The Pirates won first place at the Audubon High School holiday tournament to end the 2017 calendar year with a 3–1 record.
An influx of young talent has Cinnaminson High School girls basketball off to a solid start in the 2017–18 season.
The Pirates rebounded from an opening night loss to Woodrow Wilson High School to win three consecutive games. This included a first-place finish at the Audubon High School holiday tournament over winter break.
Cinnaminson’s biggest victory during their win streak came against conference-rival and previously undefeated Holy Cross Academy on Dec. 28. The Pirates grinded out a tough, 53–51, double overtime win over the Lancers. Head coach Bret Jenkins feels winning a double overtime game will have a lasting impact on his team.
“You gain a lot of experience in situations that you’re going to come across throughout the year, especially in big division games and playoffs,” Jenkins said.
The Pirates showcased some of their new young talent during the Audubon holiday tournament. In the win over Holy Cross, sophomore Emily Mulligan emerged as a dual threat for Cinnaminson. Mulligan made a number of key rebounds and blocks during overtime for Cinnaminson. She also scored a career-high 13 points in the win.
“We saw that from her over the summer,” Jenkins said. “She plays so hard, she’s 100 percent all the time.”
“Hopefully that gives her the confidence to keep it going the rest of the year,” Jenkins added about Mulligan. “Only being a sophomore, this is her first live experience on varsity in a game.”
“I didn’t really expect to play like that,” Mulligan said about her performance on Dec. 28. “Momentum got me and I just really wanted to win. It was a great opportunity and experience for me.”
On Dec. 29 against Gloucester City Junior-Senior High School, the Pirates got a big boost from another newcomer, sophomore Kayla Caban, who scored 13 points in Cinnaminson’s 49–37 win. Caban transferred to Cinnaminson from Paul VI and has emerged as a threat from the perimeter, leading the Pirates in three-pointers during the team’s first four games. She has complemented the scoring prowess of the Pirates’ top two returning players, senior Fiona Flynn and junior Maddie Ogden.
“We’re a great sharing team,” Mulligan said. “It’s not just about one player.”
Jenkins believes Flynn and Ogden will be essential to the team’s 2017–18 success. Flynn led the Pirates in scoring last year and will be aiming for her 1,000th career point later this season.
“You can always count on her late in the game,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins said Ogden has the ability to play both inside and make shots from the perimeter. Ogden will also be looked upon as a leader this year.
“We only have two seniors this year, so I kind of had to step up,” Ogden said. “We have a lot of younger girls.”
The Pirates will face more tough challenges later this season. Holy Cross is expected to be one of the Burlington County Scholastic League’s toughest teams. The Pirates will face Holy Cross again on the road on Jan. 27. The night before, Cinnaminson is scheduled to face another tough test as they host Haddonfield Memorial High School. Haddonfield eliminated Cinnaminson in the South Jersey Group II quarterfinals last year.
Despite the tough schedule, there’s a lot of optimism surrounding the Pirates. Ogden believes this year’s team can eclipse the 20–8 record it had last year.
“I think we’ll win a lot of games this season,” Ogden said. “Last year, we had a 20-win season, which was great. I think we can easily match that this season.”
