Columbia HS girls basketball team notches wins during the week

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Columbia High School girls basketball team won two of three games last week to improve to 7-9 overall on the season.

The Cougars defeated Nutley, 52-44, Tuesday, Jan. 21, at home in a Super Essex Conference–Liberty Division game.

Sophomore Gabriella Ervin had 18 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals; sophomore Myla Defreitas had 12 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals; and sophomore JoJo Yarde had 10 points, 13 rebounds, five steals, two assists and two blocked shots to lead the Cougars.

CHS lost at Caldwell, 65-22, Thursday, Jan. 23, in an SEC–Liberty Division game. Ervin had nine points, five rebounds and two assists; Yarde had nine points, 13 rebounds and five steals; and senior Campbell Connell had two points and four rebounds. Caldwell improved to 13-1 overall.

Ervin had 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals to lead the Cougars to a 39-33 win over Newark Academy on Saturday, Jan. 25, at home in a SEC crossover divisional game. Defreitas had nine points; Yarde had three points, 13 rebounds, eight steals and three blocked shots;  junior Sara Marley had seven points; Connell had four points, seven rebounds and three assists; and junior Chioma Okafor had four points and three rebounds.

The Cougars received the No. 10 seed in the Essex County Tournament and was scheduled to No. 23 seed Cedar Grove on Thursday, Jan. 30. The winner will visit No.7 seed West Essex on Saturday, Feb. 1, while the loser will host No. 26 seed Newark Collegiate in the inaugural Essex County Invitational, also on Feb. 1. 

  Columbia High School girls basketball