CLARK, NJ- The Arthur L. Johnson High School Crusaders took to the floor for Super Saturday without key players on the bench leaving them vulnerable and in a loss to the Oak Knoll High School Royals in a final score of 46-28.
The Crusaders only trailed the Royals by a score of 8-5 with about two minutes remaining in the first quarter, after falling behind by a score of 8-0. The Royals finished the quarter on an 8-2 scoring run to take a 16-7 lead after the first eight minutes of action.
The Royals led by a score of 20-10 with 4:25 left in the second quarter went on a 6-2 scoring run over a three-minute span to build their lead up to 26-12 and led the Crusaders by that same score at halftime.
The third quarter was a rough one for the Crusaders, as they were held almost three and a half minutes without a basket. With the Royals building it up to a 31-12 lead before Johnson received their first points of the quarter.
At various parts of the second half, Oak Knoll built it up on defense and continued to cash in for baskets to put the game away in the fourth quarter and secure the win. The Crusaders remain focused on working hard in practices to get better as the season goes along.
“The girls worked hard, it was a team effort,” Johnson head coach Joe Marino said. “If we make a couple of shots here and there, [it’ll help us] in the game.”
