Columbia HS girls hoops team wins two in a row

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Columbia High School girls basketball team defeated South Plainfield and Hillside on consecutive days to improve to 9-14 on the season.

Senior Talia Baptiste had 22 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five seals and senior Jaime Levi had 20 points to lead the Cougars to a 52-46 win at South Plainfield on Friday, Feb. 9. Freshman Myla Defreitas had 5 points, sophomore Sara Marley had 3 points and junior Campbell Connell had four rebounds for Columbia.

Baptiste scored a whopping 39 points in the 71-48 home win over Hillside on Saturday, Feb. 10. Levi and freshman Gabi Ervin each had 9 points, sophomore Annabelle Nelson had 6 points and Defreitas had 5 points.

In earlier action, Columbia lost to Immaculate Conception of Montclair, 88-32, Tuesday, Feb. 6, and lost to University High School of Newark, 75-44, Wednesday, Feb. 7, both at home. Baptiste and Levi each had 8 points and Defreitas had 5 points against Immaculate Conception. Baptiste had 24 points, Levi and Ervin each had 9 points, Nelson had 6 points and Defreitas had 5 points against University.