Guard Qeiajae Canty (Atlantic City) deposited 26 points while teammate Nikita Acker (Triton) tossed in 25, leading the Roadrunner women's basketball team to a 98-26 triumph over visiting Atlantic Cape in a Garden State Athletic Conference game Thursday night.
The duo led four Roadrunner starters finishing in double figures. Guard Mya Lewis (Cherry Hill West) enjoyed perhaps her best game of the season, firing in 14 points and collecting 7 assists and 4 steals in just 20 minutes of play. She was joined in twin figures by forward Trina Deveney-Bethea (Cedar Creek), who chipped in with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Canty and guard Kylar Coughlin (Gloucester) also picked up 13 rebounds apiece.
The Runners captured their fourth straight victory and eighth in their last nine outings.
Coach Rich Cooper's team raced to a 35-6 lead after the first period and extended the advantage to 62-9 at halftime, putting the outcome well out of reach.
Next up for the Runners (11-4 overall, 9-1 conference) will be a road match at Sussex County College Saturday, December 11 starting at 12 noon.
GAME PREVIEW
Roadrunners' women's basketball coach Rich Cooper knows that a healthy roster usually leads to plenty of success on the court. That being the case, his club may indeed be poised to make a solid run toward conference and region championships as the second half of the season opens Thursday night, January 9, at home vs. Atlantic Cape CC in a 5 pm start.
"We're healthy -- and the chemistry keeps getting better all the time," said Cooper, who is closing in on 100 career wins. "Everyone is focused. This is a solid group of players."
The team will look to win their seventh game in their previous eight outings when the opening tipoff takes place to start the second half of an already successful 2019-20 campaign.
Top scorers for the Runners include freshman guard Qeiajae Canty (Atlantic City, 16.1 ppg), and forwards Nikita Acker (Triton Regional, 9.9 ppg) and Trina Deveney-Bethea (Cedar Creek, 15.2 ppg, 9.2 rebounds/game). Sophomore guard Mya Lewis (Cherry Hill West) and forwards Kylar Coughlin (Gloucester) and Kadina Harris-Hood (Atlantic City) also are enjoying solid seasons.
The squad also appears to be getting things accomplished on the defensive front. Coughlin, Canty, Acker, and Lewis have combined for a whopping 140 steals, with Canty leading the pack with 42 steals, while Deveney-Bethea has contributed 19 blocked shots.
"We preach defense all the time, and when we're healthy like this you start to see the results," said Cooper. "Our transition game has really started to pick up steam."
The Runners will try and win their fourth straight contest following a recent win over Bergen on December 21.
The Runners enter Thursday's contest with a 10-4 overall record. They will face a Bucs' team that enters the match-up with a 1-9 overall record.
Game Day information is below.
"Any one of three or four teams can win the region," said Cooper, whose team won the crown two years ago to qualify for the NJCAA National Championship Tournament. "We hope to stay healthy and continue making progress toward that goal."
GAME DAY INFORMATION
RCSJ-Gloucester vs. Atlantic Cape Community College
January 9, 5:00 pm
Hosted by:
Roadrunner Athletics, Deptford, NJ
Coaches:
Rich Cooper RCSJ Gloucester
Frederick Daniel, Atlantic Cape
Records:
Roadrunners: 10-4 overall, 8-1 Conference, 8-1 Region
Atlantic Cape: 1-9 overall, 0-8 Conference, 0-9 Region
