WEST ORANGE – Senior forward Zach Keller had 16 points and 13 rebounds and senior forward Ryan Toohers had 12 points and five rebounds to lead the top-seeded and defending champion Seton Hall Prep varsity basketball team to a 61-46 win over fifth-seeded West Side in the first game of the Essex County Tournament semifinals doubleheader on Feb. 23 at West Orange High School.
The Pirates, who won their 20th straight game to improve to a 25-1 record, will face second-seeded East Side in the 70th ECT championship on Feb. 27 at Essex County College at 1 p.m. East Side defeated sixth-seeded East Orange Campus, 64-42, in the nightcap of the semifinals doubleheader.
Senior guard JJ Jenkins had 11 points and four assists; junior guard Austin Williams had nine points and four assists; senior guard Stephen Ferraro had eight points, five assists and four rebounds and senior guard and University of Notre Dame-bound T.J. Gibbs had five points for the Pirates.
It will mark the third time in four seasons that SHP and East Side will meet in the ECT championship game. In the 2013 final, SHP beat East Side, 58-47. The following season, East Side defeated SHP, 60-42, in the final.
SHP has beaten East Side in both Super Essex Conference-American Division meetings this season, 66-50, on Jan. 7, at home, and 69-57, Feb. 4, at East Side.
SHP has won a tournament-record 16 titles and will be making its 27th appearance in the ECT final to extend its tournament record. The Pirates have now reached the ECT final for seven straight seasons (2010-16). In 21 seasons (1996-2016), the Pirates have appeared in the ECT final 19 times, with 2006 and 2009 as the only years they did not make it to the final.
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