Jalen Robinson handles the ball during a game in the 2019-20 season.
MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Columbia High School boys basketball team last season was a bit inexperienced and finished with a 10-11 overall record.
With several returning players, the Cougars, under ninth-year head coach Eugene “Bam” Robinson, are poised to become a Super Essex Conference–Liberty Division title contender and one of the best in the county this season.
The Cougars will be led by Robinson’s son, senior point guard Jalen Robinson, and sophomore guard Jaden Myers.
Jalen Robinson is a dynamic floor general who will spearhead the Cougars’ attack.
“We believe he is the best point guard in the county,” said Eugene Robinson. “We’ve gotten better around him. Everybody’s improved, and we feel like some of the things that teams did to us last year, that kind of made life difficult for Jalen, the others have gotten a lot better and they won’t be able to do those things this year.”
Myers, a guard, started every game last season as a freshman and already holds a Division I basketball scholarship from Old Dominion University. Eugene Robinson is expecting big things from Myers, who has improved tremendously from last year.
“He had a very good offseason,” Robinson said. “We believe he is the best sophomore in the county. He plays hard, he’s skilled, he’s coachable. He goes about his business quietly. We’re looking for big things out of Jaden.”
Other returning players are senior Chris Berry, sophomore Shelton Colwell, and junior Jalen James.
The Cougars had a productive offseason. This fall, they went undefeated in a Monday-night league in Paterson, against the likes of DePaul Catholic, Newark East Side, Ridgewood, Paramus Catholic and Morris Catholic.
“We had a good offseason, and we’re just hoping it translates to the regular season,” Eugene Robinson said.
The goals are to win the division title and go far in the county and state tournaments. In addition to Columbia, the other teams in the SEC–Liberty are Bloomfield, Caldwell, Irvington, North Star Academy, Payne Tech and University.
Eugene Robinson said he likes that the players are working hard in practice.
“The guys are coming in and competing in practice.”
The Cougars will tip off the season on Thursday, Dec. 15, at Bloomfield. This is their schedule:
- Dec. 15: at Bloomfield, 7 p.m.
- Dec. 17: vs. Snyder, 1 p.m.
- Dec. 20: vs. University, 7 p.m.
- Dec. 22: at Payne Tech, 4 p.m.
- Dec. 27: Dwight Morrow, at old Paterson Catholic, 1:30 p.m.
- Dec. 28-29: to be determined, at old Paterson Catholic.
- Jan. 3: vs. Caldwell, 7 p.m.
- Jan. 5: at North Star Academy, 7 p.m.
- Jan. 7: vs. East Side, 1 p.m.
- Jan. 10: at Irvington, 7 p.m.
- Jan. 12: vs. Bloomfield, 7 p.m.
- Jan. 14: at Montclair, 1:30 p.m.
- Jan. 16: Teaneck, at old Paterson Catholic, 10:30 a.m.
- Jan. 19: at University, 4 p.m.
- Jan. 21: Weequahic, at West Side, 1:30 p.m.
- Jan. 24: vs. Payne Tech, 7 p.m.
- Jan. 31: at Caldwell, 4 p.m.
- Feb. 2: vs. North Star Academy, 7 p.m.
- Feb. 7: vs. Irvington,7 p.m.
- Feb. 9: at West Orange, 7 p.m.
Photos by Joe Ragozzino and Steve Ellmore
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