Columbia HS boys’ basketball team cruises to Essex County Tournament victory

MAPLEWOOD – Sophomore Stephan Gabriel scored 16 points and senior Kevin Bostic had 13 points to lead the 11th-seeded Columbia High School boys’ varsity basketball team to an 89-29 home win over 35th-seeded Science Park in the Essex County Tournament second preliminary round on Feb. 6.

Junior John Reed had 11 points and sophomore Brandon Robinson had 10 points for the Cougars, who improved to a 7-10 record with their second straight win.

CHS will host No. 23 seed West Essex in the third preliminary round on or by Feb. 11. The winner will visit No. 6 seed East Orange Campus in the first round on Feb. 13.

In their previous game, Gabriel scored 14 points and sophomore Breizh Askew had 12 points in a 62-54 home win over Orange on Feb. 4.

In earlier action, senior center Henry Voorhees scored 16 points and Robinson had 14 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, but the Cougars lost at Irvington, 62-59, Feb. 2. Gabriel had 12 points; and Bostic had four points.