West Orange HS girls’ basketball team seeks another banner season

WEST ORANGE, NJ – Led by Mya Bembry, one of the best players in the state, the West Orange High School girls’ varsity basketball team produced its best season ever last winter. Head coach Caniece Williams’ team captured its first-ever state sectional title with a 56-50 win over Hackensack in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group 4 tournament final en route to a 22-8 final record.

Bembry, a 6-foot-2 guard who averaged 19.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 4.9 rebounds last year, is back for her senior season, surrounded by a strong returning group looking to make another great run.

WOHS will open the season at East Orange Campus on Friday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m.

Along with Bembry, who signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her basketball career at Penn State, the Mountaineers return 5-6 senior guard Kaija Jones, 5-6 senior guard Ebony Barnes, 5-8 forward Taneerah Johnson, 5-7 senior guard Faith Lewis, 5-2 seniro guard Bianca Fede, 5-7 junior guard Davionna Phillips, 5-4 sophomore guard Mackenzie Dover, and 5-foot sophomore guard Kaya Schultz.

Kiley Capstraw, a 5-10 freshman guard who was a key player for the county and state sectional champion WOHS girls’ soccer team in the fall, also will be a contributor. Bembry and Schultz also were standouts for the WOHS girls’ soccer team.

Bembry, who scored her 1,000th career point last season, is looking to become the program’s all-time leading scorer.

The Mountaineers this season possess quality guard play and athleticism in the open court.

The team’s goals include winning the county title, repeating as sectional champions and competing for the Super Essex Conference-American Division and Group 4 state crowns.

Williams said the keys to success include staying healthy, teamwork, hard work and focusing on “focusing on  what we can control within ourselves and let the uncontrollable fall where they may.”

The other teams in the division are University, Newark Tech, East Orange Campus, Arts, Nutley and Payne Tech.

Schedule

Dec. 14, at East Orange Campus, 7 p.m.

Dec. 18, Arts, 4 p.m.

Dec. 20, Payne Tech, 7 p.m.

Jan. 3, at Newark Academy, 4 p.m.

Jan. 5, at Morris Catholic, 2 p.m.

Jan. 8, at Nutley, 6 p.m.

Jan. 10, University, 7 p.m.

Jan. 12, Gill St. Bernard’s, 1 p.m.

Jan. 13, at Immaculate Heart Academy, 11 a.m.

Jan. 17, at Newark Tech, 7 p.m.

Jan. 19, Bound Brook, 1 p.m.

Jan. 22, East Orange Campus, 7 p.m.

Jan. 24, at Arts, 4 p.m.

Jan. 26, at Payne Tech, 1 p.m.

Jan. 29, Nutley, 4 p.m.

Feb. 5, at University, 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 7, Central, 7 p.m.

Feb. 11, Mendham, 7 p.m.

Feb. 14, Newark Tech, 7 p.m.

  West Orange High School girls basketball