WEST ORANGE – The West Orange High School girls’ varsity basketball team added another memorable highlight to its sensational season.
The Lady Mountaineers have advanced to the championship game of the 43rd Essex County Tournament this Saturday, Feb. 25, in which they will face top-seeded Newark Tech at Essex County College in Newark at 1 p.m.
Third-seeded WOHS, under head coach Caniece Williams, upset second-seeded University, 46-29, in the semifinals at Weequahic HS in Newark on Feb. 22, led by sophomore 6-foot-2 guard Mya Bembry’s 23 points and 13 rebounds.
The Mountaineers improved to a eye-popping 21-1 record with the win.
Bemby also had four assists and three steals; senior guard Dawn Flood had 17 points and seven rebounds; senior point guard Jewel Burnett dished out 11 assists; junior forward Cassidy Ferrell pulled down 1o rebounds; and sophomore guard Kaija Jones, junior center Madison Mitchell and junior guard Nahtali Simpson each had two points for the Mountaineers, who led 23-20 at the half before outscoring University, 11-6, in the third quarter and 12-3 in the fourth quarter.
University moved to 17-6.
West Orange won its first 16 games to start the season before losing to Queen of Peace, 50-30, Feb. 2, at Queen of Peace in North Arlington. Since that losss, the Mountaineers have won five straight. WOHS also won its first Super Essex Conference-Liberty Division title this season.
Newark Tech defeated fourth-seeded East Orange Campus, 49-33, in the other semifinal at Weequahic on Feb. 22 to improve to a 21-4 record. Last season, Newark Tech lost to East Orange Campus in the ECT final as East Orange Campus won its second straight county title. Two days prior to the ECT semifinal, Newark Tech beat host East Orange Campus, 42-33, in a Super Essex Conference-American Division.
West Orange HS girls’ baskeball team (21-1 record) upsets No. 2 seed University to advance to ECT championship game on Saturday, Feb. 25, against top-seeded Newark Tech added by Joe Ragozzino on
View all posts by Joe Ragozzino →