Columbia HS boys’ basketball team’s win streak ends

MAPLEWOOD, NJ – The Columbia High School boys’ varsity basketball team had its five-game winning streak snapped with a tough 60-53 loss at Bridgewater-Raritan on Feb. 4 in a non-conference.

Briezh Askew had 16 points and Nashiem Harte had 10 points for the Cougars, who moved to an 11-8 record. Stephan Gabriel scored nine points; Brandon Askew had eight points; Malachi Smythe had six points; Russell Ayala chipped in three points and Justin Bobbitt added  free throw.

In earlier action, Briezh Askew scored 13 points and Ayala had eight points, five assists and three steals to lead the Cougars to a 44-40 win over Bloomfield Tech on Jan. 31 in a Super Essex Conference-Liberty Division game. Gabriel had six points and 10 rebounds and Nashiem Harte and Darius Plummer each had five points for the Cougars.

CHS, seeded sixth, will begin play in the Essex County Tournament at home in a first-round game on or by Feb. 11 against the winner between No. 11 seed Verona and No. 23 seed Nutley.