UPDATED: West Orange HS boys basketball team looks forward to the season

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WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange High School boys basketball team, under longtime head coach Demond Cowins, return senior forwards Jhensen Touze and Connor Gannon, and sophomore forward Terrell Wilfong, who will be starters. The other starters are junior guard Jaden Livingston and sophomore point guard Nicholas Matos.

The Mountaineers defeated Nutley High School 60-50 in the season opener on Thursday, Dec. 15, at home, and defeated Livingston High School 49-44 on Saturday, Dec. 17, at Livingston to move to 2-0 on the season. 

WOHS is in the Super Essex Conference–Independence Division, which includes Barringer, Collegiate, Livingston, Newark Academy, Nutley, Science Park and Shabazz.

“As a team, we are looking to improve our basketball fundamentals and team chemistry,” Cowins wrote in an email to the West Orange Chronicle. “We will be taking it a game at a time and working towards having a successful season.”

Here is the West Orange team roster:

Seniors

• Asaad Berger, guard, No. 5.
• Ronald Christophe, guard, No. 4.
• Alston Dukes, forward, No. 23.
• Connor Gannon, forward, No. 33.
• Jesse Makachi, center, No. 24.
• Akida Neal Jr., forward, No. 1.
• Jhensen Touze, forward, No. 10.
• Matthew Barrino, guard, No. 2.
• Quran Ali, guard, No. 12.

Junior

• Jaden Livingston, guard, No. 11.

Sophomores

• Nicholas Matos, point guard, No. 14.
• Miles Price, point guard, No. 30.
• Dashawn Provilon, forward, No. 15.
• Terrell Wilfong, forward, No. 3.

Touze had 11 points, Matos and Gannon each had 10 points, and Wilfong and Christophe each had 8 points in the win over Nutley. Livingston had 9 points, Christophe had 8 points, and Wilfong and Matos each had 7 points in the win over Livingston High School. 

Here is the rest of the schedule:

Here is the West Orange team roster:

Seniors

• Asaad Berger, guard, uniform No. 5.
• Ronald Christophe, guard, No. 4.
• Alston Dukes, forward, No. 23.
• Connor Gannon, forward, No. 33.
• Jesse Makachi, center, No. 24.
• Akida Neal Jr., forward, No. 1.
• Jhensen Touze, forward, No. 10.
• Matthew Barrino, guard, No. 2.
• Quran Ali, guard, No. 12.

Junior

• Jaden Livingston, guard, No. 11.

Sophomores

• Nicholas Matos, point guard, No. 14.
• Miles Price, point guard, No. 30.
• Dashawn Provilon, forward, No. 15.
• Terrell Wilfong, forward, No. 3.

Here is the season schedule:

• Dec. 15: vs. Nutley, 7 p.m.
• Dec. 17: at Livingston, 1 p.m.
• Dec. 20: vs. Newark Academy, 4 p.m.
• Dec. 22: at Newark Collegiate Academy, 7 p.m.
• Jan. 3: at Science Park, 4 p.m.
• Jan. 5: vs. Barringer, 7 p.m.
• Jan. 7: vs. Orange, 1 p.m.
• Jan. 10: at Shabazz, 5:30 p.m.
• Jan. 12: at Nutley, 4 p.m.
• Jan. 14: at Cedar Grove, time to be determined.
• Jan. 17: vs. Livingston, 7 p.m.
• Jan. 19: at Newark Academy, 7 p.m.
• Jan. 24: vs. Newark Collegiate Academy, 7 p.m.
• Jan. 29: at Weequahic, 11 a.m.
• Jan. 31: vs. Science Park, 4 p.m.
• Feb. 2: at Barringer, 7 p.m.
• Feb. 7: vs. Shabazz, 7 p.m.
• Feb. 9: vs. Columbia, 7 p.m.
• Feb. 17: vs. Caldwell, 7 p.m.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to include the result of the season opener.

 Photos Courtesy of WOHS Sports Media

  West Orange High School boys basketball