Leveille, Carlucci power Columbia HS boys basketball team in win

Columbia head coach Deon Mingo converses with Julien Leveille during a home game against Irvington on Jan 11. Columbia won, 58-52.
Julien Leveille is shown during the game against Irvington.

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Senior guard Julien Leveille scored 32 points to lead the Columbia High School boys basketball team past Wayne Hills High School, 79-64, Wednesday, Feb. 14.

Leveille also had five rebounds and four assists for the Cougars, who won their fourth straight game.

Senior center Jared Carlucci had 21 points, 11 rebounds and two assists; senior guard Jalen James had 17 points with four rebounds, two assists and two steals; junior guard Shane Brantley had 3 points with five rebounds, two assists and two steals and freshman guard Zach Alexander had 3 points and two assists for the Cougars. Junior guard Jerry Browne added 2 points and three rebounds.

Columbia senior Jared Carlucci holds his ground during the 63-48 win against Bloomfield in the season opener on Dec. 14 at Columbia.

The next day, the Cougars lost at Ridgewood High School, 70-60, to move to a 12-11 overall record on the season. Leveille had 23 points with six rebounds and three steals; Carlucci had 19 points, eight rebounds and two assists; Brantley had 13 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals; James had 3 points and Alexander had four assists.

The 15th-seeded Cougars, under first-year head coach Deon Mingo, were scheduled to visit No. 2 seed Watchung Hills High School in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 state tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 21. 

The winner will face either No. 7 seed Franklin High School or No. 10 seed Westfield High School on Monday, Feb. 26. The semifinals are Wednesday, Feb. 28.

Photos Courtesy of Rocco Ungaro and Joe Ungaro