Nutley HS girls’ basketball team falls in state tournament first round to end banner 16-9 campaign

Rebecca Granata holds the ball during the win over Columbia on Jan. 30.

NUTLEY, NJ – The eighth-seeded Nutley High School girls’ varsity basketball team dropped a hard fought 41-39 decision to eighth-seeded Summit in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 3 state tournament on Feb. 26 at NHS.

Unfortunately, the loss ended the season for the Raiders, who finished with an impressive 16-9 record, including capturing the Super Essex Conference-Liberty Division crown with a 13-1 conference record. The loss also ended the team’s five-game winning streak.

Nutley, under head coach Larry Mitschow, will return its entire roster next season, as there are no seniors on the team. Leading scorers in the loss against Summit were sophomore guard Abby Scheidel, 13 points; junior guard Courtney Wilde and junior forward Rebecca Granata, 10 points apiece; and junior center Alaina Feaster, six points.