ORANGE, NJ – Moving up to a higher division in the conference, the Orange High School varsity boys’ basketball team is ready for the challenge.
Sure, the Tornadoes lost their top scorer and rebounder to graduation in Zahier Childs and Rasheed Boyd, respectively. But head coach Jamaal Cooper’s squad returns five seniors from a team that shared the SEC-Colonial Division title with Bloomfield and Verona, and advanced to the semifinals of the North Jersey Section 2, Group 3 state tournament before finishing with a 20-6 overall record last season.
Orange now is in the SEC-Liberty Division, which is the second highest of the conference. The Tornadoes open the season against division foe Central at home on Friday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m.
“We’re senior-heavy and we have a lot of veterans,” Cooper said, following his team’s home scrimmage against West Side on Monday, Dec. 4. “We can compete for our conference, as well as our section. We’re going to be one of the top teams in our county and one of the top teams in our section.”
The senior-laden starting lineup consists of point guard Armand Jacques, shooting guard Mischeal Noelvil, 6-foot-6 center D’Angelo Blackmand, 6-4 small forward Quasean Waithe and 6-1 power forward Henry Jean Baptiste.
As the point guard, Jacques controls the game and gets his teammates involved, while Noelvil and Jean Baptiste are the team’s top shooters.
Sophomore 6-4 forward Zephania Cordes is the top reserve.
Besides Central, the Tornadoes will get a big early-season test against two-time reigning Group 4 state champion Linden in the third game on Dec. 21 in Linden in a non-conference game at 7 p.m.
Orange also got a good test in the scrimmage against West Side, which won, 72-70, on a last-second driving layup. West Side is the two-time defending Group 2 state champion and is expected to be a major contender again this season.
Cooper likes his team’s experience, as the seniors have been in the program for three years. But what he really likes is their camaraderie.
“They all play together; they all believe in each other,” Cooper said.
As the season progresses, Cooper expects to see significant growth from his team.
“I think by mid-season we’re going to be in full stride,” he said.
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