MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The fifth-seeded Columbia High School girls basketball team defeated No. 12 seed Verona High School 58-41 in the first round of the Essex County Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 28.
Shana Desir had 17 points with six rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocked shots; Talia Baptiste had 13 points with five assists, four rebounds and four steals; Bella Galatt had 10 points with five steals, three rebounds and three assists; Allie Harris had 9 points with six rebounds; Jaime Levi had 7 points with five rebounds; and Leah Connell had 2 points with five rebounds and three blocked shots to lead the CHS Cougars, who improved to 7-11 on the season. Verona fell to 13-4.
The Cougars will visit No. 4 seed Newark Academy of Livingston in the ECT quarterfinals on Saturday, Feb. 4. The winner will face the winner between No. 1 seed Immaculate Conception High School of Montclair and No. 9 seed Glen Ridge High School in the ECT semifinals on Saturday, Feb. 11, at West Orange High School.
Desir had 26 points and Connell had 13 points in a 74-57 loss at Westfield High School on Tuesday, Jan. 24. Baptiste had 7 points, Harris had 4 points, Levi had 3 points, and Galatt and Georgie Gassaro each had 2 points for CHS.
The Cougars lost to New Providence High School 44-35 on Thursday, Jan. 26, at home. Baptiste had 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals; Desir had 9 points, five rebounds and three steals; Galatt had 6 points; Connell had 4 points and five rebounds; and Harris had 4 points for the Cougars.
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