MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Junior guard Javon Rogers had 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists to lead the Columbia High School boys basketball team to a 54-37 win over Barringer in the inaugural Essex County Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 1, at home.
Senior forward Earl Hart had 13 points; Jerry Browne had eight points and six rebounds and sophomore guard Nate Kirby also had eight points for the Cougars, who outscored Barringer, 21-8, in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
The Cougars, who improved to 6-14 on the season, will host Shabazz in the quarterfinals on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 11:30 a.m.
The No. 16 seed Cougars lost to No. 17 seed Orange, 58-57, in the Essex County Tournament preliminary round on Thursday, Jan. 30, at home. Rogers had 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals; Hart posted 15 points, four steals and three rebounds; Kirby notched 12 points, five rebounds and two assists; sophomore guard Zach Alexander recorded nine points and two rebounds; and senior forward Jude Brantley added two points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists.
CHS trailed 32-25 at halftime and 47-39 at the end of the third quarter, before rallying with an 18-9 run in the fourth quarter. But the comeback fell short.
The loss moved the Cougars to the Essex County Invitational.
Earlier in the week, the Cougas lost to Newark Central, 55-51, on Tuesday, Jan. 28, in a Super Essex Conference-Liberty Division game at home. Rogers had 18 points, seven rebounds, six rebounds; Hart had 14 points and three rebounds; Kirby had 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals; Brantley posted five points and two assists; and senior guard Jerry Browne added four points, two rebounds and two blocked shots.
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