Cinnaminson High’s Gabby Harvey buries a mid-range jumper surrounded by three Williamstown defenders during the Pirates’ 39-32 victory.
The high school gymnasium was buzzing with excitement for the season opener featuring two of the best girls’ basketball teams in South Jersey, with the 2023 Burlington Division Champion Cinnaminson Pirates hosting the reigning Tri-County Classic Champion Williamstown Braves.
Starting with the opening tip, the action was fast-paced and furious, with both teams looking for a fast break after a defensive rebound or steal. With less than seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, Cinnaminson junior Shiloh Moore stole the basketball, raced down the court and was fouled while driving to the hoop. She sunk a foul shot to give the Pirates a 32-23 lead.
Williamstown’s point guard Alivia Mauz made a long, high-arcing, three-point jumper to cut into the lead. Cinnaminson responded as junior Norah Quinn drove hard to the basket for a bucket to make it 34-28.
Both defenses were playing tough and tenacious, and on the next possession, sophomore Gabby Harvey made a steal and then a rebound to foil the Braves. After a timeout with 1:51 remaining, Mauz sunk two foul shots, cutting the lead to just four points as the Williamstown fans in attendance cheered loudly.
The Pirates fans roared even louder seconds later, when Harvey came racing down the court, stopped near the foul line and buried a mid-range jumper for a 36-30 lead. With just 33 seconds left, head coach Bret Jenkins designed a perfect in-bounds play, leading to a Moore layup to clinch the 39-32 victory.
In the first quarter of action, Cinnaminson jumped out to a 12-2 lead, with senior Ava Sztenderowicz and Quinn leading the way on offense and the tough man-to-man defensive effort by the entire team shutting down the Braves. To start the second quarter, Moore secured an offensive rebound and put it back in the basket. Williamstown’s Callie Kozeniwski scored on a layup and made the foul shot for a traditional three-point bucket.
Both teams kept pushing the ball up the court at a frantic pace and defense was on point for both teams. Both Moore and Harvey came up with big steals for the Pirates, while the Braves stifled Cinnaminson’s offense.
With less than three minutes left, Moore made a steal and scored on a fast-break layup, and great hustle under the defensive boards by Sztenderowicz led to a jump ball. McKenna Eaton drove hard to the hoop for a bucket for the Braves and was fouled. Moore answered with a powerful drive for two points for the Pirates and then Mauz scored on a fast break for the Braves as the half ended with a 19-10 score.
The offense for both teams picked up in the third quarter. Moore made passes to Sztenderowicz and then Quinn for easy buckets, and Harvey made a 12-foot jumper for the Pirates. Mia Pezzato and Mauz scored baskets for the Braves.
With four minutes left, Quinn made a great drive to the hole for a bucket and Mauz responded with a three-pointer. Moore stole the ball again for a layup. After that, the Pirates could not buy a bucket the rest of the quarter as numerous good chances bounced off the rim.
Kozeniwski hit a corner jumper and added another bucket underneath for the Braves and Mauz scored on a layup. Moore made a foul shot and the quarter ended with the Pirates leading, 31-23.
The fourth quarter was tense for the fans of both teams, and the Braves tried hard for a come from behind win. But Bradley’s “nothing but net” jumper in the final minute sealed the victory for the Pirates to start the 2024-’25 basketball season.
Williamstown High School’s Peyton Magee looks to pass the basketball while being covered by Cinnaminson’s Shiloh Moore during the Pirates’ 39-32 victory on Dec. 17.
Players on the Cinnaminson High School’s girls’ basketball team lock arms during the national anthem, including Ava Sztenderowicz, Maddyn Rittler, Ellie Zarnawski, Gwen Cichonski, Shiloh Moore, Norah Quinn, Gabby Harvey, Mia Pacetti, Chloe Waerig and Mia Sztenderowicz.
