WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange High School girls basketball team, under head coach Caniece Williams, hopes to make a strong run in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 state tournament that begins Wednesday, Feb. 21.
The Mountaineers were ranked No. 3 in the North 1, Group 4 sectional power-point standings through Saturday, Feb. 10. Paterson Eastside was No. 1 and Morristown was No. 2. The seeding meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 13.
The third-seeded Mountaineers dropped a tough 50-45 decision to No. 2 seed University High School of Newark in the Essex County Tournament semifinals, hosted by WOHS, on Saturday, Feb. 10. University outscored WOHS, 15-9, in the fourth quarter.
Junior Anaya Karriem had 15 points and 20 rebounds; junior Kyley Gary-Grayson had 14 points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists; senior Adrienne Taylor Kamara had 8 points, four rebounds and five steals; senior Mya Bushrod had 7 points, three steals and two rebounds; senior Zoe Francis Bunkley had four assists and one point; and senior Alexa Chapman had four rebounds for the Mountaineers, who moved to a 16-9 record on the season. University improved to 20-2, beating WOHS three times this season. WOHS fell to University, 53-49, on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at home and lost, 64-47, on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at University in Super Essex Conference–American Division action.