distler, Feit, Perretti, Pickard, Graessle.
NORTH 2, GROUP 3 - GIRLS' BASKETBALL
SEEDS: 1-West Morris. 2-Voorhees. 3-Cranford. 4-Millburn.
5-Somerville. 6-Mendham. 7-New Brunswick. 8-Warren Hills.
9-Belleville. 10-Irvington. 11-Colonia. 12-Nutley.
13-Scotch Plains. 14-Carteret. 15-South Plainfield. 16-Iselin Kennedy.
FIRST ROUND:
Monday, March 1
All eight home teams won.
Warren Hills 59, Belleville 42
West Morris 69, Iselin Kennedy 29
Somerville 46, Nutley 34
Millburn 51, Scotch Plains 37
New Brunswick 46, Irvington 42
Voorhees 64 South Plainfield 28
Mendham 50, Colonia 36
Cranford 59, Carteret 46
QUARTERFINALS:
Wednesday, March 3
TOP SIDE OF BRACKET:
5-Somerville at 4-Millburn
8-Warren Hills at 1-West Morris
BOTTOM SIDE OF BRACKET:
6-Mendham at 3-Cranford
7-New Brunswick at 2-Voorhees
SEMIFINALS:
Friday, March 5
At higher seeds.
FINAL:
Tuesday, March 9, TBA
