West Orange HS boys basketball team has good start to season

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange High School boys basketball team has posted a 3-2 record through Saturday, Dec. 28.

In the season-opener on Tuesday, Dec. 17, the Mountaineers lost at Glen Ridge, 58-47, in a Super Essex Conference-Freedom Division game. Sophomore Jaden Then had 12 points, sophomore Evan Whitaker had seven points, junior Brandon Lewis had six points, and senior Nick Matos and senior Jaden Gachette each had five points to lead WOHS.

The Mountaineers defeated West Caldwell Tech, 46-40, Thursday, Dec. 19, at WOHS in a SEC-Freedom Division game. Matos scored 11 points with four rebounds and three steals. Lewis scored 11 points with seven rebounds. Whitaker scored eight points and senior Terrell Wilfong scored seven points and grabbed seven rebounds.  

Matos scored 14 points to lead the Mountaineers past Cedar Grove, 55-52, Saturday, Dec. 21, in a SEC crossover game. Senior Justin Lopez and Whitaker each scored 10 points; Wilfong scored eight points; Lewis had four points; senior Miles Price had three points; and senior Robeson Bennett, Then and senior Jemel Touze each had two points.

The Mountaineers went 1-1 in the Bayonne Holiday Classic on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 27-28.

Wilfong had 13 points, Whitaker had eight points and Matos had seven points in the 50-40 loss to Bayonne on Friday, Dec. 27. Lopez had four points; Van Williams and Then each had three points; and Touze added two points.

Wilfong scored 15 points and Whitaker scored 11 points in the 74-59 win over Port Richmond, of New York, on Saturday, Dec. 28.