Orange HS boys basketball team falls to Payne Tech in state tournament first round

ORANGE, NJ — The 10th-seeded Orange High School boys basketball team lost at No. 7 seed Payne Tech of Newark 71-28 in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 state tournament on Monday, Feb. 20. 

The OHS Tornadoes had their two-game winning streak snapped and finished the season with a 13-13 overall record. 

In their previous game, the Tornadoes defeated Cedar Grove High School 69-54 on Thursday, Feb. 16, in a Super Essex Conference game at home. 

Sophomore guard Gregory Burton had 19 points, junior forward A’juwan Tiggs had 13 points, senior guard Jasir Calloway had 11 points, junior guard Rafee Simmons and senior guard Mervin Ross each had 8 points, senior center Natche Aguste had 6 points, and sophomore forward Jaylen May-Green had 4 points for the Tornadoes.

Orange won three of its last five games of the season.