WEST ORANGE, NJ – Junior guard Mya Bembry had 16 points and 13 rebounds to lead the third-seeded West Orange High School girls’ varsity basketball team to a 41-35 home win over sixth-seeded Newark Arts in the quarterfinals of the Essex County Tournament on Feb. 17.
Nahtali Simpson had eight points; Mackenzie Dover had six; and Madison Mitchell and Aliyah Perkins each had four for the Mountaineers, who won their ninth straight to improve to 17-6. West Orange will face second-seeded Newark Tech in the semifinals doubleheader on Feb. 21 at Weequahic HS in Newark. The other semifinal pits No. 1 seed Newark University against No. 5 seed Immaculate Conception of Montclair.
Last season, West Orange lost to Newark Tech in its first ever ECT final.
The Mountaineers defeated Newark Tech in convincing fashion, 63-44, in a Super Essex Conference-American Division game on Feb. 10. Bembry had 23 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, four blocks and three steals. Simpson had 15 points, 12 rebounds, five steals and three assists and Kaija Jones had eight points and four rebounds. Perkins had seven points; Bianca Fede had six points; and Mitchell added four. Cassidy Ferrell added six rebounds.
Bembry hit a game-winning three-pointer in overtime to lead WOHS to a 64-63 home win over state-ranked Saddle River Day on Feb. 15. Bembry finished with 27 points and 14 rebounds and Simpson had 17 points. Mackenzie Dover had six points; Fede had five points and four assists; Perkins had four points and six rebounds; Shayna Fortfoskey hit a three-pointer and Mitchell added two points.Saddle River was ranked No. 10 in the state and defeated Pascack Valley on Sunday, Feb. 18, to win its third straight Bergen County Tournament title.
West Orange is the No. 9 seed in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group 4 state tournament and will visit No. 8 seed Randolph in the first round on Feb. 27.
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