EAST ORANGE, NJ – The East Orange Campus High School varsity girls’ basketball team has enjoyed a tremendous run of success under head coach Derrick Johnson.
The Lady Jaguars enter the season as the two-time defending Essex County Tournament champion. EOCHS also has won state sectional titles in each of the past two seasons (2015 in North Jersey Section 1, and last season in North Jersey Section 2) and won the Super Essex Conference-American Division last season en route to a 24-4 record. They went 25-3 in the 2014-15 season for a whopping 49-7 combined record for the past two seasons.
This season’s Jaguars are fairly inexperienced after losing several players to graduation such as guard Marvellous Osagie Erese, who finished her career with more than 1,000 points and averaged 14.2 points a game to lead the team last year. Other graduated seniors were forwards Jessica Wood and Barbara Jackson and guard Sahara Crawford.
However, coach Johnson feels this year’s team can make another run.
“I think we can make a run again,” said coach Johnson, entering his 13th season at the helm. “We’re young and kind of inexperienced. We have one of two people who are battle-tested, but I think that we’re going to make a run.”
The team’s top returning players are sophomore point guard Brianna Mills and junior center Moriyah Jordan.
Mills possesses the qualities to be an effective guard.
“She is a tenacious defender; lightning quick; she can finish at the rim; make the open shot,” said coach Johnson. “She is a born leader.”
Jordan also is a force in the paint.
“I love her physicality,” said coach Johnson. “She is a good rebounder and she can finish at the rim.”
Sophomore guard Lakel Willis and senior Annoushka Boatswain also saw playing time last year and will see their roles expanded. Boatswain was a backup center last season.
Coach Johnson also is high on freshman guard Brianna Turner.
Junior forward Cinderella Hamilton is back with the team. Hamilton played her freshman year but moved out of district for her sophomore year.
Coach Johnson feels confident his team will start to jell just in time for the county and state tournaments.
“As the season goes on, we’ll see how it comes, but I think that if we learn from our mistakes early, come tournament time, we should be okay,” Johnson said.
EOCHS will visit University in the season opener in Newark at 7 p.m. in an SEC-American Division game.
NOTE: The Jaguars also were runner-up in the ECT and won the Section 2, Group 4 title in 2013.
Schedule
Dec. 16, at University, 7 p.m.*
Dec. 20, Shabazz, 7 p.m.*
Dec. 28, vs. Moore Catholic, at Marist Holiday Classic, 5 p.m.
Dec. 30, vs. Petrides, Marist Holiday Classic, 3 p.m.
Dec. 31, vs. Notre Dame Academy, Marist Holiday Classic, 5 p.m.
Jan. 3, at Bloomfield, 7 p.m.
Jan. 5, at Nutley, 7 p.m.*
Jan. 7, Montclair, 1 p.m.*
Jan. 10, at Newark Tech, 7 p.m.*
Jan. 12, at Newark Academy, 7 p.m.*
Jan. 17, University, 7 p.m.*
Jan. 19, at Shabazz, 7 p.m.*
Jan. 23, Morristown, 7 p.m.
Jan. 31, Nutley, 7 p.m.*
Feb. 2, Arts, 7 p.m.
Feb. 7, at Montclair, 7 p.m.*
Feb. 14, Newark Tech, 7 p.m.*
Feb. 16, Newark Academy, 7 p.m.*
Feb. 21, at Saddle River Day, 6 p.m.
*SEC-American Division game
East Orange Campus HS girls’ basketball team looks to continue great run of success this season added by Joe Ragozzino on
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