Columbia HS boys’ basketball team regroups to finish fifth in Neptune Holiday Jubilee

Photo by Steve Ellmore.
Luke Hayes, of Columbia, unleashes a jumper in the 48-44 season-opening victory over East Orange Campus HS on Dec. 14 at CHS. The Cougars won two straight games in the Neptune Holiday Jubilee to improve to a 4-2 record on the season.

MAPLEWOOD, NJ – After losing to host school Neptune, the Columbia High School boys’ varsity basketball team defeated both Ewing and Allentown to finish in fifth place in the Neptune Holiday Jubilee.

The Cougars lost to Neptune, 55-47, on the first day of the tournament Dec. 27. The next day, the Cougars defeated Ewing, 50-42.

Marques Thompkins had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Dylan Jones had 15 points in the 65-57 win over Allentown in the fifth-place consolation Dec. 30. Nigel Garcia had 12 points; Jun Harriman had eight points; Noah Perry had seven points and Luke Hayes had five points. CHS improved to a 4-2 record on the season.

In earlier action, Jones had 14 points and six rebounds and Brandon Dalembert had 11 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots to lead CHS to a 56-46 win over Millburn in a SEC game on Dec. 20. Thompkins had five points and 10 rebounds and Connor Thompson had six points. Harriman had four points and four blocks. Hayes had five points.

Jones scored 17 points in a 50-43 home loss to Snyder of Jersey City on Dec. 22 in a non-conference game. Hayes and Perry each had six points; and Garcia had five points.

The Cougars will host West Side, Jan. 4 and visit Montclair Jan. 10, both at 7 p.m.