Irvington HS boys basketball team cools off Nutley to advance to ECT quarterfinals

IRVINGTON, NJ – The seventh-seeded Irvington High School boys varsity basketball team defeated No. 26 seed Nutley, 77-61, in the first round (round of 16) of the Essex County Tournament at home on Feb. 9.

Kymani Dunbar had 19 points, 14 rebounds and nine steals; Nazamier Brooks had 17 points; Dezlyn Sebastien and Karriem Thomas each had 13 points and Dameer Vital had eight points for the Blue Knights, who improved to 17-4 and ended Nutley’s seven-game winning streak. Nutley moved to 9-11.

IHS advances to the quarterfinals at No. 2 seed Immaculate Conception of Montclair on Feb. 16. The winner will face either No. 6 Payne Tech or No. 3 West Side in the semifinals at West Orange HS on Feb. 19.

Dunbar had 17 points and six rebounds and Moses Pierre had 15 points, 11 rebounds and five steals in the 69-38 home win over Passaic Valley, Feb. 5, in a non-conference game. Thomas had 13 points; Brooks posted 10 points and four steals and Sebastien had five points and five assists.

Irvington lost to Marist, 60-53, Feb. 7.

IHS received the No. 2 seed in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2,Group 3 state tournament that begins the week of Feb. 25. Last season, they finished runner-up in the sectional tournament.