The Millburn girls basketball team has made its living this season by trampling over sub-par teams and winning games they're supposed to. Tuesday afternoon's match-up against the Newark East Side girls was no different.
The Miller girls started with a 14-1 first quarter spurt and never looked back, cruising to an easy 64-18 blowout win.
"I just think we handled the ball well, said Millburn head coach Bill Drennan. "We passed the ball well at times and offensively we moved the ball well. We didn't come down and settle for jump-shots right away."
Both teams started off slow, turning the ball over 10 times combined in the first three minutes. But the Millers eventually got their feet under them and scored 17 unanswered points in the first nine minutes, to go up 17-1. East Side did not even make its first field goal until the 6:10 mark of the second quarter.
By halftime the game had turned into a laugher as Millburn headed to the locker room with a 32-5 lead. The third and fourth quarters were just more of the same for Millburn. The visiting girls not only had trouble holding onto the ball but also could not make a shot. Millburn went on to outscore East Side 32-13 in the second half.
"Our half-court trap has become our favorite defense," Drennan said. "They have confidence in it and it just seems to work well for us."
East Side turned the ball over 36 times in the game and made just six baskets the entire game, shooting an abysmal 18.8 percent from the floor. Millburn was not perfect. The girls turned the ball over 22 times but shot very well from the floor, making nearly 51 percent of its attempts. Millburn also dominated the glass, 34-14, including 17 offensive rebounds.
Ten different Miller girls scored at least one basket, and they were led by Samidee Kirson with 10 points. Millburn senior co-captain Carly Feit led all players with eight rebounds.
Millburn improved to 14-5 overall, and East Side fell to 5-15. The win for Millburn is its 12th of the year against a team with a record below .500 and they are unbeaten in games against opponents with losing records this season.
"I've been on the sidelines when I was supposed to win by 30 and I lost by 10. And I've been there when we were supposed to score 12 points below them and we've won by 10," Drennan said. "Many things can happen. I guess some of the teams were a little weak, but we're getting better and better."
