Orange HS boys basketball team develops during the summer

ORANGE, NJ — The Orange High School boys basketball team, coming off a successful 15-10 campaign this past winter, enjoyed a busy summer.

The Tornadoes were hit hard by graduation and knew that this summer was all about development.

“This summer has been extremely challenging, but yet rewarding,” said OHS head coach Esak Crawley. “We are in our rebuilding phase with only two returnees, and everyone else never playing on the varsity level was quite complex; difficult, but at the same time, created more opportunities for growth and development for our players.”

Crawley’s main goals were to help the players establish team chemistry, while also helping them improve individually.

“My task this summer was to get all of our student-athletes the exposure and experience they needed, in order to help each of them individually and in a whole group setting as it relates to what was purposefully and intentionally in their basketball training sessions,” he said.

The Tornadoes were quite busy. They played in five varsity-level summer leagues: the Just June Summer NJ Legacy, at Cicely Tyson School in East Orange, which was an invite-only league; the Bloomfield High School Summer League; the East Orange Recreation League; the Bloomfield College High School Summer League and the Orange Summer Sizzle Summer League.

They also competed at the New Jersey STARZ Stay Sharpe Team Camp at Weequahic High School in Newark.

Moreover, OHS held summer workout sessions that were scheduled three to four days out of the week, in addition to strength and conditioning training at 7 a.m. three times a week. 

“Our schedule was completely accommodating to any of our student-athletes who attended any summer school or any summer school enrichment programs,” Crawley said. “Although we had the opportunity to compete for two championships this summer and we came up short, I am extremely proud of how these gentlemen got better, game by game, and each workout. These guys showed up and were ready to work. This group here is truly appreciative and committed to the process of progress. They are positive and diligent in their approach to wanting to learn and put in the work. Despite us struggling with transportation for our student-athletes, they found a way to their games and workouts. These guys have shown me how committed they are to the work it takes to get better and how committed they are to being a good person and a great teammate. I have watched their character development, skill development and team development. The future is bright for Orange High School boys basketball.”

One of the returning players is rising senior guard Gregory Burton, who made First Team for the second year in a row on the All-Super Conference–Colonial Division, as voted by the divisional coaches. Burton averaged 14.5 points and 3.9 assists per season.

Rising senior guard Ky’Sir Green is the other OHS returning player who made All-SFC–Colonial Division Honorable Mention last season.

Crawley would like to give special thanks to the Orange Athletics Department, Superintendent of the Orange Public Schools Dr. Gerald Fitzhugh III and members of the Orange Board of Education.

  East Orange High School boys basketball