On Saturday, February 12, 2022, the Cherry Hill East girls basketball team secured their fourth win of the season against Northern Burlington with a final score of 41-33. The Cougars’ starting lineup was Lily Quintero (‘24) and Devyn Levin (‘22) at forward, and guards Humna Hussain (‘24), Marisa Rappaport (‘22), and Vinnie Lin (‘22). Lily Quintero led all scorers with 21 points, followed by Humna Hussain with 13 points. Vinnie Lin, Devyn Levin, and Katie Pierlott (‘23) also chipped in with 2 points and Marissa Rappaport with 1.
Going into the game, sophomore Lily Quintero made sure to focus and have a good mindset. “When I go into a game, I get serious,” Quintero says, “Before the game starts it’s laughs and giggles, but when the game starts it’s time to get focused”. On Saturday, the girls had to box out more than they usually do, especially since starting forward Jenna McGovern (‘24) was out due to an injury. However, the team was able to push through and did a great job even though they were missing a key player. In addition, the girls worked great on offense. They were able to pass and share the ball which helped the defense move, opening up other teammates for shots. “I think the team did well offensively during the times that we drove the ball and kicked it out for a layup,” says Hussain, “We got a lot more points off of the drive and kicks since the offense flowed more smoothly and everyone was working together”.
By halftime, the Cougars already had a great lead over Northern Burlington. Their teamwork and communication helped them maintain that lead throughout the game. “Some key highlights of the game were our transition plays where we moved the ball quickly and efficiently up the court in order to score more points,” says Hussain. The team was able to work these transition plays well and score some more points to secure their win!
With only a few more games left of the season, the Cougars are looking pretty promising. “I believe if we continue to play like so, then we can play much better against other opponents!” says Quintero. Vinnie Lin is also looking forward to the last couple of games of the season. “I think we’ve grown as a team and improved a lot throughout the season, so hopefully we can win these last few games and finish off the season strong,” says Lin. We look forward to seeing what the team will bring in the upcoming weeks!