After opening its season with a convincing victory over the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders, the Cranford High School boys basketball team dropped a 70-58 decision to the 2-0 Oratory Prep Rams in Cranford on December 16 then three days later the Cougars fell to the Summit Hilltoppers, 57-51, in Summit.

Against Oratory Prep, the Cougars held a 34-19 lead at the half but the Rams charged back with a 51-24 second half thanks to an upbeat of 3pointers and steals. Oratory finished with nine 3-pointers and 12 steals.

Cougar Nick Amitie pumped in 23 points, pulled six rebounds and added three assists. Chase Teel finished with 10 points, five rebounds and an assist. Enzo Madrini scored nine points and added five assists, two rebounds and a steal. Josh Ketschke netted seven points, fivereboundsandanassist.DylanAveno had five points, two assists and two rebounds. Darren Bush had two points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Chris Santarelli pulled five rebounds and scored two points.

John Pirone led the Rams with 32 points, including six 3-pointers, and added three steals and three rebounds. Asher Bradley finished with 16 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals. Max Cook put up 14 points, including a 3-pointer, and had three steals, three rebounds and two assists. Nick Servitto (assist, 2 steals) and Henry Bolster each sank a 3pointer. Pat Conniff had seven rebounds, two blocks, two points, an assist and a steal.

The Cougars were stung with 11 3pointers in the game against the Hilltoppers led by Matt Caplan with 16 points (4 3-pointers), three rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Tripp Johnston finished with 15 points (3 3-pointers), two assists and two rebounds. Dave Fix came up with 12 points (3 3-pointers), four assists, four rebounds and two steals. Jake Easton scored 13 points (3-pointer) and added 11 rebounds, four blocks, two assists and a steal. Tyle Kessel had four rebounds, a point, an assist and a steal.

Amitie scored 25 points, pulled seven rebounds and added four blocks, three assists and a steal. Santarelli finished with 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and a block. Teel had eight rebounds, two points, four assists, two steals and a block. Madrini had three points, six rebounds and an assist. Bush had two points, a steal and an assist. Aveno had two rebounds and an assist. Ryan Klimko had one rebound.

Oratory Prep 9 10 25 26 70 Cranford 18 16 15 9 58 Cranford 13 8 20 10 51 Summit 13 18 13 13 57