Columbia HS boys basketball team seeks good run in ECT

MAPLEWOOD, NJ – The Columbia High School boys varsity basketball team hopes to make a good run in the 73rd Essex County Tournament.

The Cougars received the No. 11 seed and will host No. 22 seed Verona  in the preliminary third round on or by Feb. 7. The winner will visit No. 6 Payne Tech in the first round (round of 16) Feb. 9 in Newark.

The quarterfinals will Feb. 16 at the higher seeds. The semifinals are Feb. 19 at West Orange High School. The final is Feb. 23 at Essex County College.

The Cougars lost at Barringer, 67-56, Jan. 28 in Newark in a Super Essex Conference-Liberty Division game to move to a 9-6 record. Dylan Jones had 23 points; Marques Thompkins had 10 points; and Nigel Garcia had nine points. Marcus Cosmeus and Jun Harrigan each had five points; and Luke Hayes and Trevon Valentine each had two points.