West Orange HS boys’ basketball team tops Shabazz to advance in ECT

WEST ORANGE, NJ – Jelani Jackson had 15 points and Gabe Silvera had 13 points to lead the 15th-seeded West Orange High School boys’ varsity basketball team to a 68-45 home win over No. 30 seed Shabazz in the preliminary second round of the Essex County Tournament on Friday, Feb. 3.

The Mountaineers, who won their fourth straight game to improve to a 9-8 record, will host No 18 seed East Orange Campus in the third preliminary round on or by Feb. 9.

Tyshawn Dukes had 11 points; Joey Fresco had 10 points; Matt Romano had five points and Justin Bouyer had four points for the Mountaineers.

In previous action, Jackson scored 23 points and Sheard had 14 points and five rebounds to lead the Mountaineers to a 48-45 home win over Newark Tech on Jan. 31 in a Super Essex Conference-Liberty Division game. Silvera had four points; Romano had three points and Bouyer and Robert Meaux each had two points. WOHS avenged a 50-49 loss to Newark Tech on Jan. 6.