WEST ORANGE, NJ — After winning the Essex County Tournament championship, the top-seeded West Orange High School girls basketball team defeated Memorial and Paterson Eastside to advance to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 state tournament.
Senior center Anaya Karriem had 20 points, five rebounds and three steals; and sophomore guard Rhyan Watt had 15 points, eight steals, five assists and three rebounds to power the Mountaineers to an 87-13 home win at No. 16 seed Memorial (West New York) in the first round on Thursday, Feb. 27. Senior guard Kyley Gary-Grayson had 11 points, six steals and five assists; senior guard Jordyn Batts had 13 points; sophomore guard Elianna Denis had seven points; freshman guard Taraji Muhammad had six points; sophomore guard Kennedy Curry had four points; and sophomore center Destiny Kearney had four points and four rebounds.
Watt had 22 points, 11 steals, four rebounds and three assists; and Gary-Grayson had 18 points, seven steals, five assists and three rebounds to propel the Mountaineers to a 67-42 home win over No. 8 seed Paterson Eastside at home on Monday, March 3.
Muhammad had 12 points and four steals; Karriem had eight points, 12 rebounds and four steals; and Dennis had four points.
The Mountaineers, who improved to 23-7 on the season, were scheduled to host No. 4 seed Ridgewood in the semifinals on Wednesday, March 5, after press time. The other semifinal pitted No. 3 seed Union City and No. 2 seed Morristown. The final is Saturday, March 8, at the higher-seeded school.
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