WEST ORANGE, NJ – The top-seeded Seton Hall Prep varsity basketball team defeated eighth-seeded Millburn, 71-48, Saturday, Feb. 17, at SHP to reach the semifinals of the 72nd Essex County Tournament. It marks the40th time that the Pirates advance to the ECT semifinals.
The Pirates came out strong with hot shooting as they connected on seven 3-point field goals in the first quarter to take a 25-13 lead after the first quarter. They hit 10 three-pointers in the first half and led 40-24 at halftime.
For the game, seven different players connected on a season high of 13 three-pointers. Ashton Miller led the team scoring 21 points with five rebounds and five assists, while Alex Imegwu had 17 points and five rebounds and Jesse Reid III had 12 points, seven assists and three steals.
The Pirates, who improved to 22-1, will face fourth-seeded Immaculate Conception of Montclair in the ECT semifinals held at West Orange HS on Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. The other semifinal pits second-seeded Newark East Side against Newark Central, also at WOHS on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. the ECT final will be held Saturday, Feb. 24, at Essex County College in Newark at 1 p.m. SHP’s record in the ECT is 137-50. They have met Immaculate four times in the history of the ECT.
1989: Won, quarterfinals, 52-48 OT
1962: Won, first round, 54-49
1959: Won, first round, 50-45.
1951: Won, first round, 56-33.
In prior action, the Pirates defeated Orange, 69-57, in their other game of the week on Feb. 15, at Orange in a Super Essex Conference crossover game. Imegwu had 22 points with five rebounds; Jabri Abdur-Rahim also scored 22 points with 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals; Miller had 14 points and six assists; and Jesse Reid III had four rebounds, seven assists, and three steals as a major contributor to the victory.
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